According
to the Collins Dictionary website (because I don't have a physical
dictionary handy), “evolution” is “a process of gradual
development in a particular situation or
thing over a period of time.” There could not be a more apt title
for the name of the debut album by Newcastle band, Tamam Shud.
For
episode 115 of Love That Album podcast, I am once again joined by
music journalist and author of The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock
and Pop, Ian Mcfarlane, to talk about psychedelic prog-rock (and some
suggest surf) band Tamam Shud and their debut album Evolution. They'd
formed several years prior as The 4 Strangers, then changing their
name to The Sunsets. The general consensus was that they made surf
music, though singer songwriter Lindsay Bjerre has never placed much
stock in that description. What is indisputable is that they
provided the soundtrack for surf movies directed by Paul Witzig. When
the late sixties counter-culture turned its musical ears to the
sounds from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and Jefferson Airplane,
The Sunsets changed their sound and name and evolved to Tamam Shud
(and they continued to evolve beyond that point as well). They were a
highly charged and exciting band.
Ian
and I discuss the history of the band and it's place in Australian
rock history, as well as the album itself. Evolution was
recorded in only a couple of hours It took almost as long to record
the podcast! We also talk about how the band changed its sound
drastically just a couple of years later with its contributions to
the soundtrack to Morning Of The Earth, regarded as one of the
greatest surf films of the era.
But
wait....there's more. Ian has been a regular writer of liner notes
for the wonderful Australian archival label, Aztec Records. We spend
time discussing some recent re-releases on the label, as well as a
hugely important box set of sixties pop material from the independent
label Go! Records. Gotta tell you folks, I considered myself schooled
after this episode in Australian music history. I hope you enjoy
listening as much as I did recording it.
If
you've been following the Facebook page, notes or are regularly
subscribed to the podcast, you'd know that Eric Reanimator is taking
a break from the show, so my great friend David Blom has elected to
do a couple of Album I Love segments. This show around, he talks
about the debut EP from Kevin Parker (aka Tame Impala). I always
thought Innerspeaker was debut album, but there was an EP that came
before that, and Dave brings his thoughts about why you need to have
it in your life. Thanks for the segment, Dave.
You
can download the show from iTunes (search for “Love That Album
podcast”) or from the website at http://lovethatalbum.blogspot.com.
You
can (and should) order a copy of Ian's brilliant encyclopedia
from https://www.thirdstonepress.com.au/ The
site also features an archive of Ian's liner notes for a number of
the Aztec releases....all hugely informative. My thanks for his
support of the podcast.
You
can send me feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3
voicemail) or join the Facebook group
at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum.
If
you’d consider writing an iTunes review or recommending the show to
a friend, we’d be immensely grateful.
If
you enjoy what you hear, please tell a friend or ten to tune in
Right
click to download episode 115 here.
