AUSSIE BLUES #2
Sid Rumpo - First Offense (1974)
Sid Rumpo formed in Perth in late 1971 and quickly became a popular blues/rock band on the Perth scene. In November 1972 the band won a local Battle Of The Bands competition and relocated to Melbourne. For the next couple of years Sid Rumpo made some TV appearances, played a few of the big music festivals, had some personnel changes, recorded one LP for Mushroom Records (Mushroom L35109), then disbanded in 1974.
Tracklist:
01. Spotlight
02. Breakin' My Back
03. Spider Curry
04. Sailing
05. The Riddle
06. Don't Bug Me Boogie
07. Song With No Trees
08. Poor Man's Orange
Personnel:
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Searls
Guitar, Vocals – Mick Elliot
Piano, Percussion – Ken Wallace
Bass – Owen Hughes
Drums, Percussion – Noel Herridge
LP Review:
A wonderful mix of rock, blues, boogie & improvisational jam-funk music – a guitar lovers dream. A great rockin' bar band from Oz never to be heard from again. The dynamic twin guitar attack dominates but the piano work is exceptional, there's some mean frantic drums & the vocals are suitably gruff but on key. A "one and done" gem & ageless hidden jewel.
Thanks a lot, Bobb!!
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome Concha...enjoy!
Deletethanks Bob, will take a listen
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it Reb.
DeleteIf you hadn't said that Sid Rumpo was an Australian band,
ReplyDeleteI would have thought they were from the southern United States.
Sid Rumpo sounds like an unlikely encounter between bands like
The Outlaws and the Allman Brothers, as Rod45 said on RYM.
I've already listened to the album twice, and it's obvious that
tracks like ‘Breakin' My Back’, “Sailing” and the formidable
‘Song With No Trees’ stand out. The guitarists' playing is a treat!
I didn't know this band, but I think they must have been fantastic
live. Not only are they a blues-rock band, but also
a jam band, and I love that ! Great album, Bob... Bravo & Thanks !!
Hi Patrick. I'm pleased you enjoy this album. When this band was based in Perth I saw them live a few times, however they had a different guitar player then, he was a very good harmonica player but not an exciting guitarist. Then when the band was based in Melbourne they replaced the original guitarist with Mick Elliot. I never saw Mick play live but from all reports he was an exciting player. I believe this band was more 'bluesy' at the start but developed more into a raunchy rock band.
DeleteBob the guitarist/harp player was John Hood.
DeleteHi Bob. So, it seems Melbourne was the place to be. I say this because I saw a bio on Arte (French TV) about AC/DC, who really got their start in Melbourne, the place to be. Apparently,
ReplyDeleteit didn't work out for Sid Rumpo.
But for Sid Rumpo, there's a bootleg live recording from 1972-1973, it would be interesting to find it, I'll look into it.
https://rateyourmusic.com/release/unauth/sid-rumpo/live-and-unreleased-1972-1973/
Hi Patrick, yes Melbourne always was considered the cultural heart of Australia, anyone wanting to really get ahead in any of the arts pretty well had to relocate to Melbourne. I lived there in 1972 the the city was buzzing with the best bands Australia had. Unfortunately today Melbourne is now considered the most dangerous city in Australia.
DeleteSid Rumpo, he's a new one on me. I am reminded that Rambling Syd Rumpo was an alter ego of Kenneth Williams. I have somewhere (probably in the loft) an album of his folk songs. The titles will give you an idea of where he was going - "Green Grow My Nadgers Oh"; "Song of The Bogle Clencher"; "What Shall We Do With the Drunker Nurker". Must dig it out sometime. Anyway, cheers for this Antipodean Sid.
ReplyDeleteCheers Terry, glad you enjoyed this one.
Delete