Australian Music Photos of Interest

[Chris H]

After seeing the photo Rick posted of the Festival Neve, I think it would be a great idea to have a thread where people could post photos of interest about Australian recording/music.
To start the ball rolling here is a pic of Bongo Starkie playing the strat i bought off him a year or two later.

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[Alistair]

That's a confused looking strat!

[Chris H]

That's a confused looking strat!

.....Very! It's all original but reshaped by Bongo. Lobby Loyd was another who indulged in this somewhat regrettable pastime and I'm fairly sure the original inspiration came from John Mayall.

not oz but here is one of his many reshaped strats:

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[Chris H]

.....and one of Lobby's, a reshaped Jag

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[Alistair]

Geez that gold strat looks a bit sad! The kind of activity you get in to with too much time up your sleeve I guess. Jag does look kinda cool though.

[rick]

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Mark opitz and mr vanda. Recording acdc power age
At Alberts ... Yes yes neve console

[Djembe]

I took this photo in Sydney in the late 70's/early 80's, but I can't remember where it was.
Anyone care to chime in.....Rick?

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[Chris H]

A wraparound AWA console that I owned for a breif time.

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[Chris H]

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[Chinagraf]

I think you needed more monitors Chris.

[GlennS]

I took this photo in Sydney in the late 70's/early 80's, but I can't remember where it was.
Anyone care to chime in.....Rick?

Studio small.jpg

From other internet photos I've seen (on Studio Connections website here: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~tabbler/ ... 2PicM.html ) it looks like Albert Studios Studio 2 in the King St location, once the Neve was moved from Studio 1 to Studio 2.

[GlennS]

The Vines recording demos at A Sharp Studio in Sydney, around '99 I think.

[Chinagraf]

2 Heroes of mine, Bill Armstrong and Graham Thirkle in 1971 with the first 16 track in Australia, built by Optronics.
If only I could grow a beard like that.

[Paul Maybury]

Hi Chris, that AWA looks fun, what happened to it?

[Chris H]

Hi Chris, that AWA looks fun, what happened to it?

When decommissioned, the techs cut all the looms including the desk's wiring from preamp modules to the balancing circuits to subgroups aux's outs and ins etc. It was in a fairly worn out state and the tech who worked on it said it was always a nightmare for TV use because modules would regularly go down due to dry solder joints or other issues.
It was too big a job to restore and parting it out for the modules seemed a bit mercenary at the time. It went to a private collector who wishes to remain private. Some day it might resurface and some people could end up with a few AWA preamp modules added to their collection I suppose.

[Chris H]

2 Heroes of mine, Bill Armstrong and Graham Thirkle in 1971 with the first 16 track in Australia, built by Optronics.
If only I could grow a beard like that.

Hey Andy, I'm fairly sure I know where that one is. If it's the same one, It resides with an Optro 24 track and is still operational. Great sounding machine and very stable except for the relays, which have a regular failure rate.
Both men in that pic are giants in Australia's audio history as you know, and i heard on the grape vine you are related to one. You must have some interesting stories? If you do, please pass them on in this thread. This sort of info close to the source must not be lost.

[rick]

That mystery neve shot by blair is the same as the mark opitz
One acdc one
Alberts king street before they moved to rangers
Road neutral bay in the early / mid eighties

That neve desk went to paradise for a while
Then got split up and racked off by billy

[Chinagraf]

Hi Chris, no not related. My mum was a singer on the W&G label in the 50's and was connected with Bill. I'm good friend's with Bill's son and used to see Bill a lot, but his son moved offices and now I don't run into him as often.
He is amazing to talk shop with, so many stories.

[Chris H]

Do you think it would be worth wile sending him an invite to share a few stories/photos here?

[Chris H]

Another on the AWA theme:

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[Paul Maybury]

Hot damn! And here am I excited about the Groove Tubes Brick I just bought.....A garage full of Caronas and AWA eqs. Delicious.

[Chinagraf]

Hey Chris, I don't really run into Bill nowdays or have an email for him, but I really want him to write a book about the early days of recording in Oz. I will have to drop his son a line and see what he's up to.

[Chris H]

Here is one for the Star Wars train spotters......
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi was mixed through this amp at Soundfirm by Roger Savage.

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I got this and two other identical amps when they upgraded in the early 2000's. No shortage of power here and they sound pretty good

Roger recorded the Rolling Stones debut single, a cover of Chuck Berry's Come On and moved to Australia in the 70's.

[Chris H]

If anyone knows the history behind the manufacture of these amps, I would love to know......I haven't been able to find anything searching the net.

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[rick]

For some reason I think they are made in Queensland
But outside that piece of useless nothingness
I got nothing

Who has all those grey awa modules ?

If Chris ( linears) board was Grey instead of white
I would have fallen inch in love with it and not
Left it in the back if a combi for 5 years !

[rick]

Clean up day at turtlerock and I got distracted
Reading a magazine from 1975

[Chris H]

Armstrong's Studio One Optronics Console.....holy crap batman!
That is something isn't it!
None of the modules look familiar,.....can't see the silver modules I have anywhere in that console. That raises more questions than it answers, for sure!
That is a great photo Rick and has got me thinking I will have to ask a few questions for more info on that one.
Thanks for posting!

[rick]

well i aim to please

[dafyd]

The Linear Transfer amps were designed and built in Melbourne by Dave?
He also made headphone stations for AAV , SING SING and others.
Lovely guy.

David Williams
www.psychosonic.com.au

[Chris H]

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Thanks Dave for the info. It shouldn"t be hard to find a surname. I'll ask around at Sing Sing.