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We have a new podcast series - Awesome Aussie Songs - please check it out, it's available at iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher or where ever you get your podcasts.
At a time when The Fonz was king, The Mighty Guys and their brand of authentic Rock 'n' Roll proved to be a winner.
Thank you for Listening, interview suggestions are more than welcomed - please like our Facebook page - All Australian Music Stories.
Hail, Hail, Australian Rock 'n' Roll.
Long before social media, The Rajahs fame blew up literally overnight. If there was a Twitter in the 1960's #THERAJAHS would have been sure to be trending in the 'twitter-verse'.
Via a 'throw-away' recording session, The Rajahs became known as the "Australian Beatles" and "filled in" for the Fab Four, giving Aussie teenagers their fix of Beatlemania before the real thing arrived on our shores.
As the resident recording band with the famed Festival Records, The Rajahs have probably appeared on more singles and albums than just about any other Australian band, such was their recording output. They also had the prestigious job as Johnny O'Keefes backing band for several years.
I speak with The Rajahs drummer Leon Isaacson about his 60 year career in the world of Rock 'n' Roll.
This is the 3rd of 4 episodes featuring Leon, each episode stands alone but are linked via it's musical timeline. The previous two episodes focus on Dig Richards and the R'Jays and the solo career of Digby Richards.
The 4th episode featuring Leon is about his band in the 1980's, The Mighty Guys, a band at the forefront of the Rock 'n' Roll revival, alongside groups such as Ol' 55.
These four episodes of All Australian Music Stories feature some fantastic yarns and is a good-time history lesson of music in Australia.
Thank you for Listening, interview suggestions are more than welcomed - please like our Facebook page - All Australian Music Stories.
Hail, Hail, Australian Rock 'n' Roll.
As Australia's very first teenage idol, Dig Richards was the pretty boy of Rock n Roll, often compared in looks to actor James Dean, he was a serious musician who realised there wasn't much of a future in being a 'teenager pop star pin up'.
Going by his full name Digby Richards he went on to carve out his own place in Australian music history. As a singer / songwriter he released 30 singles and 7 full length albums. His music was released in America, UK, Germany.
I speak with R'Jays drummer Leon Isaacson about Digby and I also spoke with Digby's brother, Doug and gained some insight into Digby's solo career.
Sadly, Digby died aged just 42-years-old in 1983 , however, his musical legacy lives on.
Hail, Hail, Australian Rock 'n' Roll.
In the early days of Rock 'n' Roll in Australia, Dig Richards & the R'Jays were one of the biggest bands in the land.
With movie-star good looks, Dig was Australia's very first teenage idol, and with his band the R'Jays, they were at the forefront of the Rock 'n' Roll revolution.
They were the first Aussie band to release a full length album through Festival Records and as a live act, they were as popular as any local band. They also appeared on many Lee Gordon Big Shows and more than held their own playing alongside the visiting American superstars.
At a time when the "establishment" was doing it best to stop this new form of music from taking hold, Dig Richards & the R'Jays led the way in spreading the gospel of Rock 'n' Roll. They even had their own TV show on Channel 7 called Teen Time.
Hail, Hail, Australian Rock 'n' Roll.
The podcast currently has 121 episodes available.