Mother Goose (band)

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Mother Goose

Background information
Origin	Dunedin, New Zealand
Genre(s)	Rock
Years active	1975-1984
Label(s)	Mushroom Records
Former members
Craig Johnston Justin McCarthy Marcel Rodeka Pete Dickson Kevin Collings Steve Young Denis Gibbins Bruce Causton

Mother Goose was a 1970s New Zealand band formed in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1975.

Only eighteen months after forming, Mother Goose had smashed attendance records for gigs in every city in Australia and New Zealand (many of these house records still stand today); Stuffed, their debut album became Mushroom Record’s fastest selling album; Baked Beans was a smash hit across Australia; and the self-directed film clip for Baked Beans was so popular it was played on television stations between prime time programmes (in addition to dominating every Aussie TV rock show).

Despite being highly popular in Australasia,they were never really taken seriously by the Rock Public, who considered them to be based upon a gimmick.

1 History
2 Members
3 Trivia
4 Reviews
5 Discography
6 References

[edit] History

In late 1975, the six Dunedin rock musicians just wanted to play the rock music they loved, to the highest level. But they couldn’t take some of the pomposity and pretentiousness of 1970’s rock seriously(the backs-to-the-audience, the 20-minute self-indulgent lead breaks, the preening and posing) so they decided to break down this artifice by mocking themselves. They came up with the dumbest name they could think of – “Mother Goose”, tried to outdo each other by wearing the most self-humiliating costumes they could devise, and started playing in pubs. And strangely, the less seriously they took themselves, the more popular they became…

The huge crowds Mother Goose were drawing refused to let the band leave the stage without at least two encores. So Mother Goose went on the road, and resolved not to submit to the ludicrous television talent quests (Studio One etc) to which every band had to subject themselves if they wanted to be successful in New Zealand. Mother Goose knew they didn’t fit and they were proud of that fact.

[edit] Moving acros the Tasman

After a particularly successful concert in Albert Park in Auckland, Mother Goose decided to move to Australia where their powerful live shows, ensured near-instant success (unlike most New Zealand bands before and since). Mushroom Records quickly signed the band, and the Stuffed debut album (1977) achieved universal acclaim.

The band’s crowd-drawing power was such that booking agents outbid each other to place their bands as Mother Goose’s support acts: bands such as Cold Chisel, Men at Work, Aussie Crawl, The Angels, Midnight Oil… all started by opening for Mother Goose.

[edit] America

By the end of 1978, the six original members of Mother Goose were living in Hollywood, with their own recording studio, signed to the hugely influential Scotti Brothers management and recording company. But staying true to their early Dunedin vision, the band refused to bow to pressure to conform to the American pulp rock cliché; so they packed up their bags and moved to New York. Here they signed with the Beatles’ American manager, Sid Bernstein, and quickly became the biggest rock club draw-card in the city. Contractual battles between the management companies on either coast, coupled with Mother Goose’s refusal to become a disco band (this was 1979!) prevented the band securing a major recording contract on their terms. But they and their audiences had a good time anyway.

[edit] Late Career

The band returned to Australia, recorded two more albums Don’t Believe in Fairytales (1979) and This is the Life (1982). Mother Goose continued touring Australia and Canada, attracting the same acclaim and pushing the boundaries of rock performance, until, in 1985 they called it a day. “It’s a day” they said, and broke up.

[edit] Members

Craig Johnston (Vocals)
Marcel Rodeka (Drums)
Pete Dickson (Lead Guitar)
Kevin Collings (Rhythm Guitar)
Steve Young (Keyboards)
Denis Gibbins (Bass Guitar)

Justin McCarthy (Lead Guitar)- replaced Pete Dickson in 1979
Neil Shilkin (Keyboards) - replaced Steve Young in 1981

[edit] Trivia

The hit, Baked Beans wasn’t actually written – it just happened in a pub one day.

[edit] Reviews

Molly Meldrum (Countdown Presenter)- July 1977 Mother Goose have been receiving standing ovations in Melbourne. Make it a must to see them!

Ram Magazine – Australia - August 12, 1977 The group is so popular in Melbourne, promoters are falling over each other trying to book them!

Juke Magazine – review of Palais Theatre gig – Sept 22, 1977 Mother Goose simply bombards the senses with their speedy mixture of sophisticated music and stage presentation.

Brisbane Telegraph - Aug 1977 From the moment they skipped on stage, Mother Goose had the audience in the palm of their hands.

Glenn A. Baker (Australian rock historian) They maintain their zany act while still being extraordinarily talented musicians.

Juke Magazine (review of Newcastle performance) – Dec 24, 1977 Just through the involuntary eye action of blinking one loses sight for about 2.5 seconds per minute. Consequently, in the 100 minute Mother Goose show at Newcastle, every member of the 700 strong audience missed almost 4.5 minutes of madcap humour, outrage, pathos, and professionalism just through blinking.

New York Post (review of New York performance) – Nov 10, 1978 The show is a delight.

Variety Magazine (review of New York performance) – Dec 1978 Mother Goose is an Aussie-based New Zealand combo with so much to offer visually, the high level of musicianship can easily be ignored.

Auckland Star (review of Gluepot performance) - 1979 I’m sure whoever said “that’s entertainment” must have been talking about Mother Goose”

Otago Daily Times (review of Regent Theatre performance) – 1980 Mother Goose were brilliant. Relishing an excellent sound system and an audience which was halfway won over before a note had even sounded, the six-strong band made a triumphant return to the city with a concert quite clearly equal to anything we’re used to from overseas – and probably a good deal more entertaining.