Mother Goose (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mother Goose | |
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| 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 |
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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 Records fastest selling album; Baked Beans was a smash hit single 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).
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[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…
[edit] Moving across the Tasman
After a particularly successful concert in Albert Park, Auckland, Mother Goose decided to move to Australia and started playing at "Cloudland" in Brisbane and at the "Playroom" on the Gold Coast, Queensland in late 1976 where their powerful live shows, ensured near-instant success. Their Promoter Ivan Dayman contacted top Australian Manager Garry Spry who flew up from Melbourne to see them and he couldn't believe what he saw as they were unlike any New Zealand band he had ever seen before or since. Spry became their manager and took them to Melbourne to showcase them at his club "Babes" to all the Promoters and Record Companies. Mushroom Records quickly signed the band, and the "Stuffed" debut album (1977) achieved universal acclaim.
The band’s crowd-drawing power was such that Managers and Booking Agents outbid each other to place their bands as Mother Goose’s support acts: bands such as Cold Chisel, Men at Work, The Angels, Midnight Oil, all started by opening for Mother Goose. In 1977 Mother Goose embarked on their first national tour with international band Supercharge and blew them off Stage every night. The Tour was a complete sell out across Australia for the Frontier Touring company. The Band was a big money earner for Harbour/Premier Artists their agents, as they performed five nights a week 48 weeks every year.
[edit] America
By June of 1978, the six original members of Mother Goose and Garry Spry their personal manager had moved to the USA and were living in Hollywood, with their own recording studio and signed to the hugely influential Scotti Brothers Records. After five months of writing and recording demo's they performed a Grand Showcase for the Scotti Brothers to the whole West Coast music industry and blew everyone away. But by staying true to their early Dunedin vision, the band refused to bow to the pressure to conform to the American pop rock culture so they left the Scotti Brothers and moved to New York. There they signed with entertainment agents "Mecca Artists" and with help of the former The Beatles American manager, Sid Bernstein they quickly became the biggest rock club draw-card in the city, playing residencies at "The Other End", "Trax" and at "The Great Gildersleeves" where members of Kiss and Devo became fans of theirs amongst other well known bands. Contractual battles with the Scotti Brothers, coupled with Mother Goose’s refusal to become a Pop Rock or Disco Band prevented the band securing a major recording contract on their terms, but they and their audiences had a good time anyway in their six months in New York. During that time lead guitarist Peter Dickson left the band in February 1979 and returned to Auatralia and was replaced by New York Guitarist Justin McCarthy who stayed with the band until they broke up in 1984.
[edit] Late career
The band returned to Australia in 1979 after almost twelve months in the USA and Toured the Country with their "Catch Me If You Can Tour" on their return. They recorded two more albums "Don’t Believe in Fairytales" (1979) and "This is the Life" (1982). Mother Goose continued touring Australia and Canada, attracting huge crowds and the same acclaim and pushing the boundaries of rock performance, until, in 1984 they called it a day and broke up.
Mother Goose reformed on Friday March 23, 2007 as part of a 30 year celebration of the Dunedin Sound. The concert was called Re:Sound. The other main acts were; The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, and The Clean.
[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 (Noah 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 – September 22, 1977
Mother Goose simply bombards the senses with their speedy mixture of sophisticated music and stage presentation.
Brisbane Telegraph - August 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) – December 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) – November 10, 1978
The show is a delight.
Variety Magazine (review of New York performance) – December 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.
[edit] Discography
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Charted | Country | Catalog Number
1980 I can't sing very well. single |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Stuffed | Mushroom Records | 23 | Australia | |
| 1979 | Don't Believe In Fairytales | Mushroom Records | 62 | Australia | |
| 1982 | This Is the Life | Mushroom Records | - | - |
