1968-69
Over the years, Perth has provided the setting for a thriving blues-rock scene, spawning many future stalwarts of the idiom who have gone onto greater national success. The original Chain grew out of this hotbed, forming from the ashes of The Beaten Tracks, who won the Perth heat of the 1967 Hoadley’s Battle Of The Sounds. The band at that time comprised Warren Morgan (keys), Dave Hole (gtr), Ace Follington (dr), Murray Wilkins (bs) and Ross Partington (vcls); moved to Melbourne in early 1968 to avail themselves of their prize, ostensibly recording and touring opportunities in the eastern states.
While in Melbourne, Dave Hole (these days recognised as one of Australia's top blues perfprmers) quit The Beaten Tracks, to be replaced by Tasmanian guitarist Phil Manning (formerly of Tony Worsley & the Blue Jays, The Laurie Allen Revue and Bay City Union, among others) and the band returned to Perth, where they lost the services of Partington. A return to Melbourne in December 1968 saw the group recruit ex-James Taylor Move singer Wendy Saddington, and the first incarnation of (The) Chain was established. Saddington was a blues/soul vocalist in the vein of Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, and it was she who came up with the band’s moniker, derived from Aretha’s classic hit, Chain Of Fools. This line-up of Chain never recorded, Saddington having departed by May 1969 to join Copperwine, and later to forge an erratic but compelling solo career.
Chain relocated to Sydney in August and recruited bass player Tim Piper (ex-Chants R&B, Electric Heap, Wild Cherries) and legendary blind keyboardist Claude Papesch (who was also from Electric Heap, and who had been a member of Johnny Devlin & The Devils in New Zealand in the early '60s). This line-up stayed together long enough to record Chain’s first single for Festival with house producer Pat Aulton -- Show Me Home b/w Morgan’s Mr Time, which was released in September. The single, while not a strong charter, convincingly displayed the group’s abilities, and showed the strong and unmistakable influence of The Band -- who profoundly affected so many Aussie acts at the time -- as well as particularly showcasing Manning’s fluid guitar style. The single is regarded by many as the earliest example of the "progressive" stance developing rapidly on the OzRock scene around this period.
Follington, Piper and Papesch left Chain late in ’69, to form Savage Rose, and each went on to reputable careers in a number of other prominent bands. Chain moved back yet again to Melbourne, where its core hooked up with the ex-Wild Cherries rhythm section of Barry Sullivan (bass) and Barry Harvey (drums). Nick-named, respectively, "Big Goose" and "Little Goose", the two Barrys injected a 'fish-arse-tight' cohesion into the band’s sound, and helped unveil what was to become the classic, and best-remembered Chain configuration, gaining considerable notice in the southern capital’s burgeoning blues-rock performing circuit in the process.
1970
The new decade saw Chain consolidating its reputation and popularity on Melbourne’s "head" scene, with the powerful voice and guitar skills of ex-Kiwi Glyn Mason (ex-Larry’s Rebels, later of Copperwine, Greg Quill's Southern Cross and Ariel) being added to the band early in the new year. The blues sensibilities in the band intensified, and many memorable gigs with this line-up followed; notably, their appearance at the pioneering Ourimbah Pilgrimage For Pop festival held north of Sydney in January. The band triumphed alongside such other notables as the ubiquitous Aztecs, Tully, Leo De Castro & Friends and the festival’s organisers, The Nutwood Rug Band.
This version of Chain commenced recorded at Armstrong’s in Melbourne for an album on EMI, but the fact that the group was still contracted to Festival scuppered the sessions and nothing was released. But certain tantalising acetates from this time exist, and perhaps one day the full tapes from these sessions might see the light of day.
Nevertheless, Chain continued to ply its brand of heavy, bluesy rock around the Melbourne circuit (venues like Sebastian’s, Bertie’s and Traffik), as well as proving itself as a reliable staple on the festival scene. In March, the Launching Place festival just outside of Melbourne was staged. Chain held its own among other strong performing entities like Spectrum, Doug Parkinson In Focus, Wendy Saddington & Copperwine, Tully, Nutwood Rug, Carson, Bulldog, Friends, Genesis, Cam-Pact and (of course) Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs.
One of those groups, Genesis, was a breeding ground for many future OzRock luminaries and at this time included in its ranks one of the foremost blues performers in the country, one Matt Taylor. The Brisbane-born singer and harp player originally hailed Brisbane blues pioneers Bay City Union, which was also home to both Phil Manning (in his formative years) and future Masters Apprentices bassist Glen Wheatley. Matt (who also had a brief stint in the last lineup of The Wild Cherries) joined Chain in December, and the four-piece comprising him, Manning and the two "geese" developed into what is acknowledged as the enduring "classic" Chain line-up.
But before that, in June 1970, Chain (Morgan, Manning, Harvey, Sullivan and Mason) made its first album for Festival. In order to capture the live chops of the group, the album, Chain Live, was recorded, rather primitively, at Sydney’s Caesar’s Palace Disco and resulted in a raw, basic slab of hard blues. The LP established the band’s credentials and met with critical, if not chart, acclaim, but, with the fluidity that characterised the group throughout its career, two key members departed soon after its release. Warren Morgan joined the Aztecs, while Glyn Mason left for the UK. That left Phil and the two Barrys to carry on as a trio, and this grouping appeared on ABC-TV’s GTK, performing a blistering version of Robert Johnson’s Crossroad Blues. It was when Matt and Phil corresponded later in the year, each inviting the other to join either’s band, that the classic four-piece line-up of Chain was settled upon.
1971
The new Chain (already by now, "Mk 7"!) attracted the attention of the aggressive young entrepreneur Michael Gudinski, who was by then in the throes of putting together the enduring Mushroom indie record label. Gudinski, who also became the group’s manager soon afterwards, has subsequently acknowledged that Mushroom was conceived and built upon Chain’s reputation, and he in turn enthusiastically helped foster their career during those heady times.
During 1971, the band continued to grow in stature as a must-see drawcard around the Melbourne blues haunts, as well as being a popular staple at the various outdoor festivals common to the era. An appearance at the Odyssey Festival at Ourimbah in January was captured on the double-LP set History Of Chain, cementing the group’s greatness for posterity. Other festival appearances, such as at Myponga outside Adelaide and Wallacia near Sydney (each featuring a roster of the cream of OzRock’s best) had a similar effect, and Chain by now were regarded as among the premier of Australia’s progressive blues units.
The "classic" line-up of Chain enjoyed a national top ten hit in May with its debut Infinity single, Black And Blue (working title: We’re Groaning), backed with Taylor’s ambitious but solidly-delivered and decidedly progressive Lightning Ground. The A-side recalled the traditional Afro-American "work-song" motif, and heralded the solid, blueswailing body of songs featured on Toward The Blues, Chain’s first album for Festival’s "progressive" Infinity imprint, which was released to great (and enduring) critical acclaim in September. But Phil Manning himself was quick to dispel the "blues" pigeonhole into which Chain had become firmly placed, by pointing out his band’s musical diversity in a fascinating interview he gave for Freedom Train fanzine in 1994:
"Look, we had so many diverse influences. I mean, from Traffic, Cream, The Rolling Stones, back to The Beatles. You can’t separate one particular influence and say ‘this is my influence’. They were all so important. (But) we put our own mark on it. That’s what Chain was about. Injecting some originality into it, some personality. The thing that was nice about it was that it was a nice selection of good players and people who got on well together."
At a climactic concert on 13 June 1971 at the Melbourne Town Hall, where a number of the scene’s pre-eminent bands assembled (headliners Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs released an LP of their stunning performance there), a self-deprecating Chain were awarded a silver disc plaque (at that time a coveted accolade) for selling 25,000 copies of the Black & Blue single, a record that went on to become one of mainstream rock radio’s most-played and most oft-requested staples.
The pressures attendant to this newfound attention manifested in different ways for different members of the group. Typically with Chain, its participants splintered off to other projects. Little Goose left to pursue his interest in jazz-rock, and soon linked with King Harvest; while Big Goose went on to fulfill the demand for his services as a session muso. Manning also quit in July of ’71, teaming with old cohort "Pig" Morgan in Pilgrimage, a more delicate and acoustically-based outfit that had its debut as national support to Pink Floyd. At these shows, Pilgrimage was dwarfed by the gargantuan Floyd PA rig (forbidden to plug into it), but managed nonetheless to seduce Floydian partisans with their soft, pastoral suite of songs, resulting in a quiet success for the duo’s endeavours. Further successful forays for Pilgrimage were their concert supports for the wildly-popular Daddy Cool at Festival Hall in Melbourne, as well as a well-received back-up spot for Elton John and band at his 1971 Kooyong Tennis Centre concerts.
Of course, the Chain personnel roster at this time was somethign of a revolving door, or a game of musical chairs if you will, and it’s here that it’s hard to keep track of just who was who within the band. So many different configurations of Chain came and went but, bolstered by the considerable success of Toward The Blues after its release in September, at least the entity enjoyed some worthwhile notoriety and considerable, ongoing success.
While the album was still charting, the band’s membership had already changed yet again; this time reverting to the Morgan, Manning, Harvey, Sullivan and Mason line-up; in time to perform at the Operation Earth Concert held on 2 November 1971 at the Myer Music Bowl. Among other featured acts that day were Blackfeather, Captain Matchbox, Bakery, Carson, Indelible Murtceps, Matt Taylor & Friends and the inescapable Aztecs. This line-up of Chain also found finding time to record a live-in-the-studio sequel to Chain Live, a collection of seamless heavy blues jamstitled Chain Live Again. While neither the critical nor sales success of its predecessor, and while perhaps not as cohesive as the first live album, Live Again showed the band stretching out and trading off each other, building the momentum of the jams with a more organic and progressive feel. Yet, typically for Chain, they disbanded soon after the sessions; and due to various setbacks the album didn’t appear until later in the year.
1972
It’s worth dwelling on Toward The Blues alone for a moment or two, for the milestone that the album undoubtedly is. Recorded at Melbourne’s TCS Studios with engineer/producer John Sayers, the album announced, upon its release in late ’71, the matured essence of Chain in its acknowledged classic configuration of Phil, Matt and the two Goose-Barrys [aarrgh! – Ed.]. The album made the number 6 position on the national album charts and remained a strong Top 40 seller for four months (it still sells in respectable quantities to this day!). It was supported by significant and valuable airplay, mainly on "alternative" radio programs like future Double-J presenter Chris Winter’s seminal national ABC radio show, Room To Move". It was the sort of record that seemed to already be on the turntable whenever you stepped into a Saturday night party in those days. In short, it was one of those albums, along with Spectrum’s Milesago or Tamam Shud’s first, or maybe Co. Caine’s debut opus, that any self-respecting aficionado of quality OzRock; (like your reporter, at the time, about 18 or 19, and avid!) would consider essential for a well-rounded record collection!
Led by the single Judgement, an aggressive, multi-faceted bluesy showcase for each band member, and notable for Phil’s singular wah-wah guitar filigrees, TWB proved an early pinnacle that Chain struggled to surpass later in their career -- if, indeed, they themselves ever wanted or needed to (Chain’s credo, like that of most of their contemporaries, generally eschewed such crass or quaint notions of career longevity or quick riches). Instead, Aussie punters were presented with one of the finest and most well-rounded LPs of the era. Other gems include an inspired version of Robert Johnson’s 32/20, followed by the supreme swing and swagger of their version of Junior Wells’ Snatch It Back And Hold It, delightfully re-appropriated here in true Aussie ratbag fashion as Grab A Snatch And Hold It! Many other highlights abound, such as Albert Goose’s Gonna Turn The Blueses Looses: a vehicle for Harvey to unleash a fierce drum solo. Side Two ends with Taylor’s wailing blues harmonica featuring on the signature tune, Black & Blue (the full version of the single edit).
Chain began its performance rounds in 1972 as a three-piece: Morgan and Sullivan, joined by drummer Laurie Pryor (ex-Twilights and fresh from Healing Force). The piano-led trio debuted with a two-night residency at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in late January, supported by Friends (with Phil Manning guesting on guitar), The Wild Cherries and Spectrum. This was followed by their televised performance before 35,000 at the famous 1972 Sunbury Pop Festival, which was of course a triumph for Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs as well as for Spectrum, Madder Lake, Pirana, The La De Das, The Wild Cherries and many others. Chain can be seen performing Sunny Day in the film of the event (since released on video -- see discography). Manning’s acoustic duo slot with Steve Cooney is also featured.
Soon after Sunbury, Pryor left Chain to be replaced yet again by Barry Harvey. This version of the band featured at a number of important gigs, including the Mulwalla Festival in April (with the usual formidable list of top outfits of the day). The band featured prominently at various venues in Melbourne’s vibrant club scene, sharing stages with the likes of Daddy Cool, Madder Lake, Dutch Tilders and Manning’s new outfit, The Philtones. Tilders himself enlisted the support of past and present Chain members, Manning, Harvey, Sullivan and Pryor, along with Brian Cadd and Broderick Smith for his debut album on the Bootleg label.
On the recording front, Chain recorded a single at TCS in April, Sunny Day. The a-side pumped along brightly, with Pig’s piano to the fore. Its 6-minute flip, I Was Born, was a jazz-tinged blues piece that was edited down from a 20-minute studio jam. Unfortunately, by the time this single was released in October, there was no band to promote it, thus rendering this one of Chain’s least successful records. The 3-piece Chain split in July after a falling out between Morgan and Harvey. Its final appearance was as support to John Mayall, with Graham Morgan deputising on drums. Soon afterwards, Warren Morgan began a solo career, before reuniting with The Aztecs. Chain did not resume as a performing entity until early ’73.
There were, however, other outfits that emerged in late-’72 that were basically Chain in all but name. Phil Manning kept busy with a new, more rock-orientated band, Willy & the Philtones which evolved into the Band of Talabene. Consisting of guitarists Manning and Tony Naylor, drummer Tony Buettel and bassist Phil Gaunt, this outfit lasted until December when Manning moved over to Mighty Mouse, which formed in November, with the two "Geese" Harvey & Sullivan, Phil Manning, Ian Clyne, Mal Capewell, Kevin Murphy, Russell Smith and Barry McAskill passing through its ranks. This group never recorded, but proved a popular draw around Melbourne’s live traps until splitting in January 1973 after an appearance at the second Sunbury Festival.
1973
As mentioned, the ’73 Sunbury Festival featured Mighty Mouse, as well as a Matt Taylor "solo" slot. Phil and the two Barrys, augmented by second drummer Kevin Murphy backed Matt for this gig. On Mushroom’s triple-album document of the event, The Great Australian Rock Festival Sunbury 1973, Mighty Mouse weigh in with the lengthy Sunset Song, while Matt’s set is represented by his own composition, Brisbane To Beechworth. He had already recorded with his Sunbury line-up (sans Murphy, but with Greg "Sleepy" Lawrie on board) for his debut solo album, Straight As A Die. Again, ostensibly a Chain record in all but name, yet showcasing Taylor’s own rollicking and witty compositions, this album was a Top-20 seller and in September yielded what was to be Mushroom Records’ first Top 10 singles placing with I Remember When I Was Young.
Meanwhile, with so much activity involving so many Chain luminaries, it was almost inevitable that the Mighty Mouse line-up would evolve into yet another Chain (by now the 15th permutation of the band!). Signing to Mushroom, this line-up issued two singles, the medium-tempo I Thought You Weren't My Friend (August) and the gruff shuffle-blues I'm Gonna Miss You Babe (November). Neither was particularly successful, but the reconstituted group did impress on the touring circuit, appearing in March at yet another large outdoor gathering, the Down Under Rock Festival in Melbourne (again, all the usual suspects were on a bill that featured – surprise – headliners The Aztecs). During May, Chain toured the country as support to the Muddy Waters Band and soon after teamed with that band’s James "Peewee" Madison (guitar, vocals) and George "Mojo" Beauford (vocals, harmonica) for recordings that would form part of Chain’s next LP, Two Of A Kind, but more about that presently...
One of Melbourne’s premier "head" venues around this time, along with the T.F. Much Ballroom, was the Garrison Disco in Prahran, the venue which had served as the unofficial HQ for Madder Lake. Local council pressure forced Garrison’s closure in June 1973, and as one of its most popular and regularly-performing acts, Chain was fittingly invited to be among a handful of select bands that paid tribute to the place in its final days. Two Chain songs (Grab A Snatch And Hold It and Do What You Wanna Do), recorded live there on 7 June, appeared on the various artists’ album Garrison: The Final Blow Vol. 2, along with Roberta by Taylor and Lawrie as a duo. Other songs recorded that evening were released in other formats: the single I Thought You Weren't My Friend, b/w Elephant, an edit of the overblown extended soloing jam How To Set Fire To An Elephant, which appeared in its full 18-minute form on Two Of A Kind.
TOAK was a comparatively low-key affair by Chain’s standards. Of the four cuts featuring Madison and Beauford from Muddy’s band, only the title track (written by Madison) and Little Walter’s Blues With A Feeling provide any real excitement, despite the typically robust backing that Chain supplies. And some observers at the time found Elephant tediously self-indulgent. The album sold in only moderate numbers and by the time of its release in December, Chain had undergone further personnel shifts, Little Goose being the first to leave. He went on to considerable success with the Kevin Borich Express and later formed his own eponymous outfit. His replacement, Tony Lunt, was formerly drummer for Carson and Alta Mira, and he brought his bandmate, the in-demand keyboardist Mal Logan with him. However, this arrangement was short-lived and in July the mighty Chain was laid to rest. Chain’s recorded legacy was fittingly commemorated with the fine double-LP compilation, History Of Chain, issued in December ’74.
01 - Thirty Two-Twenty Blues
02 - Snatch it Back and Hold It
03 - Boogie
04 - Booze is Bad News Blues
05 - Albert Goose´s Gonna Turnthe Blues´s Loose´s
06 - Black and Blue
07 - Undgemend
08 - Blow in D
09 - Mr. President
10 - Leaving
11 - Two of A Kind
12 - Forever
13 - I´m Gonna Miss You Babe
14 - Gertrude Street Blues
|
