Mother Goose (band)
Encyclopedia
Mother Goose was a 1970s New Zealand
band formed in Dunedin
, 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, and "Baked Beans" was a hit single
across Australia; and their self-directed film clip for "Baked Beans" was so popular it was played on television station
s between prime time programmes (in addition to dominating every Aussie TV rock show).
, but came up with a name they considered low-brow, Mother Goose, and part of their gimmick was dressing in unusual costumes.
, 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. Their promoter, Ivan Dayman
, contacted top Australian manager, Garry Spry, who flew up from Melbourne
to see them and agreed to become their manager. He showcased the band at his Babes nightclub
, and Mushroom Records
offered them a recording contract
, and their debut album, Stuffed, was released in 1977.
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 Supercharge
.
and were living in Hollywood, California, with their own recording studio
and signed to Scotti Brothers Records
. However after five months of songwriting and recording demos
, they left the Scotti Brothers and moved to New York
. There they signed with the entertainment agents, Mecca Artists, and with help of Sid Bernstein
they started playing residencies at The Other End, Trax and The Great Gildersleeves. Contractual battles with the Scotti Brothers, coupled with Mother Goose’s refusal to conform prevented the band securing another major recording contract. Lead guitarist Peter Dickson left the band in February 1979, and returned to Australia and was replaced by the New York based guitarist, Justin McCarthy. He remained with the band until they broke up in 1984.
(1979) and This is the Life (1982). Mother Goose continued touring Australia and Canada
until they broke up in 1984. Johnston and Rodeka joined The Incredible Penguins
in 1985, which recorded a cover
of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
", a charity project with numerous guest musicians for research on Fairy penguins
, which peaked at #10 on the Australian Kent Music Report
in December.
Mother Goose reformed on 23 March 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
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
band formed in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, in 1975.
Only eighteen months after forming, Mother Goose had smashed attendance records for gigs in every city in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand (many of these house records still stand today). Stuffed
Stuffed (album)
Stuffed is the debut album released by Mother Goose.Track ListMoonshine Lady 4:10 Somebody Broke My Heart 4:03Last of The Fools 6:36 Anne Marie 5:23...
, their debut album became Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
fastest selling album, and "Baked Beans" was a hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
across Australia; and their self-directed film clip for "Baked Beans" was so popular it was played on television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s between prime time programmes (in addition to dominating every Aussie TV rock show).
History
In late 1975, six Dunedin musicians wanted to play rock musicRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, but came up with a name they considered low-brow, Mother Goose, and part of their gimmick was dressing in unusual costumes.
Moving across the Tasman Sea
After a successful concert in Albert Park, AucklandAlbert Park, Auckland
Albert Park is a scenic park in central Auckland, bounded by Wellesley Street East, Princes Street, Bowen Avenue and Kitchener Street. From the entrance at the corner of Bowen Ave and Kitchener St, sealed footpaths climb steeply through native trees to the large flat area at the summit, where...
, Mother Goose decided to move to Australia and started playing at Cloudland in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and at the Playroom on the Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
in late 1976. Their promoter, Ivan Dayman
Ivan Dayman
Ivan Dayman was an Australian record producer and band manager of the 1960s and 1970s, based first in Adelaide, and then in Brisbane.In 1963, musician-producer-arranger-songwriter Pat Aulton began working for rising Adelaide entrepreneur Ivan Dayman and his Sunshine group...
, contacted top Australian manager, Garry Spry, who flew up from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to see them and agreed to become their manager. He showcased the band at his Babes nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, and Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
offered them a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
, and their debut album, Stuffed, was released in 1977.
Bands such as Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
, Men at Work
Men at Work
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
, The Angels
The Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
, Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
, all started by opening for Mother Goose. In 1977, Mother Goose embarked on their first national tour with Supercharge
Supercharge (band)
Supercharge were a 1970s English rock band from Liverpool, founded by singer/saxophonist Albie Donnelly. They had a number three hit single in Australia with "You've Gotta Get Up and Dance" in 1977.-History:...
.
United States
By June 1978, Mother Goose and had moved to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and were living in Hollywood, California, with their own recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
and signed to Scotti Brothers Records
Scotti Brothers Records
Scotti Brothers Records was a California-based record label founded by Tony and Ben Scotti in 1974. Their first success was releasing albums from teen pop star Leif Garrett. They later helped launch the careers of Felony, Survivor, and "Weird Al" Yankovic...
. However after five months of songwriting and recording demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, they left the Scotti Brothers and moved to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. There they signed with the entertainment agents, Mecca Artists, and with help of Sid Bernstein
Sid Bernstein
Sid Bernstein is an American music producer and promoter. Bernstein changed the American music scene in the 1960s by bringing The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, The Moody Blues, The Kinks and The Beatles to America. He was the first impresario to organize rock concerts at sports stadiums.-...
they started playing residencies at The Other End, Trax and The Great Gildersleeves. Contractual battles with the Scotti Brothers, coupled with Mother Goose’s refusal to conform prevented the band securing another major recording contract. Lead guitarist Peter Dickson left the band in February 1979, and returned to Australia and was replaced by the New York based guitarist, Justin McCarthy. He remained with the band until they broke up in 1984.
Late career
The band returned to Australia in 1979 after almost twelve months in the United States and undertook their 'Catch Me If You Can Tour'. They recorded two more albums, Don't Believe In FairytalesDon't Believe in Fairytales
Don't Believe In fairy tales is the second album released by Mother Goose.-Track listing:Living In A Silent Movie 4:31Saving For A Rainy Day 4:44Alice 4:24Once Upon A Time 5:55All the Kings Horses 4:10Paint It Black 4:48...
(1979) and This is the Life (1982). Mother Goose continued touring Australia and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
until they broke up in 1984. Johnston and Rodeka joined The Incredible Penguins
The Incredible Penguins
The Incredible Penguins were an Australian supergroup formed in 1985, which reached the top ten on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart with their cover of "Happy Xmas " in December. Contributors included Angry Anderson , Bob Geldof, Brian Mannix , Scott Carne , Colleen Hewett, and John...
in 1985, which recorded a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
", a charity project with numerous guest musicians for research on Fairy penguins
Little Penguin
The Little Penguin is the smallest species of penguin. The penguin, which usually grows to an average of in height and in length , is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile.Apart from Little Penguins, they have several common names...
, which peaked at #10 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
in December.
Mother Goose reformed on 23 March 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
The Chills
The Chills are a guitar and keyboard-based rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, they were one of the proponents of the Dunedin Sound.- History :...
, Sneaky Feelings
Sneaky Feelings
Sneaky Feelings were a 1980s New Zealand pop/rock band, led by Matthew Bannister, who recorded on the Flying Nun label. Initially recording with the line-up of Bannister , David Pine , Kat Tyrie and Martin Durrant , Tyrie was replaced by John Kelcher early in the band's career...
, and The Clean
The Clean
The Clean are an influential Indie rock band that formed in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1978. Led through a number of early rotating line-ups by brothers Hamish and David Kilgour, the band settled down to their well-known and current line-up with bassist Robert Scott...
.
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 Dickson in 1979
- Neil Shilkin (Noah Shilkin) (keyboards) - replaced Young in 1981
Discography
| Release date | Title | Label | Chart position |
Country | Catalog number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Stuffed Stuffed (album) Stuffed is the debut album released by Mother Goose.Track ListMoonshine Lady 4:10 Somebody Broke My Heart 4:03Last of The Fools 6:36 Anne Marie 5:23... |
Mushroom Records Mushroom Records Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros... |
23 | Australia | |
| 1979 | Don't Believe In Fairytales Don't Believe in Fairytales Don't Believe In fairy tales is the second album released by Mother Goose.-Track listing:Living In A Silent Movie 4:31Saving For A Rainy Day 4:44Alice 4:24Once Upon A Time 5:55All the Kings Horses 4:10Paint It Black 4:48... |
62 | Australia | ||
| 1980 | "I Can't Sing Very Well" (single) | - | |||
| 1982 | This Is the Life | - |