Ritualism
Tracks :
- Burned My Eye
- Smith And Wesson Blues
- Anglo Girl Desire
- Hanging On
- TV Eye
- Revelation*
- Aloha Steve & Danno
- Alone In The Endzone
- 455 SD
- Walk The Earth*
- What Gives?
- New Race
Band :
- Rob Younger - vocals
- Chris Klondike Masuak : Guitar
- Deniz Tek - Guitar
- Pip Hoyle : Klavier
- Warwick Gilbert : Bass
- Ron Keeley : Drums
These tracks where first broadcast on triple r's live music feature "caught in the act", May 1996.
This studio recording was performed before an invited audience. No overdubs - totally live !
Reference :
- Crying Sun Records - CSR01 (A5 limited Edition)
- Crying Sun Records - CSR001 (Jewel case)
January 1996 saw the reformation of Radio Birdman after an 18 year hiatus. The band themselves were as surprised as everyone else by this development and at the time there was no thought of an ongoing future. Only a wait and see approach with the focus being solely on the successful completion of the tour. After all, this was the tour that should have taken place way back in 1978 after their well documented break up and they wanted it to be as good as possible with no damage to their mythology.
During the pre-tour rehearsal time, there had been some discussion as to whether recording some live material for archival purposes should be considered. When Melbourne's Radio Triple R approached the band regarding an appearance on their "Caught In The Act" live music feature, a window of opportunity opened. This was an easy and achievable way to obtain quality live material. Although there were no specific plans for a release, things went so well that Ritualism has become the end result.
Ritualism contains 10 new versions of standard Radio Birdman material as well as two new tracks*.
The session was recorded over a six hour period at Seed Studios in South Melbourne on a day off between Melbourne shows. A small but lively audience of 25 hardcore fans attended, these being the winners of a Triple R phone in competition. They were stuffed into the corridor and control room of the studio where they were randomly captured by an overhead mike.
The production was recorded fully live and without overdubs. No efforts have been made to cover up mistakes or doctor the performances. If it sounds like a dozen people yelling at the end of the song, that's because that's what it is. Two days were spent on mixing the tracks with Wayne Connolly engineering the session. Only two songs didn't make it onto Ritualism giving some indication of the playing prowess of the group.
To facilitate this new release Crying Sun Records has been created by the band in association with Citadel Records to handle all current and future recorded work. Radio Birdman will again exist and be completely independent of record industry support or influence. This is seen as essential to maintaining the band's commitment to quality and fairness for the people who choose to listen. Freedom from conformity was a priority 20 years ago, the same attitude today marks the ongoing Radio Birdman reunification.
Ritualism is packaged in a booklet with an accompanying 12 page insert containing live full colour shots from the Radios On tour. This exclusive format will only be available by mail order or at selected shows on the forthcoming tour in January. Radio Birdman have taken every care to present their new record at a reasonable price in a superlative packaging.
For ordering information contact CITADEL MAIL ORDER SERVICE
Reviews
in Rock Sound #44 - Feb 97 - by Alain Feydri
in Rockerilla n. 200 - April 97 - by Roberto Calabrò
Anche la registrazione di un album dal vivo � stata per certi aspetti non programmata dalla band: l'occasione di fotografare la travolgente energia di quei concerti fu propiziata dall' emittente radiofonica di Melbourne Radio Triple R che, nel maggio dello scorso anno, invit� Younger e soci a partecipare al proprio programma "Caught in the act", durante il quale i Birdman registrarono - totalmente dal vivo e senza alcuna sovraincisione a posteriori - i dodici brani che compaiono ora in "Ritualism". Un album splendido che rende giustizia ad un sound che il tempo sembra non aver scalfito minimamente e che suona ancora oggi caldo ed esplosivo come allora. Una miscela rock'n'roll ad alto potenziale dinamitardo, al contempo incisiva e fantasiosa, pregna di un'energia tagliente che anima brani quali l'opener "Burned My Eye", la folgorante "Smith & Wesson Blues", la velocissima cover stoogesiana di "TV Eye", le punkeggianti "What Gives" e "New Race", cos� come una "Hanging On" ricca di acidissimi effluvi wah-wah.
La ricchezza dei colori presenti in "Alone in the endzone", nel nuovissimo "Walk the earth" (l'altro brano inedito "Revelation" � invero un poco sottotono), e nei vecchi coinvolgenti anthem "Anglo Girl Desire" e "Aloha Steve And Danno", dove il chitarrismo secco e valvolare del duo Tek- Masuak � contrappuntato dalle fantasiose geometrie tastieristiche di Pip Hoyle, ci svelano una volta ancora le magie di un sound intramontabile quanto poliedrico e affascinante.
Pubblicato dalla loro etichetta personale Crying Sun Records, creata in collaborazione con l'indie-label Citadel, il disco � racchiuso in una splendida confezione digibook A5 ed � disponibile - in attesa di una distribuzione italiana - esclusivamente tramite mail-order.