The Dingoes - The Dingoes (1974) 320kbps {FP}

The Dingoes were an Australian rock band active from 1973 to 1979. From 1976 to 1979 the band was based in the USA. The founder and principal songwriter of The Dingoes was songwriter, guitarist Kerryn Tolhurst. He had been a member Melbourne's Adderly Smith Blues Band in the late '60s, where he first met singer and harmonica player Broderick Smith. This was followed by stints in two seminal Australian country-rock bands: Sundown (1970) with Keith Glass and Country Radio (1972-73). In Country Radio Tolhurst formed a successful writing partnership with leader Greg Quill, and they co-wrote the hit singles "Gypsy Queen" and "Wintersong", both of which were strong influences on the Dingoes' future direction.

Conventionally described as Australia's foremost 'country-rock' exponents, their avowed aim was to "marry rhythm and blues with Bush music". The Dingoes indeed fused elements of country and folk music with R&B, blues and rock, giving it a muscular and distinctively Australian edge that set it apart from many of their rather anaemic American counterparts. They were also something of a 'supergroup' comprising veteran musos drawn from several other leading bands of the early 70s. The Dingoes were the critics' darling, and great things were predicted for them. They seemed destined for overseas success, but - like so many before them - it failed to materialise The Dingoes' story is typical of many of the groups in this website - tremendous talent and promise, frustrated by bad luck and lost opportunities. There is at least some consolation in the legacy of their fine music - although it has to be said that little of their original material is currently in release.

After leaving Country Radio in early 1973, just after their appearance at the second Sunbury Rock Festival, Tolhurst briefly joined the band Mississippi (which would eventually evolve in Little River Band). Tolhurst formed The Dingoes in Melbourne in April 1973. The original lineup included Chris Stockley (ex-CamPact, Axiom), John Strangio (bass), John Lee (ex-Blackfeather (drums)) and Broderick Smith (vocals, harmonica). Smith had previously been the lead singer in noted blues/boogie combo Carson. Strangio left in July and was replaced by John Du Bois, who had worked with Tolhurst in Country Radio.

They were one of the early signings to the fledgling Mushroom Records label. Their debut single "Way Out West" was written by Tolhurst (although the first two albums credit it to the group as a whole). Released in October 1973, it became the band's signature tune and one of the classic Australian singles of the '70s. It was successfully covered by James Reyne and James Blundell in 1991. Just a week before the single was released Stockley received a serious gunshot wound during an incident at a party in Melbourne that resulted in a two-month stay in hospital. For many years the incident was written up as 'accidental shooting' but according to Ian McFarlane's Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop, Stockley was shot by the notorious Melbourne drug dealer Dennis Allen, who had been trying to gatecrash the party. While he recuperated, Stockley was replaced by keyboard player Mal Logan (ex Healing Force, Carson), who stayed with the group until the end of 1974.

Track LIsting

01: Come On Down
02: Boy On The Run
03: The last place i want to be
04:Way Out west
05: Pay Day Again
06: Goin Down Again
07: Aaron
08:My Sometime Lady
09: Sydney Ladies
10: Dingoes Lament