Europeans Down Under
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I have come across a number of Europeans
and How We Live items from Australia & New Zealand in recent years, so here’s a small page collecting
them all together! The
Animal Song by Europeans
was a minor hit Down Under! It charted
at number 96 in the Australian Music Charts, in the week beginning 25 July
1983. Colin Woore
recalls:
“We never played Australia but did an interview with the famous Molly Meldrum
in London. It went out on Countdown - their version of Top of the Pops,
which Molly hosted - as the Animal Song was getting quite a lot of play at
the time.” The memorable video for the single appeared on the 3 July
1983 episode of ‘Countdown.’ Other
acts on the show that week included Tim
Finn (who Geoff Dugmore would soon play drums for in 1986),
Culture Club, Eddy Grant, Eurythmics, Ultravox & Elton John (http://1970scountdown.atspace.com/1983.html) |
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A
short promo clip filmed for the Australian ‘Countdown’ TV show has surfaced
on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4b4TDejyNc The
Animal Song was released by ‘Festival
Records’ (an Australian arm of A&M) with ‘Made in Australia’ on the
label. A second single, Recognition was released in
1983. For this single, there were two
pressings: a ‘Made in Australia’ and a ‘Made in New Zealand’
version. The records didn’t have
picture covers, coming in purple Festival company sleeves. The Vocabulary album
was released Down Under later in 1983.
Again, both ‘Made in New Zealand’ and ‘Made in Australia’ copies
exist, although the outer sleeves appear to be identical. In the top right corner of the outer
sleeves, it lists a cassette version of the album. This is printed as C38158 on the NZ
pressing, but corrected on the Australia pressing to C38148 (see the detail here) This appears to
be the last release by Europeans
for the Antipodean market. |
I also came across an interesting gig advert for Europeans, billing them as ‘From
Australia.’ Once again, Colin Woore remembers: “That was us playing Triffids
back then, I think, although I don't remember any over-sized plants in the
audience. The Australian reference must have been intended for the next
week's poster, as they are advertising the Australian band Hunters &
Collectors for the following week...maybe their poster said from Glasgow and Doncaster? They
would have been just as bemused.” A number of How We Live
items were pressed for the Australian market in 1987. The ‘Dry
Land’ album was released on LP and cassette, and a few promo-stickered /
stamped copies exist. The ‘All the Time in the World’ single
was released on 7” (in the blue ‘baby sleeve’ format), and I also have a
variation of the sleeve with ‘Promo Copy – Not for Sale’ printed on the
back. Finally, I recently acquired a
copy of the 12” of ‘All the Time in
the World’ which comes in the purple ‘baby sleeve’ and contains the usual
12” remix. The sleeve for this is
heavy duty cardboard, and has writing on the spine. |
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Antipodean Discography |
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1982 |
7” |
The Animal Song b/w Someone’s Changing In purple & white Festival Records company sleeve Label reads ‘Made in Australia’ A&M K9015 /
MX-60547 / AMS 8245 |
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1983 |
7” |
Recognition b/w New Industry Sleeve Unknown Label reads ‘Made in Australia” A&M K9210 / MX-61317 / AM138 |
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1983 |
7” |
Recognition b/w New Industry In purple Festival Records company sleeve Label reads ‘Made in New Zealand” A&M K9210 / MX-61317 / AM138 |
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1983 |
LP |
Vocabulary The Animal Song / AEIOU / Voice
on the Telephone / American People / Falling // Recognition / Innocence /
Spirit of Youth / Modern Homes / Kingdom Come With Insert. Label
reads ‘Made in New Zealand’ A&M L31848 /
SMX-61653 / AMLX 68558 Also available on cassette – listed as C38148 (see below) |
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1983 |
LP |
Vocabulary The Animal Song / AEIOU / Voice
on the Telephone / American People / Falling // Recognition / Innocence /
Spirit of Youth / Modern Homes / Kingdom Come With Insert. Label
reads ‘Made in Australia’ A&M L31848 /
SMX-61653 / AMLX 68558 Also available on cassette – sticker correcting to C38148 here |
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1987 |
LP |
Dry Land Working Girl / All the Time in
the World / Dry Land / Games in Germany / India // The Rainbow Room / Lost at
Sea / In the City / Working Town / A Beat in the Heart Inner Sleeve. Label
reads ‘Made in Australia’ CBS Portrait /
450618 1 / MX219111 Also available on cassette |
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1987 |
7” |
All the Time in the World b/w Lost at Sea Label reads ‘Made in Australia’ Standard Picture Sleeve here Promo Picture Sleeve ‘Promotion Only – Not For Sale’ here Portrait CBS 650088
7 / MX219103 |
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1987 |
12” |
All the Time in the World ‘I don’t mind if you don’t mind’
Mix b/w All the Time in the World 7”
Version b/w Lost at Sea Label reads ‘Made in Australia’ Portrait CBS 650088 6
/ MX219105 |
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Thanks to Simon Richardson for providing further information
on Australian pressings.
Can you add any more information on Europeans
or How We Live in Australia or New Zealand?
If so, please get in
touch via t.glasswell@btinternet.com
Tim Glasswell April 2012 (updated July 2012)