Europeans Down Under

 

 

 

 

Euros Down Under

 

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)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Day of the Triffids! 

 

 

 

 

 

Antipodean Discography 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal Song 7"

 

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

Recognition Australia

1983

   7”

Recognition

b/w New Industry

 

Sleeve Unknown

Label reads ‘Made in Australia”

 

A&M K9210 / MX-61317 / AM138

Recognition 7"

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

Vocabulary LP Australia & NZ

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)

 

Australian Vocabulary

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

Dry Land Down Under

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

All the Time... oz issue

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

All the Time Aussie 12"

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

 

 

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)

 

Back to Articles or Main