THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW:
Original Australian Cast (1974)

*LP*
1974, Festival Records, L35231 (Australian release with gatefold sleeve)
1975, Elephant Records, ELA 7000 (US release, NO gatefold sleeve)

*CD*
1984, Festival Records, D35231

CAST:
Dr. Frank N. Furter: Reg Livermore
The Usherette/Magenta: Kate Fitzpatrick
The Narrator: Arthur Dignam
Janet Weiss: Jane Harders
Brad Majors: John Paramor
Columbia: Maureen Elkner
Rocky Horror: Graham Matters
Eddie/Dr. Scott: David Cameron
Riff-Raff: Sal Sharah
Magenta (ONLY on 'Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me' and 'Once In A While'): Julie McGregor
Brad Majors (ONLY on 'Over At The Frankenstein Place'): Piero Von Arnim
CHORUS: Bob Hudson, Arthur Dignam, Julie McGregor, Maureen Elkner, Graham Matters, Sal Sharah, Piero Von Arnim

MUSICIANS
Jamie McKinley: piano
Geoff Oakes: sax
Roy Ritchie: guitar and mellotron
Ken Firth: bass
Greg Henson: drums

RECORDING PRODUCED BY: John Morrison & Roy Ritchie
MUSICAL DIRECTION AND ARRANGEMENTS: Roy Ritchie
BRASS ARRANGEMENTS: Geoff Oakes
RECORDING ENGINEER: Richard E. Lush
MIXING: Richard E. Lush and John Taylor

RUNNING TIME: 43:50

Being one of the first cast recordings, the Original Australian Cast album is overall pretty entertaining.

However, Brad and Janet (John Paramor and Jane Harders) try too hard to pull off American accents, and the result is phony and pretty cheesy. Reg Livermore (Frank N. Furter) sounds like a lounge singer. (For a perfect example of what I mean, listen to 'Planet Schmanet'----bleeeech!!) Riff and Magenta are not too bad, but the Magenta's interpretation of the Usherette is........well, ..... interesting. Also, Riff-Raff on this album is performed by Sal Sharah, who also performs Riff-Raff on the Original New Zealand Cast album. (I think he does a better job on the other album, though)

Despite these aspects, the Original Australian Cast album is a reasonably enjoyable cast album. It's one of those albums that grow on you with time. The musical arrangements and orchestrations on it are average. (There are MUCH worse performances on other TRHS albums....)

The one REALLY low point of this album is 'Eddie's Teddy'. This has to be THE worst rendition of this tune. First of all, the entire intro of the song (everything up to "from the day she was gone") goes soooooooooooooooo s....l....o....w... At this point in the album, you find yourself wanting to switch the playing speed to 45 RPM. Then, as soon as the song picks up, it goes too fast!!! Finally, at the end of the song, once again, they slow it down, and Dr. Scott does what seems like a 10-minute ending. This version of 'Eddie's Teddy' seems longer than 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida', and if it were a GOOD version, that wouldn't be so bad.

This album features pretty good versions of 'Once In A While,' 'Rose Tint My World,' and 'Over At The Frankenstein Place.'

'Super Heroes,' taken from this cast album, was featured on the album: Rocky Horror International, which is available only in the TRHPS 15th Anniversary Box Set.

Although this is an import, the Original Australian Cast album was released in the US for a very limited time in 1975 on the Elephant Records label. This is the only time this album has been available domestically. The difference in the original Australian pressing and the American release is easily distinguishable. The Australian release (on Festival Records) came in a gatefold jacket that featured pictures of the cast and the lyrics to the songs. The American release did NOT come in a gatefold jacket, did NOT have pictures or lyrics, but instead had: "Suggested Retail: $3.29" printed on the front cover in the upper right-hand corner. This album has also been released on compact disc in Australia on the Festival label. Both the Festival and the Elephant vinyl releases have been out-of-print for many years now, but there seems to be several copies of the vinyl Elephant LP out there, it seems like I see them everywhere.

MISSING TRACKS: 'Charles Atlas Song (reprise)' and 'Science Fiction/Double Feature (reprise)'

*****AVAILABILITY*****
My Australian Rocky Horror contacts have informed me that the CD release of this album is now out-of-print since around 1995. However, Footlight Records has the CD listed on their, so you may try ordering it from them. (I cannot guarantee if they'll have it in stock or not.) Or you may try getting it through a dealer/retailer who imports CD's. PLEASE NOTE: because it's an import, it may have a high price.

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