THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Alive:
1981 Australian Cast EP

*LP*
1981, Festival Records, L20009 (released on red vinyl)

*CASSETTE*
1981, Festival Records, C20009

*CD*
1981, Festival Records, D20009

CAST:
Usherette/Magenta: Kerry Myers
Brad Majors: David Frezza
Janet Weiss: Antoinette Byron
Narrator: Stuart Wagstaff
Riff-Raff: Perry Bedden
Columbia: Gina Mendoza
Frank N. Furter: Daniel Abineri
Rocky Horror: Jay Hackett
Eddie/Dr. Scott: Steve J. Spears
*backing vocals*: Terry Peck, Katrina Ballan, Peter Rees, Lisa Shipley

MUSICIANS
Phillip Scott: musical director/keyboards
Mark Simmons: tenor saxophone
Steve Elphick: bass
Steve Brien: guitar
Phil Henderson: drums

PRODUCED BY: Richard Hartley and Martin Erdman
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Brian de Courcy
RECORDED AT FESTIVAL STUDIOS, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

RUNNING TIME: 20:44

The 1981 Australian Cast album is a very interesting release. Although it is only a 6-song EP, it has quite a bit to offer.

The vinyl release of this album was pressed on beautiful, blood-red vinyl. However, the album was packaged in a clear plastic sleeve (instead of the standard paper album jacket) with a paper insert serving as the cover. I've heard that later pressings did away with the plastic sleeve and made the insert a normal jacket, but I'm not sure if such a pressing really exists.

The album (EP) only has 6 songs:

Damn It, Janet

Sweet Transvestite

The Time Warp

Hot Patootie--Bless My Soul

Rose Tint My World

I'm Going Home
Although this album has so few songs, the songs featured are performed very well. In fact, this album's 'The Time Warp' and 'Rose Tint My World' are MUCH better than the versions heard on the Original Australian Cast album. The album's low point has to be it's 'I'm Going Home.' Frank (Daniel Abineri) just doesn't put the right emotion into the song, and in certain points it sounds as if he's trying to duplicate Tim Curry.

One very interesting thing to note about this album/EP is that Riff-Raff is played by Perry Bedden. Perry played a Transylvanian in TRHPS (THE best Trannie!!...the one who twists with Kimi Wong) and he also played one of Neely's cameramen in "Shock Treatment." (It's nice to be able to HEAR Perry here!!) His performance is one of the album's finer moments.

This album was also released on CD, but I'm not sure what year. (Maybe around the same time the Original Australian Cast album was released on CD--they're both on the Festival label.) However, this album has only been released in Australia, it was never domestically released.

MISSING TRACKS: 'Science Fiction/Double Feature,' 'Over At The Frankenstein Place,' 'The Sword Of Damocles,' 'Charles Atlas Song,' 'Charles Atlas Song (reprise),' 'Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch-Me,' 'Once In A While,' 'Eddie's Teddy,' 'Planet Schmanet, Janet,' 'Super Heroes,' and 'Science Fiction/Double Feature (reprise)'

*****AVAILABILITY*****
My Australian Rocky Horror contacts have informed me that this CD/EP has been out-of-print since around 1995. However, Footlight Records has the CD listed in their mail-order catalog, 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 from a dealer/retailer who imports CD's. Since it's an import, it may have a high price.

sanity for today's Audio Archives
sanity for today

--kevin j.b.
3 March 1997