Pressing: Australia
Year: 1973-2008
Genre: prog psych
Packaging: digpack

Aztec Records presents – on DOUBLE CD – 27 classic live performances from Australia’s masters of Progressive Blues Rock, Madder Lake. The Live Adventures of MADDER LAKE 1973-2008 is an immersive career retrospective – featuring all their timeless songs, full of dexterous, free-flowing, bluesy progressive rock as only Madder Lake could produce.

During the early to mid-1970s Madder Lake was one of Australia’s pre-eminent rock bands, rubbing shoulders with all the big name acts of the day – Chain, Coloured Balls, Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, The Dingoes, Band of Light etc. They released two acclaimed albums, Stillpoint and Butterfly Farm, yet their forte was the live performance which saw them play to packed crowds.

They were a funky rock ’n’ roll band capable of adding elaborate elements on top that allowed them to go off on musical flights of fancy. And in the wickedly grinning, moonfaced Micky Fettes, with his manic Joe Cockeresque stage movements, they had one of the great front men of the age. He knew how to keep audiences entertained, with entire auditoriums of fans aping his every move.

As well as previously heard tracks from Sunbury and Garrison, this collection boasts a whopping 19 previously unreleased live performances from all eras of the band’s career. Captured live in 1974, 1978 and 2008, it’s the sound of a band at the top of its game. Featuring all their classic songs – ‘12-lb. Toothbrush’, ‘Listen to the Morning Sunshine’, ‘Slack Alice’, ‘Down the River’, ‘Rodney’s Birthday’, ‘Booze Blues’, ‘Goodbye Lollipop’ and more – there’s plenty to savour here. As guitarist Brenden Mason says: “The most important thing all along has been the flexible aspect of Madder Lake. We never played any song the same way twice.”

Package Contents

• Collectors 2CD digipak with original cover – Classic live recordings from Australia’s masters of Progressive Blues Rock Dexterous, free-flowing, bluesy progressive rock – all their classic songs, an immersive career retrospective
• Includes 19 previously unreleased live tracks PLUS performances from Sunbury and Garrison
• Featuring legendary Aussie musicians Brenden Mason, Kerry McKenna, Micky Fettes (RIP), Jac Kreemers, John McKinnon, Andy Cowan, Andy Burns
• Digitally Remastered by Gil Matthews
• Booklet includes fresh interview with Brenden Mason