The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band - Wangaratta Wahine

[likatyga]

Timelines are hazy, locations seriouslyfoggy but I put the guys in a circus tent in canberra circa 1970 support act for Muddy Waters and Pinetop Perkins (and other fine bluesmen). That day is particularly obscured (askewed) but I'm at least 3% sure about it. I saw them at other venues also and once at the whiskey-ag-go in sydney??. I know I saw Daddy Cool there. I was 15-17 then, and in my defence it was very chaotic in my life then "and (i was) loving it!".

[FunkShoes]

this opened my world



[creativeengineer]

This song was based upon a real life experience. For the record, they are singing about the old Golden Fleece service station in Wangaratta which was pulled down around 1988. Surprisingly, very few folk from Wangaratta have never heard of this song. In fact, their heads are buried in the country and western sand when it comes to music. Most of the "musically knowledgeable" people have never heard or Pink Floyd....

[creativeengineer]

@creativeengineer I shoud know... I once played Dark Side of The Moon on a local community radio station in Wangaratta and as a result I caused a huge ruckus. I was ordered to stop playing the record immediately and was told I was out of line with such weird music. I immediately resigned as a DJ, realising Wangaratta was not ready for mainstream music as they had not progressed from country and western. Many DJ's threatened to quit over the incident and the station was in danger of collapse...

[kevkoala]

@creativeengineer Lemme guess...WPR FM otherwise known as OAK FM? I used to a program on there called "The Doghouse" a few times.....Haven't been back there for years but yes, definitly country and western and old time rock and roll.

[kevkoala]

@creativeengineer  I miss the old Golden Fleece...a few memories I have of it.

[artnomadix]

I got to dance around to theses guys at the very zany 'Ormond Hall" gigs they played at regularly with the other zany bands of the day ..... was pretty young mid teenager and we had them as 'special guests at an Erafest ....re-named a Whoopeefest ...... as our trumpet playing Craft teacher, Ted was in other lineups with Mic..... 'twas a pretty special day nearly 40 years ago

[anoldreg]

these blokes were way out there and havin fun. bet they smoked more than stewart wagstaffs

[MarsNova]

Well, thank goodness I LIKE silly 70's stuff like this.

[AintMisbehavin69]

I have been searching for Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me sung by The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band. Could you please upload this song if possible.

Thankyou...

[richard20bris]

Did these guys realise Australia doesn't take part in Eurovision? :-P

[MrBrian8555]

it doesn't get any better than this, well maybe a little, what a classic. long live capt matchbox

[flamethroa]

@creativeengineer. Thanks for clearing that up! of course, the old Golden Fleece in North Wang when the Hume highway went that way. I kept on thinking it might have been the old Winton roadhouse.

[335Twang]

Saw these guys doing this very song and promoting the album in Gatton Queensland in 1975 when I was 19. Still have the album. These guys were not only outrageously entertaining, but had incredible chops as well. What a laugh!! Thanks so much for posting.

[thatsmeaswell1]

I got to meet mic this year at woodford, he is really odd guy, haha but a very very good musician, and also very nice...his shows are really awesome

[thatsmeaswell1]

I got to meet mic this year at woodford, he is really odd guy, haha but a very very good musician, and also very nice...his shows are really awesome

[admanhawks]

@ 2:50 I am glad he is using his mouth for the Trumpet! :-)

[creativeengineer]

Strange thing is most of the locals in Wangaratta have never heard of the song. They had a very narrow experience with mainstream music because their only local commercial radio station was 3NE that only played top 40 over and over and over. The roadhouse restaurant by the way would have part of the now defunct Golden Fleece station on the Hume Highway just on the north side of the town.

[lokiianbaker]

@creativeengineer

hah, i remember that servo! great burgers.

[217jmw]

Don't you just love music slightly left of the mainstream!

[headfulofdred]

@217jmw ~lol! love it!~

I was lucky enough to see them preform live in Sydney one day. I seem to remember it was at some place near the Rocks. It's so long ago! /grins. I remember seeing the west side of the south end of the bridge in the background, and drinking schooners of beer. They were fantastic, and I've loved their music ever since. I could probably even dig up a very scratched vinyl copy of smoke dreams. (-;8 I've always thought of them as Australia's answer to the Modern Lovers. (:

[publicabuse1989]

I'm 21, heard about this song and looked it up, weird but addictive.

[OzzInter]

Cool!

Great to see this old tune after all these years, thanks for submitting!

[lgomez222]

I can't stop watching this video. It's just so amazingly good!

[61neils]

love that music!!!

[lgomez222]

Awesome!

[garudaindo44]

Pure Gold

[marymlucinda]

What a blast from the past - I used to go to dances at Balmain and Paddington Halls to listen to these guys many many years ago...thanks for posting!

[YoungDot82]

I was 11 when this came out...I thought it totally weird.

Now it's filed in my minds 'nostalgia' section...still under weird! lol

[MrEdshome]

What an absolute classic!!!!! Where are they now?

[rjthmson110253]

Mick Conway (vocals) is still rattling around the traps, playing and singing as "Mick Conway", oddly enough.

Jim Conway (harp/kangaroo suit) is confined to a wheelchair, singing and playing blues harp with "The Backsliders".

[hawkers94]

Just made  my day!

[geekaypee]

Absurd! Surreal! Very, very silly.

There needs to be more of it. But young people nowadays ...

[snodga]

first heard it in a caravan on a tape in orbost luvely and danced around to it when my sons conception was announced

[smp26091967]

great stuff, havent heard this in 25 years, god i miss you guys

[ZMoulton]

That was fantastic! Wooopee! Mic u roc!