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Friday 11 March 2011

MPD Ltd. - Little Boy Sad



Little Boy Sad/Wendy Don't Go

Melbourne beat trio driven by a heavy rhythm section, formed in 1965. The 'M', the 'P' and the 'D' were for Mike Brady, Pete Watson and Danny Finley. Mike and Pete had met in Shadows-style band The Phantoms, and Danny had been drummer with another instrumental band The Saxons. Within three weeks of forming, MPD scored invaluable national exposure and wide acclaim when they joined Tony Worsley & The Fabulous Blue Jays on the 1965 Dave Clark Five package tour.In just two months, bolstered by regular appearances on TV pop showcases across the country, the boys had rocketed up to the same level as the top stars of the day, Normie Rowe and Bobby & Laurie, not to mention the invincible Easybeats. Like many bands of the time with a modicum of talent and ambition, and a will to prove themselves beyond the perceived career constrictions in Australia, MPD Ltd decided to tackle the UK in early 1966. Regrettably, like most of the other bands who made the trip, their British foray was a disaster from the outset. Like The Easybeats, The Twilights, Normie Rowe & The Playboys and The Bee Gees, MPD Ltd set sail for Britain (on the Achille Lauro) in August 1966 after a frantic send-off by 5,000 screaming fans at Perth's Fremantle docks. They were met and welcomed in London by their old mate, Snowy Fleet from the Easys but were immediately demoralised to find absolutely no work or even promotional activities lined up.



While in London, the group began recording backing tracks with Pye Records in-house producer John Schroeder, but these recordings languished uncompleted in the wake of MPD's hasty return home after just four months. The group was in turmoil at this stage and they undertook an ill-advised national homecoming tour, during which ferocious backstage arguments and even fisticuffs had become the order of the day, and by the time "Paper Doll" came out, the band had already eventually called it quits.
The band released 6 singles with Little Boy Sad going #5 Sydney #1 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #8 Adelaide #1 Perth it was a Double-sided hit in Melbourne with the B-side, Wendy Don't Go.










Jul. 1965"Little Boy Sad" / "Wendy Don't Go" (Go!! 5010)

Oct. 1965
"Lonely Boy" / "Wild Side Of Life" (Go!! 5014)

February 1966
"(Remember) Walkin' In The Sand" / "If You Were Mine" (Go!! 5020)

Jun. 1966
"No Regrets" / I Won't Be Back" (Go!! 5027)

Aug. 1966
"Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder" / "I Am What I Am" (Go!! 5031)

March 1967
"Paper Doll / You Might As Well Forget Him (Go!! 5049)6 singles


Little Boy Sad went to #5 Sydney #1 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #8 Adelaide #1 Perth it was a Double-sided hit in Melbourne with the B-side, Wendy Don't Go.


Mike Brady was later responsible for numerous well-known advertising jingles, and as one half of Two Man Band had a hit in 1979 with the Australian Rules football song Up There Cazaly.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for this great Aussie music. Do you have "Wild Side Of Life" (B-side of Lonely Boy) available for download?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here you go Hagar

    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=45MBL26K

    ReplyDelete