Clarion Records was an Australian record company that operated from 1962 to 1978, but its main success came in the mid-1960’s. Formed by Martin Clarke in Perth, Western Australia, the company had their own high-quality recording and processing equipment, ensuring that their finished records sounded top-notch. And if you’re a fan of beat and mod music, you can’t go wrong with their catalog.
Let me play you a few tracks from this label.
THE TIMES
Glad Not Sad
So what if this song clicks in at barely two minutes, it still rocks like crazy.
RAY HOFF AND THE OFF BEATS
Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go
Yes, it’s a respectful but swinging copy of the Hank Ballard & the Midnighters’ USA track, but wow. There’s so much joy in this recording.
RAY HOFF AND THE OFF BEATS
Tossin’ and Turnin’
Wait a second … is this the Bobby Lewis hit from 1961, jazzed up with fuzz guitar? Hokey smokes…
GEMINI
Sunshine River
Now this is cool. A nice batch of sunshine pop from a one-hit wonder group that should have received more than just single-country success.
GLEN INGRAM AND THE HI FIVE
Skye Boat Song
Yes, there’s a mod beat version of the classic British nursery rhyme about Bonnie Prince Charlie. And here it is.
THE VALENTINES
Every Day I Have To Cry
If the vocals on this track sounds reasonably familiar to hard rock fans … that’s Bon Scott on lead vocals. Yes, former AC/DC front voice Bon Scott. On a pop track like this.
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN
Even Stevens
What in the psychedelic name of sound collage is this? No, seriously … this sounds like someone inhaled the most powerful hallucinogens, and then went into the studio – and forgot to turn off the recording equipment. Yow.
Clarion Records wound down their recording output by the early 1970’s, with their final release in 1978. For more on the history of this quirky pop label, you might want to check this link for a true deep dive, including a full discography listing.
Fun stuff, here on K-Chuck Radio.
Chuck The Writer 