Robin Jolley began singing with the Melbourne group Windy and Warm in his mid-teens. The band released a single in 1969, ''It Hurts Me So / Bread'', which didn’t chart. He was discovered by Neville Kent, who encouraged him to move to Hobart and launch a solo career. In 1972, he returned to Melbourne seeking a record deal. Radio DJ Paul Konik introduced him to Brian Cadd, who offered him a song called ''Marshall’s Portable Music Machine'', co-written with Don Mudie. Cadd had recorded it in 1971 for the Tokyo Song Festival, but Jolley was brought into Fable Music to rework the lead vocals. Expecting to fade into obscurity, he was surprised when the track hit #1 in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, #5 in Adelaide, #4 in Sydney, and reached the Top 20 in Japan. It was also released in the Netherlands and New Zealand. Over his career, Jolley released five singles, an EP, and an LP for Fable, plus three more singles on other labels.
''Marshall's Portable Music Machine (#4) / Yesterday Love'' 1972 Fable
''Where The Music's Playing / Do It Again'' 1972 Fable
''Do You Wanna Boogie (#44) / If You Have To Go'' 1973 Fable
''Song And Dance Man (#75) / Dancin' (On A Saturday Night)'' 1974 Fable
''My Happy Song (#91) / Home'' 1974 Fable
''Hey Rev.'' 1975 W & G
''Baby, What's Been Getting To You / One Night'' 1975 L&Y
''Midnight Woman / Rock 'N' Roll Star'' 1976 Festival
EPs
'Marshall's Portable Music Machine' 1973 Fable
ALBUMS
'Robin Jolley' 1974 Fable
References
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
References
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
Marshall was a Children's presenter on the Supper Flying Fun Show Channel 9 who had a music machine named after the song, which was strikingly similar in description to the lyrics.It was used as a teaching aid in schools and today is acknowledged as a forerunner to today's self contained act. Ref u tube Mike Walsh with Marshall's Portable Music Machine.
ReplyDeleteI saw the machine at my school in 1976 I believe. I was in kindy
DeleteI remember this too, in 1976, when it came to my primary school. The song was recorded on "Pop Goes Australia" which was released on vinyl in the same year. Interesting to learn that Brian Cadd and Don Mudie wrote the song. I never heard much more about Robyn Jolley after that time.
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