Doug Ashdown - The Age Of Mouse (1970)

Hailing from Adelaide, Doug Ashdown was an extremely gifted musician as a youth and managed to travel to England and play in a rock band only to return to Adelaide and hitch up with Bobby Bright and The Bowmen. As a solo artist Ashdown rose to prominence in the mid to late sixties, playing at and developing his style through the thriving folk scene. His first album, This Is Doug Ashdown, is a fine example of this style, varying between sentimental Irish ballads, mid-tempo protest songs and fast picking hoe-downs. The relative sparsity of the album, Ashdown's guitar largely unaccompanied throughout, reveals the artist in his element, a vivacity which permeates the recording and compensates for the album's occasional awkward moments. His second album, The Real Thing, and 1968's Source represent a continuation and expansion of this sound. He progressively and successfully incorporated an element of psychedelia into his otherwise homespun style through the use of organ, strings and the occasional sound effect. Ashdown crystalized this progression on his 1970 album, The Age Of Mouse, a more mature work, diverse yet cohesive, with Ashdown utilizing a full band sound for the majority of songs for the first time. It was critically acclaimed and was accepted for world wide release by MCA.
(taken from "Dreams, Fantasies & Nightmares")

This fine album, that brings sometimes Gene Clarks "Echoes" to mind and contains the great stand-out psychedelic track "I've Come To Save Your World", was reissued a few years ago (Estrella Rockera ER 42115 / 2005) but it did run quickly out of stock (I saw an offer on Amazon for around 70$ for the CD!!!). Doug Ashdown has wryly commented that the prices currently being asked on the Internet are more than he was paid to record it! You can find more information about Doug Ashdown on the MILESAGO website.

Tracklist:
- Who Is It That Shall Come One Day
- I've Come To Save Your World
- The Day They Freed The Noise
- California Beachhead
- And The Lion Nroared
- Galilee
- Who Is It That Shall Come One Day
- The Rage
- Susan Of The Straw
- I Remembered Alice
- Mother Love
- Holly
- Have You Had A Good Day At The Bank
- The Saddest Song Of All

Personnel incl.:
Doug Ashdown (vcls, gtr)

Origin:
Adelaide (South Australia)

Discographie:
Albums:
1. This Is Doug Ashdown (CBS SBP 233283) 1965
2. The Real Thing (CBS SBP 233317) 1966
3. Source (CBS SBP 233516) 1968
4. The Age Of Mouse (Sweet Peach SP 12001) 1970
5. Doug Ashdown Live (Sweet Peach SPB 501) 1971
6. Leave Love Enough Alone (Billings Gate L 35294) 1974

45's:
 1. Guess I'm Doing Fine/Ella Speed (CBS BA-221240) 1966
 2. 5D/Something Strange (CBS BA-221597) 1969
 3. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On/Marcie
    (Philips BF 430) 1969
 4. The Day They Freed The Noise/I've Come To Save
    The World (Sweet Peach SP 001) 1969
 5. The Saddest Song Of All/Georgetown
    (Sweet Peach SP 101) 1970
 6. Susan Of The Straw/And The Lion Roared
    (Sweet Peach SP 109) 1970
 7. Willie's Shades/No Other Words
    (Billings Gate K-6444) 1974
 8. They Always Seem To Look Like Marian/
    Tomorrow Is The Last Time (Billings Gate K 5428) 1974
 9. Winter In America (Leave Love Enough Alone)/Skid Row
    (Billings Gate K 5627) 1974
10. You're The Song/Love Ain't Worth...
    (Billings Gate K 5823) 1975

Get it here (Artwork included)

Listen to I've Come To Save Your World