SPARMAC PRODUCTIONS

Category: Australian independent record label and production company

Date: 1969?-1974

Location: Melbourne, Vic.

Ownership: original owners - Ken Sparkes and John McDonald
- controlling share purchased by Robie Porter ca. 1970

History

The Sparmac Productions label was established by radio DJ (and former Kommotion host) Ken Sparkes (Spar-) and John McDonald (-mac), who was then the owner of the Disc Shop in Bourke Street, Melbourne. Sparkes subsequently sold his share to the label's first recording artist, Robie Porter. As a teenage guitar prodigy, Porter had enjoyed a very succesful recording career under the stage name Rob EG in the early Sixties, and he then spent several years in the U.S., where he also worked as an actor on US television. It was there that Porter met his future business partner Steve Binder, with whom he went on to establish Wizard Records (who re-issued the Sparmac albums). John McDonald also continued in the recording industry and later started both the Image and Avenue record labels.

Sparmac's biggest act was of course Daddy Cool, whose debut single "Eagle Rock" became a national smash-hit in mid-1971, and their debut LP Daddy Who? Daddy Cool!became the biggest-selling Australian pop LP ever released up to that time. Sparmac also played a significant role in launching the solo career of Rick Springfield, whose Sparmac debut "Speak to the sky" was a hit in Australia and became his first hit in the USA.

Porter himself released three solo singles on Sparmac -- "Gemini" / "He Is Not Me" (Aug. 1970), "Santa Claus" / "Funky Version" (Dec. 1970) and a cover of the Joe Cocker-Chris Stainton song "Try to Find More Love (There Must be a Reason)" / "Empty" (March 1971). Other notable Sparmac singles are "Ongo Bongo Man" by super-group Gerry & The Joy Band, fronted by former Loved Ones singer Gerry Humphries, with an all-star backing group that included most of Daddy Cool and the debut single by the shortlived soft rock duo Frieze (Daryl Cotton and Beeb Birtles, ex Zoot)

Discography

Singles

Cat. # Date Artist Title
SPR-001 1971 Blue Forest "Love Classique"
"Instant Action"
SPR-002 1971 Jerry Ray "Instant Action"
"Shoe Fever"
SPR-003 Aug. 1970 Robie Porter "Gemini"
"He is not me"
SPR-004 1971 CaShears "Hey Diddle Diddle"
"Another man's woman"
SPR-005      
SPR-006      
SPR-007      
SPR-008 1971 Daddy Cool "Eagle Rock"
"Bom Bom"
SPR-009 1971 Healing Force "Golden Miles"
"The Gully"
SPR-010 1971 Daddy Cool "Come Back Again"
"Just As Long As We're Together"
SPR-011 1971 Rick Springfield "Speak to the Sky"
"I Didn't Mean to Love You"
SPR-012 Sep. 1971 Frieze "Feelings"
"Young Man's Lament"
SPR-013
SPR-014 1972 Daddy Cool "Come Back Again" 
"Just As Long As We're Together"
SPR-015      
SPR-016 1972 Rick Springfield "Hooky Jo" 
"Why?"
SPR-017 1972 Hot Mummas "Eagle Rock"
"Eagle Rock"
SPR-018 1972 Daddy Cool "Teenage Blues" (stereo)
"At The Rockhouse"
SPR-019 July 1972 Daddy Cool "I'll Never Smile Again"
"Daddy Rocks Off"
SPR-020      
SPR-021 Sep. 1972 Daddy Cool Rock'n'Roll Lady (mono) / Cadillacin'
SPR-022 1972 Gerry & The Joy Band "Ongo Bongo Man"
"My Name Is Earl"
SPR-023 July 1972 Rick Springfield "What Would The Children Think?"
"Walking The Floor On My Hands Over You"
SPR-024 1972 Bobby Bright "It Ain’t Changed None"
"20th Century Food Dispensary"
SPR-025 1972 Gary Young's Hot Dog "Rock-A-Billy Beatin' Boogie Band"

EPs

Cat. # Date Artist Title
SPEP-1 1971 Daddy Cool The DC EP

Albums

Cat. # Date Artist Title
SPL-001 1971 Daddy Cool Daddy Who? Daddy Cool!
SPL-002 1972 Daddy Cool Sex, Dope & Rock'n'Roll: Teenage Heaven
SPL-003 1972 Rick Springfield Beginnings
SPL-004 1972 Daddy Cool Daddy Cool's Golden Hits

References / Links

Hank B. Facer
Sparmac discography
(Museum of Independent Recording Labels)

Ian McFarlane
Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop (Allen & Unwin, 1999)

Ed Nimmervol
Howlspace
http://www.howlspace.com.au/en4/robeg/robeg.htm

Magnus Holmgren
Australian Rock Database - Robie Porter
http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/p/porterrobie.html

Internet Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0692274/

Tarantula webzine - Ross Wilson interview
http://www.brella.org/sandpebbles/Daddy%20Cool.htm