Neil Finn & Dave Dobbyn (Party Boys) - Live 1985 (aud)

The Party Boys

Wellington, N.Z.

September 18, 1985

audience recording (quality: GD+ to VG-)

01 What's the Matter With You? (cuts in)

The Party Boys with Dave Dobbyn
before Neil joined in '85

02 Devil You Know

03 Mercury Blues (KC Douglas cover)

04 Love You Like I Should

05 Me and Bobby McGee (Roger Miller cover)

06 I Got You / Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover) 

07 Steal Yourself

08 Can't Carry On

09 Dancing Days (Led Zeppelin cover)

10 Be Mine Tonight

11 I Walk Away

12 Petticoat Junction (TV show theme)

13 Daydream Believer (Monkees cover)

14 Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly cover)

15 Now We're Getting Somewhere

16 Fire (Jimi Hendrix cover)

17 Bliss

18 Love Me Two Times (The Doors cover)

19 One Love (+ next song intro)

20 History Never Repeats

21 Hang Onto Yourself (David Bowie cover)

ROB SEZ: Can't have a 1980s & 1990s-centric N.Z. music series without posting this one. The recording goes back to the time just after the demise of Split Enz. Neil Finn had formed The Mullanes, but not yet signed to Capitol Records or changed the band's name to Crowded House. Meanwhile, Dave Dobbyn & friends began touring in 1984 as "The Party Boys" (kind of an odd name, since Jenny Morris was a member). Neil joined for the band's tour in Sept. & Oct. of 1985. This recording's sound quality isn't up to my usual standards, but the fun of hearing these two Kiwi legends playing & singing so many classic covers — and some of their own originals — makes up for what's lacking. Please enjoy.

FLAC

MP3@320

Dave Dobbyn - Palmerston North, N.Z. 2011 (aud)

The Square

Palmerston North, N.Z.
Oct. 1, 2011

audience recording (sound quality: VG+)

01 Language

02 Slice of Heaven

03 Outlook for Thursday 

04 Maybe the Rain

05 Blindman's Bend

06 Lap of the Gods

07 Beside You

08 Only Love Remains

09 Whaling

10 You Oughta Be In Love

11 Rain On Fire

12 Be Mine Tonight

13 Pour the Wine

14 Love You Like I Should 

15 Loyal

16 pre-encore break

17 Just Add Water

18 Hanging In the Wire 

19 Welcome Home

ROB SEZ: New Zealander Dave Dobbyn is a musical treasure to longtime Kiwi & Aussie fans, but he's more or less unknown outside Australasia. That's a real shame, since he's been justly celebrated for decades by better-known musicians such as Neil & Tim Finn. If you want to find out what you've been missing, this recording is a decent place to start. It features old classics from Dave's "DD Smash" days through more recent solo hits. (I also recommend my earlier DD post HERE.) I wish I knew more about this recording, such as who to thank and who Dave's fellow musicians are. Safe bet the drummer is the fab Ross Burge (The Mutton Birds). Other than a lack of info, I have no complaints about this fine offering.

FLAC

MP3@320

   

Dave Dobbyn - Revolver Studio 1994 + Best Live Comp

Live TV special

Revolver Studio

Auckland, New Zealand 

November 1994

web stream, audio rip from master video source (sound quality Ex-)

Dave Dobbyn: find out why DD is a living legend in his native New Zealand

It's good to have friends like Neil & Tim Finn 
to promote your music.

01 Bell Tower

02 Don't Hold Your Breath

03 Language

04 Loyal

05 Naked Flame (with Emma Paki) 

06 Lap of the Gods

07 It Dawned On Me

08 Rain On Fire

09 Whaling

10 Protection

11 P.C.

12 I Can't Change My Name

Musicians:

Dave Dobbyn - guitar, 
                keyboard, vocals

Dave Gent - bass

Jay Foulkes - percussion

Joel Winton - drums

special guests:

Neil Finn - guitar, keyboard, vocals 

Tim Finn - vocals, guitar, shaker

Emma Paki - vocals

WANT A SAMPLE? Play this 3-song video...

ROB SEZ: I was amazed & pleased to find a master video source to snag this, my all-time favorite ROIO for New Zealander Dave Dobbyn. Don't know Dave? Suffice it to say he's a living legend in New Zealand & Australia, for good reason. The guy has a soulful voice, high-quality song writing chops, a great sense of humor ("P.C." indeed!), and knows when to get loud & when to keep it dialed back. This set comes from a live TV special featuring Tim & Neil Finn, who produced Dave's then-current album Twist. The big promotional push that accompanied the album didn't really work to get Dave known beyond Australasia. But some Crowded House & Finn Brothers fans like me were paying attention back in the 1990s, and we caught the bug. I still play Dave's 1998 album The Islander — a perennial Top 10 Album for me. Dave is making some great music this many years later, evidenced by the more recent tracks in the live radio & TV comp below...

Think of Dave Dobbyn as New Zealand's musical Yoda

Dave Dobbyn

Best Radio & TV Sessions

1999 to 2015

various locales

FM, soundboard & web stream sources (sound quality range VG+ to Ex-)

01 Blind Man's Bend (live on P.A. Radio)

02 Loyal (love songs documentary)

03 Tell the World (live on Radio NZ 2015)

04 Angelina (live on Radio NZ 2015)

05 Kingdom Come (live on 
      Radio NZ 2015)

06 Whaling (live on Radio NZ 2015)

07 Welcome Home (live on National Anthem)

08 Beside You (live on National Anthem)

Here is your clue re: the mystery bonus set

09 Mobile Home (live on NZ One)

10 Lap of the Gods (live at 
       Roundhead 2007) 

11 Waiting (live on NZ G4)

12 Pour the Wine (live 2005)

13 Whaling (live on Rockwiz)

14 Welcome Home (live on Waitangi 
       Day with Emma Paki) 

15 mystery bonus track

MP3@320

Learn more about the music of Dave Dobbyn at his official site, Wikipedia and AllMusic