Alberts Rocka Press Release – Little River Band
Mississippi – When You’re Old
A When You’re Old – Written By Russ Johnson 3:23
B Do I – Written By Russ Johnson 3:53
Mississippi EP
A1 ‘Will I’ Written-By – Birtles, Cotton
A2 ‘Mr. Moondog’ Written-By – Johnson
B1 ‘Kings Of The World’ Written-By – Goble
B2 ‘Early Morning’ Written-By – Birtles, Goble, Johnson
Beeb, Narelle Goble, Russ Johnson & Sparky The Cat
June 17, 1974 in London, UK. Narelle Goble, holding her kitten she named, ‘Sparky’, me and Russ Johnson when Mississippi travelled there to seek its fortune. Sparky sparked the idea for ‘Curiosity Killed The Cat’ when she was scampering around our living room.
Mississippi Arrive In England
May 30, 1974, Mississippi arrive in England. Derek Pellicci, Trevor, the band’s road manager, Beeb Birtles, Barry Earl, our manager, Charlie Tumahai and Harvey James.
Graeham Goble: “We toured Australia virtually for two years and we worked ourselves into the ground. And we believed, at that point, as every other band did, that England was the stepping stone to the States. So we just worked until we got enough money to go to England and we went. But after a very short time, about five or six weeks, we completely ran out of money. We were unable to score a record deal and the band essentially broke up. It was at that time I met Glenn Shorrock and Glenn Wheatley. We met the in England. They were planning to come home. Glenn Wheatley had two or three years experience in the States and he believed that it was possible to do it from Australia and we didn’t have to do it via England. There was no way of staying alive in England. There was just no live work. So we all decided to meet back in Australia, Glenn Shorrock, myself and Beeb, then find a bass player, drummer and lead guitarist and put the band together and record specifically to break into America. That was the aim of the whole band.”
Bound for England
Beeb Birtles:
In one of our cabins on the Fairsky. Charlie Tumahai, Graeham Goble, Derek Pellicci, Beeb Birtles and Harvey James. Photo courtesy of Philip Morris.
Hamming It Up On Board The Fairsky
L To R: Derek Pellicci, Trevor, the road manager, Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles, Harvey James, Charlie Tumahai with Mal and Barry Earl, manager, in front.
Mississippi On The Fairsky
Graeham Goble and Narelle Taylor were married on April 16, 1974, and four days later, they and the rest of Mississippi boarded their Sitmar liner bound for England. They took with them all of their belongings intending to leave Australia forever.
Beeb Birtles:
“We hired a manager, Barry Earl, who negotiated a trip to England on the ship, “Fairsky”. Charlie Tumahai, Graeham Goble, Harvey James, Derek Pellicci and Beeb Birtles. Barry Early sits in front.”
Harvey James And His Mum
April 18, 1974. Harvey James and his mum, Vera, prior to boarding the Fairsky bound for England.
Mississippi At Sunbury
