Indelible Murtceps
Encyclopedia
Indelible Murtceps was the alter-ego of 1970s Australian progressive rock
band Spectrum
. The name 'murtceps' is 'spectrum' spelled backwards. The Melbourne
-based group developed an extensive repertiore of original experimental progressive rock music, intended for performance in a serious concert setting, using a large PA system and light show
, as well as on occasion being augmented by Melbourne performance troupe 'The Tribe'. They commonly performed at larger concert halls, so-called 'head' venues like the T.F. Much Ballroom and at rock festival
s.
". Realising that their lengthy and complex material was precluding them from getting bookings on the lucrative local dance and pub circuit, Spectrum created a set of simpler, dancier music, using a reduced stage setup. They re-christened the band as "Indelible Murtceps" for the purpose, allowing Spectrum to continue on its progressive course while enabling them to supplement their income with the Murtceps gigs.
In late 1972 they recorded the album Warts Up Your Nose, produced by Peter Dawkins
. It featured a selection of the songs they performed as Murtceps, most of which featured satirical, scatalogical and sexual themes; the centrepiece was Mike Rudd
's epic 13-minute ode to marijuana
, "Some Good Advice". The album was packaged in a brown cardboard cover, intended to evoke the "plain brown wrapper" tradiitionally associated with pornographic
publications. They released one single, "Esmeralda" which (like the song "Rene" by The Small Faces
) was a lighthearted ode to a prostitute. They released two singles as Murtceps -- "Esmeralda" / "We Are Indelible" and "Indelible Shuffle" / "Ray's Boogie".
The Warts album was the last to feature original keyboard player Lee Neale. He suffered a nervous breakdown
shortly after the album was completed and he left the band in September 1972, to be replaced by Canberra
-born John Mills. Neale abandoned the music scene for good and dropped completely out of sight; to this day his former bandmates do not know of his whereabouts or what became of him after leaving Spectrum.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Spectrum
Spectrum (band)
Spectrum is an Australian progressive rock band that formed in Melbourne in 1969 and, in its original period, remained in existence until 1973. Its members also performed under the alter-ego Indelible Murtceps...
. The name 'murtceps' is 'spectrum' spelled backwards. The Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-based group developed an extensive repertiore of original experimental progressive rock music, intended for performance in a serious concert setting, using a large PA system and light show
Light show
Light show may refer to:*Aaron Landes* Laser lighting display * Liquid light shows* Christmas lights* Meteor shower* Wizards in Winter Christmas light show...
, as well as on occasion being augmented by Melbourne performance troupe 'The Tribe'. They commonly performed at larger concert halls, so-called 'head' venues like the T.F. Much Ballroom and at rock festival
Rock festival
A rock festival, or a rock fest, is a large-scale rock music concert, featuring multiple acts.The first rock festivals were put on in the late 1960s and were important socio-cultural milestones. In the 1980s a minor resurgence of festivals occurred with charity as the goal.Today, they are often...
s.
History
During the early 1970s the Australian rock scene began to change, and the circuit of festivals, large concert and 'head' venues began to dwindle as the scene shifted towards a simpler, heavier and more accessible style, which has become known as "pub rockPub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
". Realising that their lengthy and complex material was precluding them from getting bookings on the lucrative local dance and pub circuit, Spectrum created a set of simpler, dancier music, using a reduced stage setup. They re-christened the band as "Indelible Murtceps" for the purpose, allowing Spectrum to continue on its progressive course while enabling them to supplement their income with the Murtceps gigs.
In late 1972 they recorded the album Warts Up Your Nose, produced by Peter Dawkins
Peter Dawkins (musician)
Peter Dawkins is a New Zealand-born record producer and musician, best known for his hit 1970s productions for Australian-based pop artists, including Dragon, Australian Crawl and Air Supply. He has won multiple production awards, including the Countdown Producer of the Year...
. It featured a selection of the songs they performed as Murtceps, most of which featured satirical, scatalogical and sexual themes; the centrepiece was Mike Rudd
Mike Rudd
Mike Rudd is a New Zealand born musician and composer who has been based in Australia since the late 1960s, and who is best known as the leader of respected Australian progressive rock bands Spectrum and Ariel in the 1970s....
's epic 13-minute ode to marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
, "Some Good Advice". The album was packaged in a brown cardboard cover, intended to evoke the "plain brown wrapper" tradiitionally associated with pornographic
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
publications. They released one single, "Esmeralda" which (like the song "Rene" by The Small Faces
The Small Faces
The Small Faces were an English rock and roll band from East London, heavily influenced by American rhythm and blues. The group was founded in 1965 by members Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Jimmy Winston, although by 1966 Winston was replaced by Ian McLagan as the band's...
) was a lighthearted ode to a prostitute. They released two singles as Murtceps -- "Esmeralda" / "We Are Indelible" and "Indelible Shuffle" / "Ray's Boogie".
The Warts album was the last to feature original keyboard player Lee Neale. He suffered a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
shortly after the album was completed and he left the band in September 1972, to be replaced by Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
-born John Mills. Neale abandoned the music scene for good and dropped completely out of sight; to this day his former bandmates do not know of his whereabouts or what became of him after leaving Spectrum.
Studio
- Spectrum Part One (1970, as Spectrum)
- Milesago (1971, as Spectrum)
- Warts Up Your Nose (1973, as The Indelible Murtceps)
- Testimonial (1973, as Spectrum/Indelible Murtceps)
Compilations
- Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet (1984, covers both Spectrum/Indelible Murtceps material)
- Ghosts: Post-Terminal Reflections (1991, as Spectrum/Murtceps)
Singles
- "I'll Be GoneI'll Be Gone"I'll Be Gone" or "Some Day I'll Have Money" is a song by Australian progressive rock group Spectrum released as their debut single by EMI on Harvest Records in January 1971. It peaked at #1 on the national singles chart, while it reached Top 5 in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The song was...
" / "Launching Place Part II" (1971, as Spectrum) - "Trust Me" / "Going Home" (1971, as Spectrum)
- "But That's Alright" / "Play a Song That I Know" (1971, as Spectrum)
- "Esmeralda" / "We Are Indelible" (1972, as Indelible Murtceps)
- "Indelible Shuffle" / "Ray's Boogie" (1973, as Indelible Murtceps)
- "You Just Can't Win" (Spectrum) / "Make it Begin" (Sons of the Vegetal Mother) (1990)