Soundtrack to your studies - 1972

New Zealand was still catching up with 60s psychedelic rock and the orientation programme in 1972 included the best local representatives for this sound, Ticket. Their influences extended from psychedelia to blues to prog and they were just getting ready to take on Australia.

There were other musical events later in the year which stretched from the old-fashioned dancehall approach of the Graduation Ball held at the Mandalay in Newmarket through to hard rocking Wellington band Taylor.

The hippie musical Hair premiered in Auckland with a show at Her Majesty’s Theatre, but the nudity caused controversy and the promoters were taken to court for indecency (thankfully receiving a not guilty verdict). The show was reviewed on the same page in Craccum as the Led Zeppelin show at Western Springs.

There is even some 8mm footage and accompanying audio from the Led Zep concert though it’s admittedly hard to make out that it was taking place in Auckland:

The other big concert of the year was John Mayall at the Auckland Town Hall, which received a full page review in Craccum. Meanwhile, the most popular and critically acclaimed album of the year was Imagine by John Lennon, though its title track didn’t remain at No.1 as long as ‘Puppy Love’ by Donny Osmond.

The music wasn’t quite so cool at that year’s music awards. The big winner was pop singer Craig Scott for his song ‘Smiley,’ while Chapta won the group award for ‘Say A Prayer.’

What was on the turntable while you were on campus? Suggest songs to add to our 1970s playlist, and you could win $100 Flying Out voucher.