Spy Albums
Spy stuff
v Spy v Spy - AO MOD TV Version
A.O. Mod. TV.
Version Single.
Released: December 1986 (Australia)
Label: WEA 254458-1
Tracks: 10
Peak chart position: 12 (AUS)
AO MOD
All tracks written by Craig Bloxom, Michael Weiley, Cliff Grigg and
G Vasicek (aka Gary Morris).
1. "Don't Tear it Down" 4:05
2. "Credit Cards" 4:40
3. "Mission Man" 4:07
4. "Pockets of Pride" 4:00
5. "Go to Work" 5:12
6. "Sallie-Anne" 5:08
7. "Snowblind" 4:04
8. "Use your Head" 4:27
9. "Peace and Quiet" 3:11
10. "Take Me Away" 4:45
*Click here for AO MOD TV Version Music Videos*
A.O. Mod. TV. Vers. is the second studio album by Australian rock
band Spy vs Spy, produced by Leszek Karski (Boys Next Door, Midnight
Oil, Nauts) and released through WEA on 8 December 1986.
The title is an abbreviation of 'Adults Only Television Version'
which used to appear at the bottom of late night movies in Australia
at the time. The album peaked at #12 on the Kent Music Report and
went gold. For this album Spy vs Spy
recorded as v. Spy v. Spy, and the line-up was the original trio
Craig Bloxom on bass guitar/lead vocals, Cliff Grigg on
drums/percussion and Mike Weiley on lead guitar/vocals.
The album provided three singles - "Don't Tear it Down" inspired by
the Department of Main Roads seeking to demolish the band's Darling
Street squat, "Sallie-Anne'" about murdered prostitute/whistleblower
Sallie-Anne Huckstepp and "Credit Cards" a commentary on spiralling
debt and consumerism. "Don't Tear It Down" was the band's most
successful single, peaking at #31 on the Kent Music Report of the
Australian singles charts in February 1987, it stayed in the charts
for 20 weeks and went platinum.
vSpy vSpy second album recorded again with Lezsek Karski, the
Golden Pole (that’s a joke: he’s Polish). This was our first ever
Gold Record and brought great success to the band. The cover shot
was taken in the old Sydney Powerhouse, which is a museum now of
course. We went on tour with 11 television sets on-stage & the
road-crew were very loyal in lugging them on & off-stage every
night. When "World Cup" soccer was on, Mike would have them all
tuned to the game so he could watch soccer while we played our set.
Sometimes he’d make mistakes on his guitar when Arsenal scored a
goal!
Singles from A.O. Mod. TV. Vers.
"Don't Tear It Down" Released: 8 December
1986
"Sallie-Anne" Released: 30 March 1987
"Credit Cards" Released: 1987
v. Spy v. Spy members
Craig Bloxom — bass guitar, vocals
Cliff Grigg — drums, percussion
Michael Weiley — lead guitar
Lyrics
Album Credits
All songs written by Spy V Spy.
* Mike Weiley Guitars
* Cliff Grigg Drums
* Craig Bloxom Bass + Vocals
* Gary Morris Business
Produced by Leszek Karski
Engineered by David Hemming
Mixed by David Hemming & Les Karski
Recorded at Alberts Studio
Sydney Aug/Sept 1986
* Guest Spys:
Wayne Goodwin Fiddle
Carl Hird Tin Whistle
Colm O’Rourke Piano Accordian
* On "Take Me Away"
Photography: Candy Le Guay
Artwork: V.Spy V.Spy
"Sallie-Anne" dedicated to Sallie-Anne Huckstepp
"Mission Man" dedicated to Merle Hurcomb
| Don’t Tear it Down Stonemasons Are becoming things of the past The modern age Is finally taking us over at last Don’t you wonder why? They’re tearing all the old houses down Can’t they see? That they’re the best places around Chorus: Don’t tear it down, there’s life in it yet Don’t tear it down History, Is written deep in the walls But the march of progress Wants to pour concrete over us all Craftsmanship, The stone was cut by hand Bulldozers Are taking over the land Chorus: Don’t tear it down, there’s life in it yet Don’t tear it down, there’s time for us, There’s life in it yet An expressway, Is planning to come through our lounge Eviction notes, in business coats Never renovate, just tear it down A nation’s heritage, They want to bring down without a sound Another new town On top of the real town: Chorus: Don’t tear it down, there’s life in it yet Don’t tear it down, there’s time for us yet Don’t tear it down |
Credit Cards Take me back Take me back Before these modern times I.D. cards and credit cards Plastic takes the paper’s place Feel a change Feel a change The number can become your name What’s your rating is it a triple A Are we told to do and to say? Chorus: Half a world with plastic cards The other half left to starve Can you hear the money talk It always says goodbye Talking sense or talking dollars People aren’t currency Languages In percentages Recognise your true belief Will the banker become the beast Do the fed, become the feast In the block In the red Do we earn our daily bread Should we save or should we spend Does this rule our hearts And our heads |
| Mission Man Yesterday I met a man Who ruled the world in his sleep Park bench for a pillow A castle in his dream All of his belongings In a brown bag tied with string People pass and step around The man lost without a mission See him find a lifelong friend A pigeon in the park Winter cuts to the bone A shiver in the dark Maybe guided by a vision The message in a dream So thank you Merle, for caring for The men lost without the mission He’s a mission man He’s a man without a mission He’s a man without ambition He’s a man without a vision |
Pockets of Pride There is no Christmas Just a bleeding in the sand Over in the distance There’s phrases of demand Chorus: Show us a reason for your peace of mind Show us a reason to smile Cause maybe the past is repeating In front of our eyes It’s out of sight and it’s out of time There’s a desert of men with pockets of pride Ready to fight There are no faces on the women in this place They’re rolling bandages For the boys with a job to face There is no Christmas Just a bleeding in the sand Send your brother home today In a green plastic bag |
| Sallie-Anne You get what you can When things don’t work out right City life makes you grow up fast To each their own We somehow find a path But feet get dirty on the way Disappointment always Rears its ugly head Expensive habits Expensive tastes Lead you to bed Sallie-Anne Who do you trust To do what you must do No destination, but always on the loose Temptations sake, you never make a stand But I feel that I must rake up This painful past Sallie-Anne They had their way We all know that was true But meeting in the park Was a silly thing to do Suspicion doesn’t age Nor memories of you I’ve never been closer than a newspaper But I feel for you Sallie-Anne |
Snowblind I am loaded in a suitcase Possessions are secondary To the quest and to my final aim I am looking over shoulder Hoping to miss the crossfire Forget the guilt, forget the final blame I’m counting on assistance Cause there’s nothing more I hope there’s nothing less Chorus: I’m snowblind But maybe I’m snowblind One’s a blindfold, that’s the wrong road But you can’t alter nature’s way So who can say that I’m the one to blame For people escaping nowhere But it’s never greener Never greener On the other side |
| Use Your Head How many times have you Made an appointment That you knew that you had to make How many times have you How many times have you Told yourself you won’t be late Well you’ve done it again You’ve done it again Slept in till half past eight And you’re late for work, late for work Late for work again Chorus: You’ve gotta "b" quick How many times have you Stayed for another When you know it’s time to go How many times have you How many times have you Had one more for the road Well you’ve done it again You’ve done it again You’re in disgrace again Chorus: You’ve gotta use your head And as you move into the future Try to remember You learn from your mistakes Try try to remember to use your head |
Peace and Quiet The doors are open but I’m locked inside Long term loan, and A suburban housewife Gotta get away Or go insane Young and foolish And I’m out of my mind In the wrong place At the wrong time Gotta get away Chorus: Why don’t you shut your mouth Sometimes it would be So nice to have A little peace and quiet The doors are open but I’m locked inside Sitting on the sofa Watching Days of our Lives Gotta get away Or I’ll go insane |
| Take Me Away Monday - Monday you see me again I seem to hang around Like your lonely friend I’ll tell you something That I have gotta do We gotta get away And you’re coming too I’ve dreamt of mountains And slippery snow white I’ve dreamt of beaches Where the sun always shines Wild horses Could not make me stay I’ve got my ticket booked And I’m going away Chorus: Take me away Sick of waiting, I’m counting the days Anticipating my ride on that plane I’m gonna do nothing But eat, sleep and play I know that I’m gonna Have a great time away |