MILESAGO - Performance - Tours by International Acts

PHIL OCHS

Compiled by Alan Harvey

Tour Details

Tour name:
1972 Australian Tour

Promoter:

Supports:
Ron Cobb (cartoonist, film-maker, graphic and conceptual artist, designer)
Molly Manno (Women's Liberationist & abortion law reformer)
Jewellian the Mimer
Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band

Cities, Dates & Venues:
? Melbourne, Melbourne University
23 June 1972, Adelaide, Adelaide University
26 June 1972, Adelaide, Flinders & Adelaide Town Hall
29 June 1972 - Perth, Perth University
30 June 1972 Perth, Perth University
1 July 1972, Perth, Perth University
4.July.72, Melbourne, Dallas Brooks Hall
5 & 6.July.72, Tasmania
7 & 8.July.72, Canberra
10.July.72, Sydney, Victoria Park
11.July.72, Sydney, Sydney University
12.July.72, Sydney, NSW University
13.July.72, Brisbane
14.July.72, Townsville

Notes

Folk/protest, singer/writer Phil Ochs 1972 tour of Australia was probably one of the most interesting in terms of content and lineup. I don't think Australian audiences had ever seen a cartoonist or Woman's Liberationist/Abortion Reformer as a support act!

Ochs was one of the most potent protest singers of the 60's/70's. While he didn't achieve the fame or success of Dylan, Dylan once said of Ochs, "I can't keep up with Phil. And he's getting better and better."

Ochs' songs were less poetic than Dylan's but often more biting and less subtle with titles like, "I Kill Therefore I Am", "Draft Dodger Rag", "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land". His most famous son was, "I Ain't Marching Anymore". With titles like these you can see why most of his concerts were at universities!

A report from Go-Set had this to say about his Melbourne concert, "I went along to the first Melbourne Uni. concert. Jewillian the Mimer and Captain Matchbox started it all off, followed by Ron Cobb. A quite sincere guy, and apparently at a loss because of lack of planned illustrations on slides, Ron Cobb didn't speak much, or well, about his cartooning. He did talk about some of the subject matter he uses though -- ecology, politics with the help of the audience who asked questions. Molly Manno didn't appear on the show as we thought she would. Phil Ochs came on next and seemed almost a contradiction to Cobb. Ochs is a revolution singer. A very professional, very good, very genuine singer. He sees the need for a new political group to come on the scene. A more sober, less crazy group. Ron Cobb talked earlier about the political and underground scenes in America losing some of their drive and initial force and enthusiasm. Phil Ochs I'd say is doing his bit to keep bits of that force alive. He is a singer we haven't heard much about in Australia probably because the scene he's involved with doesn't get much publicity out here."
- Laurel Olszewski Go-Set, 1.7.72

Footnote
Phil Ochs unfortunately committed suicide in 1976 but his music lives on in CD reissues. One excellent anthology is a 3CD set called Farewells & Fantasies (Elektra/Rhino). Phil's brother Michael is the owner and curator of the famous Michael Ochs Archives, the world's largest archive of music-related photos.

References / Links

Go-Set magazine, January 1972

Ron Cobb
http://www.fastbooks.com.au/cobb.html
http://www.albionarmorers.com/conan/roncobb.htm
http://www.fotw.ca/flags/us_eco.html

The Phil Ochs Homepage
http://www.cs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/

Michael Ochs Archives
http://www.michaelochs.com/