fusetron TULLY, Loving Is Hard

Chapter Music

TULLY - Loving Is Hard

"Luminous third and final album, Loving Is Hard, originally released in 1972, is the latest in Chapter Musics reissue series of Australian psychedelic icons, Tully. This follows the 2010 release of Live at Sydney Town Hall 1969-70 (CH 076CD), and 2012s reissue of the solemn, dreamy 1971 surf soundtrack Sea of Joy (CH 080CD/LP). Even before they began recording Loving Is Hard in late 1971, Tully had officially broken up. Over the previous 12 months, they had shifted from the towering, organ-driven rock dynamics of their 1970 self-titled debut, to a serene, contemplative folk-psych sound. Show-stopping drummer Robert Taylor and original vocalist Terry Wilson had departed, replaced by guitarist Colin Campbell and singer Shayna Stewart, both of cult folk heroes, Extradition. Although the change created music of stark, unearthly beauty, Tully had been massively popular in Sydney as a rock band, and their spiritually-driven transformation left many fans scratching their heads. Audiences declined steadily, response to the Sea of Joy soundtrack was muted, and by the end of 1971 they realized they could no longer continue. Still, they had one more album owing on their record contract, and decided to make a final statement before going their separate ways. Thankfully for us, in hindsight Loving Is Hard is an elegant triumph, all the more affecting for the turmoil that went into its making. The records centerpiece is Colin Campbells seven-and-a-half minute masterwork Ice," originally recorded by Extradition for their 1971 album Hush, and later covered by Margret Roadknight. Shayna Stewarts voice is sublimely dispassionate, while the string arrangement by keyboardist Michael Carlos gives the song an imposing grandeur. The title-track, with lyrics by Campbell and music by bassist Ken Firth, is a summation of what the band were going through at the time, and for that reason is perhaps the most emotionally resonant track on the record. Stewarts gentle vibrato matches Carlos pulsing Hammond organ, and the resignation in Campbells lyrics is reinforced by Firths slow, haunting melody. Saxophone, clarinet and flute player Richard Lockwood opens the album with the stately "Love Can Make You," and sets a poem by fellow Meher Baba-devotee Francis Brabazon to solo piano accompaniment. As bonus tracks, this reissue appends Tullys one and only single, the sparse and somber 1971 release Krishna Came/Lord Baba. Like Sea of Joy before it, Loving Is Hard possesses a profound, serene beauty worlds removed from anything else happening in Australia at the time. Along with Tullys other albums, it has had to wait far too long to be rediscovered." -Chapter.

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After nearly a decade of false starts, multiple game plans veering off the rails, and a handful of shattered hopes and/or dreams, the odyssey is finally complete—the new Fusetron site is here.

This is the first phase of a multipart rollout that will span the next few months: the currently browsable stock includes miscellaneous new releases from the past 8+ months (we have a lot of catching up to do), plus approximately a third of our backstock. Note that we’ve reduced/slashed prices on many titles and will continue to do so in order to make room for new stock. We’ll also be expanding / tweaking / improving / debugging the site itself (for example, we still have work to do on the automated international postage system, not to mention the inevitable inventory discrepancies that come with transferring an ancient and massive database to a new system).

Over the next few months, as we take inventory, clean house, and delve into our storage, we will be uploading thousands of additional items, gradually, on a near-daily basis. This will include the majority of the LPs, as well as many titles, in all formats, once thought long-gone. Many currently “sold out” items are likely to resurface.

Finally, once our general backstock is up (probably in the next two or three months) we’ll begin making our extensive stockpile of rarities available online for the first time: tons of random out-of-print titles, "deadstock," warehouse finds, secondhand collectibles, etc., accumulated over the past few decades.

Frequent/returning customers will be getting early access to these items. Details to follow on how this will work (a priority mailing list? a 'frequent flyer'-like program?), but it will not be based on dollars spent. We want to reward those who consistently support us, especially in the discogs marketplace era (to those who show up trying to poach five copies of a one-off rarity, and nothing else, ever… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ).

So—we suggest you take some time to dig through the site—even we’ve been surprised by what’s been turning up, and there’s much more to come.
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