Jon English - Its All A Game

Review by sku11man sku11man

Album Review: Jon English’s It’s All A Game – A 1969 Aussie Rock Gem That Still Kicks Alright, let’s talk about Jon English’s It’s All A Game. This album dropped in 1969, smack dab in the middle of Australia’s rock and pop scene, on the Warm & Genuine label. If you’re into raw, unpolished vibes with a dash of Mellotron weirdness (thanks, Michael Carlos!), this one’s worth your time. The genres here are all over the place—Rock, Pop/Rock, straight-up Pop—but somehow it gels together like Vegemite on toast. Jon English wasn’t just phoning it in; he played acoustic guitar, autoharp, harmonica, tambourine, AND did lead vocals. Dude was basically a one-man band who occasionally let his mates join in for fun. And speaking of mates, shoutout to bassist Peter Plavsic, drummer Alex Plavsic, and everyone else credited because without them, this record might’ve sounded like someone banging pots and pans in a garage. Spoiler: It still kinda does, but in the best way possible. Now, onto the tracks. I’ll zoom in on two that stuck with me after giving this LP a spin—or several spins, if we’re being honest. First up is “Turn The Page.” Wait, no, wait—there are TWO versions of “Turn The Page” listed? Did Jon run out of ideas or just really love that song? Either way, the second version slaps harder than cold flat white on a Monday morning. You can hear Mick Liber shredding away on guitar while Ray Vanderby lays down some serious organ magic. It’s got an almost prog-rock feel at times, which makes sense since Bill Motzing handled arrangements on some tracks. Honestly, listening to this feels like watching a live jam session where nobody knows what they’re doing, but somehow everything works. Pure chaotic brilliance. Then there’s “Hail All Hail To The Revolution (12 Bore).” What even IS this title? Sounds like something scribbled on a protest sign during a very confused rally. But man, does it deliver. There’s a swagger to this track that screams ‘70s before the ‘70s even started. Jon’s vocals have this raspy charm, like he smoked three packs before hitting the studio (maybe he did?). The strings swell dramatically thanks to Bill Motzing, and the whole thing builds into this epic crescendo that leaves you wondering, “Wait…was that four minutes or forty?” It’s the kind of song that makes you want to grab a flag, march around your living room, and declare war on boring music. Oh, and props to Nicholas van der Ley for the photography—it’s moody as heck and matches the vibe perfectly. Also, whoever decided to put Michael Carlos on EVERYTHING (Mellotron, synthesizer, effects) deserves a medal. Or maybe therapy. Hard to tell. So yeah, It’s All A Game isn’t perfect. Some songs drag a bit, and the production has that lo-fi grit that’ll make audiophiles cringe. But isn’t that part of its charm? It’s messy, ambitious, and dripping with personality. Like a drunken karaoke night where everyone suddenly becomes a rock star. Final thought: Listening to this album feels like finding a dusty old vinyl in your grandpa’s attic and realizing it’s secretly amazing. Jon English poured his heart into this project, and it shows—even if he forgot to pick unique titles for every track. Cheers to him, though. If nothing else, It’s All A Game proves that sometimes, breaking the rules leads to pure musical gold. Or at least something quirky enough to keep us entertained. Rating: 8/10 – because who doesn’t love a good shanty about space?

Artist: Jon English
Album: Its All A Game

Australia

1974

Rating: 3.6

Review
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Video
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Catalog Numbers
Labels
Listen online
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Credits
Notes
Barcodes
About Artist
Interesting fact
Comments
Related albums

Download

Filename: jon-english-its-all-a-game.zip

MP3 size: 57 mb
FLAC size: 729 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Hail All Hail to the Revolution (12 Bore)
Chained to the Middle
Love Goes On
Space Shanty
He Could've Been a Dancer
Turn The Page
Snakeyes
He Could Have Been A Dancer
Chained To The Middle
Hail All Hail To The Revolution (12 Bore)
Turn the Page
Superstar (You Promised Me)
Just the Way I Am
Just The Way I Am
By Firelight

Video

Jon English - Turn The Page - Live

Jon English - Turn the Page

Images

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Catalog Numbers

3204 902
2907 902

Labels

Warm & Genuine

Listen online

ouvir online
online anhören
online luisteren
lyssna på nätet
escuchar en línea
ascolta in linea
lytte på nettet
kuunnella verkossa
écouter en ligne

Formats

Cassette
Album
Stereo
Vinyl
LP

Companies

Role	Company
Recorded At	EMI Studios 301

Credits

Role	Credit
Acoustic Guitar	Jon English (tracks: A2, A3, B4)
Arranged By	Bill Motzing (tracks: B4)
Producer	Jon English
Autoharp	Jon English (tracks: A1)
Bass	Peter Plavsic (tracks: A2 to A5, B2), Rod Coe (tracks: A1, B1, B3, B4)
Design	Ian Brown
Drums	Alex Plavsic (tracks: A2 to A5, B2, B4), Bruno Lawrence (tracks: A1, B1, B3, B4)
Effects	Michael Carlos (tracks: B4)
Engineer [Recording	Richard Lush
Mixing]	Richard Lush
Guitar	Mario Milo (tracks: A2 to A5, B2), Mick Liber (tracks: A1, B1, B3, B4)
Harmonica	Jon English (tracks: A3, B3)
Lead Guitar	Jon English (tracks: A6, B3)
Mellotron	Michael Carlos (tracks: A3, B1)
Organ	Michael Carlos (tracks: A3, A4), Steve Dunne (tracks: B3)
Photography By	Nicholas van der Ley
Piano	Jamie McKinley (tracks: A1), Ray Vanderby (tracks: B1, B3, B4), Steve Dunne (tracks: A2 to A5, B2)
Strings	Bill Motzing (tracks: A1)
Synthesizer	Michael Carlos (tracks: B1), Ray Vanderby (tracks: A1, B3, B4), Steve Dunne (tracks: A3)
Tambourine	G. Wayne Thomas (tracks: A1), Jon English (tracks: A1, A4)
Vocals	Jon English
Written-By	Bob Seger (tracks: A1), Jon English (tracks: A2 to B4)

Notes

Different label layout.
The writing credit for track A1 as per the label is "Unknown", however, Jon English - It's All A Game shows the writing credit as "Bob Seger", indicating perhaps that Jon English - It's All A Game was a later release. For this submission, although not on the label, the writing credit is shown as "Bob Seger".
Comes with an inner fold out lyric sheet with images.
Writting credit for Turn The Page (Unknown) Control - Publishing on this issue.
MX numbers on labels.

Barcodes

Matrix / Runout (Machine Stamped Runout Side 1): MX167809 2907902-1
Matrix / Runout (Machine Stamped Runout Side 2): MX167810 2907902-2

About Jon English

Australian songwriter, actor, and vocalist. Born 26 March 1949 in London; died 9 March 2016 after complications following surgery. He emigrated with his parents to Australia in 1961. In 1972 he took on the role as Judas in the Australian version of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1978 he starred in the Australian TV series Against The Wind for which he co-wrote the musical score. The soundtrack as well as its two singles "Six Ribbons" and "Against the Wind" became hit records in Scandinavia. In parallel with his acting career he has released a number of solo albums.

Real Name

Jonathan James English

Name Vars

English
J. English
J.English

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: Jon English's 1969 album *It’s All A Game* is a hidden gem from Australia’s rock scene. What makes it stand out? Jon didn’t just sing—he played multiple instruments, including acoustic guitar, harmonica, and even autoharp. The album also features contributions from other talented musicians, like Michael Carlos on mellotron and synthesizer, adding layers of sound that feel experimental for its time. Fun fact: the track "Turn the Page" appears twice on the record, almost like a playful nod to listeners. It’s a raw, creative piece of music history that deserves more attention.

Comments

nicsssss

2025-03-16

Excellent

emiguzono

2025-03-16

Thanks handsomest ♡

1026470ef9affcfa0

2025-03-15

An incredible version by Jon who I first saw in 1980 then again in 08, got to meet him and had a few minutes chat to him, a unbelievable performer

mibelpe

2025-03-15

Best version ever.

kristlynn

2025-03-15

Awesome

kitapyorum

2025-03-15

Imagine John and the queen Olivia Newton John doing grease would of been a hit

ariapratamasuryaanggara

2025-03-15

Best version .

dsingletary

2025-03-14

One and only...brilliant!!

wemustpray

2025-03-14

First I heard metallica
Then Bob segar
And now this
All great

dineshmavi

2025-03-14

I miss you

silverstar1925

2025-03-13

Im just now learning of this version. Listening for the first time I really enjoythis. The Saxaphone intro and Bobs version is still the best

mubdea

2025-03-13

A GREAT SONG BY BOB SEGAR? WHAT A GREAT COVER JON!!!

mgdesbrasil

2025-03-12

That and hollywood seven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRtnvFUus1U

acalmdiscusser

2025-03-12

R I P John. Thanks for your art. ✌️??

neurohackingem

2025-03-12

،❤️?

wulffbenjamin

2025-03-11

Best Version

centroreloader

2025-03-11

What an amazing man with a unique voice.

avianwatcher

2025-03-10

This was his best just thinking YEP

ajidbtc

2025-03-09

So many forget the song was written by Bob Seger. This is a good cover

kryeptonian

2025-03-09

It’s a singers song , We are just the audience,,

ladolabdulha15

2025-03-09

Best version of this and hollywood 7, RIP Jon

swetajoshi10

2025-03-09

sounds as cool as metallica's version

joytapar

2025-03-09

I'm proud to say that I've been a Jon English admirer for well over 40 yrs NOW. Brilliant ???Singer ?? Percent Thanks for the memories. You were a great bloody legend JON ⚰️ RIP