MIGHTY KONG WOULD HAVE GOT THE MIGHTY DONG IF THEY EVER HAD GONE ANYWHERE NEAR RED SYMONS

https://youtu.be/flhTjHfEBQY?si=fqZu34-LhpjcsAi3

Ross Wilson is either going to hate me or hate me even more for doing this (laugh). It`s bound to bring back bad memories for the one time Daddy Cool frontman, memories of a time in his life that he would sooner forget about, more so in a personal sense. 

After disbanding Daddy Cool (the first time round), Ross and the other Ross out of DD, Ross Hannaford, took a year or so out before they went about forming a new band called MIGHTY KONG. 

One of the biggest reasons Wilson and Hannaford grew tired of Daddy Cool was that they desired to record some heavier material when the band was still going, but because DD had been stereotyped as a doo-wop and good time bubble gum band, their record company wanted them to keep recording songs such as BOM BOM when they were only too eager to shed the goody goody image and strike out in a more conventional rock direction. 

The idea behind MIGHTY KONG was to create more of a blues rock sound in the spirit of Zeppelin and ZZ Top, albeit with a distinctively australian flavour. They didn`t quite do it.

MIGHTY KONG also included Tim Partridge on bass, Russell Smith on lead and lead vocals on one track, and Ray Arnott on drums. MK recorded one solitary album, called ALL I WANNA DO IS ROCK. 

It would have to go down as one of the most enigmatic albums ever recorded in Australia. I do not know how to describe it, the closest I could do is say that it is a convoluted, stilted and clunky rock album with is aggravating to listen to, totally lacking cohesion but with the odd flicker of Wilson and Hannaford magic here and there. 

It sounds a bit like really rough as guts Angels fare with a bit of blues chucked in, although I don't think Doc Neeson will like me for making the comparison. 

Doc buddy, MARSEILLES makes ALL I WANNA DO IS ROCK sound like crap, thought I better say that before you get the Hell's Angels bikey gang after me man (laugh).

MIGHTY KONG recorded their one and only album in 1972, the better songs include the autobiographical HARD DRUGS, JUNGLE IN MY BLOOD is actually almost a classic, its booming blues based guitar riff keeps taking off and grinding away only to keep getting stymied by a very unconvincing rhythm section, which in Wilson`s own words `never quite had the right musical DNA`.

The breezy and slightly bluesy ballad WITH A SMILE LIKE THAT (HOW COULD WE REFUSE) is fairly well rescued by a half decent Ross Wilson vocal, but the melody like most of the songs on here is irritatingly forced.

The title track is the best song for my liking, the way it builds up within the verses in an admittingly grossly repititious way at least gets the forced sounding rhythm section sounding a lot more eclectic and sounding like a real blues rock band. I would call it speed pub rock, with some blues nuances. 

GOT MY BELIEFS is not too bad, at least it has some momentum, while the three lemons in my opinion are ALL THROUGH THE DAY (INTO THE NIGHT WE PLAY), SOME OTHER NEW ADDRESS, which features the guitarist Russell Smith on lead vocals, and the totally muddled HOMESICK AND HORNY. 

Song two CALLING ALL CATS was wrecked
by what seems to be a lazy and disinterested rhythm section, Ross the Boss provided quite an exuberant display of singing which saved the song from being totally forgettable, only just though.

MIGHTY KONG proved to be the only snag for Ross Wilson in an otherwise successful career as a solo artist and as the leader of the classic Australian rock band of the late 70`s and 80`s - MONDO ROCK.

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Postscript : 14 years after writing this blog (14/10/2025) I discovered this live performance of "Sugar Man" by Mighty Kong in 1973, see link at top of this blog.

Absolutely awesome. A lot damn better than anything on the studio album.