BABY WANTS TO ROCK: MONDO ROCK (1984)

By all rights, this blog should absolutely go viral in america, although i am probaly already resigned to the fact that it wont. Australian band MONDO ROCK, which was led by ex-Daddy Cool frontman ROSS WILSON, had by 1984, when this song was recorded, already established themselves alongside ICEHOUSE and INXS as being at the forefront of a new breed of australian rock acts tailor made for the MTV market in america. Although always patchy, every MONDO ROCK album always threw up at least three catchy, melodic rockers which have stood the test of time. MONDO ROCK started out in 1976, it would be over two years until the first LP serviced after some very disruptive personnel changes, which it did, PRIMAL PARK proved to be one of the great australian rock debuts, the title track and the song LOVE SHOCK is classic studio glossed australian rock which americans in particular should really take to. The 1981 album CHEMISTRY produced a few pearlers too, including the ballad STATE OF THE HEART, which was covered some years later by american artist RICK SPRINGFIELD, and the rollicking melodic rocker COOL WORLD. Personally, i dont rate the title track or the other minor hit single SUMMER OF `81 as being anywhere near Mondo Rock's best material. The band's next album THE MODERN BOP surfaced two years or so later, the provocative and atmospheric COME SAID THE BOY, which was banned by many australian radio stations because of its 'losing virginity' theme, and this ripper, BABY WANTS TO ROCK, are my two favourites off the album. I think it's purely coincidental of course, but this song and the RAY PARKER JR. song from the same era, THE OTHER WOMAN, sound so alike in tempo and their overall theme. As far as 80`s music goes, no one back then was looking for the deep and musically complex Led Zeppelin experience, and MONDO ROCK were never going to provide it. But BABY WANTS TO ROCK is just a great piece of aussie rock and roll which deserved to be a big hit in america, which it never was destined to be.