Split Enz play The Roxy in 1975.

The band you see pictured above is exactly the way they looked during their first tour of the U.S. just as the "Second Thoughts"(released here as Mental Notes) album came out. We went through Glam, went through all the "Hair/sweat bands", went through matching stage suits and haircuts bands - but we never went through anything like this!

When the curtain opened for their first set, there was something of an audible gasp coming from this jaundiced, jaded, somewhat calcified crowd of press types who stopped stuffing Roxy ashtrays in their pockets long enough to be suitably blown away by the sheer outrageousness of this group. They spoke my language and I became a life long fan from that minute on.

This version of Lovey Dovey first appeared on "Mental Notes", their initial release for Mushroom Records in Australia. The version of "Lovey Dovey" we know is the one from the UK/US version of "Mental Notes" which was actually issued in Australia as "Second Thoughts", but it was re-recorded and produced by Phil Manzanera. I know - confusing, and I had a hard time figuring it out what was going on until their A&M period came along later.

But, all that said - this is the first version of that track and one probably not heard all that much this side of the Pacific Rim.