Supernaut ~ I Like It Both Ways

Supernaut ~ Self Titled album 1976

I remember when I was a kid growing up in Fremantle, the town hall would have the occasional rock show on Saturday night.  One night I ventured down there on my bike to see what was on that particular evening.  2 groups on the bill said the poster outside, Moby Dick and Fatty Lumpkin.  Fatty Lumpkin I knew of from radio airplay of their single "Don't Knock The Boogie" which was a cool rock track with a catchy flute intro.  I've always liked that song and I think I actually got myself a copy of it.  Moby Dick I didn't know but I paid my 50c and went in to have a look.  I perched myself right in front of the stage and waited for the first act to start.  The guitarist walks on stage, plugs in and hits an almighty chord.. yowza.  He was running a tambourine up and down the neck making some great sounds as the other members get into place and they start their first song.  I didn't know it at the time but in later years I would recognize it as T-Rex's "20th Century Boy".  Wow! what an intro.  I stood their mesmerized for the whole show, not just from the music but from what they were wearing as well.  This was to be my first introduction to Glam Rock and in fact if Bowie had walked out to sing, he would have fit right in as they guys could have passed as the Spider From Mars very easily.  I enjoyed the show and I enjoyed Fatty Lumpkin also and I left very happy that night.

I stuck the name Moby Dick into the memory bank and I hoped to see them again.  I checked the papers for advertised gigs but they were always too far for me get there.  After some months I noticed that they weren't advertising or they weren't playing around anymore.. I soon forgot about them.

About a year later, I was listening to my trusty little radio and this fantastic song came on.  A nice heavy guitar riff and a very glam vocal with a great catchy (but strange to me) chorus.. "I Like It Both Ways".. what was that about?  I had no idea that they were singing about being bi-sexual until I really listen to the words, the heavy riff and cool arrangement was all I was hearing.  I laugh at it now but I knew nothing about that stuff at 16 years old.  Anyway the radio presenter said the band was called Supernaut and I went out and got a copy of the single the next day.  I didn't now they were from Western Australia but I remember seeing the name in the paper as I was searching for my illusive Moby Dick.  A  few months go by and I see that Supernaut are playing my local town hall so I make it my mission to go see them.  Another 50c and in I go straight to the front again to see the band that played my fave song at that moment.  As I look up, it's the same guitarist that was in Moby Dick, tambourine intro and all.  Damn, It was the same band, they just had a name change.  So there I was all this time looking for Moby Dick when Supernaut were in the paper all the time, I just didn't know it.

Anyway, Here for you that don't know the song or a trip down memory lane for those that do, the very glam Supernaut with their debut single "I Like It Both Ways".

LISTEN: Supernaut ~ I Like It Both Ways

Here's a video of Supernaut.. trippy clip.