A.O. Mod. TV. Vers.

"Don't Tear It Down"
A.O. Mod. TV. Vers.
Studio album by v. Spy v. Spy
Released	December 1986
Recorded	August/September 1986; Alberts Studios, Sydney
Genre	rock
Length	43:39
Label	WEA
Producer	Leszek Karski
V. Spy v. Spy chronology
Singles from A.O. Mod. TV. Vers.
	"Don't Tear It Down"; Released: November 1986; "Sallie-Anne"; Released: March 1987; "Credit Cards"; Released: May 1987;

A.O. Mod. TV. Vers. is the second studio album by Australian rock band Spy vs Spy, produced by Leszek Karski (Boys Next Door, Midnight Oil, Nauts)[1][2][3] and released through WEA in December 1986.

The title is an abbreviation of 'Adults Only Modified Television Version' which used to appear at the bottom of late night movies in Australia at the time.[1] The album peaked at No. 12 on the Kent Music Report and went gold.[1][4] For this album Spy vs Spy recorded as v. Spy v. Spy, and the line-up was the original trio Craig Bloxom on bass guitar/lead vocals, Cliff Grigg on drums/percussion and Mike Weiley on lead guitar/vocals.[1][5]

The album provided three singles – "Don't Tear it Down" inspired by the Department of Main Roads seeking to demolish the band's Darling Street squat,[6] "Sallie-Anne" about murdered prostitute/whistleblower Sallie-Anne Huckstepp and "Credit Cards" a commentary on spiralling debt and consumerism.[7] "Don't Tear It Down" was the band's most successful single, peaking at No. 31 on the Kent Music Report of the Australian singles charts[4] in February 1987, it stayed in the charts for 20 weeks and went platinum.[1][4]

Background

Spy vs Spy had formed in 1981 in Sydney as a ska/pub rock band.[1] Their line-up was the trio Craig Bloxom on bass guitar/lead vocals, Cliff Grigg on drums/percussion and Mike Weiley on lead guitar/vocals.[1][5] They became known for tackling political issues including racism, homelessness and contemporary drug culture.[1][7] By 1984 they were using the name v. Spy v. Spy to avoid legal problems with Mad magazine.[1][7] They were signed to Midnight Oil's label Powderworks and managed by Oils manager, Gary Morris.[1][7] Their first full-length album Harry's Reasons was released in February 1986.[1][2]

Spy vs Spy switched labels to WEA in 1986 and released the single "Don't Tear it Down" in November 1986.

Track listing

All tracks written by Craig Bloxom, Michael Weiley, Cliff Grigg and G Vasicek (aka Gary Morris).

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Tear it Down"	4:05
2.	"Credit Cards"	4:40
3.	"Mission Man"	4:07
4.	"Pockets of Pride"	4:00
5.	"Go to Work"	5:12
6.	"Sallie-Anne"	5:08
7.	"Snowblind"	4:04
8.	"Use your Head"	4:27
9.	"Peace and Quiet"	3:11
10.	"Take Me Away"	4:45

Personnel

v. Spy v. Spy members

Craig Bloxom – bass guitar, vocals
Cliff Grigg – drums, percussion
Michael Weiley – lead guitar

Recording details

Producer – Leszek Karski
Engineer – David Hemming
Mixer – Hemming, Karski
Studio – Alberts Studio, Sydney

Charts

Chart (1986/87)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4]	12

Release history

Country	Date	Label	Format	Catalogue
Australia	December 1986	Warner Music Group	LP, Cassette	254458-1/ 254458-4
Japan	December 1986	WEA	LP	P-13583
Australia	1987	Warner Music Group	CD	254458-2

References

McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'v. Spy v. Spy'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
Holmgren, Magnus. "Les Karski". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
"Leszek Karski". Music Producer Database. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
Holmgren, Magnus; Cuffe, Mark. "Spy v Spy". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
"Spy v Spy" (PDF). The Glebe Society Inc. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
Nimmervoll, Ed. "Spy v Spy". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 21 February 2001. Retrieved 10 February 2014.

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[McFarlane-1] McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'v. Spy v. Spy'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2008.

[Les-2] Holmgren, Magnus. "Les Karski". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

[3] "Leszek Karski". Music Producer Database. Retrieved 14 November 2008.

[Kent-4] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.

[ARDb-5] Holmgren, Magnus; Cuffe, Mark. "Spy v Spy". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

[Glebe-6] "Spy v Spy" (PDF). The Glebe Society Inc. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2008.

[Howl-7] Nimmervoll, Ed. "Spy v Spy". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 21 February 2001. Retrieved 10 February 2014.