Radio Station 2SM Pepsi Pop Poll

In the early 1970s, in the days before FM radio, Sydney's top two rock and pop radio stations were 2SM and 2UW. Each year 2SM facilitated a Sydney-wide search for talented young musicians. Donga Dan's Derelict Band decided to enter the 1974 Pop Poll. We were one of 180 bands that recorded a song at the 2SM studios in Clarence Street, Sydney.

When we arrived we could see that the studio technicians had been rendered almost catatonic by the number of pop music covers they were being forced to record. The morbidly saccharine sounds of 'Bread' and other '70s middle-of-the-roaders were dripping off the studio walls like grease in a fish and chip shop.

The technicians were quizzical when we arrived with our strange array of instruments, and quite obviously elated when we put down our recording of Botabolar Boogie. Immediately after we finished one of the techs ran down the hall and grabbed the station manager. On hearing the playback he made the famous remark: "Sounds like a commercial for acid!"

It was done. We were the novelty act in the finals. One of 10 bands given the privilege of playing in the Concert Hall of the then almost new Sydney Opera house. We didn't get anywhere in the finals but we had a great time!