# Raspberry Cordial

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**Raspberry Cordial** were an Australian [hip-hop](/source/Hip_hop_music) group formed in 1991 by Chris Lumsden on keyboards and [John Safran](/source/John_Safran) on lead vocals.[1] George Weinberg played drums on the first rehearsal, but was quickly replaced with a [drum machine](/source/Drum_machine). When the duo formed Safran was in Year 12 at [Yeshivah College](/source/Yeshivah_College), an orthodox Jewish high school; while Lumsden was his friend.[2]

They achieved some success, playing live shows in Melbourne, Geelong and Shepparton.[1][2] They received heavy rotation airplay on local community radio, and were second in the RMIT Battle of the Bands competition.[1] Their concert backstage rider asked for two drinks – anything more came out of the band's $60 performance fee.

Raspberry Cordial's first release was 1991's *Melbourne Tram*, on [cassette](/source/Compact_audio_cassette) of which Safran apparently has four hundred unsold copies.[1] In 2002 on his TV series, *[Music Jamboree](/source/Music_Jamboree)*, Safran offered to send two copies of *Melbourne Tram* and an essay about the work to anyone who sent in their old copy, presumably worn out from overplay.

After winning a state government youth music initiative, Raspberry Cordial released *Taste Test* on CD in 1993. One of its tracks, "University Elevator Music", is available for download in [MP3](/source/MP3) format from Triple J (see [here](http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/safran/mp3/university_elevator_music.mp3)). Raspberry Cordial broke up after their second release, following negative comments made by Safran's then-girlfriend.[1]

In June 2003 on [ABC1](/source/ABC_(Australian_TV_channel)) TV show, *[Enough Rope](/source/Enough_Rope)*, Safran told the host, [Andrew Denton](/source/Andrew_Denton), that "I just wanted to be a rapper, and I tried pretty damn hard... the world wasn't ready for white rappers then" and that they "broke down the wall that [Eminem](/source/Eminem)'s been able to walk through".[3]

## Discography

- *Melbourne Tram* (cassette, 1991)
- *Taste Test* (CD, 1993)

## References

1. Moskovitch, Greg (1 July 2016). ["Remembering John Safrans Hip-Hop Duo Raspberry Cordial"](http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/482720/remembering-john-safrans-hip-hop-duo-raspberry-cordial.htm). *Tone Deaf*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160704131242/http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/482720/remembering-john-safrans-hip-hop-duo-raspberry-cordial.htm) 4 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

1. ["John Safran – Guests and Specials"](http://www.abc.net.au/rage/archive/s2889829.htm). *[rage](/source/Rage_(TV_program))*. ABC Television. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

1. Denton, Andrew (30 June 2003). ["Episode 16: John Safran"](http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s892185.htm). Enough Rope. [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation) (ABC). Retrieved 31 May 2017.

## External links

- ["University Elevator Music" MP3](http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/safran/mp3/university_elevator_music.mp3)
- [John Safran official site](http://www.johnsafran.com)
- [*Music Jamboree* official site](http://www.musicjamboree.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Raspberry Cordial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Cordial) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Cordial?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.