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The bits
of stuff that fall in the cracks between Life, Music and outrageous
fortune. |
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| August |
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Close
this window to return to Mike Rudd & Bill Putt's Stop Press |
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Hey - watch the hand! |
Careful
- that could be someone's dummy!
31.8.05 - Yesterday I was trapped
in Chaddy for about three hours while my new-ish van was
being serviced, and despite trying to make the best of
it by the perspicacious purchasing of Fathers Day specials
like underpants and track pants, I found my mood was beginning
to plumb the kinds of depths usually only experienced
by recalcitrant prisoners after weeks of solitary confinement.
In desperation I rang Chadstone Mitsubishi, (even though
they'd promised to call me when it was ready), and, perhaps
sensing the terror in my voice, they reassured me the
van would be ready in half an hour. I amused myself by
watching the ritual abuse of headless dummies (pic)
for a few minutes, before braving the hooligan spring
winds and walking back to the safety of the indifference
of the mechanically minded. |
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Mike
goes Walkabout
26.8.05 - Last night I went with
a group of people to Richard Frankland's stage adaptation
of Walkabout, the iconic movie of the '70s. It was at
the ACMI theatre in Federation Square, which usually shows
movies, but which was a pretty ideal venue |
for this show, at least, given
there was a lot of live and archival screen projections
with which the actors had to interact.
At this point I have to say I have very mixed feelings
about the show, not because I am confused about my reaction
to it, because I'm not, but I'm uncertain as to how to
express my reaction without being perceived as either
arrogant or condescending - or both. (I don't quite know
why this should bother me now, incidentally). But, it's
an interesting phenomenon, ('it' being political correctness
versus intelligent debate), and one that would
probably make many a stage critic question their career
choice.
So, I won't write a review as such; I'll simply mention
that Andy Baylor was MD for the showband - which played
Frankland's music with due diligence and at an unobtrusive
level - and that the play itself featured Aurora Kurth
as one of the leads, whom Stop Press readers might remember
as singing with Spoonbill at the Trades Hall back in June,
and who is blessed with, in addition to a more than pleasing
voice, a 15 year old's knees.. |
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1)
Annita Furey's entry (left) at the ANZ Visual Arts Fellowship
Award, ANZ bldg 380 Collins St 2) Alley one..
 
3)
Alley two 4) Alley oops.. 5) The Argus Building, where
Richard is confined on most working days |
6)
The Nostril 7) Roberto Bernigni stares wistfully at the
world |
Mike's
day in town
26.8.05 - It's been quite frenetic
lately, balancing recording opportunities with Bill on
his increasingly rare forays into the big smoke, the hunting
and gathering activities that are our daily lot, and the
odd pinot-sodden creative meetings with Richard for the
five-minute movie-that-never-was-and-possibly-never-will-be.
Wednesday was set aside for the latter activity, but before
lunch I decided to whiz down to the ANZ bank to see Annita
Furey's print in situ at the ANZ Fellowship Award,
and on the way enjoyed the alley-way ambience that is
one of the visual attractions of the city centre. |
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Mike's
big night out..
23.8.05 - What was I saying about
reading the application form/instructions whatever? Tonight
I decided that I'd have an evening out for a change and
pop down to the Terminus and catch a set by Gerry Hale
and the boys. So, off I went - but as soon as I got there
I realised there was something awry. There were plenty
of people - but no band! I cruised around checking the
place out for a minute or two, until inevitably I s'pose
somebody recognised me and said hullo. It turned out to
be (drummer) Toby and his (bassist) mate Paul whom I'd
met at the studio during the Schumann session. They said
the Terminus was their local pub, and, no, there wasn't
usually music on Tuesdays. I wondered if they were staying
for a drink but they said they were just leaving, so I
decided I'd cut my losses and leave too. As we were walking
to our cars, I told them about the fab Tuesdays of yore
and how things had deteriorated for a while after Uncle
Bill had left and the pub had put on DJs. Toby said that
his girlfriend was a masseuse and she'd just done a session
that day with a DJ who had a bit of RSI in his right shoulder.
I thought there was probably a joke in that - and he slowed
down meaningfully and said that in fact, there was. This
is what he told me: Two DJs were working this club. They'd
finished the show and were chatting. 'You were really
great tonight, man' said one. 'I thought your set was
really structured nicely and the crowd really got off
on it.' 'Thanks man,' said the other DJ, 'As a matter
of fact, I thought your show was quite brilliant, too
- really funky. Hey, I've got the night off tomorrow night.
How's about we go out to a movie?' 'Cool dude,' said the
first DJ, 'Why don't we just go to the local movie house?'
'Sounds cool, man,' said the second DJ, 'Who's the projectionist?'
Gerry
Hale and the Bystanders play the Terminus on Monday nights.
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The
spacious interior of the lb |
The
daily grind..
23.8.05 - If
there's anything more somnambulant than listening to The
Best Of Erik Satie in the warming rays of the afternoon
sun, I'll just lie down now in anticipation. It's all
I can do to keep my eyes open as I relate this gripping
instalment of Life As I Know It with Reinbert de Leeuw
picking out the odd note of Erik's rivetting score in
the background.
Last night I completed my annual LPR (live performance
report) for the real APRA - nearly knackering my knees
in the process on my ergonomic chair. That took nearly
two whole days of concentrated effort. This morning I
participated in a 'phoney' with Johnny Young on his breakfast
show from 6IX in Perth, and then made up a Mike &
Bill compilation CD for the Fishy's Restaurant gig next
month. My head still spinning, I met management at the
lb café in South Yarra for a relaxing goulash and
coffee. As she said, a joint with a lesbian, a rasta and
a jew in the kitchen can't be all bad.. |
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Richard
and the creative juice |
What
short film festival?
21.8.05 - It seems more than probable,
even with the best of intentions, planning and good luck,
that for my bro' Richard (pic) and me to get
a film together for the Pigdon five-minute Film Festival
by the cut-off date in early September, (first lesson
- read the application properly), is an impossibility.
So, we're just going to make a five-minute film anyway
and pop it in the first five-minute film festival that
raises its unsuspecting head. Richard's experienced the
vicissitudes of directing before, having submitted in
last year's Pigdons, whereas I'm a complete novice, but
in so many ways, it's a case of the blind leading the
deaf. It looks as if it's easy - when you're watching
somebody else's tragic efforts, that is - but, when you're
confronted with the completely blank piece of paper that
is your working draft, it sinks in that it's not as easy
as it looks.
In what will probably the first of many creative meetings,
I dropped into Richard's Warrandyte home today with a
worthy pinot in hand - and we |
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the outline of a potential mini-masterpiece - and drank
the pinot, of course. I like creative meetings. We've
decided to have another one this coming Wednesday lunchtime
at the Nostril. This could well be the longest five minutes
in cinema history.. |
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How
to ruin your day #1
6.8.05 - I was returning from a very
pleasant lunch at the Nostril with my still ailing brother
Richard, when this bit of muck grabbed the corner of my
eyeball and tried to infiltrate my brain. I did yer classic
double take and wandered round dazed for some minute or
two trying to locate the offending scribble so I could
record it and share the horror. That the scribbler has
a passing acquaintance with the Roman alphabet suggests
some education at least, but on the evidence one can only
surmise a long sojourn in the hospitality trade for this
blackboard jungle Jim. |
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eBay
rules!
3.8.05 - My bro'-in-law, Terry, is
a devout eBay trader, and recently passed on a minidisc
player/recorder to me that he'd picked up on eBay at a
very reasonable price. I did a bit of research and found
there was a pretty neato matching stereo mic that might
have studio applications, so, with Tez's encouragement
I made some bids on one available in the States - and
won!
Of course, that's just half the battle - actually
getting it is the interesting part. So, imagine
my delight when I returned home today to find an OS type
parcel waiting on my doorstep. Hooray! My faith
in humanity is partially restored at least. |
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It's
OK - I'm still here!
2.8.05 - I dunno. You start these things
and then people have expectations. I'm back, but my errant bits
and pieces haven't spontaneously sorted themselves out, which
is disappointing, and I've been scrabbling to sort them out
in a hands-on, analogue kind of way. The Good News is that I've
had my blood tests back, (see the July Newsletter), and according
to my doctor, I'm perfect! I think deep down I knew that, but
it's nice getting official confirmation.. |
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