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February
   For previous months' Stop Press, go to Archives Directory   Go to A Separate Reality  
 

Get Behind Yer Roots this Sunday
2.3.06 - It promises to be a huge day, and the good thing is Spectrum's not played at the Willy RSL for I don't know how long, and we've never played there with keyboards. I'm looking forward to seeing the Hornets particularly, and I hope they play Going Home, 'cause we're deliberately not playing it..
Channel 31 will have the lighting under control this time round, (the show at the Carlton Music House was underlit and unusable apparently), and so it should come up well on the box at some later date.
So, I won't be playing at Fresh this weekend..

 
SNIPPETS
  
Peter Dawkins on ABC TV 's Australian Story
28.2.06 - ABC TV showed Pete's battle with Parkinson's Syndrome on Australian Story last night - (check for the repeat). SonyBMG is launching the album, For Pete's Sake on March 13th, and despite bumping Jamaican Farewell, they've invited me and Tim Gaze to play a spot on the terrace. Hooray!		 John Schumann podcast
28.2.06 - If you're like me, you missed the original broadcast on the ABC's Perspectives the other night, but John Schumann's rant on Lawson and Australian Literature is available on podcast for another three or four weeks. Check it out if you dare!		 One Hit Wonders have the last laugh..
28.2.06 - Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha..
 
1) Bill smiles a winning 50th smile 2) Elin (right) is gently roasted by her best friends Dettmers' birthday bash
26.2.06 - The venue was The Church in Mornington, and the celebration was for Peninsula identity Billy Dettmer's 50th and his daughter Elin's 16th. Of course, Bill's known far and wide for his altruistic efforts on behalf of musicians young and old, and it was Spectrum's pleasure to be in the room.

3) Mike and Robbo try to console Dave about his shirt 4) Mike and Robbo look much too comfy with the girls
 

This is the real Mick Elliott

gig report
MBAS welcomes Mick Elliott home and Bill's Twang's debut
22.2.06 - The Dan O'Connell now regales under the monicker of the Carlton Music House to mark its recent refurbishment, but regular patrons needn't worry - it's the same silly labyrinth to find your way in, and the only major change I noticed was that the stage is at the opposite end of the room, presumably to mollify the local residents. That being said, once you're in there, the room is friendly enough for both patrons and players.
My first mistake for the night was getting pinged by a traffic camera while trying to get round the back to unload. My second mistake was saying howdy to a guy that I thought was Mick Elliott, but wasn't. By now I was in no condition to identify my third mistake, so I just went along with the flow.
The real Mick Elliott was applauded enthusiastically for every solo in the opening set and obviously relished being back in the spotlight, even if it was read more


1 ) Ross Ryan and protegé Rob Draper 2) Mick Elliott gives cameraman Jeff Turnbull the gun guitarist glare

3) Mike does a little something while Mick bides his time 4) Twang's Sean O'Brien intones another chorus
5) Mike inserts some harp while Bill lap steels (check out large pic of Bill) 6) Part of the Carlton Music House house
MBAS cont.
for only thirty minutes. For my part, it was fun being up there with a real guitar legend and an enjoyable experience playing with another rhythm section.
Next up came the long-awaited debut performance of Bill's Twang - even longer awaited on the night given Robbo's customary finely-timed arrival. I got the impression it was a revelation to lot of people that Bill not only speaks, actually and musically, but that he's got such a lot to say. In any case, a lot of people will be looking forward to Twang's next expanded performance, and this site will be the first with the news. Given that Bill was getting over a bout of gastric-flu, he acquitted himself with aplomb, and the band looked happy and relaxed. Now all he needs to do is get a deal for the Twang album, and there'll be no stopping him. Watch out world!
 

Tania and Ross Wilson fend off the paparazzi at Fresh		 Fresh new time for Fresh
19.2.06 - It was swashbuckling Ross Wilson's suggestion. He thought that my 2.00 - 4.00 timeslot meant that I missed the having-a-lazy-roast-lunch-at-mum's crowd, so I'm experimenting next Sunday and moving the times to 3.00 - 5.00. After that it looks like I'll be having an enforced break from Fresh for the whole of March, not returning till the merry month of April. I'll miss it. 		 
 
gig report
Spectrum at the Bodhi Tree Café and Mike at Fresh
13.2.06 - Saturday night was our first gig at Healesville's Bodhi Tree Café, and I think it went pretty well. The hippy-style ambience, with the big wooden tables and wood stove heater, makes it a friendly space for players and punters alike, and Firak's a dab hand in the kitchen, always an important consideration. The audience lapped it up, and I suspect that they'll bring their friends next time we play there on Sat. the 25th of March.
My solo gig at Fresh marked another step up the evolutionary ladder - I'm beginning to feel quite comfortable with being just by myself. Miss Molly made a cameo appearance with Archie the bear.
Meanwhile, Bill and the Twang band were rehearsing for their inaugural performance at the Dan O'Connell tomorrow week (Tues. 21st) - I'll be doing a set with the legendary Mick Elliott on the same bill. Nobody's mentioned a rehearsal, so it will be an adventure for everybody!
 

Chet Atkins SST

Guitar Horror stories prompt a response
9.2.06 - I received the following e-mail from Kim Porter in response to my series on some of my former guitars on the Guitar Horror page.
'I spotted the mention in 'Guitar Horror Stories' about the obscene price of vintage guitars in Australia, and thought you might like to know that someone is trying to do something about those ridiculous prices. I went online a couple of months back as www.justguitars.com.au - our tag line is 'Rare, Vintage & Collectable Guitars - at prices you can actually afford!'
We only sell within Australia, and while we have the bread-and-butter Fenders, Gibsons, etc, we are also trying to make a lot of obscure-to-Australia instruments available - Hagstrom, Teisco Del Rey, Univox, Kay, Harmony, Kent...
Having had a lifteime of pleasure from people armed with guitars, I decided I would like to give something back, if I could, so everything on the site is priced so that I can sell a guitar, cover my bank costs, and buy another guitar to put into stock.'
I'm happy to give the site a mention - check out the pictured Chet Atkins guitar for a start.
 

1) Mike with Ali, Dianne and Vince at St Andrews 2) Robbo captures a magic moment with Mike and a little girl

gig report
The year begins in earnest
6.2.06 - It was the classic double to begin the year proper - the Lomond on Saturday night, followed by the St Andrews Hotel on Sunday arvo - and they both lived up to expectations. It was good to be back with the band firing on all cylinders again - all four cylinders in the case of St Andrews, as we had Daryl sitting in tighter than ever on keyboards - and the audience really got involved. We even sold a shitload of CDs - Vince (pic) fleshed out his CD collection and demanded to be included in the Stop Press pictorial parade.
What I love about Sunday arvos at St Andrews is that it's a real family day, and just occasionally I get to interact with a kid in the audience and it's just magic. Luckily Robbo caught such a moment at the end of Esmeralda (pic 2) using his trusty Nokia phone/camera. I was told this lovely little girl isn't four yet, but she seemed to be undaunted by the moment and played around happily on Robbo's congas when we were packing up.
Altogether a satisfying weekend - well, week really. I nearly forgot Bill and I played at the Clifton Hill on Wednesday night, and that was fun too. Don't forget Spectrum is playing at the Bodhi Tree Café in Healesville this Saturday night - regrettably the Wild Thyme Café has been cancelled on Friday - and I'm back at Fresh @ Elwood on Sunday arvo from 2.00 - 4.00.
 
 
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