The bits of stuff that fall in the cracks between Life, Music and outrageous fortune.		  
 
 
 
August
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Cooper Bowman submits to a sneak paparazzo attack		 Curiouser and curiouser - a Chants' encounter
24.8.10 - It was an opportunity for me to test the rail link between Mt Waverley and the CBD, so I was quite sanguine about suggesting Cooper Bowman (pic) should meet me at The Basement Discs at 11.00 this morning for a chat about my first band, The Chants. Of course, it's a matter of some amazement to me that a fresh-faced kid from today's Melbourne would entertain an interest in that wild and hairy band from across the ditch in the sixties, especially given that our impact on Melbourne at the time was negligible, but it's curiously satisfying too.
After our chat, Cooper expressed an interest in checking out the Spectrum back catalogue as he was rifling through the Basement's vinyl collection. The new kids are alright..
 


1) Mary Luckhurst says a few words about her book 2) Chris' bro Mike Kay shows how it's done on his banjo..

3) Mike 'the Jerk' Rudd shows how it isn't done 4) Professor Mary Luckhurst and her 'real man' Chris Kay
Mary's book launch
23.8.10 - Robbo rang me yesterday morning at 11.00 - and it's just as well he did, otherwise I would I'd have been well and truly late for Mary Luckhurst's Playing For Real book launch. As it was I was a trifling ten minutes overdue for the advertised start time of twelve noon at the Whispering Hills Winery in Seville, which we'd coincidentally driven past there and back from the Wild Thyme Café the night before. I think there might be a hint of irony in the Whispering Hills nomenclature - it's about fifty metres from the Warburton Hwy as it climbs out of the Seville township and so is anything but quiet - but it was a congenial spot nonetheless, and as it was a sunny Sunday arvo, despite the odd spoiling cloud and a cool-ish breeze, we were able to park ourselves out in the open as we partook of finger food and some of Whispering Hills' fine product - and chatted of hung parliaments and this and that.
Chris' brother, Mike, (pic 2) had come over from the northern tip of Tassie and brought his vintage Embassy mandolin and 19th century banjo with him. They were both gorgeous instruments, but I have no idea how to play the banjo so I just struck the hayseed pose for the camera. (pic 3)
At some point Chris prompted me to rise unsteadily to my feet and introduce Mary for the official part of the afternoon's proceedings, (pic 1) and she talked about some of the actors she'd interviewed and her Aussie connections - and Robbo and I both scored Lifetime Achievement awards for entertaining her (at St Andrews) on her various trips to Melbourne. Hooray!
Murray, the owner of the Whispering Hills Winery, very graciously conducted a wine-tasting session and explained the various styles of wines as they came direct from the barrel. I'd decided that I'd had enough wine at this point, but I enjoyed listening to the flow of evocative wine terminology anyway.
And then it was back to Mt Waverley to meet with bro' Dick (and another bottle of wine) and watch the All Blacks steal the Tri-Nations game (and series) against the Springboks. A very satisfactory day all round..
 

1) Working for the Rackman 2) Mary Luckhurst, Peta Tait, Chris Kay and Annie McGuigan
Exquisite cuisine, fine wine and agreeable company doth a fine evening make
16.8.10 -I did some work with the Rackman (pic 1) on Saturday during the day, but there was no gig on Saturday night, so I was only too pleased to accept an invitation from Chris Kay and (Professor) Mary Luckhurst (pic 2) to join them at Chris' Croydon home for a pre-book launch* get-together. Already there when I arrived were (Professor) Peta Tait and her companion, Annie McGuigan, both of whom, I was to discover, were not only Kiwis, but originally from my home town of Christchurch.
Chris is a quietly spoken bloke and you'd never suspect he is a champion cook, but the meal he presented to us that night was worthy of the most exclusive restaurant. Actually, the genial company and the absence of other noisily conversing diners made it far more enjoyable than being at any restaurant,
To top the evening off, Mary presented me with a signed copy of her book and Chris gave me a selection of his famous blends of red. Does life much better get?
* Mary's book, Playing For Real, presents a series of interviews with actors who've played real people on film and stage and is to be launched next weekend at the Whispering Hills Winery.
 

Kirby puts a headlock on Kerri for her birthday snap		 Choclatté's Kerri has a birthday
10.8.10 - If you were in Melbourne today you'll know it was quite bloody miserable, and I might have chosen not to go to Camberwell at all had I not been tipped off that it was Kerri's birthday. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the newsagent trying to find a suitable card and eventually chose the most innocuous one in the shop. Sigh!
Naturally, Kirby had to make two fusses and I took the pic (left) after she and Ian had brought out Kerri's birthday cakes and we'd sung Happy Birthday the first time round. Better weather next year please!
At the end of the day, Daz came over and put an organ part on Soul Man, which is coming together quite nicely too. Don't hold your breath for the next EP at this rate..
 

John Baker, Matt Croke, Jeff Smith, Jude and son Sam		 A Sunday arvo chewing the fat
8.8.10 - I was expecting visitors at 2.00, which was a good excuse to do some tidying up round the place, but by 1.00 I'd had enough of that and popped down to the Hungry Jacks in Burwood for a well-earned Whopper. I'd only been home for a few minutes when a car pulled into the driveway and a bunch of Kiwis emerged (pic) and busily began setting up cameras and sound recorders in my lounge - but not before Jude had thoughtfully donated some baklavas they'd bought en route from Fitzroy.
When Matt Croke eventually arrived the interviewing began in earnest, with questions re' the Chants coming in turn from Jeff Smith and the instigator, John Baker. Of course, it was fun, and I found out quite a few things I'd
long forgotten - then Daz rang and reminded me that I'd said I was going along to the Willy RSL this arvo to see the Dingoes, and now I've just remembered that I assured Robbo that I was going to the Blues Jam at the Elwood RSL this evening, so I guess it's confirmed; my brain's full up
 

Steve Scanlon makes sure there's no horn hanky-panky		 The Appointment gets the horns
5.8.10 - At Peter Velasco's invitation I popped down the Steve Scanlon's studio in Elsternwick last night to observe the horn parts being laid on to The Appointment, the song for which you might remember I was commissioned to write the lyrics a little while back. The production is stretching into recording infinity and with all the ideas floating around it's uncertain how it's all going to end, (I'm only offering an opinion when it's specifically asked for), but I guess the success or otherwise of the project ultimately hangs on Janet Ross-Fahy's vocal interpretation. Because I wrote the words I do have an idea how they should be read, so my opinion will be crucial at some point.. Exciting n'est ce pas?
 

Drs Marg and Wazz Sellers rugged-up in Mt Waverley		 New home already a hit with visitors
1.8.10 - Happy Birthday - if you're a horse. The move from Camberwell to Mt Waverley is over - bar the odd bulging cardboard box daring me to open it. Naturally I've been afflicted with a compromised lower back, but it's manageable if a little uncomfortable, and the hard drive in the music computer took the opportunity to cark it, but that situation is in hand too, with the external drive standing in its stead until a new one is found. A gas central heating system has been put in place and just awaits the gas to be connected, but in the meantime bro' Dick is a two-time visitor, (for the last two All Black games), and the Sellers' (pic) called in today with a celebratory banana cake and took tea with Mike. Mt Wavelength rocks!
 
 
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