Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Friday Music: A Life of Stories

Kumara Republic

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 19:45:26 +1200

Which is more than can be said for Karl du Fresne.

du Fresne is yet another of those "drugs bad, booze good" types.

Gould S

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 18:33:08 +1200

While it might not be obvious to those who complain that the importance of this sport is being blown completely out of proportion, there are deeper political objectives underlying NZ Rugby that other sports don’t hold to.
I don’t believe that John Key cashes in on the successful “identity” of…

Russell Brown

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 11:40:49 +1200

Jeez, the way some people read what they want into things...

Du Fresne is such an ass.

In both those screeds he's so set on reducing both those men to nothing more than drugs. For goodness sake, Dave McArtney went back to university after the bands and completed a BA…

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 09:30:46 +1200

I like this photo by Oliver Li that Stuff uses on Graham Brazier stories about his death – so apt on so many levels that Graham is engrossed in a battered copy of William Burroughs' The Western Lands – the Egyptian 'place of dead roads'...

I didn't like so much…

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 08:48:50 +1200

Ta Jim and Denise –
I have heard from Matthew,
early steps forward...

Jim Abbott

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:23:52 +1200

Denise has forwarded Dave's contact details to Matthew. I'd love to see that book!

Rob Hosking

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 07:51:20 +1200

Yeah, I read a rave review of that in the UK Telegraph, which I think shows someone won the Culture Wars, though I'm not quite sure who.

Russell Brown

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:23:03 +1200

Thorn's more recent Naked At The Albert Hall is a companion volume – its more about singing and her favourite singers, but it is highly personal.

As well as being a superb read.

Oh, ta. I used to see Tracey 'n' Ben walking around quite a bit when I worked…

Rob Hosking

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:01:02 +1200

Tracey Thorn’s Bedsit Disco Queen: How I Grew Up and Tried to be a Pop Star will have to sit around the house a little longer.

It's highly recommended – I think its the second best muso memoir I've read (Paul Kelly's How To Make Gravy is tops in…

Russell Brown

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 22:30:13 +1200

Ah. Flying Out has just added the How Bizarre book for anyone having trouble finding it.

Russell Brown

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 21:59:30 +1200

I love social history as a reading genre. And stories about the music of our times (and other times, natch), are fabulous social history when done properly (people, events, background, social context).

That's integral to the Brixton Academy book too. Parkes only got his shot because it was run-down and…

Matthew Goody

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 13:56:36 +1200

I will obtain the relevant contact information and dispatch it to you and Matt.

James of EB told me he's still quite elusive. I tried to meet up in London last time to no avail.

Roger was a record store owner – I’m pretty sure he was only ever a…

andin

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 12:56:59 +1200

NMP
Spent many nights at Bo Peep listening to The Human Instinct when a friend was one of the revolving series of bass players. He lasted awhile tho.

Farmer Green

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 11:13:17 +1200

Yes there was a tour with Butler . North Island or South Island?

Farmer Green

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 11:11:21 +1200

That story makes it it sound all very clean. But it would be great for the history books to get some accounts of the night that the Boulevard Cafe in P.N. was busted . . . for alcohol. Can you believe it . . . . adults having a small…

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 11:01:28 +1200

and tell me you don’t hear ‘Pull Down the Shades’:
There is a distinct 'undertone' of that...

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:58:10 +1200

put the Billy on...
the core players are still with us
I saw Human Instinct, and I think powerhouse
(maybe with Butler...)

– this is still a favourite album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fof4O89dgtk

Russell Brown

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:56:51 +1200

Did anyone ever go to a concert by this band? Perhaps it is too long ago.
Audience accounts might make for some very funny reading.
The inside story is unique.
All of the core players are still with us ; it might be time to get out the type writer…

Russell Brown

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:54:10 +1200

My attention has been drawn to the 2011 non-hit 'Grace' by the Scottish band The View.

Listen to the opening guitar and verse and tell me you don't hear 'Pull Down the Shades':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3OpXan8CD0

Crikey. I wonder how that happened?

Russell Brown

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:52:18 +1200

David Mitchell are you out there?
testing – one two – one two
use the wee envelope/email icon above
if you are or if anyone has a contact address
…could someone give him a nudge
– working title DM’s 2Ds
:- )

I will obtain the relevant contact information and…

Farmer Green

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:49:45 +1200

In fact you can do a reasonable job with just a video camera :-

https://www.facebook.com/174779355880271/videos/vb.174779355880271/185537144795239/?type=2&theater

Farmer Green

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:40:18 +1200

That was recorded at a Divine Light concert in the St James Theatre in Wellington , around 1976 from memory. Recording live was a big undertaking back then. Nowadays you can do the job with an i-Book on the lawn by the cowshed :-

https://soundcloud.com/jamestj78/03-the-joker-1

Farmer Green

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:23:26 +1200

You think heroin addiction is bad?
Nothing worse than watching a former happy heroin user consigned to living out the rest of his days queuing for methadone.

Farmer Green

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:15:38 +1200

"all great music events are vibrant at the time"
Yep, and every minute, somewhere , some band is the best in the world.

Did anyone ever go to a concert by this band? Perhaps it is too long ago.
Audience accounts might make for some very funny reading.
The inside…

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 08:20:29 +1200

….I’ll publish it.
David Mitchell are you out there?
testing – one two – one two
use the wee envelope/email icon above
if you are or if anyone has a contact address
…could someone give him a nudge
– working title DM’s 2Ds
:- )

After seeing the comic shops…

Matthew Goody

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 23:39:12 +1200

Someone must some day do a book of David Mitchell's posters and artwork...

Here here.

Ian, you put it together and I'll publish it.

Joe Wylie

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 13:44:27 +1200

And- my god, what a great gig that poster advertises. Fantastic line-up.

A soundtrack for David Mitchell's excellent image:
https://youtu.be/ToyGfKor9yY

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 13:33:56 +1200

Seek a cure you people

;- )

Ken Double

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 13:29:43 +1200

God's a left hander! Who'd have known it? That is God isn't it? Or is it Virgil? I can't tell them apart.

andin

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 11:14:34 +1200

laugh about the rugby
Working on rugby OB's has to be the worst experience of my life.
I loathe the game, for that matter all televised sport.
You think heroin addiction is bad?It only really affect on person. Sport addiction is much much worse, whole populations lose their minds. and…

Shaun Scott

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 11:04:12 +1200

Yes- it would be amazingly good. I remember reading an interview with him in _Critic_ in the early '90's where he mentioned he was drawing with his left hand to increase the challenge.

And- my god, what a great gig that poster advertises. Fantastic line-up.

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 10:22:47 +1200

Someone must some day do a book of David Mitchell's posters and artwork...

Ken Double

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 19:54:53 +1200

I'm so glad we can have a laugh about the rugby now because, you know, there was a time......

Robyn Gallagher

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 18:44:39 +1200

I heartily recommend How Bizarre. As well as being a great pop biz story, it's extra special because it's our story – it's a New Zealand story. No one deliberately sets out to make a one-hit wonder, and because of that, the stories behind those blips of genius pop are…

Russell Brown

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 18:23:16 +1200

Donna Mills' eulogy from Graham's service yesterday. Loving and lovely.

–––
The Singing, Laughing, Dancing Man

What perfect fortune that I could mourn you in Italy. It was probably here that they found you, carved from the white marble mountain by Appolo himself. What sands did he use to blend…

Richard Ram

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 15:53:08 +1200

My pregnant partner and I went to see Public Enemy at the Academy in the late eighties, brilliant. The gospel church opposite belted out some great tunes on the Sunday.

TracyMac

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 14:58:33 +1200

Russell Brown

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 14:31:04 +1200

This is good: Emily Littler from Street Chant on why the difficult second album was so difficult.

She's a good writer and should write more.

waihekeislander

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:46:37 +1200

Graham Brazier speaking on behalf of Hello Sailor at their 2011 induction into the Music Hall of Fame (watch from 15:39) https://youtu.be/MNO58iKFB5U

Russell Brown

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:39:57 +1200

I remember that Shabba and co gig at the Academy, quite an experience, and still one of my most memorable live music experiences.

Some of the music was a bit ropey as I recall – Shinehead was terrible. But everything else – woah!

The rush on the doors happened right…

Nat Curnow

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:32:32 +1200

I remember that Shabba and co gig at the Academy, quite an experience, and still one of my most memorable live music experiences. And I was rather relieved also that you like the Miley Cyrus record,( your opinion does matters to me). more than a few people have been taken…

Jason Kemp

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:29:36 +1200

All great music events are vibrant at the time but they do need recording and it was great to hear stories at Songs of the City and now in the Simon Grigg book.

Music and mythology are strongly linked and reading about them later is a joy.

Most everyone in…

Public Address

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:29:36 +1200

Discussion from blog post.