Slow off the mark this morning. Big night last night at the Bendigo Hotel, Johnston St Collingwood. One time next-door neighbour, Daniel was drumming in his new metal/rock band ‘Sideways’. Great band, great sound, awesome to see. Daniel came to Australia from Columbia 3 years ago to study (& play in bands). Good catching up after the show. Haven’t had much contact since he moved into a new share-house in Brunswick. I used to hear him practicing for hours during the day over the fence. I also hope I didn’t bore him too much last night with my post-show beer-induced gibberish…

Daniel on drums with Sideways, Bendigo Hotel Collingwood 13 Jun 2013.

Not sure what time I got home last night. Head still hurts.

Fires out.

Our friends, Chapter Ray, play the Barleycorn (Johnston St Collingwood) this Saturday night. Their new website is live at www.chapterray.com (where I found the pic below). Check out tunes & other news.

Chapter Ray, Saturday night at Barleycorn, Johnston St Collingwood.

That’s Brendan Young on the far left and Mick Brown on the far right. I played in different bands with both guys for a few years. Mick Brown also played on our first album ‘Sky Caves In’. He’s an amazing drummer. Looking forward to seeing the guys this Saturday. Come along if you can. Doors open at 8.

Fires out.

Finding it hard this fine Tuesday morning to get back into the week after the long weekend. We kicked said weekend off on Friday night with a visit to our very good friend Kerry out in Warragul. After dinner (which was fantastic), she filmed us playing Abbotsford song at the kitchen/dining table – a special birthday-present rendition for ‘Monkey’.

Fires out.

Went down to Ya Ya’s in Fitzroy on Saturday night with my buddy Craigie. After warm up drinks at Stalk & Kim’s, and a false-start at The Gasometer (no band – but the gig guide said there was a band), we found our way to Ya Ya’s near the corner of Smith & Gertrude streets. I like this venue. Great atmosphere & decent PA. Bar staff are nice, security guys the same. We were a little under the weather by the time we got there around midnight. We walked in as The Brad Martin Project hit to the stage to launch their debut EP, Kimberley. Great fun band, we had a ball. soulful rocking sound. Snippet of video below – excuse my swaying film work. Thought I was holding the camera pretty straight at the time…

Fires out.

While we were away on tour, Diva the cat took to pissing and crapping in the studio corner. As cat owners will attest, the smell becomes unbearable. Got down under the desk to locate the problem and realised this must have been going on for a long while. Poops and everything down there. Last weekend, a major operation ensued – moved the entire PA, studio speakers, computers, leads and gear outa there. Mopped the floor several times with dangerous chemicals. Put everything back & re-wired the whole thing. Cat-piss-smell was still there. Dammit.

That’s it cat, sleep… you’ll get yours.

Eventually found the remaining source, a microphone lead bag complete with little cat craps & piss smell throughout. Took all the leads out & wiped them down. Washed the gear bag several times but couldn’t evict the stench. Bag went into the garbage. Sat down in the studio & smell still prevailed. Apparently, anything that touched that bag got the scent. Washed everything that came into contact. Twice.

Finally, 3 days after first looking for that offending piss puddle, we’re ready to roll. Some would say I got lucky – I’ve heard it said, you never completely get rid of the stench. White pepper down everywhere to keep that little sh*t away from the studio gear… for the time being. Rehearsal & recording begins Friday.

Fires out.

Magic…

The first time I heard Jeff Buckley it was the mid 90’s, in the midst of that era’s magnificent grunge movement. His only studio album, Grace (1994), was hugely popular amongst fans of indie music in Australia. A year later, commercial radio picked up the track ‘Last Goodbye’ & he crossed momentarily into the Aussie mainstream. I met Jeff Buckley at an in-store performance and record signing at Gaslight Records in ’95. My girlfriend at the time gave him a kiss on the cheek & he asked me if I wanted one too. I respectfully declined – so he asked, “It’s the hair, right?”.

Buckley died on 29th May 1997, while attempting to swim in a slack-water channel of the Mississippi River, Memphis. He was working on new material for a 2nd studio album. It was an enormous loss. He was 30 years old – his father died at the same age (sixties cult icon, Tim Buckley). One ponders what might have been. Fast forward 16 years, and we can still hear Jeff Buckley’s vocal influence. (Muse, Coldplay, Doves, Travis)

Fires out.

Saturday 11th May, a few days after the China tour finished, I was fortunate enough to play footy (Aussie Rules) with the Beijing Bombers against the Shanghai Tigers in Shanghai. It was a perfect day for football, blue skies & a gentle breeze sweeping across the oval in Pudong. Playing at full-forward for the Tigers was ex-North Melbourne defender, Shannon Watt. I was ‘running’ around just in front of him on the back flank. Luckily for me, our paths never crossed on the field.

Marty & Shannon Watt, after the game at The Camel, Shanghai 11th May 2013.

We had a beer & a chat after the game at the infamous Camel Sports Bar, where the players & supporters gathered for all-you-can-eat pasta and beer. Shannon played 155 games for North Melbounre, retiring in 2009 at the tender age of 29, plagued by injury in his final season with the Roos. He now works and lives in Shanghai. I met him before the game at the Camel bar (waiting for the bus to take us to the ground) – didn’t realise who he was til we were playing. Bloody nice guy.

Shannon Watt, North Melbourne Kangaroos 2009.

Fires out.

Went out to the Northcote Social Club last night to catch Vida Cain, our friend Josh Johnstone’s new band. Awesome show. Josh & the guys (4 piece rock band from Western Australia) are in the midst of a national tour to promote their debut album. They were tight, loud and rocking. Great songs, and great to see a full tilt rock-band smashing it. They reminded me a little of Motor Ace’s early days. And just when you think you’ve got em pegged, they turn on the funk & take you on a groovy ride. I even heard some Duran Duran in there.

Vida Cain, Northcote Social Club (Melbourne) 31 May 2013.

I don’t necessarily like comparing bands to other bands – it feels a bit like taking something away from the band I’m describing, sort of implying they’re not being particularly original. Vida Cain do their own thing, definitely influenced by a bunch of great bands and song-writers – but the sound is definitely their own. Check em out if you can.

We left the show feeling great.

Fires out.