Going through a huge Beatles re-visit. Been at it for the past few weeks. Genius. Listening to their entire catalogue – really doing my head in. What’s surprised me so far, is I’m not gravitating to a favourite era. Loving the early & later material with the same intensity – though they were so different. It’s a strange thing to go back & listen with ‘fresh ears’ to a band whose songs I’ve been playing all my life. It feels like discovering them for the first time (hairs standing up, lump in my throat, waking with their songs in my head). Totally loving it. Here’s something from very early on…

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Love this Nirvana clip – particularly Kurt’s mischievious expression throughout. In Bloom.

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Classic. Beatles live at Shae Stadium 1965…

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Beat Magazine recently published this article below. Why the hell would you move to Collingwood – and complain about live music? (Thanks to TC for sending us the link)

Here’s an excerpt from the full article on Beat’s website –

The wheels are well and truly in motion for a Mercy Dash reunion show. Mick Brown sent me the set lists last week – a total blast from the past, identical to what we played as a band in the late 90’s. And the date for the show appears to be Sat 18th of Jan 2014. More about the venue soon – it’ll be down on (or near) the Mornington Peninsula somewhere. The guys wanna do a matinee and evening show. Mercy Dash had a few different singers & musicians rotate in and out. Looks like everybody who played in the band will perform throughout the show. And to tantalise the big-hair-musical-taste-buds here’s a pic from back in the day…

Mercy Dash at my place in the 90’s.

Scary stuff. This was my first serious band. We hit it pretty hard, playing 4 or 5 nights a week for a couple of years. Mick Brown on the left has since played drums for The On Fires at shows and on recordings, including our debut album Sky Caves In. I’d also played in a band called Trace with Mick and Brendan Young (on the right) just before TOF began. That’s Chris Micalef, bass-player in the middle.

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Listening to ‘Steve Lane and the Autocrats’ latest album, Birds Taking Flight. Met up with Steve last week, really great to see him – it had been a long while. Steve & band have been out on the road touring their new release. The album sounds fantastic. Steve wanted me to listen & tell him what I thought. Hope it’s OK buddy, I’m going public on this one. If I had to put some kind of ‘stamp’ on it, I’d say flavours of Josh Pyke, Killers, Beatles & classic 80’s legendary Aussie band Sunnyboys. It’s a great sounding record (engineered by David Carr), with a wealth of catchy songs and plenty of depth, thoughtful & intelligent lyrics and excellent pop sensibility. Good on ya Steve. Big thumbs up! Here’s the video clip for the first track, April Tuesday…

Played in a band with Steve many years ago when we were both just out of high school. We both had plenty to talk about last week. Couple of guys who’ve taken quite different paths with our careers – and yet so much in common. Plenty of war stories to share between us. Seems the music industry is the same all over the world.

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Craigie sent us this video link yesterday. Highly sophisticated beer prank…

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Saw this film at Kino Melbourne yesterday – Mary Meets Mohammad. An important insight into the human experience of asylum seekers in Australia. A must-see for anyone with an opinion about refugees, regardless of viewpoint.

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Stones live at Hyde Park. Massive.

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Max down at the crowd barrier shortly after the Strawberry Festival show, Beijing 2012. Seconds later, the crowd broke through en masse. Security stormed the area & whisked Max to ‘safety’. Everything under control after a scary few minutes.

Photographer, Long Truong took this amazing shot.

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