I wrote down some thoughts during the week about my trip to Vanuatu. They are here if that kind of thing interests you: http://robwoozle.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/mi-bin-go-long-vanuatu.html
Other than my family and a hot shower one of the main things I missed when I was away was my bike. It has been so wonderful (can you hear the sarcasm?) that the weather here in Canberra has been so wet that riding would've just been silly. Thankfully, today (Friday) the skies have cleared and I can ride again. I know that I could have ridden in the rain but there's a fine line between obsessed and stupid. Even with the trip away, being sick and the bad weather I should be able to maintain my average of 1000km per month as long as next week is mainly dry!
The Church - Already Yesterday - https://youtu.be/OSKO_u-MsgQ
In preparation for our gig on 31st July the band had a rather loud hit-out on Tuesday night. I must admit that with only a quick run through of the songs over the weekend I felt very underdone. However, there was plenty of energy then and it should be a very upbeat show. Check out the band's Facebook page here if you'd like more details; all welcome. Stay tuned for an announcement of a rather big gig in September...
Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane - https://youtu.be/sxdmw4tJJ1Y
Iron Maiden have just announced the impending release of a new studio album. "The Book of Souls" will be their first double album (other than live ones). It's a bit of a relief that there is even a new release since singer Bruce Dickinson has had cancer but is now apparently fine. September 24th isn't that far off.
Sign - Run To The Hills - https://youtu.be/c15yM77xkP4
Neil Young was in the news recently asking Donald Trump NOT to use his song "Rockin' In The Free World" as part of his political campaign. Fair enough too. Neil has a pretty good track record of keeping his music to himself. That Trump is running in the first place probably plays into the hands of the Democrats. Surely even the most delusional American wouldn't want Donald as the President?
Neil Young - This Note's For You (live & acoustic) - https://youtu.be/dYbjghF4dgY
Ghost also have a new album ready for release late in August. Entitled "Meliora". The first single, "Cirice" is out now with a rather cool music video. See if you can spot which famous film the clip is based on...
Ghost - Cirice - https://youtu.be/-0Ao4t_fe0I
It looks like Ghost have a new singer under all that makeup but who knows? The anonymity is a big part of their schtick and unlike KISS no-one knows who they are. Plenty of rumours abound but they are just that; rumours.
If you like a good action movie then I can heartily recommend the latest Mad Max film. It has plenty of nods to the old school movies and hanging around for the credits to see what all the characters are called is definitely worth the time. It was pretty cool to find out that Australian musician iOTA played the part of the "Doof Warrior". Hanging off the front of a huge semi trailer playing riffs on the guitar looks like fun! John Howard (not the ex-PM) as "The People Eater" was a real hoot. I just thought it was a bit sad that the actor chosen for Max wasn't an Aussie but then technically neither is Mel Gibson.
In 2013 I read a new release series of Star Wars comics. They were set between episodes IV and V and, well, they weren't all that great. The other day I had an email from the comic shop telling me that although that series had ended, Marvel comics had now started a new one and they'd put them aside for me as a result of my previous order. Well I'd just finished the book I was reading so I headed off to pick them up. Still set in the same time period these are much, much better! I'm not a comic reader at all but I'll stick with these ones. I guess it'll continue to ramp up as we wait patiently for the release of the new movie towards the end of this year.
I knew that in Vanuatu I'd have a fair bit of free time so I took what I hoped would be a good book. I was inspired to read John Steinbeck's, "The Grapes of Wrath" after listening to Springsteen's song, "The Ghost of Tom Joad". I'm sure many of you had to read it at school but I didn't. I thought it was a great read. Maybe slow by today's disposable literature standards but I really enjoyed immersing myself in the way the story was told. It linked it pretty well with my study of the American South in terms of setting the scene of another part of America. If you haven't read it then I doubt you'd be disappointed. America in the book is nothing like Vanuatu but some of the feelings of dust, dirt and a hard life did resonate slightly. My copy is a bit bruised and battered now after being in and out of a backpack, read in huts, airports, planes and on the seawall but I guess that just adds character.
Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad (solo/acoustic) - https://youtu.be/rF9jQHwRbDk
Oh look....the sky is blue! I'd forgotten what that looked like. Anyone would think we were living through a Scottish Summer.
That's all,
Rob
"I just wanna shake, shake, shake...", Shake It Off, Screaming Females (T Swizzle cover), https://youtu.be/Zm1-bVYio1k, June 2015. Betcha didn't expect that.
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