World Wide Woozle episode #541

Just when you thought it was safe to open your email (or click that link), here comes the World Wide Woozle!

First things first...my ribs have almost finished healing, I'm back on my bike and although there was a bit of a hiccup right at the last moment, my car has been replaced. After a couple of months using public transport as well as a LOT of walking I certainly appreciate the option of the car. I'm not a car person; to me they serve the purpose of getting from A to B. When the insurance company told me that the replacement car I was meant to get had been sold by the dealer I bit my tongue and asked for the cash instead. Then I was lucky enough to call another dealer who, to his shock as well as mine, had a car that suited my needs actually already on a truck to Canberra. There's a certain irony that the type of car I got (a little Kia) is the same that I tried to buy earlier in the year. I must say that the new wireless version of Apple's CarPlay is super cool. Oh....and the car is white.

Andy Prieboy - On The Road Again - https://youtu.be/GSwTO0kLQbY

Sleaford Mods have been getting a fair bit of air time here at HQ WWW. Their latest album, Spare Ribs, was released on 15 Jan and it is one of the few albums I've pre-ordered in many years. The music is gritty, uncompromising beat poetry with an industrial hiphop backbeat. It's a bit like what might happen if Frank from the TV show Shameless got on the microphone. I can't wait for the CD (and the t-shirt) to get here,

Sleaford Mods - Nudge It - https://youtu.be/xhdGipqrKNY

Barry Gibb's new record came out on 08 Jan. I did NOT expect to be all that interested in it until I read about some of the people he had playing with him. Let's see; Jason Isbell, Dolly Parton, Gillian Rawlings, Tommy Emmanuel and Keith Urban. OK, now I'm interested. Whilst I have only listened to a few tracks I certainly think that the whole album is going to hold my attention. Great songs, Barry's amazing voice and an all star lineup. Sweet.

Barry Gibb with Keith Urban - I've Just Gotta Get A Message To You - https://youtu.be/1mocrPhJBSM

David Bowie's 74th birthday was marked by a star studded streaming concert. Some of the performances missed the mark but it's pretty hard to live up to the original material. Joe Elliott from Def Leppard has always been a fan and the band covered Space Oddity and Drive-In Saturday previously. Anyway, this is a cool version of Ziggy Stardust with Joe on vocals. Joe doesn't sound like Bowie but his voice works well in my opinion. Note Earl Slick playing either an original Supro guitar (made famous by Bowie) or the re-issue.

Joe Elliott - Ziggy Stardust - https://youtu.be/RJ8_IhD1cIY

I've been trialling a whole lot of songs for an upcoming solo lounge room gig. A lot of cool tunes have been tried and dumped because I either can't sing them or I can't sing them AND play guitar at the same time. The NYE gig proved to me that I can't be trusted with a tambourine to tap my foot on so watch this space as I think I have a drum machine solution worked out. This is a solution that doesn't require a degree in computer programming to use! Here are a few songs that may or may not make the setlist...

The Party Boys - Gonna See My Baby - https://youtu.be/-eOx6n5-HEk

KISS (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) - Sure Know Something - https://youtu.be/7pbgaZfm4tE

Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown (live 1984) - https://youtu.be/4GE4xI3xYF0

Ike and Tina Turner - Baby Get It On - https://youtu.be/HmzJLObmDyo

Or maybe I'm just fooling with you. If anyone is interested in coming along there are a few "tickets" left so drop me an email. The gig is on the afternoon of Saturday February 20th.

Last weekend Bing and I played a show for a few friends. We played almost all originals and it was heaps of fun. You can see highlights of the gig here. However, Bing was kind enough to upload this video of us playing an original song written by me and my friend Sam. She sent the lyrics and I borrowed a RhinoBucket riff and mangled the whole lot into a song. It's still a work in progress but see what you think if you're brave enough.

Bing Vandergraaf and The Woozle - Smooth Ride (live) - https://vimeo.com/498895478

Sadly, New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain died a few days ago. The influence of the Dolls on so many bands shouldn't be underestimated. RIP Sylvain :-(

New York Dolls - Jet Boy (live 1973) - https://youtu.be/Cbd-BcuPvLA

That's enough. Some of us have guitars to play. 

Rock on,

Rob

 "I won't be torn between
The man in the chair and the man that's in my dream
I'm going to melt the two men into one..."   Queensrÿche, Best I Can, 1990.