World Wide Woozle episode #566

Welcome back, I hope you're sitting comfortably!

I managed to end up with some bruised ribs on Sunday so I've been off my bike for a few days. And it's raining too which means a couple of journeys to and from work on the bus. The saving grace is that I've got a ton of music to listen to and public transport is the ideal location. Mask on, headphones on...    

Hothouse Flowers - I Can See Clearly Now - https://youtu.be/Y1HRcoHGmi4

Todd and I are off to the NSW regional town of Mudgee this coming weekend to participate in a 130km cycling event. He's been injured too but we're going to take our time and see if we can complete the ride. Sadly, our mate Mick has the 'rona so he's stuck at home. Mudgee is a beautiful place and when we were there last year it was a great day out. I predict carb loading, sore legs and big smiles.    

Led Zeppelin -  Over The Hills And Far Away - https://youtu.be/o-tT62bpYlU

Zoë has left and is now in Queensland for a little bit before heading back to London. It was simply awesome to spend time with her. I know that we have communication on tap but nothing beats seeing her in person. Fi and I are planning to go to the UK for a visit sometime around September next year. There's a couple of places that we'd both like to see but other than that we just want to take our time and look around. I haven't been to Scotland since our family left in 1978 to move to the other side of the world. Singapore seems to be the best place to stopover and I haven't been there since about 1975!

 Last time I spoke about some upcoming shows that we're going to see and I forgot to mention that Goanna are playing in Canberra later in the year. That promises to be a great show...the 40th anniversary of their classic album Spirit of Place.  

Goanna - The Razor's Edge - https://youtu.be/at5ImMt-h4c

DJ Pinky shot through a couple of photos from a recent Hoodoo Gurus gig that he was lucky enough to attend. It's great to see them out on tour after it was postponed due to you know what (and I don't mean Voldemort). I remember going to see them years ago at the University of Canberra only for the gig to be sold out. That was back in the early 90s and I really should get around to seeing them before long. What a great band!    

Hoodoo Gurus - Less Than A Feeling - https://youtu.be/433CSzNrjA0

In the search for cool music I spend some time browsing around Bandcamp and Soundcloud. YouTube is ok I guess but there's obviously a lot of non-music content that clogs up my feed. I mean, I do watch a lot of guitar reviews but I don't think I'll share them here ha ha! One of my latest finds is Obsidian Tide. They are a moody, progressive metal band hailing from Israel. For me, they sound a bit like Pink Floyd and Coheed & Cambria with their own twist on things as well. Well worth listening to an album as opposed to just one track.

Obsidian Tide - Pillars of Creation - https://youtu.be/YGk9Ad6bGbw

Sleaford Mods have released a live six track EP, Live at Nottz Arena. If you like their style of rough, urban hip hop then you'll definitely like this. Amy Taylor and Billy Nomates guest on a track each. I know that it's just the vocalist over the top of their pre-recorded beats but that's their schtick and it works pretty well.    

Sleaford Mods - Mork n Mindy (live) - https://youtu.be/8cGo4isi1Tw

A long time ago, in the early 90s, a metal band called Lethal Dose emerged from the country town I lived in for my high school years. I remember getting a couple of their demo cassettes when I was home on leave from the Army and they weren't too bad. What I didn't realise was that the band renamed themselves and are still playing these days as Terraphobia. It's loud, it's heavy and it's a helluva good racket. Australian metal fans may be interested to know that Mick from the band also played with Mortification.    

Terraphobia - Eschanton - https://youtu.be/fVNRv5Oc3rM    

Speaking of new releases; Italian punk/glam rock aficionados, Giuda, have a live recording out now. It's called Live at Punk Rock Raduno and is 41 minutes of foot stomping rock and roll. I really like these guys as they unashamedly channel the energy of bands like Slade and Sweet. Loads of fun and a live concert video wouldn't go astray.     

Giuda - Roll The Balls - https://youtu.be/xUL8BwkOS0Y

The re-emergence of live gigs, the odd cancellation or postponement notwithstanding, has got me thinking about shows I've been to in the past. There's been some absolutely amazing performances including Steve Earle, Yothu Yindi, Jason Isbell, Transvision Vamp, Roxette and AC/DC. And then there have been a few stinkers as well (for various reasons) including The Church, Cheap Trick and Motorhead. I don't regret seeing any of those. There are three shows I can think of that changed my world completely. The first was Battlefield Band at the West Gippsland Arts Centre in 1988. This one helped me embrace my Scots heritage when they combined bagpipes and traditional Celtic music with more modern day sounds and tunes. The second was Armoured Angel in 1991 in Sydney. I'd never seen truly heavy music played live and with such focus. I went on to see them play plenty of times. And the third show, and probably the one closest to a religious experience was the Rollins Band at Festival Hall in Melbourne in 1994. I knew one song...and they didn't play it anyway! The stage lights were turned on full and left that way, the volume was insane and the band sat in a groove all night and didn't waiver. And then there was Henry Rollins. Clad in black shorts and covered in tattoos, sweat and muscle he proceeded to expand our minds and pummel our senses into submission. Nothing has ever come close to that performance.    

Battlefield Band - The Clumsy Lover / The Unmade Bed - https://youtu.be/c78Rmt7p-GA?t=285    

Armoured Angel - Enigmatize - https://youtu.be/bHKWHKGBFGE

Rollins Band - Fool (live) - https://youtu.be/WV__OLW6Dlw

Finally, I read this week about a marathon that starts at Everest Base Camp. It takes about 11 days of hiking just to get to the start. What a shame that I can't run anymore and I have a healthy dislike of camping or I could be tempted...that would be an amazing adventure!    

Rock on brothers and sisters,    

The Woozle

"And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets"

Glen Campbell, Try A Little Kindness, 1970.

World Wide Woozle episode #565

It's been a while, a long while in fact, since I wrote anything here. A lot has happened and this morning I finally felt the urge to write again. It isn't that I've been avoiding my blog, I've just been a bit busy; in a good way!

Since my last post in January I've sold my house, moved in with Fi, played a gig in Melbourne, continued to enjoy my work, ridden up a lot of hills, done some dog-sitting, been to some gigs, and caught up with both of my kids and my Dad. I've been happier and more content than I have in a very long time.

The Chicks - The Long Way Around (live) - https://youtu.be/s5HKLteH9Mc

I was fortunate enough to be asked to play guitar at a gig for "The Riflemen" which is a group featuring my mate RobP and also Anthony and Lachy from The Wiggles. Also in the group were a number of the touring musicians from The Wiggles. Those guys are consummate professionals and were very kind and encouraging to me. After Fi and I flew to Melbourne, I got to go to Rod Laver Arena twice to rehearse backstage with the group between Wiggles shows. The gig was held at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and featured a number of Veteran artists. We got to play for about an hour and it was heaps of fun. It was a bit like a big folk music session with a wide range of songs and instruments including guitars, bagpipes, mandolins, push button accordion and bass. If you like bands such as The Pogues then you'll understand the kind of music we were playing. It's not all about me but I did get to perform one of my original songs and the reaction was really good.

The Riflemen - The Recruiting Sergeant - https://youtu.be/fbxYKPA4z0s

Fi and I got to see some of my family in Melbourne as well in what was a hectic and tiring weekend but so worth it! Don't try to get a taxi in that city just now...it's almost impossible.

Skyhooks - Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo) - https://youtu.be/Bxq0CFLWWks

We've also managed to see a couple of great gigs at the Canberra Theatre. Both involved the same orchestra with a range of vocalists. One show was a Queen tribute and the other was George Michael / Wham! The musicians were excellent and the majority of the singing was first class which all added up to both shows being a lot of fun. Musically, the Queen show was spot on but understandably the vocals were hard to nail. For the George Michael performance I thought that four out of five vocalists were superb and were almost uncannily like listening to the man himself. A few little music production hitches and a slightly average mix were the only criticisms I'd make and they really were relatively minor.

Wham! - I'm Your Man - https://youtu.be/kAGl8RWTSqc

In the near future we're off to see one of my favourite Australian bands, Spy vs Spy. The band were around in the 80s and early 90s and were very popular here and in Brazil. I was surprised to see an advertisement for a local gig and, after checking that it was the same band (it's one of the original members only now) I booked tickets. There's a newish album which sounds pretty good. The sound of Michael Weiley (d. 2018) remains one of the main influences on how I try to sound on the electric guitar.

v Spy v Spy - Soldiers - https://youtu.be/7Lg5Ja2qF6U

Lita Ford (ex The Runaways, solo artist) is pretty well known in hard rock circles. Her 1988 album, Lita, did really well on the back of the single, Kiss Me Deadly. It's a track that is a regular feature on most rock playlists I put together as it's just a lot of fun. I really didn't expect it to be reimagined by Chuck Prophet but he's done a great job!! I really like both versions!

Chuck Prophet live with The Makeout Quartet - Kiss Me Deadly - https://youtu.be/SeKQgcRrnx0

DJ ChickenManLaff sent me a link to some Kyuss live footage. I remember seeing them, with DJ DJ, in 1993 when they supported Metallica in Sydney. I didn't grow up listening to Black Sabbath but Kyuss turned me in that direction a little later in life. I learned what the "heavy" in heavy metal was all about.

Kyuss - Green Machine - https://youtu.be/R-MSfd2S7lo

Lots of bands seem to be releasing live radio broadcast recordings onto various streaming services at the moment. Whilst some of the audio quality is that of a bootleg at best, there are some real gems out there. I heard one from the Georgia Satellites the other day that highlighted what a great live band they must have been. I've still got a couple of their singles on vinyl as well as an album on cassette!

The Georgia Satellites - Railroad Steel (live) - https://youtu.be/OaGVkhLy6kI

I played Ghost in the last episode but that was three months ago and they've got a new album out now. The first single is a ripper and so here it is. The band are touring at the moment across the world so hopefully they can bring their spooky version of rock and roll back to their fans in Australia before too long.

Ghost - Call Me Little Sunshine - https://youtu.be/DD2m_iqD7dI

And whilst I certainly don't need another guitar...this one from Hagstrom in Sweden is so very, very tempting.

I was asked recently to provide some advice for a young fella who was lining up to buy his first electric guitar. I remember going to get mine back in late 1987 and really having no idea. I was lucky that the guys in the shop did the right thing by me because I played that axe non-stop and I still have, and love it. My young friend ended up with a sweet deal on a Stratocaster and I hope it serves him well for a long time. Whilst putting together a short playlist of guitarists I like to share with him I reflected on the players that influenced me back then. I was all about Angus & Malcolm Young from AC/DC, Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits and Brian May from Queen. I don't really play or sound like any of them but their music continues to inspire me. Rock on Lachy!

Dire Straits - Telegraph Road (live) - https://youtu.be/Q1Wp2ASqyxI 

Zoë is back in the country for a visit after just over 800 days away. It's been amazing and pretty emotional as you can probably imagine. In the last episode I was ruminating about the fact that I hadn't seen my family for such a long time. And in the last few weeks I've seen Zoë, Angus and my Dad too! Unfortunately the NZ contingent will have to wait just a little longer as will those in Vanuatu. Thanks for nothing, Covid.

Steve Miller Band - Jet Airliner - https://youtu.be/pEp_IAfyldo

When Chris Bailey (The Saints) passed away recently I admitted to DJ SAB that I hadn't realised that Ed Kuepper was in that band as well. Look, to be fair, I didn't come to Australia until I was in high school! He encouraged me to seek out some of Ed's back catalogue so I have been having a listen. It's worth it. There's an album called Complete Radio Sessions which I have been really getting into. I have a feeling that this could be quite a long and fruitful journey. I'm not sure quite how to describe Ed's music other than, um, varied. If you like Don Walker's solo stuff you'd probably like this.

Ed Kuepper - Honey Steel's Gold (live) - https://youtu.be/pVMF02iNbb0

Midnight Oil were meant to play here in Canberra last night. Unfortunately for a lot of people, the weather was atrocious and the gig was cancelled. For a while, after learning and playing so many Oils tunes, I didn't really want to listen to them anymore. Time is a great healer though and I have re-embraced their power and passion. Whilst their new album isn't great, it does have its moments. This is one of the songs that has started to grow on me.

Midnight Oil - Rising Seas - https://youtu.be/BWgesOsL2dA

I had to learn a John Williamson song for the gig in Melbourne. We ran out of time to play it but the guitar parts on it are cool and learning them was a challenge and a lot of fun. I'd forgotten how good this whole album was.

John Williamson - Dingo - https://youtu.be/IJ_Yl5EnmbE

That's it folks. No election nonsense...do your own research, ask the difficult questions, make up your own mind. 

Rock on everyone,

The Woozle

"Sometimes I give myself the creeps

Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah..." Alanis Morissette, Basket Case (live Green Day cover), 2012.