World Wide Woozle episode #600

Hi everyone and welcome to the 600th episode of the World Wide Woozle. 

For those that came in late; this all started in 2008 with a small email list and one song a week. Since then it's rolled along, gathered moss, been cancelled and restarted twice, and provided me with a lot of joy. Thanks for playing along. So it's a happy 15th birthday I guess. 

A couple of weeks ago now I was fortunate enough to get along to the Street Theatre here in Canberra to see John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew play what turned out to be a particularly awesome show. The current tour is a retrospective of John's work with the iconic Australian band, Redgum. DJ SAB had organised the tickets and, for the first time in my memory, I was in the front row! John and the band played for almost two and half hours and at the end, it felt as if we'd only just started. I'm not sure I expect to see professional touring musicians struggling to find the music charts on their iPads though. Regardless, it was a great gig and it felt as if the band enjoyed themselves as much as we did in the audience. Redgum's music, the collision of folk and popular stuff, was important to me growing up and it still has a lot to say.

Redgum - Gladstone Pier - https://youtu.be/ENt45zn_Ha4

George (aka Bing); my good mate, music advisor, twice landlord and all around legend has released a new album and it's a ripper. The Perfect Thing To Do sees George and his collaborators in what I think is his most focussed collection of songs. That's certainly not meant to detract from any of his previous long players, but this one really hangs together, for me, as a complete body of work. It's one to listen to non-stop. I've watched as George has moved from demos (and gigs) recorded on a phone, to his embryonic efforts whilst learning to use Garageband and now the way he uses the music software Logic as another instrument and extension of himself. These eight tunes are all catchy in their own way and, for those willing to take more than a fleeting moment, they provide much to think about inside the lyrics. I'm biased, of course, as I appear in the background on a couple of tracks and I heard most of these tunes (over and over and over) as they were being recorded and mixed. The Perfect Thing To Do represents about a year of hard work, give it a good listen because it really is a grand collection of songs.

George Huitker & Junk Sculpture - Brother From Another Mother - https://georgehuitker.bandcamp.com/track/brother-from-another-mother

Independent, emerging and self-funded artists need all the support we can give them. The reality is that listening to all the music you like, essentially for free, using Spotify, YouTube or whatever your poison is, means that many artists either go broke trying to get their music out there or simply can't manage it. So, I implore you to listen and then cough up for some of the music that you like. Or go to a show and buy the album (or a shirt). Otherwise we're doomed to whatever big corporations decide can be in the Top 40 alongside all the old stuff from when people actually cared about music.

Teenage Dads - Video Killed The Radio Star - https://youtu.be/a-aSv9UIOEU

I've been slowly working my way towards having enough original songs to record my own album. And I'm almost there. A couple of weeks ago a new song popped into my head whilst I was doing some work. I had to drop everything for a few minutes, pick up the guitar and write it down and record the melody so I wouldn't forget it. I sat on a rough demo for a week or so, tweaked a few words here and there and then recorded a proper demo a few days ago now. You can have a listen at the link below if you're brave (all my recordings are here). Remember that it's a demo recorded in a living room, on my eight year old Mac, with everything played by me. My aim is to get all my songs recorded properly before too long. And whilst I'll try to write something a bit more upbeat, the truth is that if I sit and try to write something it simply doesn't work. I need some kind of inspiration like a phrase or a couple of chords and then suddenly it all spills out. This tune came from a quote I read on Instagram combined with hearing about someone having a bit of a hard time. Tell me what you think.

Rob - Infinite - https://soundcloud.com/robwoozle/infinite

Right then, humour me in episode 600 as I play tunes you've no doubt heard before. These are a few of my absolute favourites. 

Let's start with a fun song that has one of the best ever guitar solos in it.

Lionel Richie - Dancing On The Ceiling - https://youtu.be/ovo6zwv6DX4

And then there's this one. When I realised how simple the main riff is I was very pleased with myself. It's fun to play...loud.

Queen - Tie Your Mother Down - https://youtu.be/LvB2MnIIdMw

Finally, the song that has saved me from many, many bad days. I first heard the cover version by The Proclaimers (which is sublime) but the original has a rawness and grit that moves me. I recorded this myself on a cassette many years ago when I was extremely sad. The tape is long gone but I should try it again one day.

Steve Earle and The Dukes - My Old Friend The Blues (live) - https://youtu.be/VGkHnMtp_MU

Thanks to everyone who's still reading these. The honest truth is that writing and sharing music with all of you really helps keep me mentally on the straight and narrow.

The Woozle

"You've got to try a little kindness
Yes, show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
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, 1969,