World Wide Woozle episode #646

Welcome back. An even bigger welcome back to those that read the last episode and lived to tell the tale. I'll try to make this one a bit shorter.

First up, happy birthday to my great mate Bing. He celebrated in style by playing two gigs in two days. I was fortunate enough to be in the crowd for last night's boogie experience at Huitker Studios in downtown Curtin. Seeing George play all his own compositions is just fabulous. Any mug can play other people's songs but to put it all out there on the line takes a special kind of drive and determination. In true Bing spirit, the gig went from bliss to quiet rage.

George Huitker - What Makes It Rain - https://youtu.be/ateArN2kZtU

Last time around I revealed my mad plan to listen to all of my CDs. Well, I'm happy to report that it's going quite well. They are on the shelves in sort of a logical order and I'm playing them as they are stacked. This does mean that some bands who have a lot of albums get their entire discography aired in order. That's fun as I can reflect on how they have developed (or not). I've also already unearthed some magnificent tracks that I had long forgotten about.

Steven Winwood - While You See A Chance - https://youtu.be/0j6g_uUhH2c

Last night I found myself feeling a little blue. It was nothing major but I knew that I needed cheering up and to drag myself out of the dumps. This short clip never fails...

Tommy Tiernan - Accent and Emergency - https://youtu.be/u3MG1iIZZjQ

I also listened to three Tommy Emmanuel albums. I'll tell you that cueing them up one after another isn't the best idea. I got a bit tired of the whole atmospheric soundscape thing at a few points. But then there's a bluegrass album cut direct to disc which is truly magnificent. And of course this reminder that Tommy can rock out with the best of them.

Tommy Emmanuel - Stevie's Blues - https://youtu.be/DXpdNHZJgZI

You'd think I was rediscovering a whole lot of music and I suppose I am. This one came up just before John Mellencamp's song, Justice and Independence.

Ben Harper - Glory & Consequence - https://youtu.be/qHgaJ5UI90M

I spent a few days last week working at the Avalon Airshow which is near Geelong in Victoria. Aeroplanes have never really excited me but I have to admit that I saw some pretty neat stuff. I think my favourite was a toss up between taking a virtual reality trip in an autonomous air taxi and seeing the military working dogs in action. Sadly, I have read that there was a nasty crash at the show on Friday. 

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention my state of mind following on from my last episode. The short version is that things are improving and I'm following the guidance of the health professionals. It'll take time but things aren't getting any worse!

Jason Isbell - Anxiety (solo, live) - https://youtu.be/JwW_zr2uMiE

Rock on,

The Woozle

"I can't remember when I felt this lost

Took a wrong turn trying to carry this cross
Why'd I have to go and get blessed with a curse
I'm chasing death or glory, whichever comes first..."

John Moreland, Nobody Gives A Damn About Songs Anymore, 2013

World Wide Woozle episode #645

Hi everyone,

This episode has two parts. The part about music and random stuff is first. Part two, which was written first, is about my mental health and the last few weeks. I understand that some of you won't want to read part two for any number of reasons. That's ok; it's something that flowed once I started writing and maybe the feeling of catharsis is a good thing.

Part 1

Since I last wrote I've been to Melbourne for a couple of days. I saw Green Day with Dave Dubya, went to lunch and a bookshop with my Dad, caught up with Angus and Em, visited a collectables shop, rode the trams, and went to some record shops. I was busy, very busy, and at the time I needed to be. 

Skyhook - This Is My City - https://youtu.be/Yp8BsPVT5MU

You can read any number of reviews about the Green Day concert but to me it was exactly as I thought it should have been. 60,000 people having a wonderful time singing, dancing and jumping along to a great band. I think the fact that the band themselves were clearly having a ball really added to the experience. For my money, AFI were the wrong band for the support slot. They are NOT a bad band but all that angsty posing really didn't fit with the energy of the local support band, Private Function, or the pop-punk of Green Day. 

Green Day - She's A Rebel - https://youtu.be/fo1d5LZGO98

I like visiting Melbourne but it's too big for me to be there for a long time. Since about 2015, I've always visited St Paul's Cathedral (opposite Flinders Street Station) whenever I'm in town. I like to sit on a pew for about 15 minutes and think. It's almost meditation, sometimes it's prayer, sometimes reflection. I always feel at peace there. I like riding the trams as well. Since my trip to the USA I've become more comfortable with the fact that I don't know quite where I'm going and I may get ever so slightly lost. The chance discoveries of cool coffee shops, the oases of urban parks, and the simple act of wandering around a suburb is usually good fun. People watching can be a hoot as well.

Paul Kelly - Leaps and Bounds - https://youtu.be/FtzYqgiuSDo

I did manage to get a couple of albums that had either been hard to find online or too expensive. I wrote a while ago about Darkthrone's latest long player, It Beckons Us All, and it was the album I was most pleased to find. Thank you Heartland Records. Darkthrone are one of the seminal Scandinavian Dark Metal bands but this one is quite different. Imagine the heaviest metal mixed in with ambient mood music, prog rock and maybe a Gregorian chant and you might get an idea of how it sounds. 

Darkthrone - The Lone Pines Of The Lost Planet - https://youtu.be/w3seDas5sSc

For the first time ever I bought a CD I already own. Curses! As a result, I have embarked on a quest to catalogue all that I have. I estimate there's about 1100 CDs. Then there's all the LPs and cassettes. Fortunately the Discogs app allows you to scan barcodes using the camera on your phone. I don't like to do things in half measures so as well as cataloguing them I am listening to every album in its entirety. This could take a while. 

Saint Etienne - Lost In The Library - https://youtu.be/1FgSXsrb0io

A while ago I had a great stereo receiver and turntable. They'd belonged to my parents who I assume bought them when we lived in Singapore in the early to mid 1970s. The receiver was a big, heavy, glorious Sansui 771 and the turntable was a lovely Akai AP-005 fully automatic model. Sadly, I gave them away at a time when I gave away a lot of stuff thinking that I was doing a good thing. In fairness, a lot of the stuff did need to go but I can see now that I went a bit over the top and wasn't thinking right. I've had a groovy, modern, Audio Technica turntable for a few years now but for a while I've really wanted to replace it with something old school. Well, after saving up for quite a long time, I finally took action and thanks to a referral from my great mate Steve, I am now the proud owner of a mid-1980s Dual 500 player. After listening to a few vintage turntables that Steve's mate had up for sale I brought the Dual home. It sounds just wonderful. Woo hoo!!

Leo Sayer - Giving It All Away (live) - https://youtu.be/F_0ZAe8aAok

Oh, and while I am no poet, I've decided that instead of hiding that part of my life in a notebook and the Notes app on my phone, that I'll post some stuff in the blog. The first one I've posted is available here right now.

I've been doing more and more reading over the last few months. I tend to stick to non-fiction or relatively easy to read fiction. Non-fiction is a winner because I don't have to remember a complicated plot line and therefore end up getting frustrated when I don't remember half the characters or essential parts of the plot. When it comes to fiction, I've been reading some Australian detective stuff which has been excellent. I'm able to picture the characters and places so I think the author must be doing something right! The other thing I realised is that I was avoiding reading physical paper books because my eyesight was a bit off. I now have groovy new reading glasses.

Belle and Sebastian - Wrapped Up In Books - https://youtu.be/iBU-MxydbWQ

The other thing I have been avoiding a bit has been cycling. You wouldn't realise it immediately but I know I have been. The reason is my back. For ages I've needed to do a LOT of stretching and core work to keep it relatively healthy. My new bike has been a complete revelation in this respect. I can ride for a few hours, hop off and not be stiff and sore. I realised that my commuting bike also has me crouched over a bit too much so I'll be getting rid of it and sticking with the new one only. This weekend I've had two solid rides. My back feels great and my general outlook is much improved as a direct result. Yes, I still need to keep some core work going but hopefully not quite so much.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Strange Things Happening Every Day - https://youtu.be/-88l-M0KgkI

Finally, after a VERY long wait, the 30th anniversary version of Roxette's album, Crash! Boom! Bang!, has arrived. I ordered it from what I thought was an Australian seller but it turned out to be a front for a UK based mob. I waited over a month and I was starting to think that I'd blown my dough! All of the demo versions are the winner here. Per Gessle is a great writer of pop/rock songs who loves classic guitars. Perhaps this is one for the serious fans only but I'll be playing it over and over!

Roxette - Crash! Boom! Bang! (T & A Demo - May 6, 1993) - https://youtu.be/1oMP9uXJyvY

Finally, I may have mentioned that I have a support slot coming up at a gig towards the end of May. So I'm busy choosing songs to play at that. Make sure you follow George's FB page for details of his world tour of Australia. He'll be appearing here, there and everywhere. Not to mention that he has new CDs on the way and some groovy tour merch. Please support him if you can.

Sorry that this bit was long; but you get value for money here at the World Wide Woozle.

Part 2

When I started writing, the truth was that I wasn't quite sure what to write about. This just poured out so it may be a bit of a stream of consciousness.

Many of you will be aware that I had a rather unpleasant mental health episode a few weeks ago. It came out of the blue and was the worst incident I've ever had. Of course, with hindsight, I can see the warning signs. Fortunately I had a support plan in my head and amazing people that looked after me until I was OK to be in charge of myself again. Now I'm back on medication for the first time in a few years and I have a new psychologist to work with. The psych says that I need to be kind to myself. That's easier said than done but I'll give it a red hot go.

Green Day - Basket Case - https://youtu.be/NUTGr5t3MoY

No-one ever knows what to say in situations like this, so don't worry. You don't need to say anything. I'm doing all I can to take control of my brain and I have help.

The Screaming Jets - Helping Hand (COVID ISO session) - https://youtu.be/BuFPajGugOg

I had some anti-depressants back in 2019 and I think I finished with them towards the end of 2020. In retrospect I don't really know if they worked or not. At the time I thought that they were helping me to think clearly and stopping my brain flooding my consciousness with crazy and unhelpful ideas. This time around the effect is different so far. They make me tired, sometimes spaced out and my balance has been a little off. I get headspins. And then there's the dreams! Even when I've been really unwell or unhappy in the past I've been a great sleeper. It's my super power! I can sleep almost anywhere and at any time. Having weird and crazy dreams, not nightmares, is no fun at all and I hope it stops soon. It's too soon to know if the medication is making me feel 'better' but I guess my mood is relatively stable. I know I have to be patient but I'm not. The medication is also making me hungry and, as I'm sure you can guess, I am finding that to be a particularly difficult thing to manage. Every single night I have to fight the urge not to take them.

The Wombats - Anti-D - https://youtu.be/ti1W7Zu8j9k

The psych also told me that I am really good at minimising things or making it sound as if they aren't particularly significant. What I'll do is talk with her about some very serious stuff and then end that part of the conversation with, "anyway", and move on. I have to work on this as it's probably something I've done for a very long time. Therapy is confronting. 

Soul Asylum - Misery - https://youtu.be/GLQ2TIul8pI

I guess the other thing to be aware of for anyone still reading, is that sometimes I really struggle to respond to texts, messages and emails. I'm not ignoring you, and it isn't that I can't be bothered. The truth is that sometimes I just can't bring myself to type anything. I'll keep working on that too.

I think that's enough. If you want to ask me about this stuff that's ok. But don't feel that you have to.

One final thing; none of this is anyone's fault.

Keep smiling y'all,

The Woozle

"My heart was broken, my heart was broken,
Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow..."

The Proclaimers, Sunshine on Leith, 1988

Tired - 11 March 2025

Today I am tired.
More tired than a tired thing.
The voices in my head are noisy.
They want me to scream and snore all at once.
Another hour telling my life's story to a psych.
The chance of a new beginning.
Maybe it's another reboot.
I'd prefer an upgrade rather than a patch.
The drugs make me light headed.
The drugs make me hungry.
The drugs make me tired.
The drugs might give me clarity.
Might.
Today I am tired.

World Wide Woozle episode #644

Hello and welcome back.

During the week I posted the second episode in my series about albums that matter to me. Please feel free to check it out. Episode 3 is almost written as well.

I've always enjoyed writing, other than when it is for university type stuff. I'm conscious that those of you better educated can no doubt pick holes in my grammar and crazy use of punctuation. The way I try to write is the way I'd have a conversation rather than an academic paper. I'm hoping to never need the Harvard Referencing System ever again. I'm scarred by my experience with an Australian university who failed me in a Masters level unit as a result of my content and referencing in an essay that I had asked multiple times for assistance with. Thanks to that university for making me unwell. Enough of that. Let's rock!

Spotify playlist for this episode.

Black Sabbath, all four original members, are getting together for a final gig in Birmingham on July 5th. Ticket prices are predictably eye watering but the lineup is extensive and profits go to charity. Sadly it seems that Ozzy can't walk any more as a result of Parkinson's Disease. Black Sabbath have been around in one form or another since 1968 and are, of course, a seminal act in the history of heavy music.

Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - https://youtu.be/mfTpjrzas5E

A while ago I watched the Amazon TV series, Daisy Jones & The Six. I really enjoyed it and it's well worth your time. I'm currently reading the book that the series is based on and I'm not all that impressed. Perhaps I'm spoiled by having seen the dramatisation but I'm finding it quite dry. The concept is great and obviously translated to TV well but the book seems like a by the numbers story of a rock and roll band in the seventies. It's far from bad and I will finish the book but I'd be loath to recommend it.

Daisy Jones & The Six - Let Me Down Easy - https://youtu.be/Xbt1tOadwHA

A couple of weeks ago I headed to the cinema to see the latest Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. Five anorak wearing old blokes, plus me, had the theatre to ourselves and it was even cheap Tuesday! I thought the film was very well made and I enjoyed the fact that most of the songs in the movie weren't shortened or cut off. The highlight for me was Edward Norton playing Pete Seeger. The physical and vocal resemblance to the iconic American folk artist was astounding. The film is worth it for that alone. Monica Barbaro, as Joan Baez, was super as well. I read that she spent around five months learning to sing and play the guitar. The music in the film isn't mimed. Monica also had to wear fake teeth and sing at the same time! And while Timothée Chalamet is excellent as Bob Dylan, he ends up looking more like Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. I found the story compelling and time flew by. Hearing those songs on a big theatre sound system was a treat as well. Did I learn anything as well as having a good time? Yes I did; Bob Dylan wasn't a very nice man. 

Monica Barbaro and Timothée Chalamet  - It Ain't Me, Babe - https://youtu.be/NSGxM9bs3uY

DJ DaveDubya sends me good stuff. I like jazz almost as much as I like opera and that's not much at all. The next track however, is very groovy (baby). I love the way that they have two drummers to play quite separate parts of what would be a single kit. These are serious musos.

Vulfpeck - Deantown - https://youtu.be/le0BLAEO93g

My brother also sends me excellent music recommendations. Given that we haven't lived in the same house since I was 16, I am very interested that his Spotify generated discovery playlist is often quite similar to mine. The next song that he recommended reminds me a lot of Sleaford Mods in the best possible way. Listen to the lyrics. 

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill - https://youtu.be/CWrMGXwhFLk

On Wednesday I had a really bad day. I had felt it coming but until it hit I was essentially powerless to stop it. It wasn't one particular thing that triggered it, rather a whole lot of smaller things that piled on top of one another and hit me hard. I took myself home from work at lunchtime as that gave me about 30 minutes to stare out the tram window whilst listening to good tunes. After finishing work at home I headed to one of my favourite places for a long walk in the bush. More and more I wonder if I'm meant to be in cities at all for any longer than is absolutely necessary?

Mulligan's Flat, ACT. 13 Feb 2025.

I think that's enough for this time around. Hugs to all those who look after me even when I don't behave all that well! I'll be keeping a bit to myself for a few days.

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

"Talk about things that nobody cares

Wearing other things that nobody wears
You're calling my name but I got to make clear
I can't say baby where I'll be in a year..."

Aerosmith, Sweet Emotion, 1975.

World Wide Woozle - Albums that matter episode #2

Welcome back to my series about albums that matter to me. If you missed it, the first episode is available online at this link: episode 1. At the time of writing sixty brave souls have had a look; thank you all.

Album #2: Jason Isbell - Southeastern (2013)

In 2013 Jason Isbell released what I regard to be one of the best albums of all time. Southeastern is a collection of songs of such strength and depth that any songwriter could not fail to be impressed. Although Isbell would go on to win six Grammy Awards for subsequent work, this album is the one that I love. It's cliched to call it lightning in a bottle but that's what Jason and producer Dave Cobb achieved.

I became aware of this album via my good mate George. He insisted that I listen to it and gently cajoled me into taking more than a passing interest. In the end, as part of George's band, I played a gig where we performed Southeastern in its entirety.

We're here to talk about why I regard this album as important to me. I can assure you, after seeing Jason play live in 2018 and being part of a crowd singing along to every song, that his music is important to others.

Firstly, Southeastern is a reminder of a band I was once in. Junk Sculpture was around long before my involvement as well as after I was done. We played many special shows, most notably for me up in Tingha and surrounds. I had to work hard to learn every song on Southeastern but it was never a chore. I was blessed with bandmates who were (and remain) much better musicians than me. That said, they encouraged me and, with kindness, made me improve markedly. The thought of that relationship, or was it a brotherhood, still fills me with good vibes. The songs may sound simple in places but to be relatively faithful to them takes effort and a deep respect for the music.

When we played the Southeastern gig in 2015 it was at a beautiful old church outside Canberra. The venue was great, the crowd appreciative and the band was in a state of flow. I was there in body but not in spirit that day. I had learned the songs so well that it was autopilot. This was during the week Zoë was unaccounted for after Tropical Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. I remember not wanting to go to the gig but I knew there were others counting on me. So I don't remember much about the show other than saying a few words to the man upstairs whilst in the church on the off chance that he might be listening. It would be another few days before we got news that Zoë was OK. So, Southeastern takes me back to that time for both good and not so happy reasons.

The final reason that I think this album is important is that I keep coming back to it for inspiration. Whether it's the elegant fingerpicking on some tracks, the ripping solos on others or the sublime turns of phrase, this is an album I listen to very regularly. In the lyrics I am struck by Isbell's use of what he might see as common words. In particular I mean place names and medications that have a musical quality. Have you heard a song with Klonopin or Pedialyte mentioned before? I had to look them up. And places like Ybor City and Fond du Lac. Not only has my knowledge of USA geography improved, but it's made me wonder that whilst I might think that place names local to me don't belong in songs because they sound silly, perhaps they wouldn't to others.

There is now a tenth anniversary edition of the album that includes demo tracks as well as a live set. It's all killer and no filler. The demo versions in particular reveal Isbell's depth of talent.

 

I've been listening to the album whilst writing all of this down and trying to select a track to play for you all. Although I have my favourites, choosing one or two is a hard task. I've decided to select two. The first is the one I enjoyed playing the most. Guitarists love playing, loud, in the keys of E and A. Electric guitars, rock and roll music and those keys just work well together. Super 8 challenged me as it's in C (I think). I don't play slide guitar but approximating the cool guitar licks is heaps of fun. Recently, whilst watching live footage of the band, I have realised that there is a better than average chance that it's played in an open tuning (where the guitar is tuned to a chord). Maybe I need to try that but regular tuning is hard enough!

Jason Isbell - Super 8 - https://youtu.be/kydK3NvFvvg

The other song I'd like to recommend is Songs That She Sang In The Shower. It's not one of the 'hits' but I really like the guitar riff. It swings along in a way that I found hard to nail down for a while but when I stopped counting and started feeling the beat I got it. It also includes one of my favourite lyrics, "and the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees". Sure, this is a sad song but it's achingly beautiful to my ears.

Jason Isbell - Songs That She Sang In The Shower - https://youtu.be/W8qNgGh-x9M

In one of Jason's songs on a subsequent album the lyric is, "I've sung enough about myself". It's an interesting choice of words. Southeastern is his post-rehab album but whilst the themes may reflect this, the majority of the songs aren't about him. Isbell has that knack of telling a story about someone else and making it sound personal.

Tune in next time for a trip back to 1988.

Thanks for reading this,

The Woozle

World Wide Woozle episode #643

Hello radio fans, music lovers, stalkers and legends.

Here we are again to check out some tunes, catch up on the trivial goings on in my life, and maybe learn a thing or two. Let's rock.

Before we go further, the Spotify playlist for this episode is available by clicking here.

Vintage Trouble - Get It On  (Ike & Tina cover, live) - https://youtu.be/eipXthVqu_4

I heard the next song for the first time today. Of course some of you will know all about Gordon Lightfoot but I don't. I really like the storytelling, his laid back voice and the way this reminds me a bit of Warren Zevon. Sundown was a number one hit in 1974.

Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown - https://youtu.be/1IBdZ645S-o

I was on the Bandcamp website today tracking down a CD I've ordered that is yet to arrive. Whilst I was looking around trying to work out how to sort this out I stumbled across a whole lot of curated lists of songs. These aren't just a list; they are articles that talk about the songs and artists. This is completely my thing and I spent my lunchtime lost in a world of 70s French disco, 90s Cascadian psychedelia, and the best metal songs of January. Man oh man, this is cool!

Cerrone - Love in C Minor - https://youtu.be/TRiIiPnJvNc?si=WixLI7NEeRoaOw8n&t=80

Keeping it funky, but much closer to home, the next song is sure to have you tapping your foot if not up and dancing around your lounge room. I'm not sure I expected to hear an eight piece funk band from Arnhem Land but here it is. Great song, great clip and more to explore. If you like bands like Songhoy Blues or Tinariwen then you'll love this; guaranteed.

Andrew Gurruwiwi Band - Yaa Djamarrkuḻi - https://youtu.be/HpF4IzzTiU8

Last weekend Toddo and I headed to Geelong to participate in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Ride. Not the pro race mind you, we let them have that to themselves. Overall we covered 140km of big hills, glorious coastlines, and horrendous headwinds. All done mostly with smiles on our faces. It was a top few days away with the chance to catch up with members of both of our families as well as our good mate Yol in Albury. The weekend was also my last ride on my faithful red racing bike. It's gone to Angus now who will no doubt set speed records on it. Props to the Oppy at North Geelong for an excellent feed on Friday night.

Iron City Houserockers - Have A Good TIme (But Get Out Alive) - https://youtu.be/L3B7gGs5FyE

Here's another track that the YouTube algorithm got oh so right when it popped this into my feed. Joe Holmes was Ozzy's guitar player for a number of years and his heavy music pedigree is more than solid. Maybe this song was recommended as a result of me listening to a few Soundgarden and Alice In Chains tracks. Whatever the reason, it works for me. I've listened to Joe's 2024 album, Farmikos, quite a bit in the last few days.

Joe Holmes - The Deadfall - https://youtu.be/kR0paYEld-4

Noting that the Led Zeppelin movie is to be released in cinemas very shortly, I thought it was time to go back and listen to them before heading to the theatre. Led Zeppelin was the first CD boxset I ever bought. It was released at the end of 1990 and I remember being hugely excited to get it. Remastering and packaging like this is the norm now but it wasn't then. I'm not a massive fan but they are definitely cool as well as being important.

Led Zeppelin - Over The Hills And Far Away - https://youtu.be/Am9gu4wkY9E

The other thing I want to talk about is my guitars. They've sat, unloved, in my house for quite a while now. I just haven't felt like playing for such a long time. Over the past few weeks I've been considering how to get enthused about making my own music but I've not had any luck. Watch out though because I now have something to aim for. Watch this space to hear about my performing live later in the year. I better build some calluses and remember how to play. Fortunately I've been singing in the car!

Billy Bragg - A New England (live) - https://youtu.be/kl9DxOmSo-I

Keep an eye out for Albums That Matter #2, It's not far off being complete. 

That's all folks. Thanks for reading and listening.

The Woozle

"When you're young, you can fly
But we trip on clouds 'cause we get too high
We grow up, and then it's gone
Oh God only knows what we'll become..."

The Band Perry, Don't Let Me Be Lonely, 2013.

World Wide Woozle episode #642

Thank you readers! 50 people have taken the time to read my first "albums that matter" blog post. I'm flabbergasted. I really wasn't sure that it would generate any interest at all. You can be assured that, with renewed vigour and enthusiasm,  I'll keep working on more of these.

ZZ Top - I Thank You (1979) - https://youtu.be/PjbaHlTl86Q

Link to Spotify playlist for all the songs in this episode; click here.

Jethro Tull will be releasing a new album in early March. As you'd expect, a single has been released, along with the obligatory music video, to get our attention. Ignoring the fact that Jethro Tull should never have won a Grammy for heavy metal bands, I quite like them albeit not in huge doses. The album Stormwatch (1979) is the one for me and has been for more than twenty years. The new single is classic Tull. They have an instantly recognisable sound based around Ian's flute and voice melded with traditional and modern instrumentation. The new single showcases all of that as well as new guitarist Jack Clark who channels the old rhythm sounds and adds tasty soaring lead breaks.

Jethro Tull - Curious Remnant - https://youtu.be/sFOv9HHe19c

I'm a bit miffed today. I thought my sore knee was better so I headed off for a gentle walk. Well, I was wrong and it still hurts. I will put my big boy trousers on and get it looked at by the physio next week. This is so annoying. I trained hard on my walking fitness prior to going to the USA. I gradually built up distance and time to the point where a 21km hard hike up and down hills felt good. Oh well. I'll do the rehab and get it back to what passes for normal. Meanwhile my new bike with its geometry that suits my back is a total revelation. At least that doesn't hurt anything! I also have some other fitness stuff going on but maybe I'll reveal that another time.

Have you ever listened to a band called Mogwai? Me neither. Not with any real level of interest anyway. They are from Glasgow and have been around since 1995. At some stage I got it into my head that all they did was make noise that annoyed me so I tuned out. I was turned around by some tracks from their new album (released yesterday) that were early releases. Much of their music is instrumental and some tracks are very long and involved. If you'd like something to listen to that you can feel as well then this might be it. Apparently they are a "post-rock" band. 

Mogwai - Fanzine Made Of Flesh - https://youtu.be/hKFvvSE4SCo

Here's one for all my peeps in the UK, USA and Canada. While we are sweating it out DownUnder, they're contending with some very average weather. How had I not heard of this celtic/punk band from Sydney? They are awesome!

The Rumjacks feat. Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys - Cold Like This  - https://youtu.be/LAS3hnlzSH8

Jason Isbell also has a new album coming out. This time it's a solo, acoustic affair. He's a well regarded lyricist and musician and I'm looking forward to seeing how he fares without The 400 Unit backing him up. If you haven't heard the album of mostly solo, acoustic demos from the Southeastern album that came out last year then seriously, run to the record shop (or your preferred streaming service) and have a listen. 

Jason Isbell - Bury Me - https://youtu.be/dMUTZv-6Yak

I've chosen the next song because it's one I started listening to a few years ago and I regularly find myself re-adding it to my playlists. When I first heard it, Willie Nile was a guy I didn't know but it turns out he's great. The album that includes this track is well worth listening to. Sometimes I feel that he has the same pattern of repetition in many of his songs but then if it works then why fix it. This is earthy, honest rock and roll with lyrics that, despite a million cliches, bite hard.

Willie Nile with Steve Earle - Blood On Your Hands - https://youtu.be/LCM1QyWM-3M

My mate George is busy prepping for some upcoming gigs. Watch out for details soon if you are in Canberra as well as further afield. He's also found time to release a new song and associated clip. This one is a bit different to a lot of George's slower tunes. Yes, it's complex but also easy to listen to (without being easy listening). It's a song that I feel I can let wash over me and seep into my pores. Please give it a listen. Supporting local music is more important than ever in a world of billion listen Spotify tracks. And if you want a copy of this on physical media then George is available via his website or Farcebook page.

George Huitker - What Makes It Rain - https://youtu.be/ateArN2kZtU

Sometimes the internet is a good thing. I mean that's how you're reading this as opposed to me sending reams of photocopies of a fanzine all over the world. As a result of being online and looking for Big Country songs this band popped up. They're from Saskatoon in Canada which is also where one of my great friends, Ken, lives. Were they well known outside of Canada? I dunno. This is a great song though and I intend to track down an album or two. To be honest, when the song started I thought that they were about to cover Blondie's Heart of Glass.

The Northern Pikes - Things I Do For Money - https://youtu.be/7FnrC0JPEAI

Shirley Manson has a singing voice that I really like. She's also a great actress. Check her out in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles as she's wonderfully evil. This song regularly resonates with me and perhaps as a cautionary tale. It's too easy to only be happy when you've got something to whinge about.

Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains (acoustic) - https://youtu.be/ieZWE_A6gzc

What would happen if The Doors, The Specials, and a beat poet mixed their DNA up in Washington DC and started a band? I think I've found the answer to this in a group called Des Demonas. One of my regular music pusher-men, David Dubya, pointed me in their direction and I was not disappointed.

Des Demonas - Apocalyptic Boom Boom - https://youtu.be/NxzHZLw_JOQ

That'll do. Watch out for a link to the next albums that matter episode via Fartsbook or in the next blog. I'm not emailing those out as a maximum of one email every now and then for me is enough.

Rock on and keep smiling,

The Woozle (with 'assistance' from Gertrude and Fitzwilliam)

"If you wanna be an Aussie, here's the way to go

Take care of Country and let the wattles grow.

There's no room for hate here, love runs the show..."

John Williamson, If You Wanna Be An Aussie, 2025.

World Wide Woozle episode #641

Hello groovers and welcome back.

First of all, the World Wide Woozle current listening playlist is completely updated and available for your listening pleasure. Click here to access it via Spotify. Spotify doesn't tell me if anyone actually listens to this but it keeps me amused for ages.

Secondly, as I mentioned last time around, I've started a series of new blog posts about albums that matter to me. Episode 1 is now online. I'm always interested in feedback and to hear if particular albums or songs resonate with you. This series won't be particularly regular but there are a few posts bubbling away on paper and in my brain so keep an eye out for links here and perhaps via Farcebook. To be honest, all you're going to get out of me on social media for the foreseeable future is music links and maybe a photo or two. I have successfully reduced my usage of Zuckerberg's Zombie Zone almost down to zero. This accompanies an increase in the amount of reading I'm doing.

On Friday night I was fortunate enough that my mate Steve invited me out to a gig. We headed to Smith's Alternative in town to see John Kennedy & The New Originals. All I knew about the band was what I could glean in a week of listening to a lot of their albums. The show was awesome. Imagine Elvis Costello mixed up with Wedding Parties Anything and The Go-Betweens (with a touch of The Johnnys) and you're in the ballpark. John's band included Phil Hall (Lime Spiders), Murray Cook (Soul Movers, The Wiggles) as well as Pete Timmerman (drums) and Matt Galvin (guitars). They were admittedly a bit rusty but that only showed on one or two brand new songs and they laughed it up and played on. I grabbed a signed copy of their latest (live) CD, Live At The Marrickville Bowl, and was disappointed that they didn't have other albums for sale. Great band, great fun and with the early slot at Smith's, I was home by about 2145hrs!

John Kennedy & The New Originals - Good To Be Here - https://youtu.be/uiD_I9ac4mQ

I've had a rough couple of weeks with my mental health. There's no rhyme or reason to it and that's such a frustrating thing. Then I twisted my knee while out bushwalking and it's been a bit sore. Cycling has been fine but I had to drastically cut back on my walking for a week and a bit. Boring! And just when I was at my lowest this song popped up via the YouTube algorithms. For once they got it right. This is a ripper and I'm sure you'll understand why. Good old Ringo!

Ringo Starr  - Look Up - https://youtu.be/1SyYbLRlwKI

I can't top that song from Ringo so that'll do for this time around.

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

Never ever ever gonna drive so fast,

Never ever ever gonna smash the past,

Never ever ever gonna hide my face...

Soul Movers, You-Turn, 2024

World Wide Woozle - Albums that matter episode #1

Welcome

Welcome to an irregular series of posts about albums that matter. As with all my blog posts I am interested to hear from you with comments, questions or feedback. I'm not a professional writer however so there's no need to correct my grammar, style or spelling!

What's this all about?

I've written almost 650 blog posts about music, songs and my life. I started in 2007 and although there have been a few twists and bumps along the road, I've been writing for close to twenty years. The reasons for wanting or needing to write change from week to week. Often I'm writing for myself as much as for you, the reader and listener.

Last week I was blogging and listening to music when a track came on that floored me. I was instantly transported back to a particular time and place. I remembered listening to the album that the song was on over and over. Is it the greatest album of all time? Hardly. What I reflected on though was what the long player meant to me then and now.

As a result, I've decided to write about some albums that matter or mattered to me in one way or another.

Album #1: AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video (1988)

AC/DC fans will no doubt already be up in arms. The 1988 release is hardly well regarded and although it gave us two big singles, the rest is forgettable to most. Not to me.

In January 1988 I was going into my final year of school. My family had been in a state of change and I'd come back to Australia to live with my Dad. It wasn't an easy time for anyone. On the way home from Melbourne airport to Gippsland we dropped into a shopping centre. I knew that Blow Up Your Video had just been released and I was hoping that it would be in stores by now. At that time I was a massive fan of hard rock and heavy metal despite it really not being a popular form of music with other than one or two of my friends. I was ecstatic to get the cassette and Dad gritted his teeth and let me pop it into the car stereo.

Let me tell you about the car stereo. Back in the 80s, having a great car sound system wasn't all that common. Certainly only a few years earlier I'd been told that we wouldn't be playing the radio or cassettes in the car because Dad said it was distracting. Times change! This car had a two speaker system as well as receiving AM stereo which was brand new in Australia at the time (and didn't last). I loved to be in that car and listen to AM radio that wasn't the standard muffled mono sound. The cassette player was awesome too. It had separate controls for bass and treble, as opposed to a single tone knob, and that mattered to me.

So, in went AC/DC. I think Dad managed to cope with the first side before he'd had enough. In all fairness to him, this is before we really saw eye to eye on music to listen to, but that's a tale to tell another day about another special album.

In 1988 albums were precious. None of us had many and we shared and copied. My cassette carrier with its twenty cassettes was a prized possession. As a result, I got to be very familiar with those particular recordings as well as my small collection of LPs and 45 rpm singles.

In no time at all I knew the tracks on Blow Up Your Video inside out. I can still sing along to most of them now. In 1988 I'd stay up late for the few hours of MTV we got on a Friday or Saturday night in the usually vain hope of seeing AC/DC or anything close to hard rock. The clips for Heatseeker and That's The Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll were aired once in a blue moon. No-one I knew had a video recorder. I'm not sure that my school had more than one or two either.

I don't think there are any stinkers on this album, in fact the opposite. The guitars growled and roared in a way that they wouldn't again on an AC/DC record. The next album had a more commercial, almost processed sound and then after that the guitars, whilst still awesome, became cleaner. More Rolling Stones-esque than what we'd been used to. Brian Johnson (vocals) talks about the record being recorded in an old chateau in France. It sounds glamorous but in reality it was run down and spartan. Apparently the band couldn't wait to get out of there. As a result the album has a level of urgency to it. The AC/DC swagger is there in spades but there's also a menacing feel borne of a level of discomfort. I guess that edge to the sound resonated with me then and it still does.

Only four of the ten tracks on Blow Up Your Video have ever been played in concert by AC/DC. I guess that's an indication both of the strength of their catalogue but also of how much they maybe don't like the album.

Meanstreak is, for me, the one that they should give an airing once in a while. The intro riff reminds me of a police siren and the song has a wonderful groove that conjures up images of old cartoon crooks tiptoeing down a shady alleyway.

I still have Blow Up Your Video on that original cassette from 1988. I shudder to think how many times it was played at home and on my walkman clone. I've now got it on CD as well but it's not one I've managed to add to the collection on vinyl yet. I must remedy that one day soon. The album is a reminder of my final year at school and all that is part of that pivotal time. A very strong memory is listening to it on the bus on the way to school, hoping that the batteries in the walkman would last. My player had two headphone jacks so I would regularly be listening with my mate Paul. I'm pretty sure I didn't subject my Dad to it in the car again though!

Thanks for reading this,
The Woozle

World Wide Woozle episode #640

Welcome back enormous listening world. To paraphrase Bon Scott, if you want tunes, you've got it!

I started creating a playlist for this episode a little while ago. Whilst there's a theme, I won't make you guess. The playlist is here on Spotify.

There's no secret that I really don't like to dance. I always feel awkward, self-conscious and like I'd rather be anywhere else. I'm happy to stand or sit at a live show and I'll tap my foot, nod my head and sing along but I'm not dancing. At least not in public. When I was in Jindabyne recently I was pumping out some tunes and one made me want to throw caution to the wind and dance. So I did. This group of songs are the ones that I dance to when no-one is looking. These are the ones that make me smile and I hope you do as well. The episode is meant to be fun so click ALL the links (or the playlist) and get moving. Remember, no-one ever has to know!

First up, the song that made me want to move my body. This is also a really good fun song to play but I can't sing it for quids!

Bryan Adams, Mel C - When You're Gone - https://youtu.be/wB4fLBULvdE

SWOOP were around from '91-'99 and this track has always been a favourite of mine. The fuzzed out guitar solo is a killer and I really like the interplay between the two vocalists.

SWOOP - Apple Eyes - https://youtu.be/c2gvieJeKXA

The Party Boys had a rotating roster made up of the who's who of Australian music. Their 1987 album brought them a couple of hits and also the support slot for AC/DC's 1988 World Tour. The self-titled album was on high rotation with me all through my last year of high school. This is an old La De Da's song and Kevin Borich is in both bands. I just think it's a great rock and roll song. I was hooked from the first three descending power chords that come just after the introduction.

The Party Boys - Gonna See My Baby Tonight - https://youtu.be/wSpXFlh_47k

I missed the Skyhooks because I was a bit young and not living in Australia or paying attention when they were at their peak. That's OK, I've made up for it in recent years. For a while I thought they were a bit too glam for my liking and then I focussed on the tunes. There's a really good compilation of 70s Melbourne bands named after the next song. Two and half hours of bands like the Skyhooks, Daddy Cool, Jo Jo Zep, The Sports, and Mondo Rock. This CD turned me on to this track and subsequently more Skyhooks tunes. But yeah, it's another one that makes me want to get up and move.

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

I saw You Am I play live at the Livid Festival in Brisbane back in 1995 and they were woeful. Maybe they were just having a bad day in the brutal heat but I didn't hang around for much of their set. The same day I saw Supergroove, The Mark of Cain, The Cruel Sea, and Rollins Band play magnificent sets. I've not had the chance to see them again but live footage and longevity seems to suggest that they know what they're doing! This track, recorded live in 1997 for a programme in the Netherlands, is a great demonstration of indie pop. It's got a great beat, catchy melody and it's a toe tapper.

You Am I - Good Mornin' (live) - https://youtu.be/72YAhcRN62c

In 1992, Dan Baird (ex Georgia Satellites) released an album called, Love Songs For The Hearing Impaired. If good old fashioned rock and roll is your thing then this album is for you. It's full of tracks made for singing along to and possibly getting a little line dancing in as well. This one is a story in just a few minutes; it's just a shame there's no film clip.

Dan Baird - Dixie Beauderant - https://youtu.be/NyI4181J-Z4

Hands up who remembers when mobile telephones were carried around in a satchel and only rich people and posers had them? Me, I do. I also remember my good mate Vaughan and I managing a loan pool of them at work. Who was that senior officer who allegedly used his loaner to call x-rated phone lines?! Anyway, this song isn't so much about the advent of mobile telephones as it is about people changing and not always for the best. I saw Weddings Parties Anything at the Canberra Racecourse somewhere in the mid-90s and they were so cool. I loved, and still love, the Celtic and folk influences in their brand of Aussie rock and roll.

Weddings Parties Anything - Telephone In Her Car - https://youtu.be/tpTrjR0CFOk

Last year I saw The Darkness play here in Canberra. It was almost surreal to be in a smallish venue, up close and personal with such a big band. They have a lot of fun and make sure that their audiences do as well. As this song should indicate to you, they don't take themselves too seriously.

The Darkness - Friday Night - https://youtu.be/_MdSawNUEIk

This one shouldn't be a huge surprise to anyone who has been reading my blog for any length of time. It's been a while since I picked up a guitar but this is one of my favourite songs to play. It was great fun in a band and it's a cracker alone as well. Watching Jason and Sadler playing though I think I probably should be learning it in an open tuning. I avoided Super 8 motels in the USA but I guess it would've been amusing to go to one. Next time.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Super 8 (live at Red Rocks, 2024) - https://youtu.be/OAPT13PUqxM

I'm going to finish this little dance playlist with something from Kylie. I'm not too proud to say that very early on I didn't think much of her at all. But then it's easy to jump on a bandwagon without really making up your own mind. In the late 80s heavy metal fans did not listen to Kylie. Bollocks to that. She's awesome and this is a very fine track.

Kylie Minogue - Say Something - https://youtu.be/KMt8NbndXCo

Next time on The World Wide Woozle I'll be starting an on again, off again series of deep dives into albums that mean something to me. All that and the usual blabbing and a live gig review.

Keep smiling,
The Woozle

"We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance
And if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine..."

Men Without Hats, Safety Dance, 1982.