The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 17 September - 1 October 1996
September 17th
Tuesday chart day. Both ENZso and Recurring Dream have dropped one spot in the national chart. ENZso is now out of the top ten (#11) and Recurring Dream has moved back from #8 to #9. We'll all have to work at lot harder this week to move both of them up. Decide to have some of the afternoon off and watch the "Totally Fucked Up" movie. After being so "up" from seeing the Dalai Lama, this movie can really bring you down- wow these kids are totally fucked up. Kind of funny in a tragic Hollywood sort of way. Not sure if it's a "must see" but if it's on your local community channel check it out. Amused that the movie critic wouldn't say the full title....yet you can say "fuck" in the movie. Couldn't be bothered cooking so Jen,Merl,Mark and myself took the grey ghost to South melbourne for Mexican. Yes I was tempted by the Midori Marguerittas.... but I was sensible (in a smashed sort of way) and slowed down near the end. I'm glad I did-I took the scenic route home via the lake....and ol' Gryphon eyes spots a booze bus down the end. Yieks....I've only been on full license for a few weeks-after 3 years I am NOT going to lose it now. I check in my mirror and do a quick U turn....within 20 seconds a Police car pulls me over. We still think he had on a cloaking device..where did he come from. Yes officer one white wine with dinner,booze bus-what booze bus.........so the grey ghost follows them to the bus. The Gryphon driving quickly stuffs a whole gingerbread man from the restaurant into his mouth. The policewoman gives me the "device" BLOW. I do, I'm way under...I'm lucky!!!! No more Marguerittas while I'm driving.September 18th
Jen and Merl depart today..I get my bed back. We all have breakfast at Prahran and Spock and Maz drop in. They are good breakfast people...everyone picks on me, it's my turn..I let them get their 10c worth (bastards).Feeling fragile,feeling sad What's that girl got in her bag Quick another coffee Michael. Whip the beast! (Coffee days).
Get the latest artwork off Spock. he's done a great job with all the coverart and Newsletter stuff. he's getting very quick these days. Clever Vulcan.
September 19th
What a strange day-really dark....the end of the world..methinks. It's so dark,at 9.30 all the streetlights are on,all the front lights on the shops along Chapel St. are lit up. We're all going to die! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHSeptember 20th
Hey we're still here...what did I do yesterday? I think it was work. Spend time on the net "tooling about". Check out info on the upcoming StarTrek movie "First Contact"-opens in the USA 22/11/96.Bring on the Borg. Someone mentions that they spotted Nick Seymour back in Melbourne. He hasn't called me yet...and he supposively has WHITE hair......maybe that's why he hasnt called me!!! Is this the new Nick?September 21st
My Sis and her "friend" arrive at Melbourne airport on their way to Tasmania. Her 'friend" is really the boses son.....hope it works out. She seems happy. Now if you are a girl with an older brother you know what we are like. I remember meeting one of her boyfriends for the first time. I think I said "If you hurt my sister I'll kill you". Think I should of just said "Hi". Having a sister is great, we compete....a bit. We travelled all over Europe and only fought occasionally. I remember walking off leaving her in the main "dealing" square in Amsterdam (yes near the Bulldog).....hoping she would get lost and show me some respect...it didnt work..I got worried that she was going to be "sold off" or have smack planted on her......but she turned up,smiling enjoying my panic! I know she misses Dad a lot-we all do,but when you are a teenager losing either parent is pretty shitty. So Mum had to be dad (as well) for the past decade-she did well. Despite what people say it only gets remotely easier with time...death sucks. Vacumn the apartment. Read the Boy George Book "Take it like a man". Good book.September 22nd
Go through all the files looking for material on Skyhooks,SplitEnz and Crowdies for a special government cdrom project for Australian schools. It will be a CD Rom relating to the Real Wild Child Exhibit. Hopefully I've found enough stuff. It wont be commercially available. Another work for free project.Good Karma.September 23rd
Finally my copy of "From the ashes of Angels" arrives. It's a book by UK author Andrew Collins. The forbidden legacy of a fallen race. Its connected with Angels demons and fallen Angels. The Watchers and the Nephilim. Will be an interesting read. Go to Periscope and visit Jane. Spend some time with the gardener. In my early days with SplitEnz,when Tim first bought this house (before it was a recording studio) I use to rush over a few days before he returned from the Enz tours and do the gardens. It's a big deco house,lots of curves and the garden loves to run wild. So I spent a lot of time lying near the rubber trees reading and pulling up the weeds. The garden is better these days,still wild but in a controlled atmosphere. The studio looks great,Sharon's huge mosaic hanging over the studio consol. Jane calls by with her photos,Tim wants to use some of them on his website. he especially likes the shot of the alleyway near his home. Bring over my master reel of the Santaland Gig and change it to Dat. It needs minimal mixing-but the first and last song are useless. The rest is good. Love the Crowdies version of Anarchy in the UK.September 24th
Pay the morgage. Yes even us superstars have morgages (grin). The bank gets its claws into all of us. After a lot of work we moved both ENZso and Recurring Dream back up the charts.Both are now in the top 10 again. ENZso went from #11 to #10. Dream moved from #9 to #8. Spoke to Nick Seymour today. Yes he has white hair. he's been back for about a week. The session with BIC went well and he likes my friend Paul from Sony. Nick still thinks Bic needs to do more with her vocal. I think the album will do well in NZ and probably ASIA but she may need to still do something special for the rest of the planet. She's easily likeable,but till I hear the new stuff I cant tell. Hope she does well-nice kid.September 25th
The "Anniversary" (SplitEnz-LIVE) cd looks like it will still be released in the USA. Haven't a date yet but sent a few faxes off to the record company. I think the artwork may change a bit. Hmm what was that. Methinks it was an earth tremor. I was right. At 5.30 a #5 hit .It's centre was Mt Erica..... Mt Erica is a religous node named after Crowdies fan Erica Shultz.......... It was a short tremor,I've been in a lot worse.Put "Whole lotta shaking goin' on" on the cd player.September 26th
Grant ok's me to do the Australian ENZso tour. There might be some NZ dates after that but nothing confirmed yet. So its a week or so on the road,some BIG shows. Yes I'll keep my eyes peeled for those of you wearing the "Famous for 16 minutes" tshirts. We still have a few left. I think Deb. has created a Merch. area on the site. She is putting together some cool embroided caps. All the money from the caps goes to ASWAS so they can keep sites like these running. So if you want a cap (or a tshirt) go to merchandise.September 27th
Happy Birthday Christina Happy Birthday Christina......yes its Christinas birthday......and she thought she got away with it!!!!!! Hope it was a good one. Newsletters arrive today...all those boxes and we have to fold them. To get them all ready takes three days .......fill up 4 letter boxes in the first half hour. I'm sure the postman must hate it when we cram so much into one mailbox. had to blow brecky out with Nicole (Ellis) today-guess we'll try and reschedule in a few weeks when we are both less busy. Marjorie is in town too,but at the moment we havent any time to see people. Hope they understand.Love that "mirror Ball Car" in George Michaels video....but the song isn't that great...but it's a good car. Points for that at least. Di Spy offers to tape me all the USA "Dark Skies" episodes....I know I'll like it,but the "Spy" records sooo much for the spoilt Gryphon....so I'll decline (sigh).Thanks Di ):
September 28th
OK it's the VFL Grand Final..originally I considered going for the Sydney Swans because Jeff Kennett (of greasy hair fame..oh yeah he is our premier too) was barracking for Nth Melbourne. BUT after meeting Wayne Carey Nths Captain I was won over.......and North Melbourne won. It was an exciting game,I usually don't give a flying fuck about football but I get suckered into watching the Grand Final..I do like the passion from the fans and the game is ok if its close.The peace process in Israel looks set to collapse (again). All over a 2000 year old tunnel that's always been there. OK the tunnel is supposively the "last straw",but it seems like an excuse for fighting by both sides. Guess it's easy to judge people, sitting here at safe,incredibly beautifull Australia. Oh well as long as India doesn't set off it's nuclear devices during the same week!
September 29th
It's another Grand Final..this time the Rugby league in Sydney. Manly V's St George. Just heard that Manlys coach is Bobby Fulton. My Dad use to coach Fulton when he was a kid,just before he got signed to Sydney. I remember when I was very very young being taking to his house and meeting him. One of the first celebs. I met. Manly win. The crowd is only half of that of Melbourne Grand Final. Melbourne had 93,000 crazies at the game. Watch RED tv-nice to see Patti Smith making a cameo in the new REM video "E-Bow the letter". What a stupid name for a song. Sorry it's art. have to get the new REM album. One of the girls on the club list works for REM (Hi Michelle)September 30th
OK I haven't given out my email address yet..not sure that I will. The main problem is time. As it is we are flat out every single day answering mail, I even find it hard to keep up with my personal emails....I hate opting out on anything but everyone has warned me that I'll be swamped (without sounding conceited...sorry I know that does) and it would be worse ignoring peoples emails.ARIA awards are on tonight. We are just happy to have Crowded House nominated. Not many bands after a decade STILL get nominated. As expected YOU AM I won most of the awards,we love the Pete Townsend type-guitarist. Felt very happy for Skip and The Mentals when they won best COver art for "Liar,Liar Pants on Fire".
Skip was fashionably LATE to the awards and now he's lost his voice. There was a piece on marianne faithfull in the Age and she said one of her favourite Aussi bands was Mental as Anything. The best thing about the awards was Dave Graney winning best male bumping off John Farnham. Dave Graney is incredible, he has really BAD fashion sense,and came out in a terrible seventies jacket with a huge wig and loads of chains. he deserved to win. Harry Conick Jnr and Chris Isack co-hosted. Harry was weird....and he was wearing black leathers. Chris Isack was charming as ever...like a happy Morrissey wearing white. Grants brother Brent Thomas (who manages the Divinyls) somehow managed to get his smiling dial on TV more than anyone else. On ya Brent. Jimmy Barnes was on-not looking like someone 's aunty...for once someone had done "something" with his hair...but the song was shit. INXS played their new song..."searching"...and they really should of searched harder. Its too late to bow out gracefully...someone pass a bullet. Just arrest Michael & lock him away for crimes to the "ears:". INXs used to be good. The office telephones are mysteriously quiet today..maybe it's because of the ARIAs. People are getting something new to wear,new Haircut etc etc. So what CDS did I play today- BLUR-Greatest Hits, Reservoir Dogs Soundtrack,Pricilla Soundtrack,Beatles-Revolver and The Clouds-Aquamarine EP. I knew you'd ask. ENZso has now sold over 85,000 copies in Australia.Yes Eddie you told us!!!
OCTOBER 1st
ENZso was going to be released in America today but has been put back to OCT. 29th. The USA issue will have a multimedia attachment-basically its both videos ("Poor Boy and Message") on CD ROM. The charts are late today because everyone connected with ARIA have hangovers from last nights awards. The club gets more signed ENZso CDS this week..so if you are waiting-not long to go.We are going off to the Astor tonight to see a seventies Aussi Movie double. The Number 96 movie and The Box. Good whitetrash tv from the seventies-can't wait. A nice suprise at the P.O. Box. Christina and Elizabeth send me an Imperial Drag tshirt from a USA gig. It's HUGE.....but that's good,USA tshirts nearly always shrink to nothing. Nice thought guys-thanks.The logo on the back of the tshirt says "I've seen the future ....and it's drag". Spent most of the day mailing out newsletters,I think we mailed another 5000 today....it never ends. It's Brent (Grants Bro.) birthday tomorrow,hope the Divinyls organise something "original" for him......one hour punishment session at Madman Lash's...for example-may suggest that to Chrissie. Just heard on the news that 40,000 people are killed in America by guns each year...that's way out of control,that's over a hundred people per day. Insane. Well it looks like we will only have a charts for RECURRING DREAM and it's moved up another spot to #7 from #8. Most of the Sony staff have gone home with hangovers so we haven't a chart for ENZso today."Not the Girl..." is still having problems connecting at radio-hopefully club members will start hassling radio to play it-especially Fox FM and Today FM..Good ol' JJJ and MMM are the mains ones playing it. "Not the Girl" will NOT be available through the club so club members will have to get their own copies.
Time to go,thanks for taking time out to read through the diaries.......I am flattered that you could be bothered. I think we'll have to spice things up next instalment...lets talk SEX....lets talk rubber...lets drag some special guests along........lets talk criminal activities........download Peter getting arrested...gee all this could be fun! Stay Tuned.....Peace-Peter
PS- Just created a small piece on the "Origins of the FRENZ"...and the Ch club. have emailed it off to Deb at the Enz site (http://www.aswas.com/splitenz/) and she may use it on the site. A lot of people have been asking about how it all began..so i guess that is a good reason to wander back through time. It was fun as the "origins" piece brought back a few fond memories.Hope you find it entertaining. It will probably be in the hearsay area on the Enz site. Enjoy-PG