Famous for Sixteen Minutes: Archive

The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 8 July - 21 July 2002

Order your Famous For Sixteen Minutes books!!!

Paul Hester will be the very special guest at the WINGS OFF FLIES (25 Years of rock photographs) book launch. It will be held at: Greville St Bookstore-145 Greville St, Prahran Vic. 3181 Australia. Thursday August 1st 2002. 7.30 PM. It is by INVITE only, so if you are interested in coming along please email peter@frenz.com and mention you wish to attend the WINGS OFF FLIES launch.
Paul will be entertaining us on the night with a special preview of some new songs from his upcoming solo CD. The book will be available on the night, and several of the artists featured will be on hand (so great for signatures). Proudly released by Rocket Pocket Books.

July 8th 2002

Jurate at Greville St. Bookstore tracks down the first Lauren Hamilton 'Anita Blake' book ('Guilty Pleasures') for me. Anita Blake books are wonderfu,throw away nothing too deep, paperbacks- if Buffy was allowed to go all the way, a part of her would be Anita Blake. It's a Vamp book, reasonably well written....and the Slayer (or Executioner as the Vamps call her) is dark haired and not as super strong as Buffy...as the book says- she doesn't date Vampires, she kills them. Nice fast pace, am enjoying it...so has Cosmo, who has somehow managed to devour half the cover! Bad Bunny.

Have yet another DVD meeting, this one is around the photo area and poster gallery for both Enz and Skyhook's DVD...I wish it was all this easy. A few hours later, I got a bit more work done on the projects. Still sending out some major dislike vibes to the TV stations...they should do special deals for the artists who perform...when they want to use footage that they are in. It truly annoys me and seems very unfair.

Just to make the day more glowing, I read a report where 25 million kids will be orphaned by 2010 because of AIDS (United Nations Report). At present 13.5 million have lost one or both parents. I think people should really consider adopting more....imagine being in some poverty stricken country, you lose both parents, what is your future....day to day hand to mouth, well I'm all doom and gloom today folks. Sorry. I'll just take the John Howard blow up doll out of the cupboard and give it a few whacks with the cricket bat..argh that feels better. Take that little Johnny...BAM!!!

July 9th

Go through the diary and try and work out the date for the Wings off Flies book launch. (It's August 1st). It has to be at Greville St. bookstore, where else, even if we were offered a bigger area I'd still go to Greville Books...it has the right feel.

Stuart drops in with some huge print sheets....we are happy with about 90% of the photos, we are pretty fussy. 90% is damn good for us. (: Mark creates some paranoia with me that pages might be missing....

Notice Neil Finn is in Seattle tonight, we missed that city on the last tour and I always thought it would go off- gig wise. From all reports it did, It's one of THE gigs I would of liked to of seen on the tour. I like Seattle a lot, we always have a good time when we are holidaying there.

Was talking to our friend Bob the cop, about the amount of band members who appear in mug books,and get charged for various offenses. I think every band has at least one person who got busted for doing some against the law.....bank holdups, pee wee herman type things, dealing etc....I know Red from Skyhooks appeared in court when he was really young for trying to pull off a scam at a bank using the old bank book system....the song 'Forging Ahead' is about that.... I wonder which Split Enz member has a record or two (and I don't mean the musical variety!!!). Are any Enz members reading this quaking in fear.???? Or maybe Ex Enz members....I have no idea, but the odds are... someone does..hell the Enz had 13 lineup changes...yeah and I'm a saint. OK maybe not. So many skeletons hiding in all our closets.

July 10th

Huge congratulations to Bic Runga (and you too Campbell) for her new album 'Beautiful Collision') debuting at #1 on the N.Z. charts, platinum on pre sales. I think the Chilli Peppers will bump her off next week, but #1 is still #1.

Head into the city for her show case at '9th Ward' Rebecca gives me some helpful directions. It's a really nice Jazz bar...has such a great vibe. Bic is looking good and I like her band, nice harmonies in that 'Mama and the Poppas' sorta way...they should of done a few more songs....four isn't many, not even for a promo show...I was in and out very quick....still even 4 Bic songs makes me very happy. If you haven't bought 'Beautiful Collision' yet it's out July 22nd in Australia and now available in NZ. 'Marbecks' on line CD store have it for VERY reasonable prices and they deliver quickly anywhere in the world.

I spend the afternoon at the hotel, Bics getting ready for even more TV, The Panel....take a few new photos....I like her hat, Mark doesn't. He isn't a hat man..he is the cat man....shall I keep rhyming?

Say good bye, she is off to Sydney and then onto USA for promo. There are 2 shows, one at Largo in LA on July 24th. One at The Fez in NYC on July 31st.If you get a chance go along....you'll have a good time.

July 11th

The 2 things that are fading quicker than Michael Jackson's skin colour are his credibility (what's left of it) and his CD sales. The whole 'victim' thing has been done to death (I can think of several people who do it much better- cough cough) even after his $20 million payout to that kid not to testify, he still has $200 million in the bank...he just can't handle that 'Invincible' just wasn't really......it didn't sell. It was shite. Sony can't be blamed. Sure black artists have been ripped off since day one, but Michael Jackson is wearing rose tinted glasses if he thinks he is one..... (both black and a ripped off artist) a cheap pr stunt and a weak arse way to drum up support for his fractured ego.

Why am I wasting space here, more important things for the diary sight like the Green family secret recipe for Avocado Cream Dip.

Ok you need:
1/4 cup of lime or lemon juice...I prefer lime.
One of Michael Jackson left over gloves...oh sorry that shouldn't be here...remove glove! Just testing to se eif you are getting all this.
2 ripe avocados...not too ripe so they have that horrid brown bit...just a little soft.
Paprika- just a dash.
Some hot sauce- once more a dash or if you are Rebecca leave the dash in the bottle and use the other 99%!!! Sorry Bec.
I cup of whipped cream.

Split the avocados in half, remove seed and put that in your garden. You can either put the avocado (remove skin first) in a blender or in a small bowl and use a fork to pulp it fine. Add lime juice and paprika and sauce until it is a soft puree.

Scrape it out into a bowl and add the cream...fold cream in...you learn how quickly..it is an art. I put it in the fridge for 15 minutes...

Surround with taco chips...even carrot slices and tomato wedges are cool. The Australian Avocado's are lighter then the USA variety. Not sure if England grows Avocados...so it could be an expensive thing if they are imported. Great for summer....or food sex.

July 12th

My horoscope for the day-' life will be far easier when you know whether certain changes in your work will take place'.

Too true...decided not to dwell on work stuff....instinct is always good and lately we have been saying NO a lot, and brutal as it sounds it has been the right decision. We don't mind putting in the hours with artists but it has to be people we really like and want to work with. It's strange here in Australia, most of the record companies are just so far behind when it comes to data bases and that type of marketing. Nearly every record company has these lists of names and addresses that they gather but they rarely do anything with them. In England the same lists can give an artist a top ten single. Sometimes really obvious stuff is just missed by record labels.

We are watching Foxtel and the Stones are playing, some of the footage from the Rock and Roll Circus, this truely is Jagger at his best, around the time of the 'Performance' movie, he looks brilliant and sings really well. Anyway it's hard to believe that today marks the 40th anniversary since The Stones 1st gig (as the Rolling Stones). All still alive, well except for Brian and Stu ...but 40 years. Now if the next album could just be good guys. Bowie's let me down again....Bowie fans are a lot like Stones fans- they just keep trying to convince themselves that the latest stuff is really unique and brilliant. It rarely is. I still buy it so I AM an idiot.

I hear that Andy Warhol will finally be remembered on a U.S. postage stamp (37c), available from August 9th. have to try and get a first day cover of this...about time they did something.

Have our DVD artwork meeting here at the home office, went well. Sadly it ended up being a waste of time a week later as the artwork is mostly being handled by the DVD company now....

July 13th

Holly Solomon died today. She was best known for working with Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Mapplethorpe. A major Pop-Art collector, she appears in many of the paintings too. A very cool life.

Have lunch at Hunters cafe, half of Toorak are in here today, they eye us suspiciously and as our conversation gets more twisted and interesting I notice they have all turned their bat like radar dish ears in our direction. Yes we are the two guys you take to you mansionesque dinner party... for both novelty value and gossip. (that's if you are damn lucky). On the way out some beaky blonde with a recently altered face gently grabs my arm and says 'and who do you work for again...I've forgotten'........I always just say 'calvin...' and smile my fake as all shit smile.....society twat. I love playing games with them.

Hate it when they invade our eating place (like it's really ours....). Still lunch was nice.....and that man did give me a new green tint pair of valessie sunglasses. If you can't flash it fake it I always say (well I don't know if I've ever actually said that but it seemed a good way to end this wanky day). Did we actually pay for Lunch? Opps.

July 14th

Neil's in Chicago tonight- should be a great gig- the fans are always passionate around this show.

Speak to our Skyhook drummer about coming down to Melbourne to be interviewed for the DVD and Fred is, so that's good. Hope Redmond gets the vibe to do it....music dvds are in many ways like a groovy kinda time capsule.

Have my chat with Jurate at Greville books- she always makes me laugh- a nice warped sense of humor like my own. The 'Wings off flies' (25 years of rock photographs) will have it's launch on August 1st at 7.30. It's invite only and everyone must RSVP. If any Melbourne diary readers want to attend they can email me at: peter@frenz.com and I'll send you details. We are really happy that Paul Hester will be performing some of his new songs from the upcoming solo CD 'NUTS' at the book launch. A few of the artists in the photos should be attending, I wonder if people will get them to sign their books.....a good thing to have I guess. Have to order loads of champagne. HIC! Hic! Hic! Please note- the very infamous Mark Goulding will NOT be photographed on the night, will not sign books, will not be granting interviews....will only engage in foreplay and your name must be Helga or Donald! But you can always ask!

July 15th

The man from Origin energy rings the door bell really loud and scares the hell out of us, really busy so I think aloud this had better be important. He starts telling me about 'green energy' and every time I try to cut in and tell him we were one of the first inner city houses to have it, he stops me and rambles on...totally annoys me- so I shout WAIT. Settle! I finally tell him and then pay out that they should really have a list of who is part of it as it wastes everyone's time. He is really red faced when he leaves. Good that they are pushing it but it truly is like asking an eskimo if he wants ice in his drink.

Hey Congratulations to our friend Katie for her 'Beautiful' single, it just went Gold today and is still on the Australian charts for the 10th week. Hopefully Katie will be at the launch...she is a good dancer.

Red Symons calls, I hadn't spoken to Red for awhile so it was good. Had a bit of a laugh, told him to have a think about being interviewed for the DVD be good if he does it. Told him that DVDS just keep selling and in many ways music CDS will sell less...especially artists that have already had several Best Of cds etc. Next week in America the one billionth DVD will be sold. One Billion!!! This has taken only 5 years. The billionth video tape took 10 years to reach that figure. Robin and Rosemaree both told us today that they are soon buying DVD players....time to open a DVD super store.

July 16th

Spend the day watching video footage (yeah not DVD) , clean up the back yard a bit and all of a sudden the day is over. I can't remember if I was on some sort of natural go slow or everything just took ages. Maybe I sat on life's fast forward button and everything was double speed.

Boring I know but boring is part of real life too......Mark didn't even save any animals today. Boring Boring Boring.

July 17th

Spend today at Paul's place. can't believe how Olive has grown and she is so like her sister Sunday. Climb up into Paul's attic and go through some bits and pieces for Debs Frenz.com auction.....we track down Paul's DOCs that he bought on the first Crowded House tour and wore basically on every tour... he's going to sign them in silver.....plus a few other goodies.

Go and hang in his Sunshine Studio, do some drawings for the upcoming website and take some photos. We also go through some of Paul's earlier photos....gotta have some early Hessie shots....I swear I had tears in my eyes- he makes me laugh. Decide that the next issue of the news-sheet will be mostly around Hessie and the new album..ok it IS called HAIRY NUTS...I keep calling it 'Nuts' as that seems to suit....and the boy side of me just goes 'hairy nuts' he he he.....hey Kmart shoppers Paul Hester is here to sign his solo cd HAIRY NUTS...I can imagine it now.

Just a good day with an old digger....I do enjoy his company.

Oh he found one of those Temple of Low men desk fridges too- has Crowded House on the front and all those fun things inside like celery pens and cake tape measures...worth a small fortune, all yours Deb.

July 18th

Our tour manager is online so we have a bit of a chat, Neil is playing in Washington DC and he is on stage. I suggest she makes a paper plane with my request for 'Mean to me'...and she does. So the boss plays 'Mean to me'.... and even though I wasn't at the show I truely could feel your vibes Neil (grin). God bless ya! Thanks Amy.

Stuart calls by and he is a saint, giving us a better price for the WINGS invites. Printing can be so much here...arghhh! I think half the launch night will be filled up thanking people....still gotta do it right as Mum always told me. It is becoming THE event to go to. I like that.

Hmm finally Crusty has stopped emailing.

DVD review
Tales of the City

Apparently Series one isn't available in the USA or really hard to find. Well it's now out in Australia. I really really like Armistad Maupins books- he always captures the twists of 1970s San Francisco lifestyle like no one else.

I loved all the books so at first I was hesitant if the tv mini series would be any good, and it was great. Olympia Dukakis is brilliant as Anna Madrigal. Laura Linney plays wide eyed naive Mary Anne Singleton who moves to San Fran from the Mid -west and falls in love with 28 Barbary Lane, a block of apartment houses run by Mrs Madrigal. When you move in your find a note from this sweet old Mrs Madrigal with a huge joint attached- homegrown from the plants in her garden.........as an Aussie boy who grew up watching TV soapies like number 96, 28 Barbary Lane has some similarities...but more colour and co-ed bathhouses. As the cover says 'Naivity and mystery, hilarity and sobriety, grass and arse!

If I ever move to San Francisco I truely want to live at 28 Barbary Lane.

8 out of 10.
Now try and find 'More tales of the city..."

DVD quickie review.
With Blade II getting all the hype and TV adverts here, thought a quick mini review of Blade 1. We really like Blade. Blade is not entirely human and he kicks serious Vampire arse....boy imagine Blade, Buffy and Anita in a room together!!! It must be Vampire week here at the office! Wesley Snipes is Blade. Usually Wesley's acting style can annoy me (at times) but he is great as Blade.....simply because he doesn't talk much but makes the right moves.

Moody, big pout kickarse attitude...good head tattoo's. Stephen Dorff I always have plenty of time for (a change from Candy Darling to Deacon Frost but great in both parts). Some people won't like this, some people will dig it. I even liked the techno metallic fighting music. If you are seeing Blade II...see the first one before #2. 7/10. Kick arse. Great Sword...and Dorff with attitude.

July 19th

Lock in time with Edward at Giza, he's back from his European tour, just in time to give my extremely long locks a serious hair cut. Plus I have to catch up on what he has been up to in Europe. I think he was having an affir with a Baron or something.

Michael Den Elzen (Ex Schnell Fenster) calls by today with some more of Nigel Griggs SLEEPER CD's- it's almost the last of them. I haven't seen Michael in ages so it's nice. Could be an interesting CD coming up soon!!

Blow out meetings and spend the day scanning, of all things Enz images. If I ever see another Split Enz album cover I will throw up.....only so many you can do.....ZAP!

Head to Chapel Street for food, the Red Pepper don't even bother with menu's for us, just walk up and basically tell us what we want..now that is service. Babble is still closed, the big fire is in but they still have work to do. Was trying to catch up with Kate but it didn't happen, side tracked. Windy night...watched the huge trees swaying....people blowing down the street...snuggle lower little Gryphon boy.

July 20th

Raining today and we get a call from Ben. The Yeti is home, a good thing as we have missed him. Sometimes touring can be like going to a cave in a snow, not everyone has to meditate in cold silence, it seems to be the way for the Yeti- we like it when our mates sound happy. I wonder if we can OD on Glayva! We can give it a try. (:

Mark did his washing today- his blow up Jenny Garth doll was even thrown in for a quick wash......we leave tonight to sneak into the army base to save a few Kangaroos..hell they can live at our place. I do understand culling but every so often it's good to save a few living creatures......hell there are plenty of vineyards up near Beenami that they can eat *grin*. Plus we haven't saved anything for a week or so. need the Karma points.

I consider wild sex in the afternoon but decide to work on this F/16 diary instead. See F/16 is better then sex! I wonder if I can type on the G4 while I ....NO lets not go there.

Do a Tshirt count, as we are going to have some Rocket Pocket Book Tshirts done for those people who buy a copy of WINGS at the launch. I like giving people bonus things...should have just enough. They'll look good, it's such a nice logo. I think Ed Vedder should wear one on TV in the USA or the upcoming Pearl Jam tour. Just because it's a really cool shirt of course...never about promoting RPB's (uhmmmmm).

Oh there is ONE copy of HUSSY left at Greville Books , if anyone is after a copy (first edition) call (03)95103531 or email Jurate grev@interdomain.net.au when the last copy goes we can re stock.......hey it's a first edition......such an incredible collectors item and who is that spunk on the front....oh I give up. It's there if you need it. Plus when that sells we can use our $ to pay for the Tshirts....so we end up with no money anyway....but hey we get to do a cool shirt.

July 21st

Happy birthday to both Trudi and Fran!

A nice day for a birthday too, Melbourne's Winter chill is nowhere in sight. Think we will all head to Hunters cafe for lunch...always good on a Sunday, it's our emergency Babble. In a weird head space, trying to figure out what I must do today, some work, relax, exercise (urgh) maybe I've had too much sleep-that usually makes me feel that way.

We're heading up to a busy week, so I guess I should enjoy this lack of focus.

Hope life is good for all the readers.

Peace!
Peter