The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 23 March - 6 April 2003
March 23rd
Urgh yawn!!! Wake up from a freaky dream, was a bit hard to climb out of the chasm and the bed but do so knowing it's a Record Fair day. This one has came around so fast and we don't want to let the regulars down...so my tired ol' carcass rolls over..rolls out and is shower bound.A huge line of people is outside the Camberwell Civic Centre, the longest line that has been here for ages. We get to meet many knew fans and it's always nice to chat to the regulars.
There is a run on copies of GLAMOUR today and WINGS OFF FLIES our biggest selling items. One guy bought all three F/16 diary books to give to a friend for his birthday-(Hi Gavin if you are reading this- hope he liked them). All our signed Bic Runga CD singles went as well.
We leave around 3.15, once it gets to 3.00 the vibe goes and usually my voice along with it from chatting all day.
Treat ourselves to dinner at the Black Olive. We both spot the Angel box sets at JB Hi Fi, $60+ cheaper then HMV. Stir Mark that Harry was technically right on his Rolling Stones CD comment *grin*.
March 24th
Into the city today to put my pay onto my Amex card. That was easy, maybe Neil Finn should just sign my wage cheque over to Amex every month (:Was walking past the Oxfam (Community Aid Abroad) shop (Shop 45 walk Arcade-Bourke street mall) and had a look inside for some cool Peruvian baby caps that they use to have. None left but I see some handmade animal chains to go around Elliott Maisy's crip (Tim and Marie Finns new baby). Thought of young Harper too and bought some wooden tops and hand painted lions. They fit into each other like those Russian dolls. A few shops down and spot some Papoose orange chords! Ok they are a bit big but Maisy girl will grow into them- Papoose make the coolest kids clothes and I consider copulating with the clothing assistant just to have a kid and buy all these funky clothes!!!!
Get home at 12.00 and FeeFee and Jo blow out their visit here as Fee is running to the airport trying to get on a flight- there will be other times, it happens.
Kate from This is Your Life comes by and borrows my Skyhooks "Living in the 70's" LP cover. They need it for the show.
March 25th
Good to see that in July Dame Edna will return to Australia for her "Back to my roots" show. have to see that, our family has always been big Edna fans, hopefully Les Patterson will make an appearance and get Mark up onstage for a duet. I think Benny boy will end up looking a bit like Sir Les once he has this much talked about drinking contest with me (Eh Yeti? *grin*)!That kind man Jeff from Umbrella Ent. sends me the DVd copy of the 1981 movie PUBERTY BLUES to review. The songs in the movie were written by Tim Finn and performed by NZ artist Sharon O'Neill. (She was once married to Brent Thomas...Crowdies manager and Enz tour accountant Grant Thomas... small world). Can't remember exactly why we let Sharon O'Neill do the vocals on these for the movie...Tim's vocals are a million times better, but if nothing else it's interesting to hear someone else's interpretation.
Puberty Blues- Umbrella/AV channel release. 87 mins.
Bruce Beresford directed the movie (he won an Academy award for Driving Miss Daisy). He also did all the Barry McKenzine movies and the Aussie classic THE CLUB.
It's a coming of age movie around the Surf scene at Greenhill beach near Sydney...and trying to part of the "IN" group. Some nice late seventies Australian expressions like "fish face moll". Also loads of casual sex and what goes on in the back of the Australian Panel van. The Salami Sisters (Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette) penned this Australian tale-about the adventures of Debbie and her best friend Sue. I remember many years back while they were writing this, meeting one of the girls at a Sydney club (of course we were both under-aged)...and who knows if I would of played my cards right I could of been one of those surfy studs cutting the waves at Greenhill beach.
It's a fun roll in the sand, a huge cringe and a great time capsule. It's one of those movies that "reviewers" will probably poke fun at and disregard and say something of so witty. I see it as a coming of age Australian beach classic and it proves that yep chicks can certainly surf!!!!
Remember to visit Umbrella Entertainment. www.umbrellaent.com.au
They have a selection of Aussie classics, including "Ghost of the civil dead" featuring good old Nick Cave.
March 26th
Go visit Rebekah and see her new kitty cat- Taja- the baby leopard! He is a playful devil!Ros in Sydney asks if I want to have some publicity in the Melbourne Sun as she can send around a photographer and stuff for Glamour. I kind of shy away from it, think I'll wait till we sign to publishing etc, always good to have full publicity when the book shops are stocked up.
This afternoon I head over to channel 9 at Richmond- for the filming of THIS IS YOUR LIFE. Nah not my life, Red Symons-ex Skyhooks life. It's kind of a daggy show and I really thought it was going to suck big time- plenty of back wacking and butt kissing. In the end it was ok. I do have to say Red Symons wife has the worst dress sense of anything living, and that seemed to be a comment made by several audience members. Who wears beige shoes for fu*k sake. The one thing the show did was make a major point that in Red's life the one recurring element that was truly successful was Skyhooks, the one thing he try's to avoid and to a degree slag off. On the way out the bused in audience kept saying "Oh I really liked the Skyhooks stuff". Said it all really. I got out of there as soon as I could, at least it wasn't truly dull and boring and had a few good moments..but really Ellie Symon's dress sense was so out of fashion and horrid I spent most of the show figuring out if it was some mean joke played on her by channel 9 wardrobe. I think someone stole the outfit from the seventies sex and sin show- number 96. Bring in the fashion Police.
March 27th
Was playing a Paul Hester solo track today and it felt very right around the head space that I am in. Love the lyrics.THIS IS WHO YOU ARE (lyrics:PAUL HESTER)
I'm serving you
hot buttered buns for two
I'm running late...
late for something I've grown to hate
You know I made the news
but I still deny it all
You can bet your balls...
This is who you are
this is what you said
You can shave your back
and you can change your bed
and you can wear a dress
or you can stay in bed
But this is who you are
and this is what you said
Duh duh duh duh do duh duh duh do do
(Repeat)
This is who you are
this is what you said
you can shave your back
you can change your bed
but you'll wake up the same
and this is what you said
Duh duh duh duh do do duh duh duh do do.
* * *
Pretty sure this one is on Hessies solo CD HAIRY NUTS(released in the 2nd part of the year).
March 28th
Bic Runga is in Melbourne working on her friend Tim's cd (opps don't know his last name) we keep playing phone tag.While I am doing my washing there are 300,000 people in Jakarta, protesting against the War in Iraq, a further 100,000 in Berlin and the biggest protest ever in Boston USA. I think the USA is a bit freaked that Saddams stalinist system of control really hasn't collapsed much at all.
Find an old USA flag in the cupboard when we are doing clean out today. get some huge black letters that spell WAR SUCKS! and have to get them attached.
Give Rosemaree a call but she is at some shopping mall, call a friend who's going to the protest march and she says "yep will come on over", so 30 minutes later the letters are on the stars and stripes. Our friend Deb from Holland (did you know Holland gives the highest amount of world aid out of all countries)..anyway Deb from Holland is coming along as well. You never know how it will go. Will there be a thousand people or even less, when it comes down to it most people mouth off anti War stuff but at the end of the day making an effort is a different thing. Talk is cheap and excuses plenty.
March 29th
We get into the city around 1.00 and the crowd is growing, some good speakers and as we head off somewhere around 30,000-40,000 are said to be in the march. Grab Deb and we jump into the front lines...our USA flag is unwrapped and joins the hundreds of other banners. Some people on the side see the sign and start chanting WAR SUCKS ours is a simple message. Deb fears being kicked out of the country by hoWARd and we wave our flag higher to protect the innocents. Actually we are half kidding, all the protests in Melbourne have been peaceful. Photographers along the street scamper to get photos and everyone is chanting TROOPS OUT TROOPS OUT...We meet some really friendly folk and nearly everyone we spoke to are really aware of the big picture, not to be confused with the Fox news/ CNN picture.
The protest ends at this small stage and once more a good selection of speakers and the crowd numbers have really swelled, for 30 more minutes the marchers are still arriving and the street is full for many blocks. The karma Gods must of thanked us for our efforts, as the MC says "here is some music for you- all the way from Ireland...Mr Andy White". Deb and myself just crack up- how brilliant. Andy is perfect for a rally like this and his choice of material superb. he spots me later on and we both give that knowing nod. Emails me later that night as he said it made his day seeing us. I was really proud of him playing. Where the public is concerned it's very hard for artists to say what they think as some people don't believe in free speech and think you must support your leader no matter how fuc*ing stupid it is. Thankfully Andy is true to what he believes in and I think that's great. We had a strange thing happen as we were leaving. Two really old people came up to us, they would of been about 75. They wanted to read our flag...and then the little old lady says- do you want us to set fire to it and whips out a lighter. We are both kind of startled, these pensioners seriously wanted to get in on some flag burning. I kind of stuttered that I'm not really into flag burning, even over this shit War...and the old dear goes "Are you sure...and if not where could we buy an American flag to burn". It was so surreal, Deb kind of stared like they were a bit mad in the head...in the end I just smiled and looked dorky. Far too strange.
We do a runner during the last moments of the song to catch our train home..we miss it by 10 seconds. What a day...I'll never forget 30,000+ standing in silence and suddenly the crowd erupted with one word "PEACE"!
March 30th
USA artist Mark Ryden sent me this, perfect for the F/16 site."Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."
-- Julius Caesar
Our favourite Yeti leaves for Europe today, but Ben and Jen always have time for a quick breakfast with their favourite Prahran boys.
Babble is overflowing, the Baroness has her hammer and nails out building tables and extensions just to accommodate the crowds. I know they would of found a table for us but it was really over flowing...so (shock gasp) I agree to eat elsewhere!! I know I know, M,B,J could not believe it either and I was so calm in my 'whatever'...they went into shock. OK the food place is only 2 doors up. Theyw ere a bit slow so I took our drinks orders myself (I know I was a waitress in a past life!). Food was good, and it was a nice morning. We were all spoilt as Benny boy grabbed that breakfast cheque, as is his way. Thanks Mr Yeti. What a good way to start the day. Safe flight bloke and only one melatonin per day!!!!! (Yes Dr Green). Oh the food place was called FINKS.
March 31st.
We have had so many amazing emails around our friend Raed's website I thought I'd run the site address again. For those who have never been to Baghdad or Iraq it might give you a face to some of the people that our countries are bombing under our name. Good to see the other side of the coin without the spin. His diary site is far more interesting then mine(: Go Raed, hope you and your family are safe.http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/
As Coalition forces killed 600 Iraq civilians I was sitting in our coffee shop reading a quote from a British colonel in the Telegraph. "We underestimated the ferocity of the resistance we would face. This is turning into another Northern Ireland. That we are not, after all, a liberating force."
Proving that War is a no win situation, I felt sick for both the soldiers and the innocent Iraqs that were shot at the check point today. I'm also amazed at how stupid the USA command are by simply not having check point signs in arabic. Waving guns at a car load of 15 woman and children in a car is not a clear indicator to stop, nor is a delayed warning shot- finally ending with infantry division killing 10 woman and children shows how evil this War has become. No Mr Bush you don't target civilians, it's common knowledge that suicide bombers always squash 15 woman and children into one car- get real. Very generous of the U.S. to offer an unspecified amount of money and 10 nice new black body bags. Add to that these poor soldiers having to kill woman and kids- truly disgusting. I also know that evil Saddam will see the sadness in soldiers eyes and start using soft targets to kill, don't be surprised if we really do see woman suicide bombers. Such a waste.
April 1st.
April Fools day, and I always keep that in mind while reading my emails today. As far as I know I wasn't suckered. Were you?Andy & Christine White sends us an invite to his wife Christine's upcoming art show, hope we can make it, will be nice to catch up.
Put the word out for our second fundraising CD (I LIKE IT RARE II). Tim Finn responds straight away, pulls a song out of his bottomless pile of tunes, looks like being "Into the water". Eddie Rayner also sends me an email and he is donating a track. Ed says he just moved house too, he sounds good. Wow we leave for our huge road-trip in a month, well approx. We are going to head anti clockwise around Australia. If nothing else the War has given us an extra reason to explore our own backyard..and what a big backyard Australia has. We are both saddened that we miss the Nimbin "MardiGrass" by a week-it's just a fun pot festival, they have it every year and the Police are totally fine around it. They have events like the "quickest spliff rolling contest"...would of been great, so many fun characters. Bummer! Should send Neil to the event, he's pretty quick at rolling one, then again so if old Uncle Hessie.
Tiffany Bardot sends a quick email, she sounds good, working on songs for her solo career. From what I gather all the Bardot girls are moving forward and working on material- will be interesting to see who make sit.
April 2nd
'Astro Boy's" birthday is coming up soon. Animator Osamu Tezuka who created Astro Boy in 1950 gave him the futuristic birth date of April 7th 2003. Yep next Monday...that sort of information should go in the same envelope as "the launch date of the Jupiter Two" etc etc. Does anyone know Prince Planets birthdate, maybe Mr Vedder knows that one?Call our mobile vet Cedar but I think she's away for a few days. She's cool as she comes to your house, was really great when Hairball was in her last days, I have to get her to give Cosmo his shot for the Pet Hotel, think it's for Caleisi Virus or something like that. I am going to get a tetanus shot for myself, all that coral in Queensland...want to have some adventures on the Great Barrier Reef and not die.
Nigel Griggs calls and he is donating a new Nigel song called 'Liquid Amber' he calls back and keeps thinking up new names for the song..one is "Pets"... he's a strange turtle. We like him. He interviewed himself , many pages under the heading of CODGES TALE which is a different perspective on Split Enz, so we are going to run the interview in our next book. It's going to be called "Letters to my friends..." (A Split Enz Book). Same size as Hussy/Bang/Glamour Diary books and I hope to have this out in time for Christmas, loads of ideas on what should go in it. Means it will be Rocket Pocket Books- 5th release. Wow!~!! Lift off or what.
April 3rd
Hessie gives us a call and am going to catch up tomorrow with him. I do get an email from Bic's manager Campbell and he is away on his honeymoon with Bic's sister Boh (from the band Stellar). I like Campbell, hope this marriage is really special for them both. Bic told me they got married in the Caribbean - very romantic guys!Mark goes out shopping and returns with The Beatles ANTHOLOGY on DVD. Such great value, all that extra footage that wasn't in the TV Show- just rounds off the whole thing- a brilliant release. Imagine if we ever had the money and assets to do a release like this..guess we have to be happy with the job we did.
We head to Bec's place for dinner, love it when our friends cook. Taja is at the door greeting us with that leopard smile. We have a surprise gift for little Taja..it's a fake fur tail attached to a auto-rolly ball..so it rolls around like a living animal. Taja's eyes stand out on stalks and then he get's the vibe and spends the next hour playing with it till the batteries go flat.
Dinner was great, always a sucker for a good roast. Having major love affair with baked pumpkin again!!! Nice night. Walk home, stars are shining nice and bright, the world seems o.k.
April 4th
get a call from the lovely Bic Runga, she is finishing her work in the studio with her friend Tim and catching the afternoon flight back to N.Z but wants to drop into our place for a quick cuppa. She brings Tim along and it sounds like it's been a very creative week. Bic is so naturally gorgeous, one of my favourite girls and we both dig her. I'm so crapped off that America and American radio has missed out on "Beautiful Collision"- a fine album, from memory I think the head honcho at the record company didn't get it (gee surprise!) where others at the company loved it...that damn pecking order....so weird as every day we get numerous emails from the States from people who love it- oh well guess "Beautiful Collision" will be one of those cult/best kept secrets...I'm glad my musical taste budds are aware of it.Bic hands over my signed "Get some sleep" covers, the last of them so I cans end these out. I tell her that when I'm next in N.Z. I just want to set up a photo shot of her in worn out jeans, old wooden verandah by a beach with a guitar and little makeup. The one thing around B.C. cover is that the make over shots I just didn't think worked- she has a raw natural talent and the same for Bic's beauty...love to capture that ...something sepia , guitar, verandah, sea!!! There should be a few N.Z. Bic dates soon.
Next head to Hessies for a quick visit. The album is coming together, it's back to being "Hairy Nuts", need to cut a song or two out, some final mix and then artwork, but sounding great. I get so vibed about "This is who you are"...had to scribble those lyrics down. Paul writes a letter for the next mail out, I always give the artists the chance to say whatever they want, don't believe in editing, and Paul fires a few anti War comments in his letter. Meet his new girlfriend Kashan . She's working away in the studio on some of her songs, good voice, nice guitar sounds. I like her. She's a New Zealand girl (that N.Z. link again). As I'm leaving Dr John arrives, he was in Deckchairs Overboard with Paulo and in LLT (the early days)...tells me that Deckchairs will have a CD out in the 2nd part of 2003, and 5 of the songs on the CD Hester played on. I beat the traffic home, leave with Paul as he is off to pick Sunday up from school. I catch him in the car reading GLAMOUR and laughing at his Mrs Hairylegs...he had such a grin- glad he enjoys the book.
Having dinner with Mark and he shows me this list of what countries have chemical weapons and roughly how much they have. The USA leads the pack by far...would you believe 30,000 tonnes of chemical weapons. Time for Bush to hand over his weapons of mass destruction- what a hypocrite- the question has to be asked, if Bush and co. are not going to use these 30,000 tonnes, why in God's name (or any other deity) do they have them, and so much. Please someone give me an answer. I know I'm seeming a bit anti Bush and the U.S. government these days but this War just keeps me seeing the other side of the fence...and it's not always greener....
April 5th
Jen calls by and we are all hungry so head to Black Olive. We get our skipper cutout from the cupboard as all three of us are missing him, come home soon ya bastard! There was no one to eat my extra food.We end up watching CASTAWAY, I am all comfy on a mountain of pillows and Mark says I'm too close to the TV...suddenly the plane is crashing and I actually jump..MG was right far too close. That plane crashing into the ocean scene always messes my head.
In true survivalist mode... I point out why didn't he use the glass from that watch to light the fire...and Jen says the glass from the torch, see we are the perfect two people to have on that island. Gilligan and the Skipper should be so lucky (inside joke). Abuse the Amex card and buy some seashell chocolates. OINK!
I also spot the latest Vogue magazine with Miss Kylie on the front- it's the celebrity issue. I have to tell you it wasn't because of Kyle's why I bought it. There is a whole series of Richard Bailey photos called "Let David Bowie be your inspiration"...amazing Bowie makeover of several models, all from the different Bowie periods- Aladdin Sane, Wham Bam thank you Ma'am, Golden Years, Ziggy....but my Fave photo and I'll tear this out and put it on the wall in front of my desk...the STARMAN shot. No mention of the model but she is so beautiful ..it's that gender free look...and she has a great Marc Jacobs shirt. I think The Corner Shop sells them...oh $375 each, well my shirt tastes are good. She has on Brow Set lip conditioner- great pout. Has to be my favourite photo of the year. Anyway good issue Vogue.
April 6th
Wake up, climb out of bed, bit of a sleepy head, shower, 9.29...clock ticks over to 9.30 and Rosemaree calls. Off for a Sunday Babble breakfast, Mish. is holding our table...healthy fruit for moi...Rosemaree spoils me and pays for breakfast and that is great. She sneaks into Dan's for some Glayva, party at Rosemaree's tonight!!!!!!!!!!It's a nice Melbourne day, I am going to clean our Igloo survival tent for this road trip...hopefully no mould as I don't want to buy a new tent. I think we'll only use it in the main desert, when we sleep under the stars! All those shooting stars, all those free wishes! With such an abundance of wishes I guess I can make one for each of you guys.
Stay safe, hopefully this crap War will finish soon, be kind to all creatures.
Peace!
Peter
P.s.- As per usual I am being lazy (hey it's Sunday) so I won't check this for mistakes.
STOP THE PRESS!!!
This Saturday April 19th. 2.35 in the afternoon, we are happy to announce that TV station SBS (Australia) will be showing the Vali Myers Documentary "PAINTED LADY". A chance to catch a glimpse of this amazing friend.