The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 30 June - 13 July 2003
June 30th
Well off to N.Z. soon; Marky was overly generous today and gave me his Air N.Z. Points that are about to expire, and best part was that there were enough to get a return Business Class fare. So even though it's a red eye return flight (who would of thought) it's in those big chunky Business class seats. I can deal....I guess it's better than the points just fading into nothingness. Thanks Marky. Thanks Finns too who are putting me up at Finn mansion. So just the hire car, am happy. So is my credit card.
Robert Gillies and Eddie Rayner get back to me already for the book interviews. It's such a quick trip this one, that a handful of interviews only for "Letters to my Frenz". No time to catch up with people work,work work. Discipline.
Speak to my Fox Studios lady who has organised the courier for the Buffy outfit, she's been really helpful. The Buffy "Wow great outfit from the show" emails are still coming in. A few people have offered us more money for the costume, one guy doubling it....crazy...and we are crazy to say NO but sometimes it's good to hold onto history and not take the easy buck.
July 1st
At the start of each month I do a review of Rocket Pocket Books, just sales and break even areas...was surprised by last months figures around the little F/16 diary book. "Glamour" and "Bang" had their biggest sales periods which is kind of funny...I like "Good" Odd not "Bad" Odd...this was a "Good" odd discovery. These little books are wonderfully weird,in all areas from content to size (maybe size DOESN'T matter....remind me to do a F/16 survey on that!!!). Anyway the little diary books just keep on ticking over, looks like Glamour will break even in a few months- a rare thing for indie books like these.Have started work on the Enz book as mentioned. Kind of fun, some serious flashback stuff and dragging out storage boxes and archive boxes, immersing oneself in reel to reel masters from the various recording sessions. With a book around a particular subject matter, I like to drown myself in the music and if possible the feelings around that subject. (Hey lucky I'm not writing a book on S&M....*Grin*).
Started writing the Intro: at Babble this morning and it nearly killed me, had major writing block after 12 lines...even Dan's super cafe' latte didn't do the trick. To make it worse the 2 stalkers were at Babble. Funny to see them and I just smiled, I think it was a fate thing and not a real stalking thing....I did see one of them looking at me a lot- was kind of strange, but not too intrusive. Jacquie asked me who the two girls were that were looking at us all the time, I just found it too strange to flippantly say "Oh they're my stalkers.." was tempted though.
July 2nd
Bic Runga is still #1 on the New Zealand charts with 'Beautiful Collision'. I'm glad she signed so many CD singles for us before heading off to Paris, as we have had a lot of people asking for signed Bic stuff. (If you want details email me - peter@frenz.com)...her London show at Union Chapel has totally sold out. No walk up tickets either, I think she could of done two nights easily. Good review in the free street paper here. Tonight she is in N.Z. playing her first show at Cambridge Town Hall.Have a chat with the MD of Warner Vision around the Crowded House - 'Farewell to the World' DVD. Early days and loads of paper red tape but we have lift off...am hoping it all goes according to plan...people are starting on their Xmas releases now...so we are a bit behind the 8-ball and need to move this up a few notches soon...we'll see how it goes, should be huge though.
Sent Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool/Mondo Rock etc) and email, some talk of us managing him or at least having a meeting around it. Just looked at our schedule and we are flat out and our one and only rule at Filthy Rich Promotions is that if we can't give the artist 80% of our time we won't take them on or the job....so I doubt this will happen. Plus we have left this awhile so he's probably locked in someone else...still nice that he got in contact.
July 3rd
Great to see Katie Bardot today. They live so close by now. Found this really cool plant for their new home..they have a new cat too and have totally forgotten his name..think it's Egyptian????? Anyway really fun, we love Katie & Paul a lot- like Boo & Tiff she is one of the good things that came out of the whole Bardot experience. Katie will have a new solo single out soon...we'll get behind it- that girl can sing the house down when she lets loose. Looks like Miss Belinda is in the U.K. working on her solo stuff which means it's months before we make her wear the Buffy outfit and chase us around the house (Damn).July 4th
Keep missing Sharon at home, did get to chat to young Elroy...who is also growing up....Liams a young man now (see Liam said it...you are not thought of as a kid by me *grin*)....and Elroy is getting older.....I still think that family needs a baby girl...!Neil gets back to me that he has donated a track called 'Fish Hook' to the I Like It Rare II club fundraiser CD. Tim has alos sent over his dat of tracks, and we are picking one of those now...it keeps changing as the previous dat was a bit iffy and we thought it might well snap!!!! Still very happy that 'Fish Hook" will be on this very limited CD. Tchad Blake worked on it....(Fish Hook).
We start watching the second Deep Space Nine DVD Box set...have to catch up, Box #3 is out soonish...season 3 is great, that's when DS9 really picks up.
Tell Mark that we need to exercise more...which sucks but hey Winter and it's good to do it. Lock in swimming again, so off to the pool.
Was talking to a friend about Karma, totally into it. I know an ex band member who gets the karma stick every so often, and he really does deserve it. Be funny if some of the fans really knew of his past, they would be totally horrified...pretty full on stuff. It's just good to sit back and let Karma do it's thing, and simply wash your hands of them as much as you can. You get to a stage in one's life where you don't need their bullshit, and I think it's good to let the great Karma Goddess do the arse kicking. *Grin*.
Get a call from Bill our Ex Tour manager and MD of the infamous One Louder Management team. tells me that Alex Lloyd has just finished his new recordings. We spotted Alex in "Brides of Christ" TV Series (DVD) which was fairly early on in his career. I'm kind of glad One Louder are free of 'George'- that band does nothing for us...I don't know them as people but they put us to sleep musically....I always think that their audience are Uni students who never understood why people like The Smiths! *Grin*. Always good to chat to Billy...miss him on our tours...and Dee and Skip and all those other players on the road....
Heard John Howard celebrated American Independence Day by making Australia another state of the USA *GRIN* OK that's a lie. Happy holidays U.S. readers.
July 5th
Jacquie calls and we have some food at Babble. Go for a walk around Prahran, check out the shops. We stumble upon the Mambo Sale at Prahran Town Hall. Apart for one shirt nothing I want. Jacquie finds this fantastic long coat, she looks brilliant in it...it's an expensive item...but she looks great... so she thinks about it. Buys a Mambo Gym top and bag. I notice they have Sold Out of the 'two dogs Fucking' backpacks that I bought last sale. Have so many people ask me about where I bought it...a popular Mambo item.Have a chat with Jen, she really is eager to come to Beenami and we are happy to have her. Warn her it will be cold as Mt Baw Baw is covered in snow.
July 6th
Wake up early and get ready for the drive to Beenami...a thick fog covers our street and the front of the Bat Cave. (Where do we live again?). Jen arrives and as always she is on time....she is giving Rosemaree a run for her money as far as being EXACTLY on time...today she was down to 30 seconds to the exact time...not bad for someone driving across town.Nice drive up and we call into 'Ranges' for some food and a Mug of coffee. We have chuckle at the rather sad 4 line engagement notice of our PM's daughter. Hell it's the P.M. you'd think it would be a decent notice. She's probably a nice girl, can't judge the poor thing on her father the GST villain.
Just as we round the corner the sun breaks out over Beenami...rather impressive....thankfully not many fallen tree's but it is cold..a crisp dew on the huge open area...and a bit cold damp inside. Light the main fire, and I could be a brilliant arsonist ...it is a major blaze!
Go for a hike to the secret river, look at Jens lovely new runners and swap them over for Ben's massive gum boots. We are all gum booted up...for mud and wetness. The river is golden in colour from the sun and the sand. A small sandbar is in the middle and I think what a nice photo it would make. The edges have huge fern palms which look very Jarassic Park-ish...I balance on the fallen tree and Jen heads towards the edge of Secret River.
She suddenly starts sinking...and fast, she also gives out either a scream or a loud "cheetahs mating" noise...I think it was a scream. All three of us are now laughing and I am clicking away, like I am on a Zoolander photo shoot....after all just how far can one person sink... As the water reaches the top of the first gum boot I think we shouldn't find out and head off to help. She pushes with her 2nd gum boot and the first is in so tight that boot #2 suddenly joins it in the quicksand of the bank. Now some people would be scared, some pissed but the proof that Jen is perfect for our weird gang is confirmed in the next 3 seconds...we all start laughing. I confess between tears that I am really close to wetting my pants (Gross or what) and the only thing that stops this warm trickle is that it would end up in the foot section of my rubber boot.
The water is now 1 cm from running over the boot top...so Jen does some new Yoga move and manages to get one leg out of the boot....it has a rather stretched sock hanging off with a mud ball on the toe area...more tears, more crying with laughter....and I keep thinking that she looks like some gorgeous river stalk on that one leg. As I help lift her up..yep you guessed it..I start sinking. I wrap one arm around the tree...now it looks like one gorgeous river sloth and one gorgeous river stalk that have eat buckets of onions and are dropping tears into the river of gold! We do the Australian world famous, Olympic winning...'1-2-3' move and just have enough strength for boot and leg #2 to get out of the mud. Jen is free and hops like skippy through the wild river ferns. ('Go fetch help Skip..' in my best Sonny impersonation....overseas readers ignore this Aussie TV Icon quotation).
I am trying to get boot # 1 out...it's sunk so low that the rubber is stretching. I use my rainforest walking stick to wedge it out and a massive grab and pull....and a noise that sounds like a bull elephants fart escapes from the mud as the boot dislodges. Welcome to Beenami Jen and the great Aussie tradition of being stuck in the mud. We hike some more...laugh some more (I didn't know we had any extra laugh left in us)...and eat Pies and sausage rolls in our barn. This is fun, clean air, mud wrestling and Pies... how wonderfully Australian.
I head into Beenami and stoke the fire...I have now moved up from Arsonist to head inferno devil from the underworld (hey might as well practice..if what the Catholic church says is true I doomed for eternity in hell...and tending Fires is a living..even for eternity *Wink*). The gingerbread cottage has the best fire and it removes the cold chill, nice and snuggly.
Next stop is the old train bridge amongst fern gully for a photo. Loads of tourists and some teenagers with Enimen on the back of their car...yeah white trash rap amidst this natural setting..lucky us! Zoom Jen home to the city and we are greeted by a lovely sun set...what a brilliant Winter day. I wake up in the wee hours laughing at what is now being referred to as 'That boot incident at Secret River'... a belly laugh can really change your life eh?! We missed you Yeti ..but hey that mud isn't going anywhere!!!
July 7th
Finns leave for the USA today, to start work on the second Finn Bros CD. I know that it's common knowledge where it's being recorded (Mexico right?!) but I hope everyone just respects what the recording process is and doesn't try to say "Hi". I know people have good intentions but sometimes in areas like recording the guys just need their own space to do their thing. Sometimes it is nice just to keep that musical flow going...interruptions just cause a stop start lost the vibe type thing. I know nearly everyone will understand and respect that. While the vibe is so amazing I just want it to continue. Had emails from both Neil & Tim and I haven't seen them both this extremely happy for decades. Good to see.Work on 'Letters to my Frenz' book for a big part of the day....have the fire roaring as it's cold outside.
DVD Review- DONNIE DARKO- Released in Australia on Madman. 113 minutes.
Mark buys 'Donnie Darko' on DVD. A very small company released this in Australia, and I loved this movie. It creeps into my 'All time favourite Top 10 Movies". Drew Barrymoore's company 'Flower Films' presented this one (via Newmarket..who I like as a company). The Aussie release is out on MADMAN.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Donnie Darko, a delusional teenager who gets a visit from this metal-head demonic rabbit (no relation to Cosmo). He starts having visions and the rabbit (who's name is Frank) tells him the world will end in 28 days. This starts the ball rolling on a chain of events that basically freak everyone out.
He meets a girl (Jena Malone) who appreciates him being freaky... and Jakes real life sister..plays his sister in the movie. Donnie Darko ("that sounds like a super hero"......"and who says I'm not") has a near death experience at the start of the movie when this massive plane engine crashes through the family home.....the airline having a problem matching the engines i.d. number.......(all explained at the end)....his imaginary friend Frank encourages him on a series of crazed attacks......flooding the school.... depositing an axe into the head of the school sculpture and borrowing his fathers pistol......you know something major is just around the corner. Drew Barrymoore and Richard Kelly look after the Producer seat (I think)...and Drew plays the part of a teacher....and a fine teacher she makes....eventually being kicked out of the school. Patrick Swayze is brilliant as the Self Help Self Improvement Good/Bad Energy maestro... who ends up getting busted for kiddy porn (SPOILER)... the showdown between Donnie and Swayze character in front of the school is great.... The ending is perfect and as Megan Spencer from Triple J said in her review "Donnie Dark is one of those rare movie gems. Truly flawless, unforgettable and exciting".
I second that motion. For those of you who like your movies with a solid twist (and don't feel an urge to take recreational drugs to get this) this movie could well become your cult favourite. For those of you who don't- go buy the latest Sandra Bollock (that surname does suit her body of work) or Hugh Grant piece of crap and ignore all future DVD reviews COS you ain't gonna find anything here you can relate to!!!!
Donnie Darko is a movie that people will talk about in years to come. File under Cult and Cool. Great soundtrack.
9.5 out of 10.
It lost .5 because a few areas have the odd whispered dialogue (example in the movie theatre scene) and unless you have it VERY loud you miss that dialogue.
Extras-
Directors & Actors Commentary
Deleted/Extended scenes.
Info-commercials
The Philosphy of Time Travel Book
Website gallery
'Mad World' Video clip
Art Gallery & Production stills
Cast & Crew information.
Trailers
WWW.DONNIEDARKO.COM
I want Franks metal rabbit head. Isn't it funny how many times the scary twisted person in movies is called Frank! (Example Blue Velvet).
Mark Goulding you rock, too cool for school....and you pulled a rabbit out of the hat (Frank?) buying this one. Love it!!!!!!
July 8th
Get a great email from Ken in California who is a regular F/16 reader....he is also the owner of Spike's Black '59 Desoto car from Buffy...now that's cool. Your email made my week Ken.Watch "Cave in the Snow" Doco...thanks Rosemaree for thinking of us and putting it aside. Think if I get a load of $$$, a part of it I would pass over to Tenzin to finish off building her school for Buddhist Nuns. She is truly remarkable....and I see the same look in her eyes as Vali Myers.... maybe they did come out of similar moulds. Hopefully SBS Australia will repeat this documentary if anyone spots it in the TV guide please let us know.
Invite arrives for the 'Spinning Around' (50 years of Festival Records). A lot of our acts have been on Mushroom Records which is distributed by Festival in Australia. So hopefully they will get some good coverage. The exhibition is at the Melbourne Museum and runs from August 6th - November 23rd. Festival is Australia's oldest independent record company. Hmm pretty sure we have quite a few items in the exhibition.
Andrew mails me the new information regarding Camberwell CD/Collectors Fair. The next Fair will be on August 17th and the Venue has now moved to Box Hill Town Hall. It is located at 1022 Whitehorse Road Box Hill. Melways Ref. 47E9 We are going to do this one Fair and see how it goes. Apparently we are located in the Foyer. So if you like some of our artists and are in Melbourne on August 17th come along. Doors open at 10am. It could be our last Fair for the year as we look like being away for the other ones. So write this one down in your diary.
Catch up with Spock today at Babble. Good to see him, go through some artwork for three projects. The Enz book looks like having a silver and black cover....all very NZish *grin*. Babble is packed... lunch meetings all of them.
July 9th
Betchadupa are rehearsing down the road at Revolver studios, before they start recording some new songs. Ignition in the UK are releasing a 4 track Betchadupa CD single, have asked Liam to send me details of the 4 songs, as my original memo has gone walk about.Ben heads off with The Living Enz for some shows in the top half of Australia. One with Russell Crowe...be careful Yeti he will corrupt you (yes that is possible). At least it is warm up their.
Email the Finns about another side project, don't want to mention it yet as it's all interconnected -will see what they think.
Bic is still #1...week #50 on the New Zealand chart, at this rate 'Beautiful Collision' could well bump 'Drive' off as N.Z.'s biggest selling local album...go girl.
My sisters birthday is fast approaching, and I know she really loved the Titanic movie (ok she doesn't have her brothers good taste *grin*) so as a surprise I managed to get her a Prop from the movie. A 1900's costume necklace. It has fake pearls and gem stones surrounding the necklace and it's on a chain. She also gets an authenticity sheet. It's one of those unique presents...and surprisingly it was a bargain. She'll dig it... I love unique gifts! It just means you've gone that extra yard for something special.....
July 10th
Well great feedback from Bic's Union Chapel Show in the U.K. Sounds like a lot of friends had fun, Sold Out and a passionate crowd. Bic heads into the studios soon to work on those new songs for her third album.Head off to dinner with Robin & Trudi and they try to make us millionaires with some Tattslotto tickets....who knows.... We head to the Black Olive and it's good to see that 1/ they now take Amex 2/ the chicken satays are back to normal!!! Always good to catch up with the girls and we make some plans. Nice night.
Head home and watch 'Fat Cow Motel' the new TV Series...it has those horrible two boy twins from Popstars in it- who are totally fu*ked and should of been drowned in Sydney Harbour...it's a show that still has to find it's legs...but it shows some promise....the journalist guy is good... the girl from Seachange is in it....I don't think it will have staying power...and I think I hate the website, so confusing.
Katie from 'This is your life' gets in contact and Red Symons episode is on July 31st....channel 9. Will seem a bit fake after all the bad blood between Red and his sister...and I wonder why Mr Symons is not doing his radio show. My nose is twitching.
July 11th
Don't expect to hear any News from Neil/Tim for awhile, it's head down arse up as far as recording goes. We might have some other news soon.... fun fun fun.Do my washing today...big joy. 3 loads...over it.
Mark heads down to our neighbours as he (we?) are looking after their cat Terra...named after Cotta not Firma. It has the most horrible meow...known to man/cat. It's a nice cat though and always up for a belly scratch.
We renew our year with Netspace as our server, I should be able to get away with 100 hours of internet time per month. Need to keep stressing to people not to send us attachments....it takes too long to download.
An English fan was at the P.O. Box today...I think I need to install a deck chair out front and a bar heater as it is cold in the morning. I spotted her before she spotted me...guess that copy of 'Bang!' gave the game away. Wasn't demanding, actually really nice, can't believe she only arrived and 333 was one of the first ports of call...I'd be snuggled in bed after such a flight.
Work on the Intro at Babble for the book, I keep asking Daz for "words" more guy interrupt his reading. See Jj in the afternoon for a quick coffee and that's good.
Watch 'Daredevil' on DVD, and it didn't deserve the harsh reviews, it's good not great a good balance around the comic book. A drop of Batman, a drop of Spiderman, a drop of The Phantom....funny how most super heroes are created from the killing of their parents....Ben Affleck you did o.k. you little spunk (: Can't wait to see Brad Pitt as Captain America....he has the hair.
Australian Customs were fantastic re: Buffy Outfit. Customs do get a bit of shit in this country but several times now they have been really kind to me about the bizare items that we bring into the country. Much appreciated.... and I would get the only Buffy fan who works for the Customs House *grin*.
July 12th
Get an email from Jules on the Robbie Williams tour- on the tour bus heading towards Vienna ('Ohhhh Vienna'I'm sure this is a well worn catch phrase). The crew & Miss Jules are watching DS9 Season 3....while we are just finishing up on Season 2 here....what is it about Sci Fi and Crew Members..hey all good explains a lot(: She sounds great and the tour is very civilized...hopefully back in Oz later this year. Miss ya girl!Speak to Mum and Sis on the mobile...my Mum saying 'I hate these small mobile phones' ....technophobe that she is....tell my Sis about her birthday present and she digs it majorly.....says she will now have to buy a safe to put it in......!!!!!!
Get up to level 15 on Tetris and rally on....sounds like I am getting good as some readers have said they got to 13 at the highest.....how far can it go.....I put the solar battery charger outside as I think my batteries will die soon....have to have those back ups ready.
Hmm got a bit sexy tonight...probably all that Chilli! Then again I did have that Ben Affleck look happening (and I wish).
July 13th
Radio interview this morning, up early and vibey. It was for rural NSW and the person was more vibey then I was. I was close to asking if she got some major lovin' last night...but thought that might freak her out.!!!! The questions were really bouncing about...one topic to another and that was o.k. I like radio...hate TV. radio is so instant (well kind of) TV is a lot of work...I miss Rosemaree who is off to Sth Melbourne markets to buy soap and Ernest the love doll (do you know that his member has separate air tube..kinky). OK she didn't buy Ernest....but we want to encourage sex toys this year....
Spend an hour putting together a Bic paper mail out, and posted those in the afternoon. Rosemaree calls by and we head off for a late coffee at Babble. The boys have the back table put aside for us and the new owner greets me warmly...I look around thinking he means someone else (kidding). I'm wearing the fluffy jumper Marks Mum made him and my green tinted glasses...the ones that NF says I look intelligent when I have them on...meaning I am stupid looking the other 360 days of the year (thanks Boss).
Head to Dan Murphys and I almost buy a box of wine but decide not to, everyone brings their own these days....Rosemaree has a bottle of Glayva... a good choice for Winter. Home again and straight into the diary. That's my 14 days.... decide not t proof read this...it's a lazy Sunday here.
Look after each other, and read more books.
Drew Barrymoore Rocks.
Gryph.