The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 6 October - 19 October 2003
October 6th
Greetings World!Am very up vibe at the moment, could just be a chocolate moment, or (heaven help us) the real thing. Don't you like it when you move from that semi depressed state to one of bliss. Yes I am having a happiness outburst, a joy orgasm as my good friend the Dame (Edna) would say.
Maybe because it's the end of the week, but being a person who never ever believed in the idea of the 5 day work 2 days weekend way of life , I'm not sure why the end of the week would mean much to me.
Possibly because there is no mail on Saturday and Sunday in Australia, which means no bills can arrive. Bills are like rabbits in my letter box, they seem to breed and grow in numbers and just when you think you've paid for and neutered the bastards they multiply again! Oh well, we all just pay them. Hmm wonder what would happen if everyone in Australia just refused to pay their bills, it would all grind to a halt wouldn't it- how weird. I'm in an interesting head space today.
Hmm so what happened today the 6th of October, well the second season of UFO arrived from the U.K. those funky retro outfits commander straker and his hairy chested side kick, a babe magnet that gets his way using his tool and his sharp wit! The UFO's themselves are very cool and it's so much nicer having real actors instead of those Thunderbird puppets that the series creator originally had. We still have no idea why the Moonbase woman had to wear purple wigs and sequin eyelashes...I guess they were kind of correct as I see a lot of purple haired people out their these days. Not sure about the sequined eyelashes though.
Charts are in, and it's a day of drops...Bowie exits the Top 50 after 3 weeks and it's all Jj and Rebekah's fault...*grin*, our friend Katie actually moves up 2 spots to #42 with her single DANGER (Go Girl), Alex Lloyd falls out of the Top 10 to #13 (I'm sure the ugly cover art caused this...I'm kidding Billy Cullen ...well....), Living End debut at #37...not sure how much airplay they are getting I think this single will stall.... so 'who's gonna save us' might well be an apt single title (even though they are doing instores to prop it up a bit), happy to see Jet stay at #9, they are Gold with the album....thanks for the emails from all those people who took a punt on my recommendation and bought it- glad you loved GET BORN (Jet)...... they deserve chart success.
October 7th
The run on Rocket Pocket Books just continues, Wings off Flies and Glamour are being mailed out every day, I now spend an hour a day signing them, wrapping them, giving the parcel a kiss for good luck, the sign of the patron saint of mail men...and pop them in the mail bag. Mark has decided to sue me because of his newly developed humpback from carrying so many books to mail. Some of you lucky 'Wings off Flies' people get the added bonus of a MARK signature. Yes he signs a few...he just put in a requisition form for a MARK rubber stamp as he is over signing them.....we are trying to fill all orders, but are running out, so if you are interested in a copy of WINGS or any of the Diary books (Hussy, Bang Glamour) NOW is the time.Into the city to get the new Canon scanner, it's brilliant, well it will be when we get to use it. I hate computers and that's all I'm saying (damn upgrades grumble $$#@@$$#@@$$). Means sharper images for the books and we can archive the various old band transparency's etc. Just what we need in the office.
Hmm time for the Faves list maybe....
Favorite Book- 'According to the Rolling Stones' and 'Call of the Wild' also Tom King's THE OPERATOR (David Geffen story).
Favorite Retro Album- ' Never mind the Bollocks' (Sex Pistols) It's as Pop as Punk will ever get...always loved this release. 'Bodies' is amazing as is Holiday In the Sun.
Worst Album of the Month- Tarmac Adam (Hand held torch) truly bland. ZZZZZZZ someone kill me now (SNORE).....Dribble ,Yawn, Instant Pizza tray.
Favorite Clothing Item- Black Rose Goth Shop Shirt (Kensington Markets)
Favorite Moment- Merelyn's Phone Calls about Spike (You are fun girl). Spunk of the Month- Cosmo the Bunny....and Mischa Barton.
Fashion Accessory- Russian Black wool hat with side flaps and Russian Motive Pin on front. If it doesn't have the Pin it doesn't work.
Favorite Art- New Shane Gehlert stuff- brilliant.
Favorite Song-In The Mall (Pansy Division), and Hey Kids (from Jet's 'I wanna be your girl' CD single).
Favorite Thing- Bleeding Edge Goth Dolls...'Malice' Rocks.
I Wish I Wish.... George W's plane would crash on the way to Australia...but maybe not all those other people would get hurt, hmm maybe next weeks Tattslotto numbers instead.
Dickhead of the Month- Golf Players in the Rain.
October 8th
Sis's Egypt ticket arrived from Qantas, they were so quick, now I just have to get us moved upstairs on the plane.... still seems like ages away. This will be fun.Eddie Rayner is in Sydney working on the Split Enz True Colours Re Issue for 2004...a few hiccups but hopefully it all worked out.
Skyhook Greg Macainsh turns up and I am over the moon, always wanted the David Geffen book by Tom King (THE OPERATOR) but could never find it here, so now I have a copy- really nice gift, made me feel a bit special. His timing was good as we had a little something for him too, and strangely enough it was a book. We keep the publishing industry alive.
Greg's a bit like a father figure for us, Mark and myself really respect him a lot, and hell all those amazing Hooks songs (ok we'll ignore Hippy Hut *GRIN*) just always been good to us, I guess everyone has someone in their lives like that, Sharon and Neil are a lot like that too, we count our blessings (1,2,3,).
Sent Hester the glossy Newsletter, we still haven't heard from him, he's just became the invisible guy again.... once this run of Tarmac Adam shows is over I hope he has all his solo album stuff together... it's taken forever. The songs I love so it will be worth the wait. he shouldn't keep people waiting with his false starts, should stick to a release date and show up for meetings.
Great news that Stargate will be going to at least Season 8, it keeps getting better. Some good Sci Fi but lets hope Colonel O'Neill gets more active again as far as appearing in shows. Otherwise Trudi will stop watching...*grin*
Let's hope ALIAS bites the bullet soon, such a shitty show, thought Steve O'Brien from SFX magazine was so full of shit with his ALIAS DVD Interview, Gellar kicks Jennifer Garners butt in all areas especially in the acting department. Alias is such a cheap wank fest. for English sci fi writers who can't get a date and are lame enough to give this shit DVD/show five stars. Every so often SFX really gets it wrong and Alias is a prime example. Put Jennifer Garner on the cover and see how many copies you don't sell. I'm sure the show is sponsored by Fredericks of Hollywood. Hell I'd even enjoy Farscape before this T&A excuse for entertainment. (see Jayne I can be positive about Farscape *GRIN*..love to the rat).
October 9th
First Tarmac Adam gig, and haven't heard from a single person who went.... wonder how many people turned up, hope Hessie/Seymour enjoyed themselves.Hmm, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (not to be confused by the International Federation of Planets *grin*) reports that music sales fell by 10.9% in the first half of 2003, mostly due to Piracy and illegal downloads (we told you to stop it Yeti..see what you've done). DVD music sales grew by a whopping 46%. It's all those Split Enz and Skyhooks DVDs we keep flogging. Surely all of you readers have copies by now!!!! OK why not. If any of you say Video we will send out the hit men.
Christine White, Andy's better half (GRIN) called by today, she's a sweetheart, dropped in our media quota for the PR exercise in November. yep our lead up work for TELL ME WHY, out in Oz December 1st. Everyone should buy this EP, 1/ it's good 2/ it's Andy 3/ it's good 4/ It's very good plus there is a full nude Delta G. with a bandicoot Poster included and yes I am making that up. We had a bit of a think tank around promotion etc, an afternoon well spent (ok we really gossip'd a bit).
October 10th
Into the city, have the afternoon off, grab some of the pay and Mark and myself are just going to blow it. Seems like years since we just spent some of our Pay on total sh*t.First off food at Myer Cafe, with the blue rinse old ladies...some of them bare a striking resemblance to Mark as Nana Doughtfire on the back cover of the GLAMOUR book!! Scary. That ain't no Nana baby that's a MAN!
Next stop DVD shopping, Mark finds the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, it was only every released in Brazil and for a short time...so super rare, and damn cool. Mick Jagger was filming the movie PERFORMANCE around that time and looks truly brilliant. Poor old Brian Jones he looks horrid, it was just a short period before he died...so bloated and just terrible.
I track down MALICE for the kitchen, this intense GOTH doll, people just can't stop looking at it, it's just a quirky thing for the kitchen area. Am thinking about investing in those really long Chilli and Garlic strands and onions etc to hang in the kitchen area.... that European look.... so have to buy them next.
Kate and Lauren blow out the filming today as it's really windy. A lot of the DAY IN THE LIFE filming is on location so the microphones will go crazy.. I'm ok about it as I don't have a major vibe today... prefer to shop till we drop.
Finally get home and both of us have lost the fine art of spending.... it's not like the good old days when we would walk the full length of Roma's Veva'veress (yeah and I spelt that correctly) and buy from every shop.... I'm glad about this, we all have far too much and so many people have far too little. Oh does this mean I'm growing up (NAHHHHHHHH).
October 11th
Campbell emails me that Bic Runga is in fact playing a show in London at the Bloomsbury Theatre on November 9th. Tickets on-sale now 0207 3888822 and remember in the middle of the set call out that Peter Green sent you (SON'T YOU DARE!). Go Runga Girl...Glad so many of you have been enjoying Jen's Pinwheel Delights.... hopefully my version of the recipe wasn't too confusing.
DVD Review
The Rolling Stones - 'Rock and Roll Circus'.
Release-Brazil Only. On Works Editions
Running Time- 65 Minutes (Approx)
Filmed in 1968.
Not sure if it was a legal reason but this Brazil release of this Stones classic was only available for a short period. Copies now go for up to $500 on Ebay, so it's nice and rare. I'd expect this to be released eventually on DVD but for now it's not really available.
The Stones filmed this special in 1968, was meant to be a TV special but the band pulled it at the last moment and it's only recently seen the light of day. Mick Jagger fresh from the filming of Performance is the ringmaster and he does look incredible, the wide eyed demon boy himself. Director, Michael Lindsay Hogg gets the best out of this odd event, all filmed under a Big Top with various artists playing live.
The Who perform their epic 'A quick one while he's away' and they are exceptional, the song is an epic (reminds me of Split Enz 'Nightmare Stampede' in it's vastness)...excellent and they look and sound great. Jethro Tull is on the show, the band you either love or hate, and they perform 'Song for Jeffrey' and win me over. In between acts there are Trapeze artist and fire eaters ... Trapeze artists are kind of funny as they look really old, something about oldish people spinning around on ropes in tights.. made me laugh, Marianne Faithfull sings, John Lennon performs with his outfit The Dirty Mac, and Yoko does her infamous catcall shrieking during 'Whole Lotta Yoko'.... John introduces the Stones and they play six songs on this special. Jumping Jack Flash, really good version of Parachute Woman, No Expectations, You can't always get what you want. Sympathy for the Devil (and Jagger just works this to the hilt )and finish with Salt of the Earth...with the audience and other band members cutting loose. It's a great time capsule, and the last performance of Brian Jones with the band, before he died. Brian who use to look so angelic looks worn out, bloated and except for the odd smile very sad. Still not sure why this was locked away for all those years, could be Brian's death that put it on ice but for so long? Anyway if you love music and the Stones you'll enjoy this DVD release, if you can track down a copy for less then $500. 8/10
October 12th
Sad day for politics as Jim Cairns dies, age 89. He was a main fixture for the Gough Whitlam Labor Government one of the more interesting and loved political times in Australia. I use to see him outside Prahran market for many years selling his books and chatting to people, a kind man always happy to have a chat. One of the good politician s (a rare breed).'Love is in the Air' doco series started today (ABC 7.30). It was a nice surprise, the first show going all the way back to where Australian music began, a good effort guys. Some great footage. Next weeks Episode is the woman of Australian music.
October 13th
'Queer eye for the straight guy' was channel Ten's 3rd most watched program so it's doing well here Nicole.Kate and Lauren arrive with camera gear in hand and we start the interviews for the 'Day in the Life' doco. Was a long day but all good, numerous locations from Parks to coffee on Acland street, my bedroom balcony, kitchen, Luna Park, the Pier and the beach, and the weather was good. I waffled a lot, occasionally lost the plot, demanded Lauren be in charge of 'hair' (see first doco and I'm already demanding), Kate knew what she wanted so that was all good....came home totally frazzled though. Think there is more filming in 10 days.
A lot of emails today, just short of breaking the record (which I think is 720), so spent the evening replying, it seemed endless, fell asleep on the desk.
October 14th
Missed the Jeremy Geddes art opening at Outre' tonight, lost the vibe, and have to save my pay for JB Hi Fi shares.Have a phoner with the remarkable Lea who is Andy Whites new manager, really like her and she's fun, think we work well together. Both of us are sharing PR duties on Andy's TELL ME WHY ep and the BOY 30 CD. The EP is still on track for December 1st. Lets hope we can spread the good word on Andy White to new areas and people. he's been emailing a bit and the overseas promotion is going well.
Go driving and pick up more boxes of laminates for the Life member kits, just what the world needs more plastic. Has to be done.
Today is bill day, pay the rates, which I hate as we live in an expensive area and the council made the Top 10 list for credit card overuse from the public purse.... that's MY money you guys are spending.
Ben boy calls in and needs to update my computer so the new scanner will work. He takes the G4 and I totally f*ck up and lose 3 months worth of work, my backups as well, of course all the useless stuff I didn't need arrived via email safely, totally depressed, but have to move on and start again, I am an idiot.
Get a call from Shane Gehlert, he's painting away for his third Melbourne art show on October 28th. It runs from October 28th to November 10th at Delsham Gallery (1185 High St Armadale) so if you live in Melbourne you must go check out this show, you'd be pretty boring if you couldn't find something interesting in his work.
October 15th
A phone call from one of the EVEN boys, such a good band, they should be much bigger, think it's lack of radio play. Tim and Marie love them as well, and there was talk of EVEN possibly being one of the bands on the Enz show(s) that were put on hold.Mail off a batch of Bic Runga Postcards to UK fans alerting them of her show at the Bloomsbury Theatre, am hoping for a sellout. There is some good word of mouth on Bic in London, so a street vibe is growing. So if you are in the U.K. try and make it to this show, you'll enjoy it.
I get caught in a massive cloud burst. One minute sunny, then big thick drops of rain, I leave the supermarket and the heavens really open up. I strip down to a singlet and run knowing I will be soaked. It got so bad I couldn't see a thing, and the train crossing was flooded up to my knees.
Some cars started bobbing like corks, and I was relieved that not a single leak in our house (Phew). Tania called just as I walked in the door, and I couldn't talk as I was a drowned rat and flooding out the house. Cosmo was dragged inside by Mark and he sat in the bay windows watching people float by. Hope this helps fill our dams a bit.
October 16th
Mark shows me the page three headlines in The Sun 'Band mate accuses Finn'. After all this time it seems that Nick still has a bee in his bonnet over Crowded House splitting. I'm hoping that it's just a segment of a much wider interview that's been chopped to give The Sun some headlines. We decide not to go to the gig, not really into the songs or the vocal on them, to each his own, I'd just get bored. Hope Paul & Nick enjoyed having a play, just wish that it would of been a more interesting project.Have to remember to watch 'The Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky' on SBS (10pm Oct. 21st). Nijinsky looks so much like a turn of the century Mick Jagger and he really is an incredible dancer. This special based on Nijinsky's diaries written mostly during his mental breakdown are a bit unique- no narrative, no major biographical information extremely abstract... very cool.
October 17th
Spending so much time in the city this week, back in today and lodge our form for our JB HI FI shares. The company is soon to be on the stock market here, and it should do well over time.Win a huge $19.40 on Tattslotto and find a small pyramid of gold $2 coins sitting on the street, so fate takes care of the breakfast bill at the Market cafe. yeah we are having a major break from Babble, just good to do it sometimes, and relaxing at the Market cafe.
We run into Goldmember on our way out, sorry she was late as today I have 2 meetings so I can't stop. Asked her how Tarmac Adam were last night and she said horrible, poked her tongue out and mentioned that the lead singer has no personality etc and heaps of old people at the show! Tickets were $17.50 (!) which I thought was a bit much for new act. She didn't like the songs very much, so I don't think they won our lovely Gold member girl over either. Apparently Nick mentioned something about his Sun newspaper bit onstage.
'Inside the Playboy Mansion' is on TV tonight, interesting special, and yeah not just because of blonde hair and perfect breasts, it really was fascinating. Heff's archives are incredible and this is true reality TV... it was great.
Spend nearly 2 hours today signing copies of HUSSY, had to open a new box, Mark almost creates a little ceremony each time a fresh box is opened. get outta town he says. he will always keep my Ego in check.
Bush arrives in Australia on Wednesday for a massive 18 hours, he's here to thank the Australian people, he can thank me by not coming. If I have to watch John Howards tongue firmly up Bush's arse I truly will vomit, I just know it's going to be a Howard/Bush love in ...maybe Heff can lend them the grotto at the Mansion and they can get it on. Yieks!
Andy White emails, looks like he is special guest on The Proclaimers Australian tour (late November).
October 18th
Mark talks me out of painting the facade on the roof, it's just too unsafe with the ladder we have, so I do the sensible thing and will wait. I had the vibe too, but he is right if I fell I would be dead and then Mark would have to pretend he's me and write the diary (he'd do a better job). Plus it's a bit windy, so put it off till we can locate a very long ladder.Annoys me a bit because (apart from the wind) it's a lovely Spring day. The ferns outside have gone crazy, I've been teasing them with warm water and suddenly huge fronds are popping up, very Jurassic looking.
Cosmo enjoys this Spring heatwave, he's all stretched out in his pot (no not the smoking kind of pot the other kind) he likes that cool earthy soil.
Spend the day re writing all the missing parts of the Enz book and Enz live dates, an endless task means weeks worth of work.... have to do it, not sure if I can recover everything that has been lost, trying to stay focused but it can be depressing. If everything is just atoms, where does it all go when you hit delete????! Maybe there is a whole world of stuff made from things we have deleted or destroyed.... how deep is that?
Tania calls and we have a chat, she's coming to Shane's art show, as is Greg Macainsh , Rosemaree, Trudi and all the gang. Such lovers of good art (:
Watch and record 'Lost & Delirious' on SBS, love that movie, scary how Mischa Barton looks like a very young Sarah Michelle Gellar , cool Canadian movie and a bit sad at the end.
Balmy night, Melbourne is back to white sheets and nude sleeping, nice time of year.
October 19th
Wake up and it's dark outside, I seem to sleep in more on Sundays. It's raining and I sleep like a baby when the rain comes. Have a feeling that Rosemaree will call, so turn the phones on... have a shower, walk out of my bathroom, and the phone rings. It's the girl, so we connect and head to Babble for breakfast. Haven't been for a month or so, so it's a bit weird. Dan the man calls out 'we missed you' and he meant it, which was nice. It's the only place at Prahran that is full, and we manage to get a table outside undercover and watch the fine Spring rain fall.I am thinking about snuggling up to someone, a fire and a bottle of Glayva. Rosemaree is on the same frequency today and out of this air she says "I need to get some Glayva at Dan Murphys". So we both buy a bottle. I look at some Wild Turkey Liquor but stick with Glayva, it seems to suit today's weather.
I raise a glass as a toast to the Sydney Opera House, she turns 30 tomorrow (20th), I still love that building, and even the concerts we've attended around the Opera House, that point of land feels a bit special and she is a unique building, even with NO WAR painted on the roof it became extra special (: I love the idea of George W flying over and seeing the Opera House, with that painted on the sails (but I know its been painted over). When I was really little our family would spend a lot of time going to Taronga Park Zoo, and we'd catch the Harbour Ferry across to the Zoo and the Opera House was being built; we have this progression of slides of the Opera House in different stages, it looks like some strange huge robotic armadillo being built.
An interesting week coming up, we drop in Rare II so the CD plant can start pressing them later next week, off to see David A. from the Secret Life of Mammals this week, he does rock, might watch the ARIA awards, also known as The Delta Awards, and find out (hopefully) from Neil when I can head to N.Z. to do the Interviews with him and Tim for the 'Letters to my Frenz' Split Enz book, and all the extra work things. I know how fast Christmas is approaching, and soon it will be 2004. I hope the world becomes a bit more caring, sometimes it feels like a cold old place and we all lock ourselves away in our day to day life stuff.
I've decided to make November the 'less plastic the better' month, refusing plastic bags etc every chance I can, and recycling like a mad person. We do that a lot of the time but I am going to really stop on plastic every chance I can. Almost to the point of being obsessed *grin*. Who me, never.
That's all she wrote.
Love Life.
Peter