The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 7 August - 29 August 2004
August 7th
It's nice being home. I fight the Jet-lag and even avoid sitting on my wonderful bed ... as you know it goes:- sitting- stretching, lying, snuggling, climbing under the covers, sinking into the bed, yawning and then BANG! You wake up several weeks later, kissed by a frog or several (always Gay) Prince's.... repeat (same chorus same as the last). Fight the sleep.So yep I fight it, and it's only around 10.00 that my body is begging for the bed and I give in. Funny how we adjust to another countries time and day to day normality.
I sneak into the kitchen and turn on the tap- lovely Melbourne water, so clean and it tastes great. Now that is something to fight for- clean water.
August 8th
Well the fans are gathering at Regents Park in London, I am here in Oz. It feels weird, but selfishly it feels good. Get a few emails that I am missed from the crew and other tour folk. That's nice. Heard the T-shirts were really poor quality and kind of sucked, not sure who printed them etc, zero to do with the ol' Gryph...but still not good.Even though this London show is great for the fans, in many ways it's probably a horrid idea, after such a major tour ... catch a flight to London and do this, I'm sure the Finns are frazzled. But hell the show must go on, and it did.
Spend the afternoon going through all the USA T-shirt sales working it out, Urgh urgh urgh spread-sheets.
Mark did an incredible job while I was away, the office is in good shape, all nice and efficient. Makes it easier to come home to. The 5000 emails don't. That is insane, 5000. I stare at them trying to figure out where to start. Tip of the iceberg.
August 9th
So Little Johnny hoWARd didn't call an election while I was away, bummer, bring it on I say. I'm sure he will raise his lying head out of the swamp and call one in the next few weeks.Check Tattslotto and win $30. Yahoo! Breakfast is covered and thanks to the Goddess and Mr Lotto.
The latest SFX arrives from Jayne and it's a really really good Issue, the best in awhile. I suppose Sci Fi like most things is just individual taste. If it had Farscape in it endlessly I'd be bored, if it had Alias I'd be mailing letter bombs and a tube of lube for the office guys to beat off to , c'mon it's not like Alias is remotely good- dog with fleas, once the wank factor is over and done with- what's left, a shitty script. But yeah this issue is excellent. I do chuckle over all the excitement of the new Dr Who. Yes I will watch it and probably like it (?) but in the end Dorothy- you can't always go back and trying to go forward after all this time could be a disaster (remember the Lost In Space movie!). I'm sure SFX are hoping Dr Who will fill the void in their magazine that Buffy has left, but they should be careful, a lot of 'original' fans can really hate 'new' versions of classic shows...they are a precious lot. Interesting times for the Doctor.
Speaking of Sci Fi- Fay Wray dies at age 96 in NYC. Famous for her role in the 1933 KING KONG movie. She deliciously hung from Kong's hairy paw (that was a paw she was hanging from wasn't it???) a top of the Empire State Building. As Frank'N'Furter once sang...'whatever happened to Fay Wray...' ...well she lived to a ripe old age. God speed.
August 10th
Hmm well my 'real' diary has a list of To Do's a mile long. The complete page is filled in with this never ending list. You go away for a month and wham ...catching up to do.One at a time, it's the only way- cross them off. Small steps.
Head to Mexican for dinner. The guy tries to convince me that the frozen Margarita machine is in the kitchen. I don't believe him and order a Diet Coke.
For some strange reason we sell a lot of F/16 Diary books today. Double figures, not sure what triggers this off, it's like some illness and people just have to complete their collection and have all three books. Maybe the world has just gone crazy, or maybe my writings are in vogue again.
August 11th
Jeff at the office sends me the lyrics for SUNSET SWIM. The unreleased Finn song that is on the Wont Give In single. It's going to be a bonus track on the Japanese release of EVERYONE IS HERE.Miss Belinda calls and she is on air with Karl & Jackie O tonight. Of course I blow it and Miss her.
The Olympic Games start soon so thought a nice Greek Recipe would go over well on the diary site. Maybe something simple like HUMMUS, and much as I detest frozen, HUMMUS does freeze really well if you make a large amount.
Ingredients:
* Chick-peas. about 1 1/4 cups. You have to soak these overnight.
* 2 Garlic cloves (crush them).
* 1/2 cup of Tahini Paste
* 4 tbsp Olive Oil
* Juice of 2 lemons.
* Pepper (Cayenne is best)
* Salt
Step One- Drain the chick-peas and pick out any ugly bits *grin*. Cook them in boiling water again for approx 10 minutes. Now turn the heat way down and simmer until very soft (45 min-1 hour). Drain chick peas and save some of the juice. Throw the ugly bits at someone you don't like.
Step Two- Put all of the chick-peas into a food processor/blender and add the Tahini, some lemon juice and the garlic. Blend until it's nice and smooth. Add some of the juice that you saved, until it is nice and creamy. Continue to add lemon/juice as the HUMMUS stiffens after sitting.
Step Three- Put HUMMUS onto serving plate, swirl it and drip some of the Olive Oil onto it. Sprinkle with the Cayenne and serve with Pitta bread.
A perfect party pleaser or to munch on while the Olympics are on.
August 12th
Squid sends me some great photos, we all have our soft gel lens working overtime- even I look good (must of been a day off on the tour). I love Squids Rebel Alliance tattoo, all the geeky Star Wars boys get all wet over it....or it could be Squid that simply turns them on- that HOT Peruvian charm. Oh la la.Rosemaree rushes through an update for me, see things are back to normal. She saves my cute arse again.
August 13th
Have to re-send the latest diary update, for some reason it never got to Deb. I sent it from our kitchen on the G4, so who knows where it ended up. (in with the Hummus maybe?). In that great email/sock black hole. Maybe Mr Bush didn't like what I said about him- take a number.Book my air-ticket to Sydney, have to get home and see Mum, Sis and my other Uncle.
I hear that Bongo Skyhook has been singing TOORAK COWBOY at several parties and get togethers around town. Heard he does quite a fun version, thank gawd I'm not in the room as I'm sure I'd get shit for it and probably the odd dedication. Shirl already dedicated that one to me once too often...and thank god for Molly as he has the record for the amount of times it's dedicated. Too many Toorak Cowboys about these days....
Speak to Greg Skyhook today regarding LIVING IN THE 70's. I need to contact Nathan again as I would love for some of his early Skyhook photos to be in the Living In the 70's booklet. Such great shots.
August 14th
Aliens kidnapped me today, or it could of been the Russian Volleyball team with paper foil on their heads.August 15th
Breakfast at Daguerre's with Rosemare, Dutch Deb and Yoast. No not toast Yoast...and it's probably spelt Youst? We get a seat because we are early, and it's all cosy. I am still asleep so not really with it. Next stop HMV and we buy out every copy of WONT GIVE IN... the store manager is just putting them out- so that was easy for her. JB is next and they don't have any stock yet.Am starting to get addicted to the Olympic games- what sport, me, never. Ok it's true I am. Hockey, the swimming, handball, the cycling, all of it.... the shower orgy's, oh that was only last nights dream (sorry).
The opening ceremony was great, Greece did well, and proved a lot of people wrong, was good to see.
August 16th
Wow Australia climbs to #2 on the medal tally, and what's going on with all those empty seats in the stadiums.?Head into the city with my better half. Coffee and cake at Laboca , which is a new coffee place in one of the arcades. It all feels more sane here in Melbourne. People are smiling, so many people overseas never smile. C'mon our PM is as bad as your President and we can still smile.
Get home to find that WONT GIVE IN debuts at #26 on the U.K. chart, making it the Finns 20th Top 50 UK single (I think).
It's #24 in New Zealand. It won't do well here as we have such small qty's of stock.
Bec arrives and I have to zoom, which sucks, my fault. Sorry galfriend.
Jet get nominated for three MTV awards, which means they will win one. You watch I will be proven right...always happens that way.
August 17th
Wild endless sex for 24 hours. Go away I need some sleep. Kylie and Edward Norton please turn off the light when you leave.... OK Edward you can stay but only because you are a talented actor as well.August 18th
Robin joins us for breakfast and we go through all our Tax stuff. I am almost all paid up with the Tax man, as are our companies. All good, Mark too, well almost- so he won't have to go to jail and be someone's butt monkey. He can stay here and continue working in my office and be my... oh never mind.Wow , find some MORS Berri-drink. It's the original Russian formula, handpicked wild berries...and excellent artwork on the carton. I'm suckered, give me give me. It looks better then it tastes. Fuck the drink give me that packaging.
August 19th
Green Days AMERICAN IDIOT is out on September 20th. It will be huge. I wonder whom it's dedicated to?Book The Olive for Rosemaree's get together. They give me the usual table, you have to have your regular comfort zone. Don't You?
God bless Neala Johnson at The Sun- HIT magazine. Gives EVERYONE IS HERE a 4 star review- send her a thank you email. She's one of the good guys.
Wrap Rosemaree's present, and yes it's a years supply of batteries... oh no it's not that belongs to someone else. We got her a Wiggles Toy and some Cosmo the bunny prize scratchies and some chocolates. We will give you the batteries next year.
August 20th
This morning I spotted Avril Lavigne on Chapel Street, she'd obviously done some serious shopping looking at those bags. She waved, I ignored her, and sent her back to the Como Hotel where she is staying. I'm glad she went to Greville Street Bookstore and bought a copy of HUSSY. So many kids look like Avril on Greville street it's hard to tell if it was her.Having breakfast at the Market Hotel and the DJ is raving about the Finns and the album. Took me by surprise, and then he plays WONT GIVE IN. Sounds a bit slow on radio but it stands out like dogs balls. (nice Australian expression).
Oh Happy Birthday Rosemaree! See I didn't forget.
We have a nice night at the Olive, cute waiter has a great tattoo and proudly shows us. Nice guy though he has no idea how to mix a drink. he did however go out into the cold and buy me some Ruskies.
Pick up BEAT magazine and I get a nice rap in Christie Eliezers column. Hey it's nice to get a mention anywhere and Christie has always been great to us.
August 21st
Second week home already. That is way too fast. Loving it.I watch Jana Pittman win her event and qualify for the semi's. Even if her knee caves in again, she is incredible to recover so quickly. Maybe that really IS the Olympic spirit.
Olympics Olympics Olympics. Sorry Marky, TV will be returned to you soon. I'm becoming my mother I keep saying 'YESSS" each time we win. Australia wins Gold- YESSSSSS!
Fahrenheit 9/11 has now grossed $250 million worldwide since it's release in June. That's a lot of people who will get turned off Bush. Michael Moore now has his fighting fund...and will duly be elected President of the United States of Iraq (opps America).
August 22nd
We head off to Toija and Marcos house, Igor Senior needs his ears clipped and oh yeah a haircut. They have just returned from Europe, such travellers, and we all swap tales. Mark goes through the motions with their new TV...and yes Marky it's even bigger then our TV!!!!!!!! We can't have that *grin*. can we!?I hear on the radio that Edward Munchs 'The Scream' was stolen again in Oslo. I prefer 'Madonna' which was also ripped off. There are 4 versions of THE SCREAM, despite what the DJ said, this version of THE SCREAM has never been stolen before, but a different one was in February 1994. I just hope they get "Madonna' back, hell you can always get a good SCREAM BOP Bag or teatowel.
Have a chat to Merelyn, always good- in love or what girl.!
August 23rd
Finns are on Andrew Dentons ENOUGH ROPE. Andrew was superb , a really great interview. I thought Matt Damon who was on the same show was articulate and quite normal (whatever that is) and it was good to see. Matt is following us around the media circuit this week...he's on ROVE too. Such a groupie. Nice guy.Australia moves up to #3 on the Olympic Tally board, bumping off Japan.
Happy Birthday to Jen in Sydney. I called and you were not home, you were probably out networking your new play, or ironing those Red pants for Mossy.....(ahem).
Head off to JIms for dinner with some good friends, fine food, that Greek flag, I pay and do it fast before that Yeti pulls out his credit card.! What a nice night.
August 24th
Dye Tim Finns shirt purple, as was my promise. It looks good, hope he remembers not to wash it with his other clothes for awhile..and TF no super-sweating or you'll be Purple Finn.Watch LOST IN TRANSLATION with Mark and have to say that I LOVE 'Just like Honey' which is performed by Jesus & the Mary Chain. I have the album that it's on and will have to hunt it out and get addicted to it all over again.
Aussie baseball team exceptional- beating Japan 1-0 in the semi final. So depending on the final it's Gold or Silver, this has to be the best moment for Aussie baseball. Lock in a game with the family in a few weeks... we all need some exercise.
Finns on ROVE. Someone try's to call, was that you Neil Finn and why didn't you call by for a cup of tea. I'm far more important then that Rove man.
August 25th
We started mailing out the Finn album to fans yesterday, or was it the day before, we have had hardly any sleep. Each copy has to be address checked, customs forms filled in, log book filled, old cover removed, signed cover added, packaged, stamped.... 2 days with no sleep. So many but we are making headway. If people would stop emailing we'd get more done.JB Prahran tell me they ordered in 70 copies of the album and have already sold 50. That's pretty good. It looks set to be JB's biggest selling album this week. I just want it to be the #1 album in Victoria.
August 26th
Box CDs, a sea of SEADEES. (opps). I swear Neil and Tim just winked at me on the cover. That river is making me sea sick....Have to have a break, so we head to Daguerre's for an early dinner.
Carry 3 more mail bags down to the mail box. Parcels take an extra week for overseas, all those security checks and they get scanned. Watch out for the Finn Brothers Mr Bush ... Neils head might just explode one day if he doesn't get all those lyrics out....
Pack my bags for Sydney....well rush and pack. We work till 4.00 in the morning boxing these CDS.
August 27th
No sleep don't even try. Walking around the house at 5.30. Give Cosmo a cuddle and he always looks the same, never sleepy. He thinks I'm a freak being awake at this hour.I wake Mark up, nuzzle him and say goodbye...
No traffic at this hour, Melbourne is asleep, sensible people. Quick drive to the airport and leave the 4WD with Valet Parking. I somehow sit in the wrong seat on the plane, my brain is in my pocket, not in my head. Read Michael Moores DUDE-WHERE IS MY COUNTRY. It's even better the 2nd time around. The big guy has the best sense of humour .
Arrive Sydney and Hertz has a new car pickup system, you don't really get to see any people, I am out of the airport within 5 minutes and they upgraded me to some new super car. Hey I look good in white. Nice car.
I call into the florist and she says 'I remember you, you are THAT GUY from Melbourne'. Wow celebrity..I am THAT GUY...better then Fat Guy or Crap Guy. Yes I say I am 'That Guy'. I buy flowers for Mum, flowers for the Crematorium flowers for us all. Flowers for all the people eh Nicole?
I call into the Crematorium and I'm the only person here, well lots of dead people but I am the living walking amongst the dead....hell lets face it I AM the slayer. I should of packed our Buffy coat.
So strange all the roses have been pruned and the place looks smaller. I struggle to find the various family plots. I finally do... and seeing my Uncles name just makes me cry. Not a lot just some tears. He was a good man, a really good man, and probably the most honest person I knew, apart from Marky. I let some emotions out, it's hard to do after all these weeks, god months... but I have to, or my head will be messy. So I sit and put some flowers around his stone, my grandads and grandmas stones too. I visit Dad and that saddens me- so many of the strong male figures in my life have moved onto a better one. I miss them all.
I can tell that Mum and Sis have visited lately, my Mum would be great in New Orleans on the day when the families whitewash the tombs and graves, she has a gentle touch around death that comes from truly caring. That sounds morbid, it's not, but I can tell tat she has been here.
I say my good-byes and as I drive off I do start to cry, my sunglasses are blotched and useless so I pull over in case I have a car accident. I hear my Uncles voice, joking- 'hey if you do have a crash you are at the right place, handy...' I chuckle. I decide to take the alternative route to Mums and go via the lake. Many years since I took the sailing boat out, but it's nice to see the water. It has a calmness with me and I let it cheer me up.
I put some Visine in my eyes so the red will go and it will be a disguise so Mum won't be upset. She cries enough for us all.
I arrive home and she is waiting and gives me a warm cuddle, she likes my white car. Mum has a new groovy haircut with coloured streaks- she confesses they are natural grey (opps). Grey IS a colour...(cough)
Soon after, she has convinced me to drive to another suburb to visit the great Aunt and great Uncle. So we do and it's fun. Mum and Dibby (that's the great Aunts nick-name) are truly joined at the hip and are fun, I miss that in Melbourne.
Finally home again and Mum is trying to fatten me up- you are getting too skinny as I hike up my jeans, she grabs the back- waist 28! Shakes her head (coming from the 7 1/2 stone matriarch I find that pretty perverse Moogie).
We stay up very late, especially for her and watch the Olympics (who would of thought) and we cheer on China & Brazil in the Vollyball. Goodnight Moogie. 'Oh that damn Ferengie name..will you stop that' she laughs. 'Never' I say.
I tell her that we three (Sis, Mum and myself are off to China for the Olympics in 4 years...) that's the plan anyway.
August 28th
Horrible sleep, hate this bed, I never liked this bed, and I am a tangle of sheets and blankets and the guilt that my Mum is in the next room has probably removed my morning hard-on forever! *grin*Breakfast in bed (and yes hard on gone..too much information *sorry*). Crispy bacon and some strange juice... but it's good.
We drive to Mullet Creek at lunch time and I have packed a picnic lunch for us. It's nice down here by the water. She can't decide on the best tree so we are like Bourke & Wills and continue travelling. FINALLY the right tree. It's good, we snack, drink and chat. She tells me stories, that are so important to me, our history, little things about her and Dad. Nice memories, right back to Butternut the cow, how Grandpa got the land for the house and why some sides of the family are a tad bitter (our close family-thankfully- is a bitter-free zone). I think story telling is missing at many homes, and it's what man (and wo-man) does best..that oral history. I love it, everything; the truths, half truths, the skeletons and the endless Big Fish stories. (Hey I come from a fishing family...what can I say-endless Big Fish stories).
People talk to Mum, she's 'kindly' they like her, they tell her things, they trust her. That day at Mullet Creek, the whole six strangers in the area all came up and talked to her. It never ceases to amaze me.
Head home and watch , yes more Olympics. The dutch looked pretty pissed when the Kookaburra's Hockey team won- the 48 years of silver and bronze places finally gave way to a Gold for our mens hockey team. It also gave Australia it's highest medal count ever. Aussie Aussie.
Sis calls by and we go into Wollongong, just a drive, some shopping and coffee. She loves her car, it's the best present I've given anyone and she looks after it. She has to shop at Rivers, and I see these really nice patent leather shoes, almost sensible, oh stuff it, just too tempting, I won't eat for a few days. Sis shakes her head, 'they are nice' she says... encouraging me...we are bad for each other in the shopping area... but great for the economy.
We call into the nursery and buy some plants for Mum, she's good with them, her garden is appreciated by half the street. Joan Green-Thumb we call her.
Home in time to watch the Opals win their way into the final. A great basketball team, and one of their players Jackson is exceptional and kind of naturally daggy- and we like that. She rocks.
Colin Powell cancelled a trip to Athens for the closing ceremony of the games- anti American sentiment is at an all time high. They are fighting in the streets. I guess Bush thinks if Powell goes and the protests really explode the publicity will be extra bad for him...hey it's election time. Duck and cover.
I flick over the TV channel and see Shannon Knowles killing 'Better be home soon' on Australian Idol, in front of 10,000 screaming fans. urgh. I hope Neil is getting loads of money for this. Urgh.
Jet win Best Rock Clip at the MTV awards- onya lads.
August 29th
Happy Birthday Sis.Weather changes about 4.00 in the morning and it's cold and grey. It's like a bit of Melbourne was hiding in my bag and escaped and covered the sky. We rearrange the house for Sis's birthday dinner. I set off party poppers and streamers are hanging from the ceiling fans. Mum cooks the best roast-ever.
John hoWARd heads to Government House to call an election. It's about time, glad he's stop playing with us (urghh scary non sexual though Urgh Urgh Urgh). The Australian Election will be on October 9th, only 42 days that we might have to suffer him as our PM. That's the nice thought for the day. Don't want to think about how horrible it will be to suffer him any longer.
If you are away on election day and you WANT to help get rid of John hoWARd you can call the Labor hotline to secure a postal vote, absentee or pre-poll vote. The Greens and Democrats would also have a help line.
Phone- 1800 005 383
It's funny, my Mum a strong Labor supporter is talking up The Greens big time (the Party not our family), which is wonderful. My sister said at the table 'Oh I'm voting for John hoWARd and the Liberals'...and it went quiet and then everyone laughed. "fooled you' she said.... I didn't ask who she was really voting for... as long as she votes. I like to think she has some intelligence to see that War is wrong, the children overboard lie was such a political vote grabbing exercise and that you should have the same rights no matter what sexes you are. The fact that my Mum may vote Green after all these years of Labor is a good thing. Headlines- JOAN GREEN VOTES GREEN! Dad is in heaven shaking his head..but in a proud way.
The Iraq War was the last straw for me against this hideous little shit of a man (John HoWARd), it's funny my few liberal voting friends, most of them are the first to complain about having little money, high taxes etc. They all fell for the Iraq lie and some even believed that Iraq was responsible for the 9/11 horror.
One was telling me about the mobile van for weapons of mass destruction, saying 'see, see'...and it ended up being a mobile van that produced hydrogen for targeting balloons . John hoWARd like Bush will try and use fear to get your vote, it's time we all said it's not working anymore.
Invading Iraq was wrong, you don't set a country free by bombing woman, children and innocents, destroying it's infrastructure so your country can make money from rebuilding it. Australia should not of been so lame-arsed to support this and John hoWARds reward was taking it up the rear, was in the form of the Free Trade Agreement. I still like Tony Blair in some micro sort of way, as Michael Moore said- someone just slap some sense into him, but hey - if the dominoes have to fall at election time- let it be 1-2-3. HoWARd, Bush and Blair and let all three of them think about what they have done. Bush, even now ,admits the War on terror will never succeed. Maybe if we removed the weapons of mass destruction from the country who has the most, that would be a start...oh Mr Bush sorry THATS YOU & the good ol' USA.
On our recent tour of the States it did my heart good to meet so many passionate, progressive thinking, intelligent people. I left America knowing that yes indeed it has a chance, and that there could be a real reality this upcoming election that George W. will get the boot. It's no longer an acceptable excuse to vote for a party because your family always has, that's a cop out. People know what's right and what's wrong, let it show in your votes.
Every vote counts- and you can register online at:
www.rockthevote.com
It was great to see 100,000, 200,000 a whole shit load of people marching against Bush in NYC and other areas around the States. Michael Moore and Jesse Jackson leading the pack. The world really can be a better place by Christmas. It's that simple.
Meanwhile back on the couch. My Mum has fallen asleep, the very same moment her dog Snowy drifted off. I cover them both over with a knitted quilt.
I watch 'The fifth element' and scribble down some notes for projects.
A friend who works in the political arena tells me to expect hoWARd to announce that there will be an election in Australia October 9th. He does next day. My friend is never wrong.
The next call is to tell me that the Finn Brothers EVERYONE IS HERE debuts at #2 on the Australian chart, the best news is that it is number one on the Victorian State chart. All our hard work has paid off. Our State is the only state where it is #1. It entered the U.K. chart at #8 and New Zealand is expecting it to debut at #1. (PHEW).
I tune into the Olympics farewell ceremony, just in time to catch Aussie Craig Miller (water polo player) dropping his pants and being grabbed by Olympic security and taken out of the stadium. The same security can't prevent several Aussies making a final run around the track much to the crowds delight. See we are all trouble-makers, it's in our convict blood. It's one reason the rest of the world loves us, larrikin's all of us.
So farewell from me, farewell from Craig Millers butt and farewell from the Olympic games. Snowy and Mum and snoring a morse code goodnight as well to each and everyone of you. ZZZZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZ
Bring it on John hoWARd! The clock is ticking...and George W, Michael Moore is coming for you and he is carrying a VERY big stick (well I think it's a stick).
Time for a change ... and I don't mean the song.
PG