Famous for Sixteen Minutes: Archive

The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 19 October - 31 October 2010

Halloween at the Bat Cave- Kalorama!

The 4th Famous For Sixteen Minutes Book "TRIP" is now available!

October 18th

Work keeps side tracking me from writing the diary... so the previous one was a week late. Deb was so fast, it was on the Net in seconds, old speedy fingers she is! I've made an effort to get this one done on time (and failed) Well that is the plan. This week we have-pre sales for Neil's show at York Theatre at Sydney University, mail out for Australia, media related stuff for The Very Very Best Of, the public voting for the ARIA awards for Crowdies (segment 1 of voting).

October 19th

We plant a purple Rhododendron, they love it up here and during the spring the mountain is covered in reds and pinks and purples as they flower. I send Neil a scan of the Enz with Sandy Allen, taken years and years ago. I think it was taken on Nathan's old polaroid camera. he gave the snap to me during the eighties when I was at the Enz office and it was pinned to our board in my work room .... it's darkened over time as many polaroids do and Neil is a little head at the back.... Sandy towering over everyone. Neil's probably got a better shot but he mentioned this onstage at Largo so I thought I'd send him a jpeg. Mark swore at the scanner 3 times in 5 minutes as the evil machine was on strike and didn't want to scan. I swear the scanner and printer will both give him a heart attack one day. Everyone thinks it will be me but it will be technology that does him in. It's kind of blurry but maybe I'll add it to the top of the diary. Possibly the photo credit is to Nathan Brenner- truly so long ago can't remember who took this. What a giant she is! She died in 2008...in a retirement complex in Indiana-oddly enough it was the same complex as a previous Guinness World Record holder lived...Edna Parker who was at one stage the oldest human being. (114 years and 115 days)!

Enz meet Sandy Allen!

October 20th

We find a very cool house at Upper Ferntree Gully, so weird for a mansion to exist in that area, it's a former monastery. Quite brilliant.. maybe a bit overwhelming! We always stumble upon these places and they taunt and haunt us both. I find myself checking them out on the Net and occasionally driving past like some mansion stalker!

I volunteer for the National Bowel Cancer screening test. Sometimes I think Mark and myself are so immature, we had a giggle over the drawings that came with the kit on 'how to do the testing'... yes so childish we know. It's incredibly efficient here and the results came back within 3 days from the pathologist. The government cover all the cost for this which is great...well great if you DO have bowel cancer and get in early, and just great that the government encourages people to get tested. The occult blood test was negative (YEY!). It's never 100% but pretty accurate. I like how it's called Occult blood-the goth in me grins at that. I'm not sue if other countries around the world send these kits out- I think it's brilliant that Australia does.

Our charts come in from iTunes, the Crowdies Best of at #4 today... so the digital sales (boring) are keeping pace with the cd sales.

October 21st

Deb updates the charity barometer for 2010. This year we plan to give a school in a third world country electricity. CARE Australia has a package where you can buy them a solar unit, so with our love of renewable energy it sounded like a good idea. Funny having to give people electricity in 2010 isn't it! I'm hoping everyone will make a donation that we know even a dollar. It costs $10,000 so we'll make it happen. I'd say everyone can afford a mere dollar or two. People can just email if they want to make a donation.

October 22nd

I get my final dates in for the Linden Gallery and when I have to have all 3 pieces of art finished. One down two to go. Am thinking one piece will be on Nick Seymour, he's such a glamour puss and deserves to be hanging on a gallery wall eh?!

I've been reading a lot of articles and reports on one way missions to Mars, and wanting volunteers.... Mark won't let me go *GRIN*. Well being so far away will solve my endless email problem.

October 23rd

I get an early chart and THE VERY, VERY BEST OF CROWDED HOUSE debuts at #11 on the ARIA Australian chart. Which is really healthy. Still for those who know me you also know that is really frustrating, 1 chart spot away from being top 10! Arghhhh. It's funny as horrid old John Farnham only comes in at #2, he always comes in at #1...I guess the suburban house wives didn't buy his newie. Kings Of Leon with 'Come around sundown' debuted at #1 and kept him from top spot. I'd love for Crowded House to climb that extra spot, week #2 on the chart is always hard and I don't think we have a tv campaign for this release (yet)? I email the guys the good news, hear back from Nick.

I'm in the kitchen at the large bench making Greek Lamb meatball salad with a yoghurt sauce and I look up and 3 very large sulphur crested cockatoos are trying to stare me down. I call these 3 the 'Council Of Elders' as they look older then the usual mob. They just stare and stare, it's off putting in a freaky bird sort of way.

October 24th

Neil plays the Jazz cafe in London, tonight, some good emails. Johnny Marr is up for a play. The secret is out about him receiving the Q magazine award for songwriter, which he receives on Monday. I was hoping it would stay a secret till the day but as always the internet blows it- totally sucks but thats the world we live in. It's a nice award to receive, but also odd for the past years I keep feeling England is slipping out of Crowded House's grasp, some of it strange decisions and I think the space between band and the public is widening. maybe I'm wrong..I don't think the Very Very Best Of will do anything in the UK.

We watch Slash on The Max Sessions and it was surprisingly great , mostly because the wonderful Myles Kennedy was playing the guitar as well and his fantastic vocals. he looks very cool for 41.

October 25th

I hear from Mardi which is great. They are loving the lush and green away from the city.

Christie E emails to get a quote from Neil on his award win today, probably for Billboard magazine. I'm equally excited that Suede reformed for the Q awards, I'd love for them to do a new album, I guess it was a one off but anything is possible.

In a bit of a spiral today, my end of month pmt. urgh. Someone get that black dog off my back. It only lasts for a few days, life is too good to be miserable.

October 26th

The pre sale for Neil's show at York Theatre (Seymour Centre-Sydney Uni) sells out very very fast. I assume they have allotted a few tickets for the public sale. It's not a huge venue so I expected tickets to go fast, Neil solo shows are far and few- I bet they add a second show.

The VERY VERY BEST OF CROWDED HOUSE debuts at #12 on the NZ charts. So one spot behind Australia.

I hear from Nick who is at the venue in Africa. Matt's flight from Nashville arrived late and he was stuck in immigration, so it's straight from the airport to the stage.... talk about hit the ground running.

Pet hate at the moment is rubbish like Tarot cards or tea leaves done on the Internet, so horribly wrong and tragic . Get the 'real thing' or get a life. Every so often the internet gets it so wrong. (shakes his head).

October 27th

I decide to take a punt on an online Lotto ticket and win $24.85. I've donated it to the club charity project, money from God. It all helps with the total.

I hear from Kimbo and I should see her and Nige this weekend, but what a weekend to visit. Apparently we are expecting a months worth of rain in one day (Saturday), it's going to be a very soggy track for Melbourne's horse racing carnival.

October 28th

I'm playing HE WILL HAVE HIS WAY-THE SONGS OF TIM & NEIL FINN. Yeah it's the guys turn this time around after the triple platinum success of She Will Have... I have to say out of the songs I think Glenn Richards version of 'She Got Body, She Got Soul is really really good- a very similar spirit to the Frenzy version..all the right parts even the piano run.... excellent actually. Paul Kelly & Angus Stone do a pretty good version of '4 Seasons. Jimmy Barnes version of "Message to my Girl'...why did he pick that song..... I know he tries...but!!!! Art V's Science have a very cool ending to I See Red..... the ending is great their version ok..it's such an amazing Punk song... nothing beats that brilliant Enz original....the Sleepy Jackson version of Better Be Home Soon..is way way out there.... even now I still dont know if I like it admire them for taking the song to some new level where in a million years I'd never guess it was that song! Fans will hate it but others will just think it's some very cool music... maybe that is what it is about- THEIR version... brave I think.

October 29th

Melbourne Museum will have the 'treasures from the tomb of king Tutankhamun on show next year (in April). I've seen pretty much all of it in Cairo but it's fantastic that it's coming to Melbourne..all that glitzy gold! I think about 130 pieces from Tuts tomb are being flown in. I'm hoping the chariot is one of them! The Egyptian ministry of culture said this is the last time the treasures leave Egypt...so come and see this!

I had a chuckle I noticed the Uncanny Xmens "Still Waiting" clip is up on You Tube.... had a laugh... I'm the second killer Zombie to be shot (in the red runners)...oh the eighties! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5D2muws-3g

James MacArthur who played Danno on Hawaii Five-O died. That pop culture reference "Book 'em Danno' will live on forever I guess.

I tell Mark that my halloween photo this year will be yours truly in a Batman suit riding on the black lawnmower waving a pumpkin- he doesn't find it funny! Am I that strange that I do! Guess it will be a standard shot in the bat suit!

Bec calls and we are chatting till 2.00 in the morning, so a late night here and yes I've kept Mark awake with all my laughing. She's fun tonight, and it's nice to have a decent chat. Sorry Marky.

October 30th

Wake up to a grey sky but our house smells wonderful from baking bread. I head off to Viewpoint before the rain starts in the afternoon. It's nice to sit and yes two coffee's today... that will keep me wired! The latest polling arrived on an email for the Victorian election. Labor at 49 Coalition at 44, Green vote is at 16. Brumby is well well ahead of Baillieu which you'd expect as Ted Baillieu is pretty much useless. When I see him on Tv it's like he is talking but in my head there is no sound. The Victorian Liberals have no vision and no leadership..... I don't really know anyone voting for them this time. It should be a fairly quick election result next month. I do hope Bronwyn Pike keeps her seat of Melbourne, it's a high risk one, but she is one of the most gay friendly politicians in Australia and a classy lady. So any readers in the seat of Melbourne vote for Pike! We need more politicians like her.

I read some scary stuff on the Tea Party in America, I thank the goddess I don't live in the States and have to deal with wackos like that. I love America but every so often it's beyond belief.

It starts raining at 2.30, they've been saying all week they expect it to be a lot of rain. They were right, it broke a 35 year rainfall record, making it the highest rainfall for October since 1975. About 53mm fell on Melbourne, in some areas triple that. The racing carnival is on and the rain flooded down on that. At least Melbourne's dams will be past the 50% full level now. Ailsa Craig the rain was intense. Not a drop inside, one small leak on the balcony, it holds up well this house.

We were suppose to do the 'guitar' photo for the diary 'sleeping gryphon' (art piece) but the rain blows out the outdoor shot. Have to wait for a sunny day. Annoying.

I get a sad call at 6.00, one of our family members died, we were all expecting it but very sad, so I'm guessing the funeral is on when the Australian tour is on so family comes first for me. I'll probably call into the Melbourne show but I'll be heading home I think. It also meant I didn't sleep, even the (usual) calming rainfall didn't help me much.

I repair the flying screaming ghost for the front of the house, it floats around and screeches and eyes glow.... cool!

October 31st

Happy Halloween.

After all this time I have learnt how to carve a pumpkin. I bought some pumpkin tools in Los Angeles (for a mere $4) and they are great.... all makes sense now, the right pumpkin the right Halloween tools. So I carve this witch on a broomstick, she's a happy smiling witch. The rain stops at midday but skies are grey so probably more on the way, so lots of wet costumed trick and treaters tonight. I spend some time in the garage making halloween bags with spray painted arty skull heads on them.... I'm so stoked with my stencil I rush an art piece on canvas!

Jode brings over a pile of kids for the yearly Halloween photos, really good this year couldn't work out which kid was witch (opps which)! I decided to answer the door in the Batman outfit. Jodie being a makeup specialist!!! assures me the black face paint around my eyes and the extra thick Kohl I used on the lids will indeed 'come off eventually"! I look like a Racoon when I take off the cowl! I tell Mark to stop saying it's a hat...respect the bat- that's a COWL baby!

The 2 columns by the door are covered in that cool spiderweb that seems to stretch and grow by itself...small plastic spiders and bats (yes more bats) hang amongst it... Halloween pumpkin lights that we rigged up amongst it... the ghost is flying about moaning & screaming...the black witches cat screeching like a banshee (sorry Banshee!). What fun! before they arrive the power goes off so the house has all it's candles lit... and the drizzle has started, it's all a bit authentic!!!!

The candy bags go FAST really fast....I've never seen so many hands reaching out and grabbing, holy chocolate fix! Mark steals some freddo frogs for us to eat later! The happy Halloweeners depart and I stand as Batman on the edge of the roof top. "Be good young citizens"I say in my best Bruce Wayne voice. They snigger they get the joke..cool. Bat dork that I am.

As the rain falls some more candles are lit and a small pagan fire in the fire pit, a quick thank you to the earth and the food we get...and may my crop of heirloom tomatoes do well this year...and please Goddess hand me $4 million for my 'stalker' mansion that we so love.

I plug in the emergency older style phone & call some friends and leave Halloween messages. Tania picks up just as her first trick and treater arrives. We decide to drive through the rain and surprise them as trick and treaters.. we even take the pumpkin head and I pack the Bat suit. "Quick Mark to the Batmobile" echoed through the Kalorama darkness.

I call in and grab some more treats.... and get changed into the Bat outfit on the street in front of Tani & Warwicks house. Of course their neighbours turn up while I'm in my calvins, holding a bat cape over one arm and a bottle of expensive champagne in the other! Holy strip down Marky! We surprise them and pig out on sugar....and it's a nice way to spend Halloween. They check out the house we found. I am trying to work out the seconday entrance.... on the way home we sneak up to the property and my good sense of direction finds the secondary address. Great gates I could be the Elvis of Upper Ferntree Gully.

We get back to Kalorama before midnight, the sensor on the flying ghost clicks on and a huge screech greets us..... are we having fun yet?

PG