The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 5 April - 18 April 2010
April 5thEaster Monday so a public holiday.I see iPad in America sold 650,000 units in it's first day of sale- amazing, apple just keeps doing it. The shareholders will be happy. You can turn it upside down and use it as a dinner tray while watching TV! They should make iTray covers for it. I opt out from the world and play DOOM for a few hours, my missile launchers are a bit hard core, sometimes I just fry myself. I locate a fault on the disc and it stops me from moving to the one of the next levels so annoying. Banshee the cat wanders in and sits next to me and just stares at the screen- I was tempted to give her a control stick to play against me but the cat is probably a better player!!! We head to 'Ranges' for lunch and it's not too insane, get our usual table and our regular waitress so all's ok with the world. I work on the Wings Off Flies PDF with Mark, just some little short detailed bits about each shot in the photo book. It's just a fun free thing, a supplement. After this next week I am back onto the Crowdies Ghost cars book unless work side tracks me again. April 6thMy CD player in the office has been dying a strange death all week, tends to get to track 4 on any CD and go into freak out mode.....so today I dig around in Marks cupboard and find his sony discman and use that - just to have some music going. I hate working in the office with no music. Considering I work in the music industry it seems to make sense.Some American dates are on sale now for the Crowdies, I get a bit sad when pre-sales are done (not via us or the club) and we just haven't been sent the information from NZ. I always believe that fans should be looked after, they are the people who stand by the band through thick and thin and I do get saddened when they are basically ignored when it comes to things like getting some decent tickets. So I hassle NZ, but in the end the few pre sale codes I get are from fans on the Frenz Forum- so I try to spread the word (and codes). It does leave me wondering if I don't have the 'tools' to do my job is it worth doing half arsed? I just don't want to start hassling people yet as everyone has a lot on their plates. Still it's frustrating yet seems oddly familiar. Ever get the feeling you are being watched. I'm in our kitchen putting together some healthy homemade hamburgers (such things do exist) and I got that very feeling-someone was watching me. I look up and 3 sulphur crested cockatoos are staring through the kitchen window at me- to make it more stranger one of them winks at me! April 7thSo happy to get some Nierinna blueberries from Tasmania, so much nicer then the New Zealand version. I find them at IGA and some health shops, hassle Safeway and they get some in as well as the NZ stock. Have I become one of those people who hassle the vegetable departments of supermarkets now! Good grief.Australia Post contacts me over a missing parcel, so few go astray and we track most- the girl I spoke to was ok but the system for some Australia Post services is crap. Is it just me or am I reading about more and more earthquakes? I know we get about 2600 earthquakes a day and most we don't even feel but it seems like the magnitude of many recently sit around the 7.00 mark or possibly it's just where they happen. I know a friend in California is rather freaked by even the smallest quake, I guess if you live in California it will always be in the back of your mind. It might be they are reported more, I'm not sure but it feels like they are on the rise. Nick Seymours 'Falling down town' painting used on 'Temple' may well become a reality. April 8thSome nice reviews of the Crowdies Auckland show, especially compared to some average fan reviews of the The Enmore gig. Well many fans enjoyed Enmore, some didn't, I guess that happens from time to time, no such thing as a perfect gig.I hear from Tim Finn, about the interview for the area on Woodface for the Ghost Cars book, so that will happen in a few weeks time. So funny it is now looking like David Bartlett and Labor will hang onto power in Tasmania, the Greens improve their numbers and the Liberals are left sobbing in the corner and stamping their feet. Must piss Tony Abbott off not winning either South Australia or Tasmania- I think it's hysterical. I had this strange rush on the 4th diary book TRIP today, so weird they happen out of the blue, not one or two but like a dozen sales and from the strangest places- I never get use to it- I try to figure out what ignites the fuse on the sales of the little diary books. Do people just wake up in the morning and go " Hell I really really have a craving for the 4th diary book TRIP"...or do people spot the other 3 and think they will miss out if they don't grab it for their collection, or has the budgie cage ran out of paper and TRIP is the next alternative!!! April 9thSo I see Lady Ga Ga celebrated her birthday party in Canberra of all places. Nice to see that sexy young drag sensation Courtney Act serenade Ga Ga with "Sweet Transsexual' from the brilliant Rocky Horror Show. Excellent, and a lap dance too we hear *GRIN*. But Canberra oh well good she added some sparkle to our nations dusty old capital.The New York City Bowery Ballroom shows went on sale today, how weird they released all 3 at once... it's a small wonderful room so I guess they thought they would all sell out fast? I have a feeling The Bowery will be the best run of shows, no idea why, just one of those premonitions. Malcolm McLaren died today from mesothelioma cancer. So weird as I only heard from a friend 2 weeks ago that he was much better, guess our life can sometimes change on the spin of a dime. While doing a clean out for charity I found my original Vivienne Westwood/McClaren bondage pants, from his SEX clothing boutiqiue that was on Kings Rd Chelsea. I remember I bought them via mail order , it must of been 1976 or 1977. There are probably not many pairs about, I'm sure the punks who visited (or shop lifted) from the store wore theirs out. Mine are in pretty good condition, I should donate them to one of the clothing museums- I just can't seem to part with them. My lovely 28 inch waistline! Malcolm looks like being buried at the Highgate Cemetery in North London. I love that place , The Circle of Lebanon just reminds me of a greyer version of the New Orleans cemetery's. ... and the entrance to the Egyptian Avenue truly spectacular. I've always loved it after reading Dracula where Lucy Westendra is buried and returns as a Vamp to kill small bad children *GRIN*...and of course 'Those who hunt the night' where a vampire lives in one of the older tombs.... it never creeps me out, I always feel a lovely calm when I go for my walks through Highgate. I have an urge to sleep on a Highgate grave. I chat on the phone to Bec way past midnight , she offers to fly me to Thebarton to see The Cult but it would mean returning during my birthday on May 11th and I want to be home at Kalorama for that day. Still really sweet that she offered. I see tickets for The Cult at Melbourne's Palais Theatre are $120.00 plus booking fee., a tad expensive. April 10thFog, misty rain and a cold wind..... I sit outside Viewpoint having some hot apple pie and a great coffee- it doesn't get any better. A nice way to start a Saturday.I've been sending out a lot of the PDF supplements to our WINGS OFF FLIES photo book. So far over 400 people have emailed and asked for the PDF. It's also kicked off new fans ordering a copy of 'WINGS' Poor old Mark, we are both signing them as well and he now has to autograph the copies- I love the face he always pulls when I walk up to his desk with an armful of them. People after copies can buy them via us direct (peter AT frenz DOT com) or Frenz merchandise page has copies on it (see Merchandise area below). The supplement is nice, you can read it while turning the pages of WINGS and it just adds a bit more to each photo. I always wish I had the printed supplement to Rosaleen Norton's art book. I think our Norton painting (The Cat) might be in that. I've even been trying to track down Walter Glover who put it together in the eighties but I fear he may of passed on and is sharing a drink with Rosaleen Norton. I know how lucky I can be so I have this feeling one day one will turn up. It's just a spiral bound supplement about 22 pages...so not even that exotic- I am guessing the run was very small though. Our lovely mate Di works for the NSw State library and I know they have one in the rare books area so she might be able to laser copy it. April 11thI send Patrick Donovan from the main Melbourne newspaper a small email, he quoted something about Crowded House and John Farnham having "huge teary farewell tours'...... had to remind him Crowdies said no to doing some big farewell tour, just the fanclub warm up shows and the Opera House Gig.... he said all semantics ..... (well not really but I let it ride).How full on was that Polish airliner (Russian made of course) that crashed killing thge Polish president and other military and political hierarchy ... those 20 monks ringing the Zygmunt bell at Krakow's Wawel Cathedral was very moving. The thing to remember, many of these people were responsible for keeping Poland free from recession during the credit crisis, like Australia, one of the few countries that never had a recession. 400,000 poles returned home to find work because the polish money (zloty) was the same value as the English pound but work was far easier to find. So many of us around the world are thinking good thoughts for Poland during such a sad time. I light one of our open fires this evening, it's been 6 degree's all day, the weather has suddenly gotten colder...brrrrrr. April 12thNigel phones today and we have a chat around his SLEEPER cds. We've sold all the copies in our office and he has to supply some more in a week or two. I don't think either of us expected such a run on his cd's. I'm glad we can help him get this music out to people. He is down to the last dozen or so as well so it will be sold out again soon. He keeps joking (?) that he may change the cover colour again!!! We both checked out some alterantive Enz photos by a photographer that we know, I need to raise some funds to buy some copies for the photo archive area.I spend some time working out the exchange rate between the Kenya shilling and the Aussie dollar and how much things cost, like bike hire and park fee's. It's not too bad, of course like many countries being tourists we get charged more. Still the Australian dollar keeps climbing against the USA dollar so it isn't too brutal if heading overseas. April 13thOne of the small positives about global warming, lack of sea ice after such a warm Canadian Winter and Europe's boycott has helped mess up Canada seal killing. Most of the 6000 seal hunters stayed at home, maybe it is time to end this crap...and good on Europe to boycott seal products. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Canada and honestly don't know a single Canadian who even supports this practice. Nearly all harp seals that are killed are less than 3 months of age. Seals have been the scapegoat for low fish stocks for years, instead of looking at the overfishing by companies (especially cod) -especially in the seventies and eighties. If people have to bludgeon anything to death in Canada I suggest you do it to politicians like John Efford. (Eff him I say). Of course with Europe saying no to seal pelts, Canada will now try to flog them to Asia.... you watch.Back to Dr Chiro today, been ages since I have had some acupuncture , the price has gone up but it's worth it. I was left on the table a bit too long today so went a bit freaky towards the end which always takes the enjoyment out of it, I go from calm to slightly stressed. I'm popped back into shape though. I grab some VISA information from our travel agent and she is going to handle a few other bits and pieces. I'm just glad we will be able to get our Kenya VISA's from Canberra instead of being forced to get them entering Kenya at immigration which is a time consuming nightmare. April 14thI was talking to an older band member friend the other day about Gay people when they are older and how nearly half live on their own. In Sydney of course there is MAG- Mature Age Gays, they meet at Darlinghurst (darling).... for some reason I always chuckle at it being called MAG. I think they have been running for about 18 years. There are plans for a $26 million gay retirement village in Victoria so I guess that is good.... I'm not sure.... I'm not a big fan of villages!!!!!! (: I could be the village idiot?I have been thinking about it for most of the day, in 9 weeks I am in Kenya- excellent! We buy The Story of Anvil on Blu Ray. As many have said, this is the real Spinal Tap. Anvil hard rockers form in 1978 and this is their story, they watch from the side lines while all the other Heavy Metal bands make big bucks, and continually ask "Why not us". It's brilliant, sad hysterical and kind of scary.... Robb Reiner and Steve "Lips" Kudlow are the main band members...I love how they play at the festival in Transylvania which held 10,000 people and they got 174! They want to be rock stars they don't quite make it, ok they miss the gravy train totally.... but you just want them to suicide in some way. The one freaky thing is that one of the two main musicians is called Robb Reiner and of course as we all know Rob Reiner (yeah one less 'b') directed Spinal Tap. I see Neil's moustache is still making waves on the Forum. I'm sure he has a sense of humour about it all. April 15thWe put Banshee in early and head to the city. It is like a giant ant mound, people everywhere scampering about. Buy a few bits and pieces and park on exhibition street, after 7.30 it is free parking, yey. Catch up with Bec at Mexican and she gives me a few presents she has been collecting for me- so sweet. Eat, I am starving and drink way too many wonderful Midori margaritas. I'm actually quite pissed (HIC) . The Mexican place does a roaring trade, and the margarita glasses are huge! We stumble down the road to the Melbourne Town Hall and there are thousands of people. Apart from Henry Rollins tonight the rest of the Comedy Festival is on so people everywhere attending shows. Henry has a full house and the line goes around the block. Mark and myself are very patient *GRIN*.... we have seats so no rush... suddenly the line is moving, people eager to see Hank. Mohawks and Uni students and old farts- he draws them all in. Judd's amazing Ex -Miss Olivia grabs me, so good to see her. We all comment just how lovely she looks, time works well for her. Adam is great, a really nice couple- it's good to see happy people. So they snuggle into the insanely big line with us-all on our way to see Henry.Our seats are row B centre, very close. After the last person is seated out he comes, how loved is this man. The next 2 1/2 hours just show what a spoken word guru he is. We've taken Rebekah along as a treat, she has never seen Henry Rollins show before so you never know if someone will like him- she loves him. He is so funny, so smart- by the end of the night our faces actually ache from laughter and I'm so over the moon we have caught him live this time around. The last 30 minutes I obsess over the open water bottle at his feet- 2 1/2 hours of talking and the man never took a single drink. We're also happy that he talks about his role in 'Sons of Anarchy" and "Ru Pauls Drag Race'. This big tatto'd tough man is so gay friendly you want him for your relative. Anyway if you have a chance to see Henry Rollins on his Frequent Flyer Tour don't blow it- the best show of the year!!!! Walk Bec to her car and we head off home, all vibed. Hank is the man. April 16thA few Australian newspapers are running with Crowdies 'Saturday Sun' as a freebee download this weekend. Free is good, so if nothing else it will give people a taste. At least the music will take some of the talk off that horrid moustache *GRIN*.We see that Obama has his eye on Mars, how brilliant to have a Mars landing in my lifetime. I'll be some old bastard pointing his walking stick at the 4D TV screeching 'they've landed on Mars they've landed on Mars" as my dentures fly across the room!!! I'm glad he is improving his relationship with NASA and finally opening the wallet. Fuck war give the money to space and health care and education. Last month was the hottest March on record..... there goes a few more layers of ice at the poles. The Arctic now contracts about 9% every decade. Watch things like the spruce bark beetle multiply now in Alaska, they'll be chewing up larger quanities of forest. You get the feeling sometimes that this is all out of control. Add in some earthquakes and the odd volcano exploding in Iceland and it's not a good start to 2010. April 17thHappy Birthday Noel CrombieI remember calling him on his last birthday and it seemed like just last month. has it really been a year already since Crombs last birthday-well he's what 57 now, the Enz boys are all creeping up in years, hell we all are. he's at home with the kids so I'm sure they are spoiling him. It's such a great day here so we work in the yard, we can light fires again, so what we can't compost gets burnt. I try to offload it into other areas first but sometimes you just have to drop a match. The tree leaves at Ailsa Craig are all golden and red, which means those leaves will start falling soon. I pick some spuds and some other vegies from the dwindling garden and we have a roast tonight. It's a good one. We are having our flashback DVD session and watching Six Feet Under - it really was a great show. The new Dr Who returns to Australian TV at last tomorrow.... something to look forward to. I have some pissy argument with Sis and Mum, it will blow over but Sis is as stubborn as I am.... it will all work out. Not much sleep, poor little Banshee has some hairball and then cat hiccups.... so at 4.30 I was awake looking after Miss Kitty. April 18thMark lets me sleep in.... I need it. I clean up the house all boring stuff, email Nick and Matt, and do little in the office. I box up some more LUTON cds., the office floor looks like Amazon.com.We hear from Rosemaree with some sad news, well she knows she has 2 good friends that are here for her. I spend some of the day emailing back and forwards with Greg Skyhook- just demo information on the various Skyhooks recordings and some box scans and other fun stuff. Meanwhile Iarla has been tidying up the Skyhooks website, which is great : http://www.skyhooks-music.com/ It's for a band that doesn't exist anymore but were such a fun thing in our lives when we were teenagers, so I'm happy with any small face-lifts that the site gets. Watch the new Dr Who and at first I wasn't sure, but I did enjoy it. I see there is an episode featuring The Daleks soon..yey. I love those pepper pots. "The Daleks were born without any ability to feel compassion or pity and were motivated only by hate, fear and an implacable belief that they were the superior creature sin the universe". Hmm sounds like a musician I know (chuckle). I like Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, hoping they will both work out. The previous two doctors have been exceptional so hope good things happen in threes. So I climb into bed the promise of Darleks whirl round in my head. Night All! PG |