The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 4 April - 17 April 2011
April 4thNeil plays at "School Night" the venue across the road from Capitol Records building. If it's the place that I'm thinking of I quite like it, even though we always seem to have some problem when playing their- like speakers blowing up at soundcheck. It's a short set and Sharon watching on from the balcony. I was wondering if she will step up to the microphone for a song or two from the Pajama Party project but really too early I guess. She is probably quite respectful of Neil's solo career- which is great that it's like that. "Only talking sense" and "Driving me mad" are in the set which I love.I see the median house price rose by 15.2% in Melbourne to $547,000.00 in February. April 5thBanshee is booked into the Cat Hotel while we escape mid year. Mark tells me he is going to be the one to tell her- seeing he talks 'cat' as well as ' green alien from Mars Attack language"-well that's more like an annoying 'noise' rather then a dialogue.! So multilingual is he. *GRIN*. I only talk part spanish and some chicken chat.We get a surprise call from our adorable old mate Benny- so so so good to hear from him. He's been off touring with countless bands he'll never know what to do if he eventually comes off the road. We do miss him heaps. Australia's unemployment drops again to 4.9%. The Australian dollar surged to a new record of US $ 104.76 so worth more then the US dollar. What ride what a good time to travel overseas. April 6thA nice email arrives this morning, I won a Blu-Ray copy of TOMMY. Excellent a nice trippy rock opera for us to watch.We watched "Worried about the Boy" , that 2010 movie on Boy George , and the events that led up to Culture Club. It's ok, not brilliant but I enjoyed it, not sure how much of it was real and if the time line s 100% correct. Still a fun ride especially around the Blitz club. George in 2011 is still recording ("Ordinary Alien" cd) and is playing a policeman (of all things) in the upcoming Animal Charm movie. He's survived a lot, brought on a lot of stuff himself but added a good splash of colour to a grey old world... I don't mind the lovely old queen-god bless him. I find out that I actually make a really good lemon cake. It was a case of what is in the pantry and what can I whip up- so eggs and lemons. A success is always a good thing as some first time creations in the kitchen can be shite. I'm considering putting the recipe on the diary site sometime down the track. I see that Neil and Sharon are playing the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco in August- under their guise as the Pajama Party. It's a nice place to play (Golden Gate Park), remember to check out the Japanese Tea Garden if you are heading to the show too- such a cool location. Sadly I don't think there are any 1 day tickets so fans who want to see the Pajama Party have to cough up for the 3 day pass. I do hear it's quite a good festival this one, still a lot of the lineup I am unsure about. Gee I am getting old when I don't know the band or artist *GRIN*. I'll be in the old man mosh pit next... I'm starting to get the feeling that the Japanese people are not being kept informed on the radiation problems at the dying Fukushima plant. More aftershocks haven't helped and I hear NISA are rising the crisis level to level 7 as the the damaged plants continue to release large amounts of radioactive substance. The 10,000 terabequerels per hour of radioactive iodine 131 for quite a few hours is really bad. I worry about the oceans which are now becoming Japans dumping ground for 'low level' radioactive water, so far 10,400 tonnes have been dumped into the ocean! Shocking they should be fined. April 7thRacist old Pauline Hanson fails to get the last upper house seat in the NSW election. The Greens pipped her at the post and scored the seat, one less racist in parliament, so a good thing. Homophobes will be next so watch out Tony Abbott.Off to Eastlands and we notice that The Very Very Best Of Crowded House 2 cd set is a mere $12.99. It's part of JB HI FI's catalogue sale for the next month, so it's about half price. It's the first time that I don't buy any new music (or old music) nothing that strikes my fancy. Mark checks out some Blu Rays but they are all $50 or $60 more then what we pay on Amazon- thank god for the magic chip in our Blu Ray player. April 8thI am loving Paul Trynka's BOWIE book ("Starman") it's lit my Bowie fuse again so Hunky Dory and Man Who Sold The World albums are getting played endlessly today. I keep wondering how David's health is , I know he has kept it all very private and only some subtle mentions in the media and online. Apart from the sneaky release of TOY online ("Heathen" songs and b-sides) it's been very quite and I can't remember the last time I saw him being interviewed. Hopefully he has recovered and reemergence into the world will not be far away-especially musically. I still have faith an incredible Bowie album is possible (Mark will give me shit for that line).April 9thSome new Tsunami footage just turned up filmed from a hillside in Japan, you see people running from their houses across a field as the wall of debris and house tops approaches, about 8 people trying to outrun this, it's insanity and they make it to the hillside with about 5 seconds to spare. Some of them look old, amazing how we can find that little bit of extra energy when needed if it means survival. It does my head in all over again, feel so sorry for the people caught up in this. I don't think people know how fast Tsunami's and the wave of debris can move.April 10thBec is back from Europe and her week with the Seekers while they rehearse and get ready for the few shows here, her first time flying Business Class , she said it was wonderful, she gets it, arriving feeling like a human being. A lot of my business flying is really so I don't stress my back out-Australia is so far away from the rest of the world (ok maybe not NZ) being stuck on a plane after a hundred flights it can really mess you up.We also get a really cool postcard from our friends Wendy and Paul who are in Phuket on holidays. Baby elephants and Mai Tai's on the beach oh that sounds really nice, especially with Melbourne sudden freezing temperatures. Glad you guys had a brilliant time... where's my Mai Tai! My Sis is home again, so my mum can now sleep knowing she is safe.!!!! April 11thGreg Skyhook drops in today, we give him a load of wood for his fire place and a dozen eggs from the girls. He keeps us entertained how he worked at a chicken farm , prior to becoming a huge seventies rockstar in Australia! No wonder our 3 chickens ran away when he walked in the top gate. A nice afternoon and the last of the lemon cake consumed. I can't believe it's my birthday (again) in a months time- it just flies by doesn't it? Well I still have all my teeth, my eyesight is pretty good- no specs yet and most of my hair *GRIN* life really isn't that bad.Sharon emails me that Alana Skyring is in the band and she will be playing drums. The Pajama Party could be an interesting project especially live. It's still fairly early as far as gigs being announced, a few festivals in the USA but there will be more, and we should hopefully be announcing dates in the not too distant future. By midnight the skies are jet black and the rain starts. I sleep really well during big storms, after all I was born in a massive storm - it just sends me to sleep. Mark on the other hand is kept awake by it all so I know he'll be yawning by morning. April 12thApparently we got the whole months worth of rain last night, I was in my coma state so I missed it all, you know it was a lot when the balcony's around the house are wet. It must of bucketed down up here.I work away in the office, our secondary computer with the label tags for mail outs has died so I could well be addressing envelopes by hand for the June mail out. Oh joy oh joy. At 4.00 I have an hour off and play Bowie's 'Man who sold the world' while hand waxing the wooden floors at Ailsa Craig. I figure if it's ok for Angie Bowie to hand wax the floors at Haddon Hall it's ok for me to do so up here. The wax has a mix of sandalwood in it so it's occasionally a bit overbearing but the house looks good, smells good too. You just have to make that effort, hard to get the vibe to do this stuff- maybe I've become some house proud person. OK I am. April 13thAt about 1 AM folks at Warrnambool started reporting strange lights in the sky, multicoloured and suddenly there was a very very loud 'bang'. Lots of UFO reports but so far no one can explain it, no seismic activity. Those damn aliens waking people up with their noises and cattle probing!!! (ouch). You'd think with all the incredible cameras and video gear someone could take a decent saucer shot, which means the vast majority are B.S. I guess.Roswell is the one that everyone talks about but I think the supposed 'crash' at Cape Giradeau (Missouri) in 1941 is far more fascinating and that preceded Roswell by a good 6 years. So if you are into such things check out this one. I really would love to see the photo Reverend William Huffman was given from the crash..... now that would be amazing. April 14thI hear from NZ and Bic Runga is starting to play some shows. The first at The Whiskey Bar in Auckland for NZ Music Month. (Friday May 27th). I guess she'll be playing a few of the new songs in the set too. So if you live in Auckland check this out. Of course the information arrives at the 11th hour so I drop everything just to get the ticket link out which is the next day. Thats show business!!!When I was collecting the mail today I saw this guy wearing a T-shirt that read "Too many freaks, not enough circuses" that kept me amused for a good ten minutes, I preferred the girl at breakfast wearing "I'm not with stupid anymore" , that one had to be my favourite for the day. Some good tee's up here on the mountain. The worlds first 3D Porn film opened today in Hong Kong. It's really just a remake of the 1991 film "Sex & Zen" which has always been Hong Kong's highest grossing adult movie of all time. Tickets have been selling quickly for this latest 3D romp, with office workers sneaking away to get their rocks off- see Porn does corrupt , Hong Kongs workload will crumble and it will be the end of civilization as we know it, roman orgies are just around the corner! April 15thMark shows me the most amazing article on the Silver Foxes of Novosibirsk (Southern Siberia). Biologist Lyudmila Trut and the breeding program nearby at Institute of Cytology & Genetics have managed to breed out the part of foxes that makes them dislike and distrust man ( if I was a fox I'd dislike man). So they are domesticated - and this magic breeding runs along the lines of how wolves evolved into dogs many thousands of years ago. The domestication phenotype- traits that are obvious when such wild beasts become domestic (ears are floppy, curly tails etc). The foxes now love humans and want attention- it's amazing. These silver foxes are so beautiful and they look so happy. Mark and myself decide that Banshee would be an impossibility around this, she will never change a part of her will always remain wild- maybe 10 generations down the track ....but you know I kind of admire Miss Banshees spirit, and that she is not a cat that will let you cuddle her and pat her forever- she certainly lets people know that...... anyway amazing article.I email Neil and Sharon to find out if they are in Oz soon to get the Pajama Party interview over and done with. I just hope we don't have to wait till the 11th hour for all the pieces etc as 'd like to do a full mail out and other stuff around this. I think my main concern around this release will be distribution, I just hope it gets in all the stores. I guess my main objective is that all the fans are looked after. April 16thI toy with the idea of flying to London for 2 days on my birthday to see Adam Ant play his first show on tour at the Coronet Cinema. It is an insane thought, I go as far as checking air tickets but still too expensive. The cheapest ticket sent me on my way to about 4 countries! Insanity.I get some emails from a few mates who work at JB HI FI and they have been encouraging people to grab copies of The Very Very Best Of Crowded House in Australia. JB have the special 2 cd set for a mere $12.99, so half price and it will be part of their catalogue promotion. It wouldn't surprise me if it jumps back in the charts this week as I have spotted quite a few people lining up and buying it. Our mate Leanne grabbed copies for her kids recently so the music of Crowded House is being passed down to more young listeners. At midday Fran arrives with baby Niklas for a visit- babies grow so fast you never recognize them- I can't imagine how many clothes they must go through. Also lovely Allie and Jayne and their girls. Allie is spoiling us and has been cooking. I just whipped up the famous lemon cake and some garlic bread. Great to have kids i the house especially well behaved ones and these 2 girls really are- they just do their thing- you know when you tell them they are always welcome and you mean it! The fire is going and the house snug. Greg Skyhook calls as we are about to eat, he grabbed the "NZ Songbook" as a present for us- which was pretty sweet. My appetite is out the window though, just family 'stuff' but the food that I had was yummo. It's a cool day and as we wave goodbye we chuckle as several well trained girls are chanting 'Justin Bieber has a hairy bum'! OK I corrupt everyone it's true! April 17thI cook a sunday roast, it's ok not the best I've made but healthy.Rosemaree calls and we chat for awhile, which was fun- she's driving up tomorrow for a visit , plus I've been putting boxes aside for her packing for her house move. The trees outside have turned golden yellow and red, I am still addressing the thousands of envelopes by hand- so I kind of drift a bit watching the leaves shake in the massive trees- so vibrant. A great episode of Sons Of Anarchy tonight, it's nearing seasons end, it's getting more crazy- love it. It's horrible to see the tornadoes rip through America's south- 45 dead so far and so much destruction, they seem like the worst they've had for several decades. 241 tornadoes in 14 states over 3 days- that powerful jet stream probably didn't help the situation. I hope that any of the diary readers caught in these are safe and sound. I get our charts in, and a nice surprise for Crowded House's VERY VERY BEST OF, it jumped back into the top 100 at #42, and is now at #7 on the Australian artist chart. It's always funny when you don't expect it, but JB have been doing a great job so still some life in this release after all- plus the special price for the 2 CD would tempt many people. I'm glad it's the start of a new week, last week kind of sucked in many ways and every so often you get the urge to finish up with work and move on. 31 years is a long time and you start losing the vibe, usually a combination of many things, nothing too dramatic or horrible just you feel it 'could' be time. I don't know any other people have worked in the same job for 31 years! Still it could just be one of those weeks, and something will re-ignite the fire. Life is good, well kind of... PG |