The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 25 August - 7 September 2014
PG- we have lift off! Lake Mountain-September 2014
August 25thI have to say I really liked last nights Dr Who. A bit step by the people who work on the show, a Doctor that's older, crusty, a bit grey... and dazed and confused-excellent! The newbie fans just won't get it I bet. Huge thumbs up from us- I admire it when TV shows are brave.I awake and the fog and rain is back. Mostly fog- like an old friend it just returns. I knew those few days of super nice weather were a con. Still some sun is better then zero. The Deli is packed today. A local just sits down on Marks chair, he seemed a bit odd, we just wanted to eat and have a coffee, held back on saying MOVE IT! It was very strange, so was he, well it felt that way- we were mostly nice! But I think Marks expression said it all- MG has a lousy poker face. I'm clearing up all last minute bits and pieces today, all those straggly loose ends (not Enz) snip snip, tie , tie.. all done and dusted. I have one of those fantastic "scanner" accidents that kind of becomes art. Working on a few photos for Bongo Skyhook and it centres on a tiny piece of his face and goes from B&W to some ultra purple pink. Very cool , very seventies. Love that random creation- especially when it works. I save that final images. But is it art? Mr Starkie loved it of course... makes him look super glamorous! August 26thHappy Birthday Jodes!!!Our Prisoner (tv show) marathon is over... Mark & myself managed to watch all 692 episodes! (PHEW!!!) It seemed to take forever but we did it-such a fine ending too! It was "Cell Block H" in UK and " Caged Women" in Canada. The show still has such a worldwide super cult following. 692 episodes is pretty good considering it was originally going to be a mere 16! One of my biggest buzzes was meeting Maggie Kirkpatrick who played Joan "The Freak" Ferguson! Such a wonderful lady..nothing like her sadistic brilliant character. Imagine as an actor- getting that role, it would be an actors dream. Finally our BIG STAR ("Nothing can hurt me") blu ray arrived. The definitive story of the greatest band that never made it. Just loved it-if music not only moves you but fascinates you-check out this excellent documentary. Terrible news that Youth Unemployment in Victoria is now at a 17 year high! In Premier Napthines electorate it has jumped past 18%- a year ago in his electorate it was 14%. The Liberals are very very good at keeping people unemployed! 96 days till the state election, I'll be glad to see the back of this one term liberal government! Victoria can't afford another 3 years of these idiots. August 27thThe Runaways are getting a good LOUD play in our office today, the first two albums. All these years later and some of the songs hold up, so way beyond novelty value. Love Joan Jetts voice...!Off the mountain for a few hours today, the sun is shining so it's good to have a day away. I hear from NZ and next week we announcer a NF Western Australian date. I thought he was taking time off.? I suppose it's only one show ... Neil Finn never slows down. I should never believe him *GRIN*. Mail my sisters birthday card, with what looks like a picture of Mr Gruff on the front. Her presents on the way soon, just need to add some stuff to it. Bad brother-late present, usually I'm on time! I take an hour off and head outside- such a fine day. I do some more mowing-just the boring old nature strip. I am excited the walnut tree has dropped the first walnut of the season! So good for us. A bit of personal grooming in the afternoon, got to stay on top of it all! August 28thA day of mundane chores- washing. The suns out so a few things dry under those gorgeous beams. God I missed the Sun, feels like it was a cold Winter (well for us pussy Australians.. it really isn't THAT cold in Oz). Continue mowing the lawns and fix a fence felled by a tree. So all blokey stuff which I like. It's dusk and I'm still working outside.Hear from NZ and waiting till Tuesday before announcing Neil Finn WA date. Home made Hamburgers for dinner. Lost another kg of weight, so around 6 kg gone. Funny if I don't stop and I disappear forever! Mark spoils me with an amazing sounding disc of BIG STAR songs, he just reworked them, they sound incredible. My Mum is hopeless, just won't go to the Doctor, I fear she'll end up with Pneumonia the way she is going, makes me so angry and all because I worry about her. She's sounding like a Dalek on the answering machine! (Rolls eyes). It's true as one gets older the parent becomes the kid! August 29thMy little Sisters birthday- give her a call. At least my birthday card arrived safely. Her present is complicated, more so to pack without breaking. I'm rarely late with birthday gifts but I want this to arrive safely. I should get Jen G from NYC or Wendy C from QLD to pack it-they are great at boxing items safely.I actually forget that it's also Shirls anniversary since he died. I never forget that, my head is in the clouds. Truly weird few days not in the best spot, it happens from time to time. Neil tells me he is playing a gig in Western Australia- at Sandalford Estate-Margaret River on Saturday November 22nd. WA fans will be happy. Our friend Laura's birthday on Monday and I have 15 minutes to hand screen,dry and package this card and other fun item and get it posted so it reaches her by Monday. I'm covered in art paint but I get it to Kereena at the post office with 2 minutes to spare so I'm relying on Australia Post to get it to her on time. ! I've done my bit! August 30thJ is away from the office so my pay is late. I am not in a panic but when you get paid every 2 months even a week or 2 late is a killer. I try to stay calm-thankfully I've been good and paid all our bills. So don't owe anyone anything. Do I want a "normal" job , well "Fuck No" would be my answer. I see how stressy our friends are, bringing it home etc. The calm is part of the joy of my job-life is too short to have an ulcer over someone else's bullshit.I decide to put the "Shape I'm In" footage up of myself having a little dance at the Mushroom Evolution Concert. It's history, I'm obviously having fun, so YouTube can have it. People get so fussy about their past. Let it rip I say! Coffee wonderful coffee at the Kalorama General Store- Rosemaree & Julie call in. They are off to shop on this lovely sunny day-I am off to garden and get into that exceptional mountain soil. Mr Green calls Mr White and we chat. Things are rolling along. We were in synch as he email me 3 minutes before and thought I was calling about his email. He sent me a link for a new song he penned, giving our moron PM a serve. It's called "Promises Broken" and music fans can listen to it here: https://soundcloud.com/whiteandy/promises-broken August 31stThe White man mentioned that ALTs "We're All Men" video is no longer on YouTube, so I upload it to my Tube page for people to enjoy. It receives 155 views on the first day which is nice that so people are checking it out.Official Enz seems to go from strength to strength. My target was for 5000 "Likes" by the end of September and we are already up to 4711. Several hundred emails arrive every single day, so many nice comments it does my head in. So far I've stuck by my original agreement for something new up on it every day. Most days it's up to 10 new posts. More will come. I spend part of my evening wading through 12 old video tapes, just hand held from the Anniversary NZ tour- attempting to find some good pieces for a song or two. Mark is so amazing and is putting it together. I know he hates it so it is a favour for me and in the case of most of it, serious "Turd polishing". I found some footage that was ok for "Without A Doubt" ..so who knows- be good if it wasn't the predictable songs but very limited with what we are working with. September 1stSpring has sprung and its grey cold and foggy outside-where did that beautiful weather go?Happy Birthday lovely Laura. Great to chat, even though your croaky voice makes you sound like my Dalek mother! We always have a good laugh eh? My weight loss has slowed - managed 6kg in 11 or so days. The aim was 13, so the final 7kg a bitch. Suppose to be the "perfect weight" but I never quite believe it. Love to go for 15 kg just to be sure. Mark can have that last piece of Lemon cake that I made. I drop in next door and see our mate Jodi. Borrow some eggs, but I donate some organic chicken food. Great neighbours we are lucky. Our Twin Peaks bluray marathon continues. I'm determined to find Mark a log like the Log Womans! No idea why-do I really need a reason? Brilliant to see a young Felicity Shagwell opps Heather Graham appear in the show. September 2ndHappy Birthday El Spocko. I know you are out of the country but have the best birthday-this special day!I keep checking the live feed Cams at Lake Mountain, thinking once we have these new tyres on the 4WD we'll take her to the snow for a day...before it all melts. Such a beautiful part of Victoria. I love Sinead O'Connors quote (No relation to you Greg!). When she dressed up and that wig.... "You get a whole lot of publicity if you sex yourself up. There was no noble thought behind it"! How great is that-love it! Best quote this year! We only have a few episodes of Twin Peaks to watch on Blu Ray, I'd forgotten it was only 2 seasons and the movie prequel. We certainly chewed through all of those discs! September 3rdGet the tyres done in the morning. Signed onto their mailing list so they give you $20 off- hey that covered our lunch so all good. We walk a few kms while the car guys are putting the new ones on and wheel alignment. They even give them a coating and wash the steering wheel. The owner tells me his Mum is in a knitting group with Mark and Nick Seymours Mum- small world-made me smile.Call; Allie as I know she needs a break and she calls back re: snow. So in theory we leave tomorrow for a day of fun. By the afternoon I'm vibed and going through reflective glasses and packing bits and pieces, you'd think we were going forever. The new Toboggans are in the car already. I love the disclaimer- "NOTE-you can not steer this or stop it"! EXCELLENT!!!!! Andy White Press Release reads really well- I'm happy with that one! Still early days before the "Official" Oz release but I'm almost prepared for all our monthly magazines etc, like Rolling Stone. September 4thKalorama-Lake Mountain.Allie is early-yey from me, groan from Mark! We all know how he hates "early birds" (rolls eyes). Which is great as we left 15 minutes early-menat we could grab a coffee at Kalorama General Store. It really is the most beautiful day- you just want to drive. Leave all our crap behind and climb the mountain roads via Healesville and head towards Marysville- Lake Mountain is close by. Allie & Mark flip over the $53 entry fee into the park- I knew about it and hey guys I'm paying so pretend it's free! I get the costs involved in such areas and in 2014 I wonder if $53 is a lot. My petrol was more. Anyway I pull over quickly as we spot the first patch of snow- Allie is out and eating it! I tell her about woodland critters peeing & wanking on snow-but she's so happy to be holding it. Not convinced it's real- she almost convinces me some rangers plant it by the road for tourists treats! We find a flattened road sign and souvenir it-plans to sign it for Allie for her first snow experience! I ask how much a flattened sign is worth-subtract it from the $53!!!! *GRIN* We pull into the Lake Mountain car park and the toboggan run has a really fresh covering of snow- so few cars, looks like we have the whole area to ourselves, possibly the complete national park! We decide to have some food first-like all snow fields the food prices are double. The guardian of the the gryphons however give me a present, a new pair of snow glasses (with price tag still on them $40!). I check with the counter but no one has asked about them so I think they were left hanging on the bathroom clip from days ago. We sit outside and enjoy the view- eat our lunch and cough from the way too healthy air. We eagerly bolt to the car to grab the Toboggans. Allie still mesmerised by her first snow. The Toboggan track topped up during the night for us tourists to go crazy on. Just one family with kids, so we pretty much have it to ourselves. All 3 of us manage to get up some speed and finally work out how to control the sleds..well kind of. It's the stopping that is the problem, I just crash off. Allie and Mark take a few snaps. I summon the courage to stand upright and take it down the slope, and succeed with zero broken bones. I'm so happy we bought these, and wait till next year when it's Winter, we'll be up here when the snow starts falling. We put the toboggans back in the car and remove the snow and ice from all those places on the body where snow and ice should never lodge! I suggest we go for a small hike along Echo Flat trail. A few breaks, we just take it at a nice pace. All 3 of us are close mates so it's an ideal walk/chat/walk. "Just one more corner-I know what's up ahead" I kind of fib-well maybe not, I just had this feeling in my bones that a beautiful valley of snow was close. So up we go and around the corner-exactly what I had hoped. The Spring wild flowers were starting to show and the snow still existed, laid out before us. We head into the snow covered wooden area and build our "snow person". It somehow looks more like a two sex Dalek from Dr Who. We use the worlds ugliest carrot for it's nose and do you realise how hard it is to actually find some stones for eyes in all that snow. Of course we raise our Jack Daniels to the sky as a tribute for this fine day and head back to the The Village. We see one small group of people with their ski's- and that is it. Of course a final bit of Toboggan action and we head home. Allie looks so calm and happy, it's been a good day escape for us too. We sings every song on The Radiators "Into the heat" album ..in the car! "GImmee Head" the favourite! September 5thWe get all our supermarket shopping done and mail posted to try and get home before 12.00. We have an artist meeting with Andy White. I'm back by 11.15 so on time. I'm in the office and I hear this striking Irish accent in the Kalorama sunshine. "Peterrrr are ya in". Mark can't contain himself "You are EARLY" (a total mortal sin for Marky). We all laugh. Chat about Project X and I go through all my media bits and pieces for the album launch and the album reviews. Andy is so on top of his press stuff-such a joy to work with. The Melbourne launch for HOW THINGS ARE will be at the super excellent "Toff in Town" and probably November 26th. This will be a very special show so mark it down in your diary- loads of us are going so come on up on the night and say hello. It's some super cheap price like $20.00 (Students $10??). We head to the general store for the second meeting (OK we really needed Kareenas coffee). She has been an angel and has helped us out with a stage light that I need. Andys off on Tuesday for the Canada dates, I start losing track as to where he actually is!!!!!It's Bob Spencer from the 'Hooks birthday today-so I find a few photos of him for Sheepbook. Have a good day Spence! September 6thThe sun is still shining, this time of year is just beautiful up here. The colour is starting to burst out all over the mountain- love it. I'm dealing with some family stuff today, so lots of calls and checking in-seeing if I need to go on a flight. Coffee again at the General Store and home again for some gardening and burning off. We are determined to get our place ship shape for the Summer and that horrid bushfire period.Looks like October 3rd is finally the date for the "When the sun sets over Carlton" double cd. Lots of early recordings from classic artists connected with that fine suburb. I love that Steve Hill-Hook line up version of Carlton is on the release. I'm having lunch on the decking and so many birds today. The sulphur crested cockatoos try to invade the birdhouse en masse. Banshee is asleep under Marks towel that is drying in the sun. Suddenly the bird house crashes apart- cat, birds all head in different directions-totally freaked. SO all that is left is the upright pole and a flat piece. Guess I'm going to have to build a new bird house. At sunset we do get some nice silhouettes of birds eating and sitting on the flat platform. I see Foxtel are decreasing their monthly price-I hope this is for ALL Foxtel payers-we've been with cable now for 19 years-seems unfair that newbies get a discount and not those loyal customers. September 7thI really enjoyed Michelle Duff's article on Neil Finn (" What a flaming legend"). One of the best articles I've read on Neil for years. So much i even dropped the boss an email saying so.http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/10463944/What-a-flaming-legend Only 83 days to go before the Victoria State Election. You can tell that Napthine and the Liberals are in panic mode, splashing money around and promising the world. Their fortunes haven't improved- and unless Victorians take some stupid pills the Vic. Libs may well be a one term government. Good -they are useless. Business keeps leaving this state, Youth unemployment a 17 year high... Crime is up, and where are the 1000 extra hospital beds they promised Victorians at the last election. Bye bye Mr Napthine! I get a call from Noel (Enz) he has found yet another suitcase of archival bits and pieces-including the original drawings of Neil Finns infamous stage shorts! Excellent. Noel , Nigel have been so supportive of the Official Enz page, all the band have but these 2 guys have opened up their wonderful archives to me- it's just very cool. That's it from the sun drenched hills of Kalorama. Stay Happy! Peter. |