The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 3 April - 16 April 2023
 Happy 50th Skyhooks. Photo-the original Skyhooks 1973 (Greg Macainsh-Skyhooks Archives)." |
April 3rdMy body hasn't adjusted to the end of daylight savings, so I am still waking up on the old time. Which is ok as I have a lot to do today. I head to Montrose and visit Gerry at the Post Office and mail a big box of Easter presents for home and a CD for Marks Dad and wife. They assure me they will arrive on time.I hurry back to Olinda for a coffee and a sandwich and sit outside the bakery today in the wonderful sun. Soaking in the rays and recharging my human solar panels. I have a chuckle at Ex Liberal strategist Tony Barry's comment that "the Victorian Liberal Party is where hope goes to die". OMG from a fellow Liberal, maybe he is the only honest one. I do chuckle. I purchase another Mandevilla from the front section of the Olinda organic shop. This exotic climber will go near the gate and this one has deep red flowers. So some colour for Ailsa Craig & it's purchase supports a local shop. So sad, trail blazing Aboriginal land rights leader Yunupingu dies in Arnham land, aged 74. I spend the afternoon in the office with Mark, but we decide to do some yard work in the sun. We won't have many more days like this before Winter arrives so making the best of it. April 4thThe Salvo's today, thankfully I have been writing down all my hours, lunch breaks and how long it takes to go to the supermarket. At one stage I thought to myself-no longer people are not wanting to volunteer to work here. HA. I smile and get on with the job of helping people. All the staff think it's becoming rather extreme though. I notice when left alone pretty much every person here gets on with their job and rather efficiently. Just an observation.I call into the post office and pay some bills and grab a few final things from the supermarket for the Easter long weekend. I like that i now only have our rates to pay and that's it, no bills. That feels great to type. April 5thRestless sleep, a 'bang' in the night which makes me up and has me on alert. Weird dreams, one that had myself in a freaky flyer zone with oh all people Donald Trump. He kept trying to be NICE. Some may say a nightmare. (chuckling).I'm working on Andy White and Tim Finn stuff today. Some press done, some a 'No' but that's ok, whatever they are happy doing. The album is nearly sold out on Bandcamp page for the third time, stock almost gone. It's playing in the office as i type this and I do enjoy it while I'm working away. So if you still need to grab a copy, buy it from the Bandcamp page as it does give the artist a bit more money. More vinyl (black) arriving soon too. https://altandyliamtim.bandcamp.com/music I hear from some of the surf guys and they are indeed all heading to Bells and the house is funky, so now to convince Marky. Leo's are so stubborn. April 6thA nice day, Lachie's coffee from his van tastes extra divine today. 12,500 steps at charity today, yes I'm wearing the smart watch again.A nice chat with Trudi, she's such an old surfie girl, excited we might be heading to Bells beach for the surf championships. Aussie Post sucks, my Easter parcel never made it home on time despite the post office saying it would. They dare to put the prices up on this inferior postal service. Grr! Grr! I remind A&T tonight about their Friday midday interview for Seans podcast area. April 7thGood Friday and I want to be bad and party at Jan Juc. But only if Marky comes.Looks like surfer Owen Wright will indeed 'retire' and Bells will be his last big one. A lovely guy and his awesome charity work with The Board Meeting Surf Charity is so positive. Yeah he's a bit sexy and what a surfer. He is amazing at Winki Pop break today. It had to move about 10 mins from Bells as it was below par conditions. The rain has started, the wind is now howling. Wild condition down at Bells Beach. April 8thLots of soup, cold wet, grey and wild. Are we having fun yet, the poor Easter bunny would be very wet.April 9thThe miserable weather continues, the coldest Easter in eighty years. Home by late aftrnoon and straight for a coffee at the bakery. I meet Andrew who is the President of Labor for Monbulk. A nice guy, we have some mutual friends.Sis her hubby and MIM are at the Sydney Easter show, Maddison gets to milk a cow so that's a bit thrilling for her. I catch up on some sleep but arise in the afternoon and take some homemade chocolate cake with wild cherries down to the office for him. We have a lot of work to do so focus on that in the office. Mark is editing and I'm up to my eyeballs in PR on this Easter Sunday. Late at night we do watch "NOPE". It's a slightly oddball movie isn't it. Way too long but a few interesting moments. April 10thCold cold morning, I attempt to get out of bed twice but slide back in.We are both in the office again working, no rest for the wicked. I was going to avoid my coffee escape to the bakery but thought I'd throw it out to Andy White in case we need to have a meeting. They offer to extend my PR time with them which is really nice, means Tim Finn and Andy are happy with my work-we like that. I'm shuffling a few things around so will probably say Yes, plus i do love working with them both. It also means Mark can use my computer for the 'Marks YouTube Wednesday' work. He has his running, mine and the lap top that's how insanely complicated it is to get these clips done. Most people are unaware of the effort that is needed. He really is the Alchemist. So I decided the entire day will be work, yes Easter Monday but while I have the work vibe I'll get it done. Remember Gavin Wood who was the intro voice for Countdown. Well he has these rather popular podcasts and last week chatted to Tim Finn around the new record and a bit of history. I play the AT album as backing while we work. When the "Warrior of Love" songs starts, Mark and myself always scream out "BETTY"... as the tiny start piece is basically Betty by Split Enz. Most people probably wouldn't spot it but we did instantly as in 1979 "Betty" was always one of our favourite Split Enz songs when they played live. April 11thEthan Ewing and Tyler Wright, yep sister of of Owen take out Rip Curl Pro at Bells. So happy for Tyler, bet she gives brother Owen some stick. Ha. Nah they'd both be proud-good to see.A bit of along day at charity, my feet ache so when I get home I use the "Happy Feet" and soak the aches away. Feels great, my feet are indeed happy. Why doesn't Mr Dutton allow his Liberal mates a conscience vote on the upcoming "Voice" in Parliament? Sad day for Australia. Aussie artist John Olsen dies, age 95. What a talent. I remember my art teacher taking us to the Opera House to see his giant Mural- 'Five Bells', so very cool. He gave so much of his art to the State which I thought was wonderful. He had an incredible perspective of the Australian landscape. April 12thGrey and Wet, this colder weather has set in. I sleep really well when it is raining. Disappear deep into my bed. So it was difficult to get up this morning.But it is Marky's You Tube Wednesday and we have Split Enz rehearsing for the Sound Relief Concert, the wonderful "I See Red" so we put that up much to the delight of the Frenz. We spend the entire day in the office and I ask Mark if he will whip up something for the Skyhooks 50th Anniversary in a few days time, I have the poster in the archives of the first gig and Bongo's cassette recording from the bands 7th show, so the set would basically be the same. So an audio piece of history for Aussie music fans. Mark likes that this "request' of mine was an easy one. April 13thI head to the charity and a fairly easy, though long day. By 3.00 I had finished everything and the last hour dragged on. The power has been off on the mountain while they do line work so Mark has a day of chilling out and reading.April 14thThe suns out today, so perfect weather for Andy White to play his show at the Merri Creek tavern at Northcote. I focus on some morning press for him and some last minute reminders, it's not a big room but I love if it was packed.We head into the city early, and I am forced to turn left so end up near the Merri station, only a tiny walk to the venue and it's so nice, almost warm. The room is cool, and we set up. I have a feeling it will be a fun gig. Andy is a bit nervous, I can tell, so just do what we do. Several woman hang around Mark, a few try to chat him up, it's all a bit hot n sexy at Merri Creek. Hell even at the bar some girls are extra nice. Gotta like that. I think they are turning us. (Chuckle). A few of the familiar faces and lots of new people. By the time Andy hits the stage the room is full. I keep the door closed. I remember looking out and the bar had 3 people, but inside the room it was full. Yay. It's nice and it is rare that a Melbourne audience sings and dances, this one did. Marks filming down the front despite the red and orange lighting. Wonderful Tony is doing the sound, so it always sounds great. We seem to hang around for hours afterwards,everyone chatting, some buying Andy's new album. A few songwriters are talking to me (shout out to Will ) and we carry the guitars and gear to the car. We call in for a burger at 12.30 and home by 1.00 AM. A joyful night and I so need sleep. I fall into a deep sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. April 15thAndy reminds me that I'm going to meet him at the Quarry bakery at UFTG at 10.30 and I have this urge to leave early. Just past Sassafras a tree comes down, a MONSTER. Massive, am amazed no one was killed especially me, 2 mins sooner and I'd be squashed. I turn the beast around and head down a road and it goes deeper and deeper into the forest. I restart again and take the Mountain Highway and swing a left onto the Burwood freeway and grab some fuel. I still manage to arrive 30 minutes early. Andy writes out the cd mailers and I stick down the parcels. So the third batch of A+T cds are going out. The black vinyl albums arrive in 2 weeks (approx) so if you are after a Andy & Tim cd or vinyl LP go to the Bandcamp page and grab one while you still can. After it is all mailed we head back to the bakery, thanks for the coffee Andy.Back in the office we are getting ready for some Skyhooks stuff tomorrow. It won't be full on but 50 years it needs some sort of comment. Chicken pasta and Indian Puffs for dinner.... and the rain comes down. April 16thI wake up at 7.00 and super quiet in the office while I upload the Skyhooks 50th song. I sit back and think of the amazing time we have had with the Skyhooks. Exceptionally lucky and still gives me a thrill that this iconic band basically "adopted" the two boys from Wollongong.Anyway, if you want to hear the very very early germs of Skyhooks, check it out here. 1973! A HUGE thank you to Mark for always saying "Yes" to me and not killing me in my sleep over the sometimes impossible requests that i throw at him Skyhooks 1973 here ("Blue Jeans") : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzLgLPVHFKA Paul from Noise 11 gets in contact and ends up running a half decent piece on the release and the 50th so that's nice. Lots of reports from radio playing Skyhooks all day. A bit sad that Mushroom-Warner basically did nothing. Sometimes Mushroom needs reminding that without Skyhooks there would not be a Mushroom as the band saved them financially. Maybe if Michael was still around "Skyhooks turns 50" might well be heralded from Mushroom HQ. So i wave goodbye to another issue of the diary, my head firmly stuck in the seventies today, which isn't a bad thing. After the press moments die down, I plan to snuggle up to Marky and steal his body head on this cold ol' April day. Keep on 'Hookin' Love Peter |