Old records never die

So the plan was simple – I had the house to myself, a stack of old 78s that I had been gradually collecting from here and there, markets and the like, for some time, I even had three boxes full that my old boss Vic was throwing out – I dug out the Kingsley Stereo (woodgrain, internal stereo speakers housed in the sides, coin on the tone arm to stop it skipping) there was a six pack in the fridge, some green ginger wine in the cupboard, so what the hell – let’s play some records!!

I sifted through the boxes and through the pile in the garage and pulled out anything that looked good, or had a label I liked or a description that seemed well interesting and then I carefully balanced that twenty cent piece on the tone arm and listened thru the crackle and farts and had quite an educational night.

English banjo maestro Olly Oakly kicked things off with his sizzlin’ picking on The Mountaineer’s March (Regal label) which wasn’t too bad at all a place to kick off…

The Elliots on the Winner label (damn fine looking label too – I bought this in Mt Gambier just cos of the label ) were a comedy duo who’s a-side the Moscovitch Band was a pisstake Russian marching toon that was dang funny… b-side sucked though, didn’t even make it to the end.

The next song I recognised straight away – Brother Bones & His Shadows, Sweet Georgia Brown with whistling, sax solo, and the Brother’s bone playin percussion. Yep, it’s the Harlem Globetrotters Theme. Nice, clean copy too.

Another beer and then it was time for Jerry Lewis and We’ve Had A Very Merry Christmas! I love Jerry’s kid schtick. Still funny after all these years…

Now this was a sweet find – Aussie label W&G (1957) a double sider with The Moonlighters doing doo-wop classic Little Darlin’ on one side and Rex Turner on the other doing Butterfly. Turner is an early rockabilly dude but this was a stone cold pop tune. Sweet too.

Slim Gaillard on MGM doing A Serenade To A Poodle (with barks by Jim Hawthorne). Yep, as good as it sounds. What was that guy smoking?

Tipple of ginger wine to chase the beer down. Les Welch, one of Australia’s first real swingin’ pop stars (who you ask? History tends to overlook him but trust me, he was there in the beginning- even co-founded festival records). First up on Tempo is the old country favourite, Cigarettes, Whusky and Wild Wild Women with the Naked City 7 backing him up as he whoops it up. The b-side with a different band (8 Beat Boys) is the swinging and pumpin’ Elevator Boogie Blues. Then onto a Pacific label release with the Naked City 7 again – Get Up Off The Floor Hanna (them hogs gotta be fed)… a comedy hillbilly track about a gal who goes out to a party, freezes, gets home and drops dead but dad don’t have any sympathy cos, well, them hogs gotta be fed! B-side is a monologue called Life Gets Teejus… funny fella this Les.

Then another Pacific release with orchestra called The Thing. A novelty song about a strange thing that causes all sorts of trouble. Once again though the b-side is the killer. The Boogie Woogie 4 doing Boogie Woogie Stampede and boy, could Les play a piano. Raucous Boogie woogie pianer and stompin. Strange guy, he obviously wanted to keep his hand in every pie, I’m gonna have to dig a little deeper.

More Aussies with the Southern Jazz Group (1950 Wilco label) and the Columbus Stockade Blues. An Aussie Trad Jazz band who were big in their day, and I mean big.

And this was a real find even though it’s pretty scratchy now. On the Broadcast Deluxe series – the winner of the Australian Interstate Championship 1929. Harry Berry doing Fantasie Brilliante (Excerpts) on solo cornet!! Whatever happened to Harry?

Another Pacific release – Ray Dickson doing the Rock And Roll Waltz. At first I thought the belt was loose, a real strange sound, a waltz then it rocks out?? With burst of sax and drums! But no that’s what it is. Apparently Kay Starr had a big hit with this… a very odd little toon about finding yr parents waltzing to yr rock and roll! The b-side was a country style ballad about deserts and coyotes?? Maybe Pacific liked to cover all spectrums? Anyway, great song.

Kay Kyser and orchestra on Columbia doing the woody woodpecker song!!? A jazzy workout of our fave peckerhead complete with trademark laugh. And that’s the b-side! The a-side was called Kiss, Kiss, Kissin’ In The Corn with some real Bing Crosby style vocals by one Dick Jurgen.

Then it’s a piss break, more beer and Jack Parnell on Parlophone from the 1954 Super Rhythm Style Series doing the Duke’s Skin Deep. Parnell is no Louis Bellson but this song rocks. Other side Devil Eyes has that real cinematic feel with some bombastic ott vocals to open it up.

Matty O’Neil on Decca with a country lament we all understand – Don’t Sell Daddy Any More Whiskey… which reminds me, there’s some Maker’s Mark in the cupboard, might be time for a shot or two. This rekkid has been played a bit too often though and the surface noise ruins it. I’m gonna have to keep an eye out for another copy cos what I can hear sounds great.

Well, the bourbon might not have been such a great idea cos I’m fadin’. Let’s see what the Two Barnstormers can offer me. Whoa, old time fiddle and geetar with the Mary Jane Waltz and Wildflower Waltz… damn, that’s some sweet fiddlin’. Regal Zonophone, nice lookin’ label.

And another Regal Zonophone job, this time it’s old time country bluegrass with McFarland & Gardner – School House Dreams. Mandolin, violin and guitar… sweet as… I might just call it quits, I can’t see it getting’ any better than this tonight. And the beers done anyway.

Now I know I’ve got some Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong and Billy Eckstine in the woodbox (part of the inheritance!)… maybe next time I might dig some jazz gems out. Maybe the old man had some Les Welch in there too. and trust me, you ain’t heard Glenn Miller until you’ve heard him on 78… that’s the only way to hear these guys.

TOP TEN THINGS THAT MAKE IT WORTHWHILE

Yeah, it has been a while between lists – not because there’s been nothing good, just because somehow I’ve kept myself busy doing nothing… huh? yeah, I don’t understand it either.

BIG BLOOD – husband & wife duo that I discovered via grown so ugly blog… ex Cerberus Shoal band who I’d briefly discovered via Ptolemaic Telescope… this is a mess o’ psych folk madness with a keening voice that reminds me a little of Kate Bush on some really good mushrooms or perhaps even Julie Dahlia if she went down that path… great stuff anyways and they seem quite happy to share their work – I’ve downloaded four or five of their cd-r’s via grown so ugly and they are all damn good. I mean how many bands do you know who can cover a Can song and make it sound like their own? They’re on my friends list – check them out.

BUFFALO WINGS – another discovery via grown so ugly (well actually via a comment on the site). A young French-Anglo boychild with a style all his own. This is fucked up folk music filtering charles manson thru syd barrett’s ghost, creepy, crazy but definitely original. Again, you’ll find him on my friend’s page. His albums are available fer free as well and well worth the download.

BP JR #2 the last of the print editions (and even then very ltd) with Nicola’s (oops Sophie’s) long legs on the cover, PJ Harvey, Steve Kirby, Howard The Duck… Dann’s usual obsessions and pervy pix. Go to www.bettypaginated.blogspot.com for yr fix.

BIZARRISM #10 while in Newcastle for the writers fest it was great to catch up with old friends like Chris Mikul and to pick up the latest issue of his great zine Bizarrism. With Idi Amin, the birdman of kings cross, compulsive hoarders, book reviews and other madness it always makes for a good read. I’m gonna have to get the back issues I missed. Email him for details on getting yr fix. cathob@zip.com.au

COLLATERAL DAMAGE – MARK MANNING Picked this book up at Polyester in Melbourne. I guess you’d call it a journal/pocket book/chapbook maybe? Notebook size, even though its 190 pages its still a short, sharp and dark look at Amerikkka post 9/11 by Manning’s rock star alter ego Zodiac Mindwarp as we follow the band on tour across the great nation with lots of masturbation, drinking and bumming. A strange but funny journey with Zodiac’s sarcastic and vicious eye for detail showing us a seedy, dirty yankee land that we probably didn’t want to know about. No one is spared including himself. I laughed outloud on more than one occasion and that don’t happen much anymore. Twisted, fucked up and very very funny.

BOXING DAY – Aussie film filmed here in Adelaide covering one afternoon in one man’s life as he tries to get his life back on line only for the shit to come down around him. Real time, direct to digital video this is an experiment in form but it works beautifully. Look, my review is on DVD Holocaust, its all there, I won’t repeat it. Check it out and watch this film.

MU MESON ARCHIVES – Jamie and Aspasia hosted the Paroxysm Press Sydney launch of Ten Years and they were great. We didn’t get a big crowd but we had a good time and they didn’t seem to mind and it looks like we’ve found a base for ourselves in Sydney now and a good time was had by all. And the place just rocks. Check them out – they know how to have a good time.
www.mumeson.org

TEN YEARS OF THINGS THAT DIDN’T KILL US – did I mention the new anthology that Paroxysm Press put out? J its been keeping us all busy for the last few months but we managed to launch it in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Adelaide and damn but we’re tired. Being an old man, I’m totally rooted but hell, it was worth it. this is the best thing book Paroxysm has ever put together and I’m proud to have been involved let alone to have actually got some words in there as well. 49 authors Australia and worldwide – poems, short fiction, shotgun stories and the beauty of life in all its madness.
www.paroxysmpress.com for where to get it and trust me you won’t read anything better this year!

HEROIN LOVE SONGS – I got a mess o’ pomes in the latest issue of HLS. Also got a story in a book called HERDING KITES (Affirm Press) … and won a poetry slam in Pt Augusta (pissed the prize money away that night) and came second in the Friendly Street Slam a month or so back. Also was runner up in the Unhinged Single Poet competition last month so I guess something is going right/write. But I still gotta get a paying job cos the goodwife is getting tired of funding my lifestyle. (especially since she paid for my interstate trips!)

NEWCASTLE YOUNG WRITERS FESTIVAL – okay I don’t know how I got to go to a ‘young’ writers fest but paroxysm press did their thing – we kicked arse, drank far too much, insulted some people, sold a few books, proved we are the best and I got to run a REDNECK LOUNGE! That was the highlight for me, standing in the festival club courtyard playing Roger Miller and Dixie Chicks to a bunch of hippies and kids while we drank, wrote Beer-kus (like Haikus only not so rigid) and chilled out after a hard morning sitting on a publishing panel drinking VIRGIN BOURBON. I kid you not, what a name for a drink!
We launched the book that night and the next day someone liked my work so much they bought me a beer. That to me makes it all worthwhile!

BOOK LAUNCH ADELAIDE

Well its the final leg of the TEN YEARS OF THINGS THAT DIDN'T KILL US tour and it's back home in Adelaide. Friday 10th October at Live on Light Square 63 Light Square Adelaide. Kicks off at 8pm Live readings from the paroxysm crew and a slew of newbies! plus live music from Palky and Spindickle. $5 entry. (18+) it's gonna be a blast. we had a great (if small) launch in Sydney thanks to Jamie and Aspa at Mu Meson and we kicked it hard in Newcastle now it's time to kill the beast in Adelaide. We've survived ten years now thru a lot of shit, pain, angst and beating our heads against walls - no grants, no favours just damn hard work and self belief. come and see why we're still here (here's a hint - cos we're fucking good!!)