The Triffids-Live London Radio Broadcast June 1989

I remember when i saw the Triffids play thinking I'd
witnessed something very special, how special it
was however I only appreciate all these years later.
Often I'm disappointed by live recordings, they don't
capture the experience or the sound is less than
impressive. This recording is excellent, fantastic
sound, blistering performance and it even captures
that magic I saw those many years ago.
This recording is from the end of the Triffids career,
by the end of the year it would be over.
The only criticism I would make is its far too
short at 8 tracks, but they're 8 fine tracks.

Track List
01 - Too Hot To Move, Too Hot To Think
02 - A Trick Of The Light
03 - Goodbye Little Boy
04 - The Spinning Top Song
05 - Jerdacuttup Man
06 - Lonely Stretch
07 - Beginning To See The Light
08 - Fairytale Love

Download Here

I live under glass in the British museum
I am wrinkled and black, I am ten thousand years
I once lost in business, I once lost in love
I took a hard fall, I couldn't get up

I was frozen out in the lean winter years
When the dollars were few and the faces were mean
I was frozen in business and frozen in love
I took a ten minute nap, man I never woke up

Old and lonely, dirty and cold
I'm a Jerdacuttup man

The Triffids - Jerdacuttup Man

Dead Can Dance - Into the Labyrinth

Dead can Dance formed in 1981, in Melbourne after Lisa Gerard
and Brendan Perry met along with Simon Monroe and Paul Erikson
who both left soon after the band relocated to London.
Brendan was in the Melbourne punk band the Marching Girls
previous to this, they have a track on the Dogs in Space
soundtrack which I posted earlier called True Love
and its a fantastic song.
In London the duo signed to the legendary 4AD label and
between 1984 and 1996 released 8 albums.
In 2005 they reformed for a European tour of which
13 shows were recorded.
Into the Labyrinth, their 6th Studio album released in 1993,
was Dead Can Dance's biggest success, selling over 800,000
copies at last count. Some of the songs on Into The Labyrinth
are without words, perhaps some are beyond them.
Some are deceptively straight forward, heaving pop ballads
and some are disconcertingly unpinned instrumentals.
Some brook no explanation, while some allow a little.
Brendan Perry has an incredible voice, so deep and
melancholy, Ian Curtis is one of the few voices I've
heard like it. Lisa Gerard however is one of the most
exceptional voices ever recorded and the music is sublime.
This is a classic album haunting, beautiful and unique.



Track List
01 Yulunga (Spirit Dance)
02 The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove
03 The Wind That Shakes The Barley
04 The Carnival Is Over
05 Ariadne
06 Saldek
07 Towards The Within
08 Tell Me About The Forest (You Once Called Home)
09 The Spider's Stratagem
10 Emmeleia
11 How Fortunate The Man With None

Download Here


Dead Can Dance - The Wind That Shakes The Barley

Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke - Duality

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Lisa Gerrard
and the incredible career she has had to date
I've included a bio which gives you a brief rundown.
Lisa for the most part sings in a language which
comes from somewhere deep within, in a voice
which is extraordinary, she has the most
incredible range I've ever heard and truly
uses it as an instrument.This her 2nd solo
album is an amazing experience to listen to
and the song the Human Game( one of the few
she sings in English) is really spellbinding,
I've posted the video below if you haven't
heard it. I'm continuity amazed how little
recognition she receives in this country.
She is one of our greatest artists.



Over a career that takes in almost two decades with
Dead Can Dance, award-winning movie soundtracks
and a series of acclaimed solo and collaborative albums,
Lisa Gerrard has established herself as one
of Australia’s most ground-breaking and in-demand artists.
It is a musical journey that began in the early 1980s when she
and fellow Australian Brendan Perry formed Dead Can Dance,
one of the world’s most extraordinary bands.
Over nine albums between 1984 and 1995, the duo’s musical
canvas expanded with every release to take in a timeless mix
of world music influences, medieval chants, folk ballads,
baroque stylings, Celtic flavors, electronics, samples
and anything else that took their fancy.



The extraordinary mosaic of musical influences is perhaps
less surprising in the light of Lisa’s childhood in Melbourne,
where she recalls Greek, Turkish and Irish melodies
“oozing into the streets” of her neighborhood.
Since then she lived in London, Spain and Ireland
before returning to the Snowy Mountains of Australia.
In 1995 came her first solo album, The Mirror Pool
on which her stunning voice was accompanied
by the Victoria Philharmonic Orchestra.
Duality, a collaboration with Pieter Bourke followed in 1998
and again transcended musical eras and genres.
In recent years Lisa has also become a much sought-after
composer of soundtracks.
Among the films she has scored or contributed to are
Gladiator, Insider, Ali, Whale Rider, Heat, Baraka,
Mission Impossible 2, Black Hawk Down, Tears of The Sun,
Nadro, One Perfect Day, Man on Fire, Layer Cake
and El Nino de la Luna.
Lisa received Golden Globe nominations for Insider
and Ali, Grammy and Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe
award for the score of Gladiator and four international
awards for Whale Rider.

Track List
01 - Shadow Magnet
02 - Tempest
03 - Forest Veil
04 - The Comforter
05 - The Unfolding
06 - Pilgrimage Of Lost Children
07 - The Human Game
08 - The Circulation Of Shadows
09 - Sacrifice
10 - Nadir (Synchronicity)

Download Here
Part 1
Part 2



The Human Game - Lisa Gerrard

From Belgrave With Love - Various Artists

"Collected Remnants of Melbourne's Inner City Rock Scene 1980-81"
This 1981 release has a whole lot of rare and interesting music.
The first released recording of Lisa Gerrard, who has gone
on to be one of Australians most successful movie soundtrack
musicians and who's band Dead Can Dance was one of 4AD's
greatest bands.More on Lisa later, She's almost unknown
in this country despite all this.
Also tracks from the Ears who were the band that the film
Dogs in Space loosely was based on.

Track List
01 - Lachelle - Purple Hearts
02 - The Ears - Perennial Boogie
03 - The Ears - Stroller in the Attic
04 - Steve Vanguard - Dead Shadow
05 - Lisa Gerrard - Mossaic
06 - The Marquises - From My Heart To My Hands
07 - Vicki Hayes - Challenge
08 - Vicki Hayes - Living Dead
09 - Microtechs - Chant Of The Pidgon Tribe
10. Microfilm - Summer House
11. Daily Planet - David Lover Susan
12. The Video Pirates - Buried Treasure

Removed by request

M Squared - more songs that will never be released

A fantastic M Squared Xmas Sampler released as a cassette only
in December 1980, it show cases some of the finest music
that M2 had to offer.

Track List
01 Teenage Romance - Scattered Order
02 Violent 4 - Scattered Order
03 A minute later - Jonathan Dunshea
04 The Israelites - Systematics
05 Down the pub - Est
06 Agc & W - Pleasent Peasents
07 Iranian rockabilly - Pleasent Peasents
08 Fractured - Acra
09 Angst - Acra
10 How to Snitch - Lockjaw has falsies
11 Hello Terse - M2
12 Fish hook - Prod
13 Eating Paper - East Endbutchers
14 The Elephant Freak - East Endbutchers
15 Secret Sleeping Birds - The makers of the dead travel fast
16 Passion Africa - Height/Dismay
17 Nautical Engineering - A volatile T-shirt
18 Making babies in heaven - A volatile T-shirt
19 Hello M2 - Terse

Download Here

The Systematics - Rural Side 3 Cassette

Released just after the Rural Ep in December 1980
as a cassette only.

Track list
01 - live wire in the bathroom
02 - stringbag of death
03 - living in a bluelight
04 - bride of surface
05 - amniotic


Download all systematics from
The Systematics - My Life in the Field of Cows EP

The Systematics - Rural EP

Track list
01 - numbers in general
02 - 245t
03 - when i´m older
04 - flowers on the wall
05 - vanessa teratology
06 - dinner´s on the table
07 - stuh echipdah
08 - mmmm

Download all systematics from
The Systematics - My Life in the Field of Cows EP

The Systematics - My Life in the Field of Cows EP

Not much info on this fabulous Sydney post punk band,
Started by Patrick Gibson in his bedroom in Balgowlah
in Sydney's northern beaches, where he recorded the
infamous Pulp Baby. Later joined by Micheal Filewood
and Fiona Graham. Patrick also was a member of
Ya Ya Choral, Scattered Order, Loop Orchestra and
No Night Sweats. I would have loved to have heard
this stuff when it was released, this 1981 Ep came
out not so long after PIL's Metal Box Double album.
Which was and still is one of my favorite records and
my fav post punk band then was (still is) Joy Division
and just about the biggest thing here in Brisbane,
as far as musso friends went was the Birthday Party.

Track list
01 - international voltage
02 - bovine
03 - fat cows go down an eastern beach
04 - bbd

Download link below for
systematics - my life in the field of cows [ep]
Systematics - Pulp Baby
systematics - rural (12inch ep)
systematics - rural side 3 cassette

Download Here

M Squared various Artists - A Selection - Sydney

From Zero we arrive at the odd post punk world of M Squared,
13 bands from the Sydney in 1981, fantastic often overlooked
underground music that pushed into new territory.
I have some great Systematics stuff to post next.
If your interested in this stuff the excellent
No Night Sweats site is the place for you.

01 - Wild West - Pelican
02 - The Dead Travel Fast - Urchin
03 - Negative Reaction - Land Of Surrender
04 - The Limp - Rony Club
05 - Severed Heads - Eat Roland
06 - Slug#uckers - Reggea
07 - Tame O'Mearas - Curl Curl
08 - Splendid Mess - Nasa Secret Anzac
09 - Pel Mel - Click Click
10 - Systematics - Die For My House
11 - Scattered Order - I'm Not Whole
12 - Solipsik - Zombod
13 - Aural Indifference - Baby Love

Download Here

Xero - Lust In The Dust

Xero in 1982 moved to Sydney signing with the
M squared record label. This 12" recorded in
Brisbane was a groundbreaking and very
hip at the time record, it remains a classic.
Many Thanks to Basking Shark who provides us
with the fantastic cover scans and a nearly 9 min
Fast Forward Interview with Xero
(including tracks Girls, 24D Pelaco & Strangers,
Immigrants And Bandits)
As a special note John Willsteed created much of
the artwork on music releases (this included) and
hand-bills used to promote gigs, some of this was
exhibited as part of the Brisbane sound exhibition
earlier this year.

The lineup on the Ep was
Irena Luckus: vocals, Roland Jupiter 8 synth,
guitar
John-e Willsteed:vocals, keyboard, guitar, bass
Tony Childs: bass
Steven Pritchard: drums

Tracklisting:

A1		The Girls
A2		Crazy Eddie
A3		The Misfits
B1		Love And Anarchy
B2		Every Kiddy Gets A Prize
B3		Surrendering

Download EP here
Download Fastforward Interview Here

Xiro Cassettes Half the Profits and Religious Wars

Xero (also known as Zero, Ziro and Xiro) was a Brisbane band from
the early 1980s.When bands like Whirlywirrld and the Primitive
calculators were doing the electronic punk thing in Melbourne,
Xero were doing a similar thing here in Brisbane.
The band is said to be named after the character
Xero from the book The Atrocity Exhibition by J G Ballard
but that seems to be incorrect

I don' think the ballard reference is accurate -
it was zero as in the anarchist thing, and then
when we needed to change it it became the
shortening of xerox (the artists' friend of the early 80s).
then xiro was just indulgence i guess.
that's the way I remember it anyway . . .
JW

The initial lineup was Irena Luckus, Deborah Thomas, Vic Allen and
Lindy Morrison, soon joined by John Willsteed.
Lindy Morrison was later replaced on drums by Steven Pritchard.
The band split when Irena left Brisbane.
Lindy's involvement predates her joining the Go- Betweens,
and as far as I know this is the first band of note that
John Willsteed is part of, John goes on to join bands such
as the Go- Betweens and The Apartments
One of the most popular bands of the era,
they existed between 1978 and 1983.
The band went through many different phases:
starting off as an all-girl anarcho-feminist punk band doing
covers of Patti Smith and Slits songs, to developing their own
sound that echoed the likes of The Pop Group.
This was when the band were under the spelling of Zero.
As Zero folded after the Dayboro Music Festival show,
Irena and John came Xiro, releasing a cassette a week for two weeks,
Half The Profits and Religious Wars.
With the subsequent addition of Toe Suckers drummer
Clare McKenna, they became Xero. With McKenna's departure,
in 1981 they added a bassist in Tony Childs
and ex-Swell Guys drummer Steven Pritchard to
record for Sydney's M Squared label.
The end product became a 12" EP entitled Lust In The Dust,
the first independent Brisbane outfit to do so.
Sorry no artwork , if anyone can help.

Xiro
cassette compile 1980

"Religious Wars"
1. Say It Before The Music Stops
2. Behing The Chagall
3. A Little Slip Of Paper In Mid-Air
4. The Confessions...

"Half The Profits"
1. Just A Nite At Another Party
2. O.D
3. D.K
4. 2,4-D Pelaco

Download here

The Triffids - Love in Bright Landscapes

The Triffids are one of the most innovative bands to come out
of Australia. Up there with the Gobetweens for pushing musical
boundaries and taking music into new directions like few others.
I only saw them play once, it was a surreal, unforgettable
experience. The only band I've ever seen use a bubble machine
as part of the show. If you are unfamiliar with this Perth band
that existed from round 1976 to 1989, this compilation is a
fine Introduction. These songs are from my fav period of
the Triffids canon of innovative work, including such wonderful
songs as, well all of them, my special favorite is the haunting
"Raining Pleasure" which the Triffids talented lead singer
David McComb Co wrote with the also very talented
James Paterson, who has left a few fascinating comments
on this blog concerning his work in JFK and the Cuban
Crisis and offshoot projects of the Triffids.
James had a large impact on the Triffids music and
Dave's songwriting over the years

Love In Bright Landscapes is an anthology of the Triffids songs from
their album, EP and single releases in the period 1983 - 1985,
during which time the group were resident in Perth, Sydney and
London.Three additional songs from the same sources were also
included on the later CD release of the album.
The cover scans are from the vinyl copy
and the tracks are ripped from the CD version.

Raining Pleasure - David McComb and James Paterson

Trail through the wilderness
Driest season known to us
Think about you all the time
Think about you all the time
Trail through the sinfulness
Driest season known to us
Dreamed I saw it all come down
Dreamed I saw my pleasure raining down

Salty lips to taste
Skin to touch
Nothings matters very much
In your arms it's a raining pleasure
I believe it's raining pleasure
I believe it's raining pleasure

Too little cash to much time to kill
Buried alive in a shack on the side of a hill
Hasn't rained for fifteen years
Hasn't rained for fifteen years
Been three weeks I can't get through
Phone is dead Baby is that you ?
Been three weeks I can't get through
Phone is dead Baby is that you ?
Baby is that you ?
Baby is that you ?


Track List

1. You Don't Miss Your Water

2. Red Pony

3. Raining Pleasure

4. Hell of a Summer

5. Jesus Calling

6. Bright Lights, Big City

7. Rosevel

8. Property Is Condemned

9. My Baby Thinks She's a Train

10. Monkey on My Back

11. Embedded

12. Old Ghostrider

13. Madeline

Download Here



Triffids - Raining Pleasure

Weddings Play Sports (and Falcons)

WPA were formed in 1984 in Melbourne again and split in
1998, they remain one of Australians most loved bands.
This 1990 release is clearly influenced by by fellow
Melbourne band the sports and their mini Lp I posted
below. This is a fantastic record, like the last one
which has the sports stamp all over someone else's
songs. this has the WPA stamp trademark sound
on these fantastic songs. Also covered are songs
from Jo Camilleri,s band Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons
another legendary artist from the era.

Track List
1. Reckless
2. Softly, Softly
3. Stop the Baby Talking
4. So Young
5. Strangers on a Train
6. Last House on the Left

Download Here




Weddings Parties Anything - Wide Open Road



Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons - Hit & Run

The Sports - Play Dylan and Donovan

The Sports formed in 1976 in Melbourne, positioned to ride
the coming New wave music surge and become a much
loved Australian music icon.
Releasing some 8 records they spilt in 1981 and this
mini album was their swan song.
The bands lead singer Steven Cummings has gone on to
a successful solo career, releasing some of the best albums
to come out of this country, but he remains under the
commercial radar. The lead Guitarist Andrew Pendlebury
has also continued solo making some 4 fantastic solo
album which I have and will have to post some day.
He is considered Australia's greatest guitarist by many
and you do have to hear his work to believe it.
Fantastic little record by one of Australia's greatest
playing the songs of one of the greatest songwriters
ever and another 60's icon,
sounds like its to good to be true.

Fourth Time around - Bob Dylan

Her Jamaican rum
And when she did come, I asked her for some
She said, "No, dear"
I said, "Your words aren't clear
You'd better spit out your gum"
She screamed till her face got so red
Then she fell on the floor
And I covered her up and then
Thought I'd go look through her drawer


Tracklist
01-Sunshine Superman
02-Ballad of a Thin Man
03-You're A Big Girl Now
04-Fourth Time Around
05-All The Tired Horses

Download here




The Sports - Who Listens to the Radio




The Sports - Don't Throw Stones

My Friend the Chocolate Cake - Live at the Gov

A fantastic unofficial live performance from
My Friend the Chocolate Cake.
Recorded by Suv radio, Adelaide at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel,
on 14th June 2002, this was offered as a free download by the band.
Excellent Fm quality soundboard recording.
Thanks to Mr S for this from his vault of rare recordings

Track List
01 Intro
02 Weep
03 It's All in the Way
04 The Boat Song
05 The Gossip
06 Muckheap
07 More Heart Than Me
08 Curious (bonus track)

Download Here

James Freud - Breaking Silence

I've had a lot of requests for this album and which appears to be
rather hard to come across. Ripped from my vinyl copy complete
with the wonderful early 80's artwork, this is a gem.
The wikipedia bio below gives you the low down on James Freud's
music career up until the breakup of the Models in 1988,
after which he released another solo album
"Step into the heat" which is already posted here.
This year he released " See You In Hell "(not called Lazarus
as I reported earlier), his first solo studio album since
'Step Into The Heat' which I hadn't even heard about until
researching for this.For more info check out his website here.

This is a fun album, very much in the early 80's New Wave genre,
the album art, which I had forgotten about made me laugh out
loud when I pulled the inner sleeve out this week
(hadn't seen sunlight for 20 years I'd reckon), I just had to include
it in this post. The hit single from the album"Modern Girl"
for which I have found the video clip, is a fantastic song.
as is "Enemy Lines,"Mean Modulator" and "19 Again"
So expect lots of 80's synthesizers, Saxophone, lead guitar
breaks and pop tunes with James's wonderful vocals.

If you like the Models you can find a rip of the cassette
version of "Out of sight, out of mind" on Meggsy's
wonderful blog "The 80's Tapes"where all things
1980's are found Here

At the age of 16, Freud formed his first band, Sabre, with
high school friend and guitarist Sean Kelly and drummer
Ian McFarlane. Their first performance was at Freud's
younger sister's slumber party after hearing the Sex Pistols
in 1977, Freud formed The Spred with Kelly and three others.
When the opportunity came to record a single
("I Wanna Be Your Baby"),later covered by Uncanny X-men ,
two members were fired and the band changed its name to
The Teenage Radio Stars. They performed the single on
Countdown. By 1980, Freud was recording as a solo performer
with a backing band, with whom he recorded a minor hit
single ("Modern Girl") and an album "Breaking Silence"
along with a large cast of session musicians.
In 1981, they renamed themselves James Freud and Berlin
and recorded the singles "Enemy Lines" and "Automatic Crazy"
before splitting up in 1982,
Freud joined the Models as bassist after the departure of
Mark Ferrie, (who now plays bass in the Rockwiz band on SBS)
reuniting with old collaborator Sean Kelly. Freud shared lead
vocalist duties on some songs, beginning with one of his
compositions, "Facing The North Pole In August" off the
"The pleasure of your company" album, recorded in 1983.
In 1985, 2 Freud-penned hits, "Barbados" and
"Out of Mind, Out of Sight",took the Models to numbers
#2 and #1 on the Australian top-ten charts respectively.
He remained in the band until they split up in 1988.

Track List
James Freud & the Radio Stars
"Breaking Silence" lp (1980)
1. Modern Girl
2. The Television's Hungry
3. The Saviours
4. Enemy Lines
5. Butane Babies
6. Star To Star
7. 19 Again
8. No More Telephone
9. Mean Modulator
10. Blue Moon

Download Here

Modern Girl

John Schumann - True Believers

In 1988 some 20 years ago John Schumann released "Looby Loo"
his only album I haven't got. Its a children's record with such
fine songs as "She"ll be coming round the mountain" and
"This old man." The next few years are detailed on his web
site as follows

In 1998 until 2001, John’s passion for social justice and the
environment led him into mainstream politics.
In the 1998 federal election he took the Minister for Foreign
Affairs down to the wire in the seat of Mayo, reducing
Mr Downer’s blue-ribbon margin from 16% to 1.7%.
John Schumann campaigned for three weeks only.
The count took 12 days.

In 1993 John released this album "True Believers," a solid album
with a hint of the past few years in the lyrics. His green cred
showing on the opening track "If I close my eyes"

I can see the river redgum rising green
against the dawn
I can hear the sacred silence of Wilpena
in the morning
All I have to do is close my eyes

If I close my eyes
I can see the sunlight tumbling down between
the native pines
Broken by the breeze, splashing red and orange light
I can see the wedge-tailed eagle climbing s
tairways in the sky;
If I close my eyes

But its the track "Eyes on fire" where we see the old Schumann
surface, the song rollicks along like a steam train dragging you into
the world of people losing their jobs to cheap labor overseas

and a country selling our manufacturing base for a cheap buck.

Eyes on fire - John Schumann

Out here on the western line, where the carriages
bump and sway
And the aerials tag the skyline and the ragged
children play
I lined up every morning, we were living from
pay to pay

There are some things, mister, that I just don’t
understand
How the job I’ve had for 20 years has just moved
to Japan
And I’m standing in a dole queue while my country’s
changing hands
Eyes on fire

Eyes on fire – and in the firelight
Non-one’s taking anything more from here,
without a fight
Eyes on fire

My shoes are made in Poland, I’ve got a pair
from Singapore
These gloves come in from Shanghai,
we don’t make them anymore
And there’s all these Kiwi shearers here
I’ve never seen before
Eyes on fire

My radio comes from Taiwan, my car’s made in
Korea
My son was making car parts, but they closed
the plant last year;
And it’s not coming back, the company made
that very clear
Eyes on fire

Eyes on fire – and in the firelight
Non-one’s taking anything more from here,
without a fight
Eyes on fire

So hold on, darling, it’s a real rough ride
We’ll make it out of here, to the other side
And while the sun still shines and the birds
still sing,
They can’t take away important things from us,
Like faith and hope and dignity
And eyes on fire

You can hear the changes coming like the
rumbling of a storm
And under southern skies I see the breaking
of the dawn
We didn’t start the fighting, but we won’t run
from the war –
Eyes on fire

Eyes on fire – and in the firelight
Enough’s enough – no more ground
Nothing more – without a fight
Eyes on fire

Also John covers the song made famous by Barnsy
"Working class man" turning it into a folk anthem, and
he also puts the Banjo Patterson poem
"Clancy of the overflow" to music.
Plympton High is also worth mentioning, set to
the music of "I've been to Bali too" its a very funny
look at John's high school years

Track List
01 If I Close my Eyes
02 Leigh Creek Road
03 Fallen Angel
04 Eyes on Fire
05 Working Class Man
06 Roll on the Day
07 Clancy of the Overflow
08 If the War goes on
09 Hyde Park Calling
10 Plympton High
11 Eyes on Fire (acoustic)
12 If I close my eyes (reprise)

A wonderful album by one of the greatest songwriters
this country ever produced.

Download here

John Schumann - Etched In Blue

It was in 1986 John left the band that had made him a household
name. This album was recorded and released the next year.
I saw john solo at what was, I think, the 3rd Maleny Folk Festival.
Where he performed as well as taking a songwriting workshop.
I did ask him some question at the workshop, which was fantastic,
but I can't remember what it was, old age I'm afraid.
This is solid album, many of Schumann's favorite themes resurface.
In the opening track "Borrowed ground" is the theme of struggle
and debt.

And I lie on my bed, staring into the red
and the overdraft won’t come down
And it’s hard work keeping your family together,
Living on borrowed ground

"Thunder across the reef" gives us the album title,
a wonderfully poetic song about a shipwreck.

Sailors arrive at their cross roads too
Lines on a chart, etched in blue
Stern to the wind, run with the sea
There’s thunder across the reef

But its "Holy Mary" thats my favorite,
the chorus was written by Marty Atchison, the only
lyrics on the album not written by Schumann.
Its a story telling song of the type John has written before,
a on the run, escape song, complete with Catholic overtones.

There was always yelling at our house
And thumping against the wall;
Dad didn’t like Mum very much,
Mum didn’t like Dad all
At night I lie awake
and listen to their marriage break,
My little sister crying in the room next door
I knew I had to get away…get away

Put a thousand down on a V8 panel van,
A little bit of rego and a sloppy front end.
Three hours later,
120 through the main street of Tailem Bend
and I was singing…

Holy Mary, pray for me,
In my hour of need

"For the Children" is a beautiful song, John response as
a songwriter, to becoming a father. When I hear it I
wonder why there are so few songs like this
and how much better the world would be if there were more.

For the Children - John Schumann

The lady from the paper asked me
would I write a song for you,
I didn’t know you then but now I do.
And I’m stuck in this motel room
with an empty aching heart,
And the miles roll out between us
and they’re tearing me apart…
All I’ve got are tunes and rhymes -
this one’s for you.

May you always feel the sunshine
and take time to taste the rain,
May your friends be true and caring
and I hope you are the same;
And in your fleeting passage,
leave a little bit behind
For the children who will follow
in your footsteps,
along the sands of time.

I dreamed there was a world for you,
without the rush of rockets
And the thump of khaki gunships in the sky…
But there were rows of eucalyptus
and trains for little boys
And tadpoles in a still black creek
and playgrounds full of noise;
In my vision, fear and greed
and anger were the only things to die…

May the wind blow gently through your life,
may your principles be strong;
May you stand up and be counted
when they work out right from wrong…
May your nights be short and peaceful,
may your days be warm and long;
May your music be a service…
may they pause sometime and listen to your song

And here’s this little voice, reaching down the phone,
“Dad you’ve been away so long,
when are you coming home?”

May your eyes be filled with kindness,
may the seeds of wisdom grow…
May you seek for truth and beauty
and when you find it may you know…
May you help feed those who are hungry,
and comfort those who hurt
May you always fright for justice for all
of us who walk upon the earth

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Borrowed ground

John Schumann & the Vagabond Crew - Lawson

“I gathered these songs together for the sake of our
friendship and true, and I sent them along instead
of the letters I’d promised to write to you”.
To An Old Mate - Henry Lawson

What a great way to start this beautiful album, a fitting
choice.
In May 2005 members of three legendary Australian bands,
the Dingoes, Redgum and Goanna - along with a number of
other Australian music industry legends -
recorded of an album of songs drawn from the poems of
Henry Lawson, Australia’s foremost poet and writer.

Every single member of the Vagabond Crew entered
into the spirit of the Lawson project with enthusiasm
and a sense that, in working with Lawson,
we were dealing with one of Australia’s national
treasures. As musicians and writers,
we could all empathize with Henry
he didn’t mind a drink and, like us,
he lived off the advances he could wring out of his publishers.

The sessions were as much fun as I’ve ever had in my life
making a record. You can hear it in the music.
Everyone said they’d jump at the opportunity to perform
these songs, together, live. For a songwriter, there can be
no greater compliment.

Once, as we moved into the control room to listen to what
we’d just put down, one of the crew said to me:
“I’ve done a lot of recording but this is the first time I keep
losing my place because I’m listening to the words”.

I reckon Henry would have been proud to hear that.
I like to think he would have shouted the Vagabond
Crew a beer - but he probably would have had to
borrow the money.

John Schumann
July 2005

Truly a fantastic record by some of Australia's most
talented

The Vagabond Crew

Michael Atkinson, Shannon Bourne, Paul Cartwright,
Michael Harris, Rob Hirst, Marcia Howard, Shane Howard,
Toby Lang, Mal Logan, Louise McCarthy, Hugh McDonald,
Russell Morris, Alan Pigram, Steven Pigram, Mike Rudd,
John Schumann, Broderick Smith, Chris Stockley,
Kerryn Tolhurst and Mick Wordley.

Tracklist
01 To An Old Mate
02 Knocking Around
03 The Glass On The Bar
04 Second Class Wait Here
05 Faces In The Street
06 The Bush Girl
07 Taking His Chance
08 Scots Of The Riverina
09 To Hannah
10 A Prouder Man Than You
11 The Low Lighthouse
12 The Shame Of Going Back
13 To Jim

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Hugh McDonald - The Lawson Album

Hugh McDonald has enjoyed a successful career as a singer,
guitarist and violinist touring Australia and the world with
one of Australia’s leading bands of the 1980’s, Redgum .
Before joining Redgum in 1981 he played and recorded
with The Bushwackers Band, The Sundowners ,
Moving Cloud and The Colonials
He also has had a successful solo career releasing 3 solo
Albums including this The Lawson Album.
For the project Hugh enlisted the help of Garth Porter,
who made his name as the keyboard player in the
Australian superband Sherbet. Not that this sounds
anything like Sherbet. Released in 1994 it predates the
John Schumann Lawson album by 12 years. A lot of this
not surprisingly sounds like Redgum, when Hugh sang of course.
Its a great little record and a fitting tribute to Henry Lawson.

Track List
01 The Faces In The Street
02 Song Of The Republic (Sons Of The South)
03 Andy's Gone With Cattle 04 On The Night Train
05 The Roaring Days
06 The Sliprails And The Spur
07 Watch On The Kerb
08 Knockin' About
09 The Sweeney (Part 1)
10 Do You Think That I Do Not Know
11 Mallacoota Bar
12 Past Carin'
13 Scots Of The Riverina
14 The Sweeney (Part 2)

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