The Holy Ghosts "Live @ The Alliiance Hotel" gig - 1989.

Following on from the Spill Records and the Small World Experience
posts Mr Kenneth from across the bridge from when I live,
has brought us some fabulous music and some great memories
of the music, performance/art scene in Brisbane in the
late 80's early 90's.
If you are after some of the worlds greatest music podcasts
get along to radioshirley and download, words can't describe
what an eclectic mix of fantastic sounds Kenneth weaves
together.

Heres a bit of a bio from their myspace page

The Holy Ghosts existed in various forms from '87
(or earlier perhaps) til '91, with members involved,
before and since, in such other projects
as the Closesthing, DNE, the Lost Domain (ie. Invisible Empire),
Small World Experience, Xero, Gobble-Gobble, Minimum Chips,
etc etc etc. Pre-existing the CD-r era the group self-released
cassettes (eg. on this profile: three songs recorded
New Years Day 1989). See 'band website' for a different
(2yrs later) version of 'million miles',
recorded live-to-air at 4zzz-FM (St Lucia).
Live 'career highlights' included playing support to
Venom P. Stinger (melb'88, bris'89)
and Sonic Youth (bris'89) though cosier,
more homely venues (such as the Liquorice Lounge),
galleries & parties always made for better music.

Now lets here from Kenneth on the Holy Ghosts.

Released thru spill, the tape is called Wounded.
Cover art is in the .zip file
Follows on from your Small World Experience post -
Ian Wadley is on bass and it was recorded by swe'er -
Pat Ridgewell. Eugene Carchesio (guitar, vocals)
and the fantastic drummer, Clare McKenna
make up the 3 piece.

No I didn't know any of the Ghosts personally and only caught
them maybe three times max.
I do have vivid memories of the Holy Ghosts performing at an
event called "Exploding Plastic Inevitable" in the Smellie's
Building, Edward St, a warehouse just down from where the
old Institute of Modern Art was situated in the city.
This would've been very early '90's. A kind of performance
art/music/dance event with artists like Luke Roberts
doing a performance work (I remember roses, hay and
fire involved) and the fabulous Peggy Wallach who was
all around town at the time and who did, to this day imo,
one of the most captivating live performance works I've seen.
A kind of "you had to be there" to really get it memory.
God I really miss all the fantastic performance art activities
that went on in Brissy late 80's/early 90's.
There were some fabulous works done by the likes of
Anthony Babbicci, Geoffrey Schmidt and Jeremy Hynes
to name but a few. There was a strong crossover of many
visual artists (Eugene Carchesio of the Ghosts, for example)
also engaged in music and just about everything else.
Lots of exciting cross media activity.
I also have a recollection of Wonderous Fair
playing that night too.
But I digress.

The Holy Ghosts put on a blinder of a show. Intense intense
intense! Apart from the purely emotional response,
my most vivid memory is of being spellbound by drummer,
the fantastic Clare McKenna beating those skins to a pulp
and dredging up some of the wildest groans and shrieks
from her gut counterpointing Ian Wadley's brilliant bass.
I may be wrong here, but I have a strong feeling that
they swapped instruments through the gig. I don't know why,
well I do actually, but we won't go there ...
watching and listening to the HG's that night,
I had a vision of what it may be like to listen and watch
Van Vliet of Captain Beefheart "Doc at The Radar Station"
era, being grabbed by the scruff of his neck and having his head
smashed ad nauseum against a brick wall till only bleeding stump
remained. Just brilliant stuff. And I love Beefheart btw!

If that Smellie's show was captured on tape, that would be one
I'd truly love to hear. For those who never caught the
Holy Ghosts, this live show at the Alliance Hotel,
Spring Hill in 1989 recorded by Pat Ridgewell,
gives you a good sense of their sound and
where they were coming from.
Begs the question ... Which was ?

Hope you enjoy
Mr.Kenneth

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