Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Triffids & friends - Mick harvey - Kelly's Blues

I had a great time at the Powerhouse the other night - only managed to get one video as staff were  ever vigilant.. .

.

the sound isnt perfect but you can catch some better quality sound of the night H E R E !

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Costar / David McComb - Unreleased Tracks


One of the songs of David McComb that was played on Thursday
night was the track 'The Good Life Never Ends'
Its a beautiful track that was recorded by David's last band
Costar. It was part of what was to be a single or Ep for the
band, it was never released.

Graham Lee talks here of those final years

"I spent a lot of time with Dave, not enough obviously
but can't worry about that now. He wanted to release
the costar stuff, but he really needed to get himself
back on an even keel physically and mentally before
anything great would happen musically,
although he was writing constantly and certainly
hadn't lost his strength in that area.
The New Year's Eve that brought in 1999 was the last
time I stood on stage with him at The Standard Hotel
in Fitzroy, Melbourne. He was very ill and
it was almost too much to bear."

Track List
01 - I Kept My Eye On You
02 - Murder In The Dark
03 - Lucky For Some
04 - The Goodlife Never Ends
05 - Devil Please
06 - The Good Life Never Ends
07 - The Good Life Never Ends (minus intro)


And here Oh Mercys Alex Gow performs
The Good Life Never Ends.



Sunday, November 27, 2011

Mark C Halstead - Before And After Love


Mark Caulfield Halstead - more affectionately known quite simply as Marko - released this album through W Minc in 1994. No-one really payed too much attention to it at the time, and people still haven't really taken the time out to discover this (still in print) album.

Marko's career began in the mid to late 1970s Brisbane. And like many of his musical peers of that era, he found himself playing guitar in a host of punk bands centered around Roma Street's Curry Shop and away from pub venues. The unrecorded The Disposible Fits and the Fuji Angels are but two. An early artefact from his punk/new wave days comes from an unaired TV pilot centered around Brisbane music called Exposure. His band the Hostages were featured alongside JFK & the Cuban Crisis, The Repairs and Ninja Skil (featuring a very young Charlie Owen). This excerpt from the 1981 show is the only studio recording made by this band. The featured song is the Halstead composition Tremble; recorded at Basement Studios in Roma St by Colin Bloxsom.



By 1983, he joined Tex Deadly and the Dum Dums with fellow Fit Cyril Culley when the band moved to Sydney. Marko's tales of wagon wheels and other past curios are written in good detail in Clinton Walker's Stranded book. An example of his song-writing at the time is documented on the 1st Beasts of Bourbon album in the form of the closing track from The Axeman's Jazz, Ten Wheels for Jesus.



[Photo by David Macpherson of Tex Deadly and the Dum Dums l-r Tex Perkins, Greg Wadley, Des Johnson, Marko]

Marko also played in the Kingswoods and Kingswood Trio around this time who existed between 1983 and 1986 released a couple of singles, namely Purty Vacant, which appeared on a FABRICLIVE mix CD put together by DJ John Peel. The trio - Peter Kroll, John Downie and Halstead concurrently played in the Pineapples From The Dawn of Time.

By the early 1990s, Halstead moved to Melbourne where was an adjunct member of the McComb-led Blackeyed Susans and their trio offshoot on vocals and mandolin; and appeared on the bulk of their All Souls Alive album. He also played alongside Graham Lee in the Paradise Vendors, performed in the Disappointments, sang on Robert Forster's I Had a New York Girlfriend album, et cetera.

And of course, he's a part of the current Triffids touring troupe, offering what Rob Snarksi described at their recent Brisbane show as a 'man mountain' with his rendering of Bury Me Deep In Love.

I could go on forever with this biography, but I won't. The aim here was an attempt to bring this album to an audience who may not be aware of who he is, and why this album might actually be worth sinking your teeth into.

This album came out when alt-country was still wondering whether Townes or Earle was better than Guy Clark. Even his appearance on the Ernie & Denise show didn't seem to cement the fact that this man's baritone is a national treasure. And due to its lack of commercial esteem, Before And After Love remains as his only solo release after being a vital conduit for so many musicians and bands since Australian punk's first wave.

Try it out here, but I highly suggest buying this album seeing that's easily available.

Here's a video filmed at the Standard Hotel in Melbourne for Whiskers in the Sink; a song written about his old musical cohort, Cyril Culley.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

The Triffids - Brisbane, Powerhouse 24/11/11


Its been 23 years since I saw the Triffids play one magic night
and that long since they played in Brisbane.
A lot has happened since then, the band split up in 1989
and some 10 years after lead singer and song writing genius
David McComb died a few days before he was to turn 37.


For the last 5 years Evil Graham Lee (above) has been at the helm
of keeping Davids legacy alive, along with releases of the Triffids
recordings there has been the reformation of the band and many
gigs around the world. Starting out as a tribute concerts called
'A Secret in the Shape of a Song' and end up as this, The Triffids
and friends. This was a particularly important performance
as it was the first time ever, anywhere that the band had played
their seminal first album ' Born Sandy Devotional'


And what a night it was, I was up front with Carmen and Chuck,
some of the best musicians in the world, Like Martyn Casey (above)
originally the Triffids bass player, now days in the Bad Seeds,
or former Bad Seed himself Mick Harvey (below)


Young Melbourn band Oh Mercy did a fine job opening with a few
early Triffids songs. Lead singer Alex Gow returning throughout
the night to perform on a few other songs.
Then former manager 'Handsome' Steve Miller took the stage
as master of ceremonies.




The Blackeyed Susans took to the stage with the added treat
of Mark Dawson on percussion, it was one of my favourite
moments of the monumental 3 hour show.
Especially 'Ocean of You' which was incredible.
Rob Snarski who shared lead singing in the Susans with David
has an incredible voice and he retuned throughout the evening
also to sing different songs.



And of course Mick Harvey was brilliant,
you should heard Kelly's Blues.
Also Simon Breed English singer guitarist was brilliant
'Lonely Stretch' being a stand out.



And I was very excited when Jill Birt took up the mike to sing
her classic Triffids tunes like Goodbye Little Boy and Raining Pleasure.
And I must mention Graham Lees wonderful vocal work too
especially on one of my fav tracks Jerdacuttup Man .
Born Sandy was a joy to listen to, truly one of the greatest
Australian albums ever recorded.
The highlight of the night was Bury Me Deep In Love
sung by Mark Caulfield Halstead one time Brisbane boy
who was in the Kingswood Trio and The Pineapples from
the Dawn of Time. He has a solo album I
think I must get. He has the most incredible voice and
when Rob Snarski followed him he said, "Thanks Marko
you man mountain I'm gonna sound like a smurf after that!"
It was a concert that was one of those you walk out of bewildered
by how exceptional it was.
There's more dates to follow throughout Australia so if you have
even a passing interest in the songs of David McComb,
don't miss it!





Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The Apartments


Readers of That Striped Sunlight Sound will hopefully not need an introduction to this band as I haven't prepared one. Nevertheless...

The Apartments return to Sydney for the launch of their new 45rpm single, Black Ribbons - a taste of what's to come from their forthcoming album - their first since 1998's FĂȘte Foraine.




The sound and image below are from the Melbourne launch for this single:

The Apartments - All Your Stupid Friends @ Toff In Town, Melbourne (23rd Oct 2011) from Carbie Warbie on Vimeo.



The band's line-up for this show includes the electric guitar of Elliot Fish, the vocals of Christine Jane and the violin of Amanda Brown.

Below is a TV commercial for the show which you may have seen during prime time programming...




The Apartments with special guest Peter Fenton (Crow)

Friday, December 9th

The Factory Theatre
105 Victoria Road, Marrickville
Box Office: Phone (02) 9550 3666
Fax (02) 9550 2990
Email: boxoffice@centuryvenues.com.au

Monday, November 7, 2011

Triffids at the Powerhouse update

Guests have been announced and look at the line up!


Rob Snarski
Alexander Gow
The Blackeyed Susans
Oh Mercy
Mick Harvey
Simon Breed (UK)

Also the night will feature the classic album Born Sandy
Devotional from go to woah and they're saying this performance
is the first time the whole album has been played live in its
entirety!


Its gonna be a great night indeed!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Dave Steel & The Welcome Wagon - Been On This Road Too Long (2004)

When I think of Australian Blues Dave Steel is the first
to come to mind,he is the most spellbinding artist to see
live and he is a master in his field.
He's been around a while so I guess he has had the time to
hone his craft, Dave started out in the acclaimed Australian folk
rock band Weddings Parties Anything as their original guitarist.
Since he has forged a solo career and been a very much in
demand session/touring musician.
7 Solo albums which are impossible to find are on my list
of recording to find

The Welcome Wagon is a 3 piece comprising of Dave on Guitar,
Sandy Brady on both upright and electric basses and has
worked with an impressive array of artists,
notably Tiffany Eckhardt, Cyndi Boste, Michael Thomas
and the Sure Thing, Enda Kenny, and Broderick Smith
And J.P(John Parry) known as 'the Charlie Watts of the South Coast'
for his backbeat drumming style. He also has worked with many
artists including Jeff Lang, Bob Brozman,
Chubbie Ray and the Elevators, and The Mongolian Fishmongers.

Download Here


Rowland S. Howard - Studio 22

I've been hearing good things about the recent movie - "Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard" bio pic.



Directed by Richard Lowenstein of "Dogs in space" and "Falefel" fame...
You can find more detail and lots links here - https://www.facebook.com/AUTOLUMINESCENT.RowlandSHoward

I've been listening alot lately to an old ABC tv show - Studio 22 - Rowland S. Howard from 1999 and thought it would make a timely audio only post

Download Here


the band features Rowland S. howard
                          Mick Harvey
                          Brian Hooper
                          Edward Clayton Jones
songs include - She Cried
                       Dead Radio
                       Exit Everything
                       Shivers
and                  White Wedding