Night Of The Wolverine - Dave Graney & The Coral Snakes

GLARING OMISSIONS IV

Mr Graney was going to be Glaring Omission #V and a certain Sydney via Canberra band was supposed to be #IV anyway whatever. I just had to double check The Age's Top 50 Australian albums list because I cannot believe this record and/or some of his others are not included. This is the LP I'm most surprised didn't make it into either list. You Know feedtime and The Primitive Calculators are not that commercial so they weren't surprises just overlooked gems. Less is More by fucking Even gets a guernsey in The Age 50 over this? In that freakin' book Baby fuckin Animals get an entry over this iconic Melbourne via Mt Gambier, Adelaide, London etc. singer/songwriter and his team of crack musicians. Maybe Dave was right that he was the invisible rock singer hiding in full view that everyone just took him for granted. I mean this guy was King of Pop, won ARIAs and shit and uh oh... he had a great fucking personality. This is Australia Bland Please!

The Moodists
Couldn't find pic from
the book with Mick Turner

Robert ford on stage look

So I was a country boy (boy was I country) and I must have been in about year 8 or 9 when I discovered the school library and they had some Rock books, you know, like the encyclopedia of rock with Jagger on the cover etc. There were a couple of Aussie ones as well and the one I flogged (no security buzzers in those days) was The Next Thing: Contemporary Australian Rock by C.Walker. It became my ozrock bible and I still have it to this day, school stamps throughout, contacted and with a Dewey no. 780 (was that Dewey for ozrock) WAL. Anyway it was this photo of the band The Moodists that just stayed with me. They looked so normal maybe even a bit daggy, this was the 80s the time of Real Life and Pseudo Echo and at the other end of the spectrum punky/goth shit. Yeah they were like dressed down way before grunge. This book was from 1984. I mean Mick Turner in this photo in the book was wearing the same clothes I was wearing. Dave was wearing something quite unique though.  Anyway I don't think I heard the band until they'd broken up. I have this tape, can't recall where it came from possibly a friend or a friend of a friend or an op shop I dunno. It's a Sony HF90 containing 3 Moodists classics Engine Shudder, Moodists & Thirsty's Calling. I'm listening to it right now and it's in fine condition. I prefer it to the CD compilation which came out in the 00s, things in the right place know what I mean? The Moodists were good at kinda building momentum from their  minimal repetitions that tended to swirl into some kind of intensity. Sometimes they had pop songs though didn't they? Influenced by the Velvets, The Stooges, The Birthday Party, PIL and maybe even Flipper. Some tunes are similar to other artists at the time Like The Gun Club, Dream Syndicate and maybe even The Triffids at their roughest.

Then it was this film clip on Rage (Australian all Night Music show), in around 1990, Robert Ford on Stage where Dave had a twirly mo and a beard. He looked like something out of Deadwood. This was very very strange at the time. Now walking through Northcote can be a bit like the set of Deadwood. I was showing my friends and my little sister the clip saying 'how fuckin great is this song?!' People couldn't get past the image, you know, they didn't look like the Stone Roses. I still love that song. By the time I was living in Melbourne in 1991 he was back from London I think and sometimes I could go and see him for free. Wasn't this guy a legend? I was seeing him for free on a week night at The Espy. Also up in the old piano bar at the Prince Of Wales, I loved that place. By 92 there were some records finally floating around and he was gettin played on the radio finally. He was really finally becoming a Melbourne cult thing. Everyone loved him.

The cover I originally had.

I guess what happened next was a little unexpected. In 1993 he had a top 40 hit with You're Just Too Hip Baby a beautifully soft and funky Doors influenced tune. Then the fabulous LP Night of The Wolverine was unleashed onto the public. JJJ had the single in their end of year top 100 and he was nominated for best alternative release at the ARIAs for the album. The LP is fuckn great from start to finish. Tracks like Mogambo, I Held The Cool Breeze, 3 Dead Passengers in A Stolen 2nd Ford, Maggie Cassidy, You Need To Suffer, I Remember You etc are all classics. Not one dud on the whole record! His songwriting was peaking and the band, man they were cookin. Beer, Scotch, death, cows, movie stars, country, city, Beat poets, cars, loneliness, dwellings, drunkenness, Grace Kelly, Jazz in 1950s Paris, Ava Gardner, Dope, Football, Serge Gainsbourg, Clarke Gable, outlaws and even the Beatles, it was all here and much more. Clare Moore on percussion, vocals and drums, Rod Hayward on guitar, Robin Cassinader on keys and other stuff and Andrew Picouleau on bass. Tex Perkins guesting on the centrepiece of the album Night of the Wolverine 2 which was in 3 parts and was 8 and a half minutes of pure pop heaven. This was a group recorded at an absolute peak of their powers. It's hard to desrcribe the music an almost Euro/Hotel Lobby Band/AOR/MOR feel with some kinda acoustic Australiana/Hollywood/Beatnik vibe played by the best band in the country who you felt could do anything and possibly would. It had an air of timeless sophistication and it was addictive as hell. That record's been played hundreds of times by me and I love it more each time I hear it. The melodies, the words, the band, the backing vocals, the arrangements......so cool!

I guess he also introduced me to some cultural icons like Serge Gainsbourg and now one of my favourite actors Warren Oates. After reading his terrific book 1001 Australian Nights I thought I'll have to dig out those CDs My Life On The Plains, Night Of the Wolverine, Soft & Sexy Sound but they were gone (too many share houses, robberies etc.). So he is one of the few artists I have bought their same record twice (rare company indeed only Beefheart, My Bloody Valentine and Roxy Music are in this category). Still can't find the first couple of records anywhere though. I'm not an E bay type of human yet. Other Graney records also could have made it here and certainly would be in my Aussie 100 list like The Soft & Sexy Sound, Hashish, Knock Yourself Out, We Wuz Curious etc. I am also diggin on the new one You've been On My Mind!

The cover of my 2nd copy.

   *I used a Dave Graney tongue ie. 'I was a country boy (boy was I country)'

 **There was a Coral Snakes tongue throughout the entire post actually.
***Interview with Clare more here at messandnoise

So long Blogs...

Two more blogs have disappeared without trace Know Your Conjurer which was a bewdy and Stolen Lynx which was pretty self explanatory. Gone! Is it the FBI or somebody else spoiling the fun? I think perhaps an Internet era is starting to end well I guess it started earlier this year when they nabbed the Megaupload guy in his bunker in the Antipodes. What ever happened with him anyway?

Bow Ties/Fashion Retromania

They were never comin back ever and hello every tool under 25 & actually over (hello host of The voice) has got one. Another clear example of the last thing you would have expected to be in fashion and then bang it  happens! People should hire me as a some kind of  consultant!

Stereeolab/Ariel Pink

I just noticed on the blogosphere some group claiming Stereolab to be a big influence on their new LP wow was I ahead of my time by 10 seconds or what? Well I didn't mean it. I'm not sure of the move here with Ariel, this new LP could have been recorded anywhere between House Arrest & Worn Copy really. It's neither his In Utero nor his Dirty. There are no coordinates with Mr Pink and who needs em. I'm loving this great new LP as much as the other great 8. Particularly Nostradamus & Me, Schnitzel Boogie, Symphony of The Nymph and Farewell American Primitive er......and the rest.

Ariel Pink/Gary War

Just scored these two it's like fucking Christmas! Let's hope it's a good Christmas. Very Excitement!

Gary War's new LP! I loved his previous one and this years

collaboration as Human Teenager. Cant wait to hear this!

Jared's Lot is its title

Mature Themes is the most anticipated LP in living memory, probably since Before Today (for me anyhow). 3/4 of the way through my first listen it sounds very good. Perhaps not as Hi-Fi as Before Today and on some tracks his vocals are quite upfront. Can he do it? Can he top the best LP of 2010s?.....er.....that being the one he released before this one. I've gotta get up early but now I'm too excited. How old am I? Is that Tina Turner guesting on the last track Baby? I think he Ariel and his Haunted Graffiti have done it again.

Stereolab

Just been gettin reacquainted with Stereolab quite obsessively. At the moment the period of 1992 - 1996. What a run they had going. Space Age Bachelor Pad music, Refried Ectoplasm, Transient Random Noise Bursts With Announcements, Mars Audiac Quintet, Emperor Tomato Ketchup etc. Nothing to say that hasn't already been said by the groop themselves really. John Cage Bubblegum, French Disko, Nihilist Assault Group,Tomorrow is Already Here, Metronomic Underground, Avant Garde MOR, Analogue Rock, Tone Burst, Exploding Head Movie, International Colouring Contest, Farfisa etc. They made reviewers redundant. Pop perfection. I wasn't sure I would still dig. Me dig! Me dig more than ever, I do believe!

The long version of this still astounds me to this day 18
years or so later. A Mind blowing Peak!

It all started withe the reading of that Pulp book by Owen Hatherley. I went back to The Smiths, Sex Pistols, Roxy Music (first 3 LPs) and then onto at one time contemporaries to Pulp- Stereolab. In the early 90s they were using a similar sonic palette and funny archaic instruments which Pulp started to use less of later in the 90s which was kind of a shame. I mean they were still good and all but imagine if they'd gone more arcane and retro futuristic. Moot point really just a thought to entertain you know how it is? When I first heard, well I saw their video clip on Rage, Stereolab I thought man they Sound a bit like NZs Snapper who I knew were into Suicide, maybe Neu and The Velvets obviously but I thought that maybe for Stereolab they may have been inadvertent influences, know what I mean. I guess heaps of groups had that whole Velvets/Stooges/Roxy/ Kraut/Hawkwind/Suicide axis of influences at the time. Anyway they were much more than that. That was just one facet of a multifaceted band. I love that artwork too, the only others in the league of artwork being the equally fab Broadcast and the Ghostbox label. I think they are all in someway connected anyway, the Ghostbox guys were originally cover designers I'm pretty sure. It's been a surprise rediscovery.

Life On Earth

Finally got my hands on this and quite timely too as I'll be seeing the great man Sir David Attenborough in person next month doing a show in Melbourne called A Life On Earth. I scored the book as well last year, with the price still on it from 1979 8 Pounds 95, which is ace. Diggin' the tunes on this fantastic soundtrack thanks Mr Trunk and Edward Williams. Very cool! V excited about the show too.

Beards A reprise

Early Joy Division early beard

The Original beard king even before I got into Dennis Wilson was of course the legendary Peter Hook. Jim Morrison, The Beatles etc. all had them during trend times as did Dennis but it was Peter Hook in the coolest band of the late 70s and then another cool one throughout the 80s who stuck with it in the non trend times. It did stick out like a sore thumb. Of course now it seems normal. I think though in recent times he's even been shaving. He just seemed to not fit. He shoulda been drivin a truck or something. My brother and I used to find it hilarious. I dunno if we appreciated his contrariness or his out of time naffness. Anyway in tribute to the great man we made a fantastic collage of about 20 photographs all with beard in different phases of growth. It really was quite foreign particularly to have facial hair in the post-punk/indie/dance scenes. Clean shaven was the go and really only went indie in the 00s and has now gone corp/fashionista/sportsman/knob etc. In the late 70s & 80s it only belonged to science and geography teachers. A hipster wouldn't have been caught dead with a hair on his chinny chin chin! I wish I still had that collage, it used to take pride and place in our flat. Hooky Monster Respect!

This is his classic beard and hair look for most of the 80s in New Order.
Not that dissimilar to Dennis Wilson.

Transmission
Joy Division
Best bearded bassline ever!

Yardbirds & Husker Du

OK I've just realised Eric Clapton played on some of The Yardbirds Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds that came in at 353 (RS 500 list) and was some kind of American compilation. Anyway I dig The Yardbirds a lot. Funnily enough it was on one of their greatest tracks that he got angry and eventually ended up quitting. He hated For Your Love (like it's only one of the finest tunes from the 60s) so much he would only play on the middle 8 (whatever that means). Then along came Jeff Beck to replace him for a string of top tunes.

For Your Love

The Yardbirds

Worth watching this ridiculous video....pretty funny!

* In that Rolling Stone 500 the only Husker Du entry was New Day Rising at 495 just scrapping in. Funny really for a band that pretty much influenced a whole generation/genre. They had other classics too Flip Your Wig & Zen Arcade for starters. RS staff what the fuck? No I'd rather listen to a Jackson Brown album thanks!?????????????ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Us influential? What are you talkin' about?

Lou Reed Walk on the Wild Side

Lou Reed

Walk On The Wild Side

Well how could you go past this iconic bassline with a little bit extra thrown in on the jam. Lou's group are fuckn cookin' right here (not Velvets as stated). That's Robert Quine on guitar dunno the other two but they're also awesome. Live in 82, rude form!

A Tribe Called Quest
Can I kick It

Then it was sampled here to great affect! Tribe kickin it to Lou in the goal square!

The Original LP version. Gotta give Herbie Flowers his due. He played two basslines on it, one double bass the other electric so he could get paid twice or so the legend goes. I still haven't read the Wire bass issue, there could be an article on him for all I know. Anyway who cares this has been an FM staple since it came out and with good reason. It's probably where I first heard about givin head. Double the bass pleasure!