Mercury Years, The: 1994 - 1997 (4cd) - Graney, Dave 'n' the Coral Snakes - this box is being shipped now

This 4 disc box is available now.
This specially curated four CD set compiles Dave Graney N The Coral Snakes three albums between 1994-1997. "You Wanna Be There But You Don't Wanna Travel" (1994), "The Soft N Sexy Sound" (1995) and "The Devil Drives" (1997).
The box set also includes a custom-compiled collection of rarities from the era titled "Crayfish Palace Royalty"; B-Sides, rarities and assorted tracks that weren't included on the final recordings.

It is ridiculously cheap at $25 and lower. 
It was kind of Liam to consult us about the artwork and we compiled the rarities disc.
It was great working with a large company and I'd do it again like a  shot. the pr reach and the distribution. Nothing like diving into a machine!

I loved all the recordings. We did "you wanna be there..." in Metropolis in South Melbourne with Tony Cohen. Didn't have a single thought of changing the track listing or remixing anything. Tony is a master and has so many old school skills.

"The Soft'n'sexy sound" was done at the same place with Victor Van Vugt, again. Sounds perfect to me. Victor had left Australia with the Moodists in 1984 and also worked with us on "rock'n'roll is where I hide" , our re-recordings album for Liberation in 2011.

"The Devil Drives" was recorded at KISS studios (formerly Platinum) at the Toorak Rd end of Chapel street. Up near the Channel ten building. Clare and I took it to London to mix with David Ruffy and lucked into the house engineer at Matrix Maison Rouge who was just brilliant. Leading up to that session we'd met with a lot of big name local dudes and Kenny was so creative, so easy going and so great that it was totally enjoyable.

Of the records we've made I love THE DEVIL DRIVES, THE DAVE GRANEY SHOW, WE WUZ CURIOUS and YOU'VE BEEN IN MY MIND the most. Like I said, I love them all and play songs from all over the place but those ones have real poise and focus.

Album title : Crayfish Palace Royalty. The rarities disc.

General internal attitude : Dave Graney always had too many songs. Also always thought you had to leave everything on the field- on each album. Put it all out!

"Don't puddle up on me, china" – From the Devil Drives session. A great groove that was just too long – at over 7 minutes. The title is saying “don’t start cryin’ on me, mate”

“Sanctuary cove”

“Theme from the quim hunters!”

“$2.00 hookers"

"What kind of fool are you?"

“partial to the game”

“we're here to go”

All  songs left off from the Devil Drives. $2.00 hookers “Sanctuary Cove and “Partial to the Game” feature Frank Bennett in his best Sinatra tones as guest monologue stylist. Playing out some Sinatra scenes. (He also appeared on the actual album on the song “Biker in Business Class”).

"The confessions of Serge Gainsbourg"

"It's your crowd I hate"

These two songs were on the b-side of the “I’m gonna release your soul” single. The first is an instrumental “day in the life of a French pop star song. (Sound effected Concept by Dave Graney- music by the Coral Snakes) and the second song was expanded to “Morrison Floorshow” a year later.

"Late, late, late"

Written and sung by keyboard player Robin Casinader.

"the Lady from Bangkok"

"Pillow talk" (sylvia robinson) 

"java la grande (celestial boogie)"

"32-20 blues" (robert johnson)

All songs recorded in creative afterburn from the “you wanna be there…” sessions at Atlantis studios in Sth Melbourne, mixed by Tony Cohen.

"the Expatriate Trip"

Left off from the Soft’n’ Sexy Sound album.

"showbusiness" (AC/DC)

A cover for a tribute album that was impolitely ignored.

inside and outside the Butterfly Club where I'm doing this show EARLY FOLK 19th-23rd June

EARLY FOLK is the name of the show. Its FOR early folk. June 19th -23rd.
Wednesday 19th will kick it off with a 6pm start. Thursday , Friday and Saturday will be at 7pm and Sunday will finish at 6pm.
Its a lot of days in one place. But I want to do something different.The room fits maybe 80 people , seated in a small theatre mode.
I am bored shitless with playing too late in bars and clubs. Early starts are for me too! Its plain silly the way shows have to be so late. Let the gig happen and then hang around and socialize if you want to! How crazy an idea!
I am playing solo with an acoustic guitar or two. (six and twelve string) I have had a strong taste for abstract jazz and folk artists over the last decade and have been recording an art pop acoustic album this year. I will play  a song or two from that project as well as other songs of mine that fit the mode. I love playing with the mistLY but also have grown to enjoy this way of playing. Its a lot looser and I can access a lot more of my material. I'm hoping each night will be a little different.
The venue is pretty special and I can't do this sort of a show anywhere else. The ticket prices are a  lot cheaper if you book with a  group.
here is a link to book

The venue is in Carson Place- off Little Collins street between Swanston and Elizabeth streets.

The Butterfly Club is narrow and extends over three levels with several small bars..

Rooms stuffed with bric a brac and Victoriana.
This level has chairs at the window looking out onto Collins street...

 After the show you can walk back out to Little Collins street...

Hope to see you there. I'm looking forward to it!

ps - there will be mulled wine and candles to up the folk - o -meter.

more shots from the Moodists at Dig it Up april 25th 2013.

thanks to various friends for these shots, especially Phillippa Berry.

the Moodists at Dig it Up 2013

We got contacted in February to be a part of the 2013 DIG IT UP festival, a day long event devised and curated by the Hoodoo Gurus. In 2012 they had built the day around the SONICS and a host of garage rock related bands. This year the headliner was to be the Blue Oyster Cult, a band I'd loved in my teen years in country SA. Clare Moore and myself had also been involved in Kim Salmons guitar orchestra SALMON which had recorded and played a version of Bocs' "ETI". Other bands to be on the bill were the Buzzcocks , the Flaming Groovies, The Hoodoo Gurus themselves, Peter Case, Kim Salmon, Harry Howard and the NDE (who feature Clare Moore and myself as well) , the New Christs and many others. We felt honoured to be asked to be involved by the Hoodoo Gurus. Respect. The Moodists spent most of their career in the UK and are rarely dropped as a name in any narrative about Australian music of the period. IN some ways, we represent and alternative view of the time. We don't belong to anybody.

Only the headliners involvement was announced at first which was good as we had to see if we were still capable of functioning and doing the show- even if it was only a 45 minute set. The first rehearsal in Feb was very rough, several others followed and we felt confident we could deliver. There was a strict no boozing before playing rule agreed to. The rehearsals were at Mick Turners studio.

I did some interviews for the show, during this time, still unsure whether we could actually make the task at end, re-constituting our old selves and playing the music of our young selves.

http://thedwarf.com.au/interview/moodists-reform-for-dig-it-up-the-dwarf-chats-to-dave-graney

http://messandnoise.com/icons/4576645


We got to the Palace in Bourke street early and I got to see the New Christs shake the frost from the stage. Rob Younger is a hero and a great mover and top shelf singer.

There was a communal room for the players and a room closer to the stage where you could gather for an hour or two around the time of your set.

(mick turner,steve miller,john needham)

(just before we walked on)


At 3:30 we walked onto the stage. No soundcheck, using a backline of amps supplied to us. Clare, Mick and I are match fit and have continued to play music for the last 30 years. Steve Miller and Chris Walsh are still original gangsters. the last time they had walked OFF the stage would have been (almost) a Moodists gig, decades ago.

 (steve miller)

 chris walsh

This is the set we played

-->

machine machine

do the door

frankies negative

gone dead

chads car

runaway

some kinda jones

double life

the disciples know

boss shitkicker

The sound was loud. A quite wide stage. A full room. Generally, like now, I had the idea we were coming at people from out of nowhere. We were the least 60s grounded act of the day. No one else around then or now sounded like us. I was enjoying just moving and singing. 

In recent years I've become a guitarist/singer and you become anchored to the spot a  little bit. Up until 1995 I was always  a stand up singer. That's how I was doing this show. I picked up a  guitar for "chads car" and "gone dead" and "runaway". I was playing through a Vox and Steve and Mick had Marshalls. We would have all preferred Fenders. 

 chris walsh

clare moore and leanne cowie (drums with kim salmon) 

clare moore and the spazzys who were there to sing with the buzzcocks.

They were a very welcome female presence on an otherwise very mannish day

Brad Shepherd and Rick Grossman from the Hoodoo  Gurus.Champs!

As a kind of a review I must say I thought it was a  day for the PROS. the Blue Oyster Cult displayed skills on their instruments that are very, very rarely seen on Australian stages. Brilliant songs. Absolutely loved it. the Hoodoo Gurus the same. I have seen them only a  few times. Pounding rhythm section, two guitars and one of them wielded by the singer. that singer, Dave, just writes songs that are built for radios and concert stages.They are not just some idealized genre type power pop act. They've actually had hits and people love to hear them. A strange band in some ways - inspired by a classic period but making very modern sounding records- but its all held together by the quality of the songs.

Our set was a highlight for me , of course. We brought some drama and a noise that is really out of nowhere. It had some POWER. People came up to me to tell me the sound was muddy but I have never listened to that sort of talk. Number ONE - we ain't gonna come and do another gig and  do it any different for them , and TWO what the fuck were they comparing it to? Its a murky, messy, funky sound. That sort of talk drove us out of Australia twice in the old days. Left them to that horrible paisley revival jive back in the 80s. We were more into George Jones and Bo Diddley . Then and now.

There were a few silly reviews in the online mags but it was generally ignored by people who write about show. April and  May being a period of intense touring in 2013.

-->

"If there was anyone to ‘still have it,’ it would be The Moodists frontman Dave Graney, sliding around the stage with his sweet moves and drawing in the crowd with his smooth yet snarling vocals against a funky and mysterious bassline."

tone deaf

"Back to the main stage at The Palace Theatre and Dave Graney’s old band, The Moodists are brewing swampy, introspective, bluesy, ominous “Runaway”. The band features the original line up of Clare Moore on drums, Steve Miller on guitar, Mick Turner on guitar, Chris Walker on bass and Dave Graney at the helm. Dave introduces “Double Life” as a “song about having secrets in your life and not being able to tell people.”

 au review

So thats it.
Thanks Clare, Chris, Steve, Mick and the Gurus.

May 26th dave graney and clare moore play the Vanguard in Newtown - Sydney

June 9th dave graney and the mistLY at the Retreat Hotel in Sydney rd Brunswick

June 13th THE DAMES play at the Post Office Hotel in Coburg

June 14th dave graney and the mistLY play at teh post office hotel in Coburg

June 19th-23rd - dave graney EARLY FOLK- 7pm shows (6pm wed and sun) at the Butterfly Club in 1 Carson place melbourne
to book call 9663 8107 (Box Office)

July 6th - dave graney and the mistLY at the Railway Workers Club - Darwin

Friday August 30th - dave graney and clare moore will be playing in Tanunda SA

Saturday August 31st and Sunday Sept 1st dave graney and the mistLY will be playing at the Wheatsheaf in Adelaide , SA.