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.
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.
This is the set we played
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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.
They were a very welcome female presence on an otherwise very mannish day
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.
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"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)
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.
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