Tuesday, February 23, 2021

LYVE AT BYRDS

 

Our album LYVE AT BYRDS is out now. Its a digital only release and can be accessed via Bandcamp, Apple Music and all the other portals that are out there.

 

The cover image is by Tony Mahony and is a photo of an actual object he made. 

Recorded late 2019 on a midweek night at the deluxe Melbourne jazz club onto the house 24 track system and mixed by Dave Graney a year later, deep within the 2020-21 pandemic miasma.

 

A rock'n'roll album. Drums, bass, guitars, vibes and vocals.

Tracks focused on the two albums released in that year, ZIPPA DEEDOO WHAT IS/WAS THAT/THIS? and ONE MILLIONYEARS DC. Plus a few from earlier albums. This digital live release compliments the two others from 2020, the minimalist and lyrical "Dave Graney and Clare Moore with Robin Casinader - IN CONCERT" and the one-off super group that was documented on "DaveGraney and Clare Moore with Georgio the dove Valentino and Malcolm Ross".

Here is a clip from the album. The song is called ANSWERING MACHINE.

 

 

Our last live show with our band, the mistLY, was almost exactly a year ago. I know this because Pascalle Burton , a really good friend and a member of the totally great Brisbane band The Stress Of Leisure, put up these pictures on Social Media. It was at the Ember Lounge in St Kilda and we played a couple of sets as our class A four piece line up. Pascalle took these photos.



 

In the meantime there has been the worldwide pandemic. As you must have by now noticed...

Clare Moore and I began doing live streaming shows via a platform called Stage It. It is American based and people pay a small fee to access a show which begins and ends at exact times that are specified. We charge US$5.00 and play for 50 minutes. It has been quite a thing to get to grips with all the technology and we continue to do them. Our next show will be our 64th event. Its Every Thursday at 8pm AEDT and every second Sunday at 9am so as to make the show happen at Saturday night 9pm in the UK and various hours of the day in the USA.

A ticket link to our next show Thursday March 4th at 8pm.

A ticket link to our show Thursday March 11th at 8pm

A ticket link to our show on Sunday morning / Saturday afternoon/night (Northern hemisphere).  March 13th/14th

Doing these shows has been a great way to continue writing and performing and learning music and keeping in touch with people. They have all the nervous tension in the leadup as old school - real world gigs - and the mad energy of performing as well. None of the travel, though. Learning and also getting back inside so much material has been great too. 

We look forward to the physical - actual - live scene opening up again and have started booking shows in April and May and beyond. These are mostly in Qld and NSW. if anybody has any ideas about shows we could do, either as a duo or solo or with a band, get in touch with our agent Steve Griffiths by emailing davegraneybookings@gmail.com

Bear in mind we would like to be in Covid-conscious situations. Steve would know what all that entailed.

These online live stream shows and digital albums are our income as we live through this strange period. A period which may stretch out for years to come.

Things opened up in December and then closed up again here in Melbourne for a week in early February. I had a birthday somewhere in there. 

We have continued to  record and I am constantly writing songs. So many that I forget them unless I record them somehow and have to reimagine them as I clamber back into them through some hardy elements that have stuck in my mind. Guitar pedals? Yes I never turn off the MXR Phase 100. I wanted the sound Keith Richard got on Some Girls. I am also enjoying super delay from a boutique VIOLET pedal (made in New Zealand) and also bought a Submarine pickup for my acoustic guitar. It slides under two strings and you send that signal out to another, distinct effect. I chose to send the two bottom strings to an octave pedal. It works best with a solo guitar.

I think a blog demands that I be more forthcoming with personal detail and thought but I think I have become less verbal or literate during this period. I see so much social media. I am aghast yet enthralled at how much some people pour outto the world via these platforms like Twitter and Facebook. I can't look away, its so clammy. But I don't. I'm clamming up. Even more.

So it's made me more and more interior minded and strangely geared for the social world. But as our media dimly strains to say something - anything - we are in UNPRECEDENTED times. And we actually are. the world has been stopped. Levelled. Quieted down. The birds fly about and we notice that they notice the quiet too.

We are intensely examing our lives. past, present and future.

The even dimmer politicians tallk about "snapping back". There won't be any snapping back, really. 

If I sound negative, its the opposite. It has been a pretty exciting time to experience. An historical moment.  

I am reading James Joyce Ulysses again. My second attempt this pandemic. I dropped out after 400 pages the first time I tried the climb and I haven't reached that area again, yet. Its all new to me. Nothing really digs in. Nothing dug in. The writer is constantly present, sometimes right down there in the dense text. Is he winking or what? I wonder who edited it. Did anybody?

Its not like reading John Cowper Powys or Patrick White, for me. Not that spell binding or intoxicating. But I will continue, comrades. What for - I really dunno.

I think I actually said something personal in there.

I am in dread of being fixed in minds like a dumb teenager. I want to be in the crowd, looking on.

I watched a tribute to New York Doll Sylvain Sylvain. 11am here in Melbourne and it was set off from somewhere in New York. Video clips made prior to the show seamlessly slotted in with live performances with a  house band from the Bowery Electric. The production was fantastic. It had people like Hanoi Rocks singer Michael Monroe, Michael Des Barres, Glen Matlock, Chuck Prophet and Stephanie Finch and countless others. A favourite was the two Brouchard brothers from the Blue Oyster Cult with Dennis Dunaway from ALICE COOPER backing two singers called Tish and Snookie. Thurston Moore read an excerpt from Sylvains book on a London park bench. Libertines member (drummer?) Garry Powell spoke so eloquently from a studio in the UK, Jayne County, Lenny Kaye, Henry Rollins, Clem Burke and Debbie Harry all spoke to camera as did a New York book shop owner and a former guitar tech. There were several French rockers who totally put on that old glam junkie rock'n'roll style that they love so hard. Bebe Buell sang and the whole show came to a point when David Johansen closed it with a fantastic song, accompaanied by Earl Slick. Fantastic in both senses as he was serious and cosmic and goofy all at once. It was wonderful to be a small part of a fragile, far flung community. It was - apart from a couple of performers - devoid of that rock'n'roll soapy melodrama and hyped behaviour. It was sweet and people spoke of a loveable, positive person. A recurring theme was that he called people "Jackson" when it wasn't their name. Several were surprised that others were called Jackson too. I guess its what he did when he couldn't remember names and often it was too late to stop. Everybodys been there! (Waylon Jennings called everybody HOSS and Jerry Lee calls everybody KILLAH!

Fragile community. Here is something nice that our UK internet - electro friend SCANNER wrote on Instagram around the turn of the year...

"One of the highlights of this year for me has to have been the regular live performances from Melbourne with Australian rock musician Dave Graney and his wife Clare Moore. Their breakfast shows, around 08.00 a.m. for them, have been one of the most joyful ways to end a day in the UK. I first saw Dave and Clare live with their band The Moodists in the 1980s, playing shows alongside Nick Cave amongst many others. They offered up a marvellously dense aggressive sonic assault, with dark songs quite brilliantly grinding into your skull. Returning to Australia from London, where they’d lived for a time, they morphed into Dave Graney ‘n’ the Coral Snakes and The Dave Graney Show. Eagle eyed viewers might even have spotted Dave in an episode of Neighbours (thank you, YouTube). And whilst there, just search for the video of him winning Best Male Artist for The Soft 'N' Sexy Sound at the 1996 ARIA Awards. You won’t regret it. Dave is arguably one of the most dapper characters in music!

Thanks to the joys of social media Dave and I connected online some years ago, exchanging cheeky witticisms and teasingly fun words, and in 2020 we managed to record an entire album together which I’m thrilled to get out in 2021. I’m super proud of this release, quite radically different from anything either of us has released before too. Dave’s songwriting skills are exemplary and his output simply prodicious, telling stories that are endearing, lyrically smart and moving.
I’ve actually now lost count of how many live shows I’ve enjoyed of theirs, but it’s always a joy. At one moment it’s like an outtake from Twin Peaks incidental music, the next a John Martyn cover song, the next a song from 1991, and then another written last week. Here’s to two fine musicians who are embracing the opportunities of our digital age
!"

Yes, the album we made sounds great and I hope it comes out this year. All electronic sounds and me singing over and through them. It was a delight doing it.

More details regarding LYVE AT BYRDS...


1: Baby I Wish I’d Been A Better Pop Star 4:45
2: Song Of Life 5:46
3 : He Was A Sore Winner 3:04
4 : Are You Out Of Your Mind? 4:27
5 : Gloria Grahame 5:29
6 : You’re All Wrong 8:18
7 : You Can’t Have Your Boogie 7:01
8 : Where’s My Buzz? 5:14
9 : Answering Machine 2:44
10 : ULTRAKEEF 4:50
11 : Is That What You Did? 9:27
12 : Rock ’n’ Roll Is Where I Hide 7:48

Recorded Thursday 28th November 2019 at
Birds Basement in Melbourne by Pete Camilleri.

Mixed by Dave Graney at the Ponderosa
September-October 2020.

Mastered by Greg Wadley.

Cover image by Tony Mahony.

All songs written by Dave Graney
except ULTRAKEEF and Is That What You Did?
which have words by Dave Graney and music
by Dave Graney, Clare Moore, Stu Thomas and
Stuart Perera.
Copyright Control

Here is a rough list of the songs of mine we have played at our Stage It shows so far....

 

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (2000)
Song Of Life (2019)
Where Did All the Freaks Go? (2019)
Be Sad For Me (2017)
Anchors Aweigh (2001)
Everybody Loves A Mass Killer (1997)
The Devil Drives (1997)
Drugs Are Wasted On The Young (2000)
Tuning Up (2020)
Mt Gambier Night (2012)
Answering Machine (2019)
The Brother Who Lived (2003)
Twilight Of A Villain (2003)
The Stuff That Night Is Made Of (2000)
Vengeance Is On It's Way (2000)
Night Of The Wolverine (1993)
I Need Some Scratch (2000)
A Woman Skinnies A Man Up (2014)
Midnight To Dawn (2003)
Chads Car (1981)
All Our Friends Were Stars (2003)
Everybodys Gone (2005)
A Man On The Make (1997)
Comrade Of Pop (2019)
My Schtick Weighs A Ton (2005)
Where's My Buzz? (2019)
Apollo 69 (1995)
The Birds And The Goats (1995)
Lifes a Dream (2012)
Bodysnatcher Blues (2009)
Baby I Wish I'd Been A Better Pop Star (2019)
Hell Is You, Babe (2019)
You've Been In My Mind (2019)
I Wanna Get Lost Again (2005)
Sometimes You can See Yourself (2005)
I Will Always Hate You (2001)
I Will Have Always Been Here Before (2001)
Ruperts Pets Grave (2017)
Are You Out Of Your Mind? (2017)
Your Masters Must Be Pleased With You (1999)
Lets Live Properly (2005)
We Don't Belong To Anybody (2011)
You Need To Suffer (1993)
We Need A Champion (2012)
You're All Wrong (2019)
Saturday Night Bath (2005)
Everything Was Legendary With Robert (2014)
Have You Heard About The Melbourne Mafia? (2000)
You Put A Spell On Me (2000)
Finally I Come Clean (2019)
Blues Negative (2012)
They Wanted To Be Players (1999)
I'm A Comander (1999)
Lt Colonel Cavalry (1999)
Only The Stoned (2005)
Am I Wearing Something Of Yours? (1999)
That's Frankies Negative (1984)
Ultrakeef (2019)
The Stars, Baby, The Stars (1994)
Eye O' The Vibe (2001)
Where The Trees Walk Downhill (1980)
Clinging To the Coast (2001)
You Need A Kleek, Klook (2017)
I Ain't Hi Vis (2017)
Are We Goin' Too Fast For Love? (2001)
Playin' Chicken (2012)
I Need To Be Hot (2017)
Matey, From On High (2017)
I'm Not Just Any Nobody (2019)
Flash In The Pantz (2012)
This Is the Deadest Place I've Ever Died In (2017)
You Can't Have Your Boogie (2019
I Don't Know Anything (2001)
Runaway (1983)
2068 Babe (2009
Dylan the Indie fake (2009)
I Need My Guitar (2009)
Country Roads, Unwinding (2014)
Je est Un Autre (2014)
I Dig The Pioneers (1997)
the Greatest Show In Town (1988)
Biker In Business Class (1997)
Son Of Maggie Mae (2001)
Where's My Buzz (2019)
Flower Of The Earth (2014)
I Like To Be Haunted (2009)
You Had To Be Drunk (2009)
The Sheriff Of Hell (two different versions) (1997-9)
Pianola Roll (1997)
I Know You Can't See Me (2014)
Land Of The Giants (1997)
Field Record Me (1997)
Midnights Cats (2012)
I'm In The Future Now (2007)
The Pre Revolutionary Scene (1995)
Imagine If What You Did On Your Weekend Was Your Life (1994)
Oakleigh Bowie Blues (2010)
Mr Bad Luck (2005)
King Of The Dudes (2012)
Mogambo (1993)
Rock n Roll Is Where I Hide (1995)
The Birds And The Goats (1995)
I’m Not Afraid To Be Heavy (1995)
I’m Gonna Live In My Own Big World (1995)
You Wanna Be Loved (1994)
I'm The Stranger In Town (2014)
I Been Trendy (2017)
I Don't Wanna Go Bush (2011)
There He Goes With His Eye Out (2005)
Old Friends (2019)
Let Me Tell You About Yourself (1994)
I Ain't Natural (2010)
Fearful Wiggings (2014)
Dandies Are Never Unbuttoned (1995)
Listen To Her Lovers Sing (1988)
World Full Of Daughters (1988)
Everything Flies Away (1992)
I Come From The Clouds (2007)
Fearful Wiggings (2014)

New songs (some instrumental)..

Beckett And Joyce
Diaghelev and Nijinsky
Teardrop Weirdo aka The Blues. Period
Ice Bergman aka I’m Gonna Be Old In The End Times
Where Did You Glom Your Glimmer?
Where Are You In The Underworld
Wilco Got No Wilcos
Now You Must Die

And we have done these songs by other artists...

My Foolish Heart (Bill Evans - John McGlaughlin - Billy Eckstine and many others)
Theme From Midnight Cowboy (John Barry)
Everybody's talkin' (Fred Neil)
Time Waits For No One (Rolling Stones)
High Coin (Van Dyke Parks - Charlatans- Jackie De Shannon)
We May Never Love Like This Again (Maureen McGovern)
Clang Of The Yankee Reaper (Van Dyke Parks)
Diamonds Fur Coat Champagne (Suicide)
Lowdown (Boz Scaggs)
Hyacinth House (Doors)
So You Wanna Be A Rock N Roll Star (Byrds)
Baby I'm A Want You (Bread)
Walkin' On The Water (John Fogerty- Richard Hell)
Walk On Water (Kevin Ayers)
Alabama Bound (Charlatans)
In A Misty Morning (Gene Clark)
1-2-3 (The Len Barry Combo)
Midnight Rider (Allman Brothers)
Taboo (Arthur Lyman - Martin Denny)
Black Stick (The Cruel Sea)
You're Gonna Miss Me (Thirteenth Floor Elevators)
The Dolphins (Fred Neil - Tim Buckley)
Sweet Surrender (Tim Buckley)
Parchman Farm (Mose Allison)
Ex Lion Tamer (Wire)
Arnold Layne (Pink Floyd)
Codine (Buffy Saint Marie)
Showbusiness (AC/DC)
Alone Again Or (Love)
Live and let Live (Love)
Dropout (Urge Overkill)
Empty Shell (Subway Sect)
Bless the Weather (John Martyn)
Dive For Your Memory ( Go Betweens)
Who Of Us two? (M)
Brass Buttons (Gram Parsons)


Come to a Stage It Show!