I was looking through some archival stuff and found this school folder divider from my last year at High School in Mt Gambier. My mother kept it as she didn't like to throw things aways (much like me).
It's a list I made - probably while a teacher was talking at us about something important - of all the precious records I had been able to aquire. I devoured books and magazines writing on rock music and followed all kinds of leads. The Rolling Stones always talked about their influences so I looked into that. The London Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters albums had great covers and seemed extra special with all those limey players on it. (Though even I, as a hick kid, was embarassed to hear them telling Howlin Wolf how to play his own songs properly). Some were bargain bin buys , some I have totally forgotten. The next year I was totally fired up by the successive Sex Pistols singles which I had to order from a local shop which mainly sold sewing machines. I had lost interest in football at the end of 1975 after being caught buying a load of booze (On a country league football trip) while under age in a St Kilda pub (The George) and driven home in shame.
It was probably my second visit to Melbourne and I had been to Adelaide perhaps three or four times. In September 1977 I drove my FC Holden from Mt Gambier to Townsville and back again, an epic journey by myself. All my friends were living in Adelaide and telling me on their return visits about seeing radio Birdman. I was working in a timber mill in Mount Gambier. I moved to Adelaide for a couple of years in 1978.
We lived in a three bedroom house in Werona st Mt Gambier. My older brothers Phillip and Steve and sister Marianne had all left home and it was me, my parents Noel and Philomena and my younger siblings Sean and Julie. Until I got my own room we all had to listen to music through a small portable record player in the lounge room, with the tv on as well. In 1975, my mother had gotten her drivers licence and bought a brand new Honda Civic. Our first ever car. There was no phone in the house but we didn't know you had to have one.
I never experienced live music very much, being still under 18 and also living in a regional town that just didn't have any. I would still listen to most of this music. It was probably my first attempt to get into Bob Dylan and I appreciate a lot of his music but would not choose to listen to it as much as I would say, Steely Dan. I would buy some records and try to find something good in them but eventually trade them. I tried Judas Priest (Rocka Rolla) Montrose (Paper Money) and maybe even Love (Da Capo). I tried hard to like Barclay James Harvest as records were expensive but nothing ever jumped out of that impressively stiff gatefold. My friend Steve Miller had a great record collection but his older brother Marty had an incredible stacked shelf of stuff too. He was in Adelaide studying for an endless Batchelor Of Arts. He had the longest hair in town and was a totally cool character. Their father Charlie drove a Renault sports car (which Marty and his mates borrowed and duly left cigarette burns in the upholstery of) and favoured dixie jazz. They had a great hi fi system which included a reel to reel tape player. Marty would buy albums and tape them.
Amongst our group of stoner mates we all drove around in cars listening to tapes of the Blue Oyster Cult, Joe Walsh, Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and JJ Cale. The reggae records were a new thing from about 1975. Natty Dread and Burning Spears Man In the Hills. Steve Miller was getting Dr Feelgood and Eddie And The Hot Rods, Graham Parker and the Rumour and Southside Johnny And The Asbury Dukes albums as they came out (though we all shamed him for buying Born To Run as it was obviously so commercial...)
Rosalie Boylan, my cousin Jim, David Lee (Flea), myself, Steve Miller and Grant Belchev at Port Macdonnell 1976.
I still have most of the Steve Miller Bands catalogue but have more Jefferson Starship/Airplane than Hot Tuna. The Grateful Dead have gotten better for me but like many, I timidly dipped my toe in those waters through the acoustic albums like American Beauty. Blues For Allah is much more my taste now, as well as the Live Dead version of Dark Star.
This 1993 Movie Dazed And Confused perfectly captured the pop culture of that era from an American perspective.
Thanks to everybody who has showed up for all these shows on the tour. As we initially planned it with our agent, Clare Moore and myself had just been to WA so it was difficult to ask venues about another date so soon. People kept asking us and eventually we were able to secure a date at the Fremantle Social Club on Saturday November 11th.
The shows have been so enjoyable to do. So great to reconnect with Rod Hayward and Robin Casinader on a personal as well as a musical level. A very joyous experience.
Friday 28 July – The Street Theatre, Canberra ACT We had rehearsed twice with myself, Clare Moore, Rod Hayward and Stu Thomas. Robin Casinader joined us here in Canberra (where he lives) to go through the set during the day in the theatre. As we walked on it dawned on me that I had no guitar to hold and had to get into some lead singer at the mic moves pretty quick. We played the two sets and found quickly theatres suited us.My brother Phil and his partner Janet came along.
Saturday 29 July – Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood NSW Another lovely theatre in the Blue Mountains.
Thursday 3 August – The Factory Theatre, Marrickville NSW Clare Moore and myself had stayed on in Sydney rather than head back to Melbourne. Ken Gormly helped out with some amps and we rocked this house on a very hot and humid night. A fellow had flown in from San Francisco to make the show. I was at the merch desk straight after every show and it was excellent meeting so many old friends. I wore a mask. Clinton Walker told us a hilarious story involving Marc Hunter and Angry Anderson as we packed up.
Ken Gormly kindly wrote these words on Facebook.
Three dead passengers in stolen second
hand Ford, outside Keith near the border.
I'm still reeling from seeing my old
friends Dave Graney and The Coral Snakes last night put on the most commanding
show of genuine cool that gave me goosebumps and fkn had me in belly laughs and
just really drove home to everyone the incredible unique talent of Dave Graney
and his rare and wonderful partnership with Clare as well as the wise and cool
talents of that great band. Whoa
Friday 4 August - The Imperial, Eumundi QLD This is a great venue in regional Queensland. A rock room. Hot and humid again. By this time I was doing one set in a pin striped 70s suit and the second in brown suede pants and shirt.At the merch desk a woman had a go at me for wearing a mask and attempted to launch into a long anti vax tirade but I was able to dodge it.
Saturday 5 August – The Old Museum, Brisbane QLD A beautiful old theatre in the middle of the city. Hey, theatres are the best! Some friends of Rods backstage as well as our friends The Stress Of Lesuire and Adele Pickvance.
Sunday 6 August – HOTA, Surfers Paradise QLD This was an afternoon show and had been moved around a couple of times but it ended up being a fantastic room to play. Top shelf production as to sound and lights. We had been using the venues lighting people as we went along and had been trying to tell them to light the band rather than show all their intricate programs with shapes and moving shadows and this venue had a young guy who really listened to us and did a great setup.My oldest friends David and Julie Edwards came along as well as stellar musician Pearly Black and film makers Adam Zwar and Amanda Brotchie (who sang on several songs on the Night Of The Wolverine album).
Friday 11 August – The Royal Oak, Launceston TAS This was a pub gig. Clare Moore and I had driven to Geelong and put our van onto the boat and we stayed the night in a cabin and then drove to Launceston. We rocked the house. Saturday 12 August – Gnomon Room, Ulverstone TAS One of those strange Tasmanian rooms in a quite regional spot. A very modern kind of shell designed for all manner of events by the side of a big river. A fellow traveller came along at soundcheck and brought along some gifts. He gave each member of the band a Bob Dylan Great White Wonder bootleg and then pulled out a 1964 Moody valve guitar amplifier for me! Thank you JB! I took it to a tech guy when I returned to Melbourne and it sounds great.
Before the Ulverstone show we had driven to a small town where we were to stay the night as it was an early drive the next day. As we ate in a cafe Matt Crosbie - formerly FOH guy for the Cruel Sea and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - knocked on the window. It took him five minutes to insult Robin and Rod so Clare and I went back to Matts place to have a cup of Java. In almost Chris Farley style , Matt lives down by the river but not in a van, in a large converted morgue. Always nice to see old comrades. Ulverstone was also the night the Matildas qualified for the Womens World Cup and everybody was glued to the tv screens before we played.
Sunday 13 August – The Palais Theatre, Franklin TAS This was a beautiful old hall in a town near Hobart. The locals had stopped it from being knocked down. Great to play in a theatre setting in the late afternoon again. Chloe Escott from the Native Cats, an old friend from way back, came along.
Thursday 17 August - The Gershwin Room , Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda.
Howard Freeman came out of retirement to help us with the Melbourne shows. Original gangster road crew wrangler going back to Melbourne in the 70s, when he is on the job you are in secure hands. The Gershwin room was heaving and sold out on a Thursday night. Many old friends and the bar was drunk dry.
Friday 18 August – The Corner, Richmond VIC This show was sold out. Twinkledigitz aka Will Hindmarsh opened the proceedings. Nick Cowan was filming us for his ongoing documentary project. After the show Clare and I got to a hotel at Melbourne airport at 3am as Clare had to catch an early flight to Adelaide.
Miles Mainwaring via Instagram
Corner
Hotel. 300+ lbs of pure wolverine. Burned the place down. I was lucky to get
out alive.
Saturday 19 August - The Gov, Adelaide SA This was a great venue and an incredibly, intense, up close show. For audience interaction , it was something else. Afer the show I caught up with Trevor McDonald, an old friend from grade 1 of St Marys Primary school in Mt Gambier and many junior football games.
From Wendy Ash Duszynski on Facebook
Absolutely fabulous show Dave & band. Wow! I couldn't
see much because I'm a short-arse but the music just took me away. Yes Dave,
your moves are a joy to behold. My 82yr old neighbour wanted a night out. She'd
never heard of you or been to the Gov but loved it. She loves jazz so I knew
she'd appreciate your eclectic sound & your impeccable banter. Wallace
Beery, Warren Oates - who else would give those guys a shout-out! And the band!
Just wow! An art form in music & sound.
Ned Bajic via Instagram
My
first Coral Snakes gig, fantastic show! And the raps between songs were pure
gold, made me think of a live Isaac Hayes album I used to have
Unknown online contributor re THE GOV show
An amazing performance by Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes. Dave you
were in top form. In all of the many many times of seeing you perform your show
at The Gov on Saturday was the ulitimate of all shows. Thanks for sharing your
brilliance. Five days later and Im just coming down from my music high of Sat
at The Gov. One of those gigs I will remember and talk about for years to come.
Congratulations to Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes. You were magnificent
Friday 25 August – The Heritage, Bulli NSW The next week we flew to Sydney and drove to Bulli for a show at the Heritage Hotel. Bleddyn Butcher and Jude caught the train to the show.
Saturday 26 August – Drifter’s Wharf, Gosford NSW A show on the Central Coast of NSW in a marina style development. Hey we rocked this house too! This was situation normal for us in that we knew nobody locally but Clare's sister Helen drove up with a few friends. The motel we stayed in was the one that artist Brett Whiteley stayed his last weekend in.
Then we did another show at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne Friday September 22nd. This was deep into the AFL football finals in a venue very close to the main ground, the MCG. Collingwood were playing that night.
Also, Stu Thomas couldn't make the gig so our agent Steve Griffiths, who also happens to be a brilliant musician, stepped in on bass and did two sets after one rehearsal and having spent a week with dyssentry in Java leading up to the show. What a pro! We had a ball again . Twinkledigitz was even better too.
Dashville , Hunter Valley NSW Thursday 28th September.
This was outdoors in a very well run show in the bush outside Maitland. Steve came up for the show from Dangar Island. We all stayed in glamping tents behind the stage.
Clare Moore had arrived from Brisbane where she had been awarded a gong for Lifetime Achievement in the Australian Women In Music Awards. She shared the title with Jeannie Lewis and Kate Ceberano.
We have done this whole tour with Steve Griffiths, our agent booking it with Clare Moore and then playing the shows. We used different front of house mixers and lighting people and merch people in each state. Otherwise its been just us. We had a story about the tour in the Guardian by Andrew Stafford and a live to air on ABC Melbourne with Brian Nankervis and Jacinta Parsons. Tony Moclair had me on after midnight on 3AW twice. Otherwise, that was the limits of the exposure that we had. So thanks everybody for tuning in to that particular frequency for that time of our musical activity and showing up. We really appreciate it.
Donna McRae asked if she could use some new technology at Deakin University to do a clip for Night Of The Wolverine a couple of months ago and the finished film was pretty great!
It was a project for her students and herself as much as anything I guess. I just said at the beginning that it might be difficult for any band involvement as Robin Casinader lives in Canberra (his image appears in the clip on a billboard) and that I would not be able to mime to the song. (Also that the band doesnt really exist as a full time thing) For other reasons I wasn't really comfortable trying to mime it and thought it would suit it more if I just appeared in it as a cameo. Like a wandering presence. Its all Donnas ideas. I just suggested a nightclub scene after hours or - when it was explained what was possible with the Virtual Studio technology- some sort of downbeat neon streetscape like Francis Ford Coppolas One From The Heart.
We were invited into the Friday Review on ABC Melbourne with Brian Nankervis and Jacinta Parsons. Robin Casinader flew down from Canberra for the afternoon to do the session. We played two songs, Mogambo and I'm Just Havin' One O' Those Lives live to air and did and interview. The sound was excellent and it was great to see that beautiful ABC studio still being used. Unfortunately the audio is already unavailable from the ABC site.
More shots from behind the scenes at the video shoot.
CAST:
Dave Graney
Clare Moore
Rod Hayward
Liana Samson Piniata
Willow Wakefield-Trump
CREW
Donna McRae -
Director
Ben Bellette –
Director of Photography
Hannah Jennings
– 1st assistant camera
Martin Andersen
– 2nd assistant camera
Josh
Fernandez- Gaffer
Luca Bizzarri
– Grip
Will Jones – Lighting
assistant
Doug Bicker -
Virtual Production assistant
Nicole Zhang -
Playback/Production Assistant
Téa Mancini – Set
dresser
Donna McRae - Editor
Courtney Palser – Colourist
DEAKIN:
Laurie Meade –
Coordinator of Post Production & Workflows
Matthew Skarajew –
Coordinator, Digital Technologies
Adi Ringma – Technical
Officer
Nick Donaldson–Unreal Operator
Kimberly Potts –
Wardrobe and Standby wardrobe
Mark Lasky-Davison –
Technical Officer
Matt Haycroft –
Technical Officer
It was also Margret Roadknights 80th birthday last week so Guy Blackman and Ben from Chapter Music organized a lunch at a restaurant on Chapel street.
Tour starts this week in Canberra. The Night Of The Wolverine double vinyl album and my lyric book will be available at all shows. In Melbourne they can also be gotten at Greville and Rocksteady Records and at Redeye in Sydney.
