Sistas Doing It For themselves: The Anita Heiss/Lisa Heidke Tour 2014

As you probably gathered I had an extremely busy and fabulous time hosting Anita Heiss on her Tiddas book tour. I am lucky enough to call Anita a friend, and met her just over a year ago through another fabulous friend, Susan. When Anita contacted me and asked me to do this late last year I was thrilled and honoured...and a little bit scared. But I said Yes!

So I have been working on it ever since, assisted by my great team at Swansea and other colleagues, and annoying the hell out of Anita with fifty bajillion emails.

Along the way, Anita decided to bring fellow chick lit author and friend, Lisa Heidke with her. Double the fun, and so it was!

To make the most of their visit, we planned three separate events over two days. This was a huge undertaking and something new as we organised two evening functions in venues outside of the library. Plus I organised two separate private functions for Anita and her friends. 

The first event was held at Charlestown Library, and Anita and Lisa charmed our audience with their beautiful friendship. They spoke about the writing process, how they research their books, their writing styles, and the editing process. They both had different perspectives and styles and habits, which made for a fascinating conversation. Their true friendship and knowledge of their profession shone through. The afternoon included book signings and a chance for those attending to get up close and personal with the ladies and ask them questions. 

That evening, a crowd turned up at Lake Macquarie Art Gallery to attend the Hunter Region Tiddas book launch. Lisa Heidke was MC for the evening and Carol Duncan from ABC 1233 Radio launched the book. It was a great evening with the Gallery and surrounds as a beautiful backdrop. Plenty of chatter, wine, cheese, and cake added to the elegance of then evening. Lisa and Carol spoke about Anita with humour, love, and respect, especially regarding some of the challenges Anita has to face in her day to day life. Anita responded with eloquence and grace and spoke about her book and characters. It was a fun and entertaining evening.

The next day a group of us met at Rustica for lunch and a relax. We had lots of laughs and conversations, over drinks and the fabulous Rustica food.

That evening we celebrated women’s literature with Sistas doing it for themselves at a Function Room and bar overlooking Lake Macquarie. A lovely group of women took the chance to frock up and join us for canapés, drinks, and chocolate. Anita and Lisa read from their book, and entertained us with their charm and humour, before opening the room up to questions and discussions. The evening was loads of fun, with all of us enjoying an evening of conversation and laughs.

Afterwards some of headed to Le Passe Temps for a private after party to celebrate the end of a great couple of days and our endearing friendships.

I think I am still recovering, organising something like that is huge, but I am beyond thrilled with how well it all turned out.

Anita and Lisa were such fun to host and have around, I miss them dearly. They are the testament of finding your flock, great friends, but only recently so. 

And Anita's book, Tiddas, it is her finest yet. A great tale about 5 fabulous friends, stay tuned for my next book update for a proper review. In the meantime, go find yourself a copy and read it for yourself!

And I have to end by thanking all my fabulous friends, you listened and gave me advice, and helped me out throughout these past few months, and I am eternally grateful, you all know who you are. You are just incredibly special people!

FILM REVIEW: Inside Llewyn Davis

I have been anticipating this film since I saw a small snippet of it almost a year ago. As a Dylan fan and having read many books about that period in New York, I knew I'd love this film, and I did. Of course, it was nothing really like I expected, but what Coen Brothers film gives you the expected? This is why I love them so much.

 

Oscar Isaac is Llewyn Davis (and plays and sings for real in the film!), a down on his luck folk singer in 1961 in Greenwich Village. Hardly anyone around him is supportive of him, including family, friends, and even his agent. Yet he keeps persisting, despite he is obviously tiring of it all. He has no fixed abode, crashing on friends lounges, rotating as they get sick of him. He has gotten himself into endless trouble with women, his family, and his downbeat attitude is not helping him make amends, not that he seems to be trying that hard to succeed anyway. And yet, he is a thoroughly charismatic character on screen, mostly due to the soft side we see come through, and his obvious talent for music.

 

The film is set over just a week in his life, albeit a very full week. When he says, "I am so tired", you get it, so much happens the action feels like it takes place over months not a week.

 

The story is based very loosely on the life of folk singer, Dave Van Ronk, a folk singer from that period. The Coens took a lot of information from his life and music for the film, but have said the character of Davis is not really him.

 

Inside Llewyn Davis has a melancholy feel to it, and it's obvious Llewyn himself is on the edge of depression. Filmed in dull colours, it almost feels like a black and white film. The bittersweet folk tunes add to this, and yet there is a strangely comforting and uplifting vibe to the film.

 

Much happens during this week on film, playing gigs in clubs, travelling to find leads on being signed up, and disconnecting with those around him. There are a few twists that are unexpected which add even more to these already fascinating storylines. 

A lot of the humour is derived from the other acts and characters revolving around the club they play at and the folk scene in general.

 

The supporting cast for this is outstanding, with Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake playing a homely folk duo, Jean and Jim. Mulligan is sassy and wild as Jean, Timberlake a little more low key. Other characters are very odd as you would expect in a Coen Brothers film. And Adam Driver, Garrett Hedlund, Alex Karpovsky, Stark Sands, F. Murray Abraham, and John Goodman are but some of them.

 

Of course, Oscar Isaac is superb as Davis, there are scenes where he doesn't have to say a word and you get everything he is feeling. You want him to make it so much, he has charisma in an underhanded kind of way.

 

And then there is the cat, too complicated to explain, the cat is a welcome addition of colour and humour to the movie.

 

But really as great as the story is, it would be nothing without the music. Authentic of the time, and representative of the characters, I cannot wait to get my hands on this soundtrack, it's stunning. 

Inside Llewyn Davis is a little dark at times, but it has a great undercurrent of humour and has a deep, deep heart. You will leave with a wry smile on your face.

FILM REVIEW: The Great Beauty

La Grande Bellezza or The Great Beauty won the Best Foreign Film at this year's Academy Awards, and deservingly so.

I had seen the trailer and as a Fellini fan I was sold. I expected grand and lush visions of Roma and that's what I got...and so much more.

This film is not for everyone, it is certainly Fellini-esque and there is probably a whole other piece I could write on it's influences and borrowings, but that is unfair to the film and those that are not familiar with the great master.

Paolo Sorrentino has previously directed The Consequences of Love and This Must be the Place, both films about journeys of older men contemplating their lives and trying to make some sense of it all. And The Great Beauty is ultimately the same exploration, but on a visually larger and more exquisite scale.

Toni Servillo is Jep, an aging journalist is living the high life in Rome. He lives in a large apartment overlooking The Coliseum where he hosts continual parties. On his 65th birthday he feels a shift in his philosophies when his first love dies; why didn't he write another book after the success of his first decades earlier, is this lifestyle really worthwhile, and what is he doing. He questions this with friends and almost turns on them himself with his sharp wit and acerbic tone. He has regular meals with his editor, asking her thoughts on his life and their lifestyles. All the while he continues to navigate his way through a very hedonistic Rome.

Each scene jolts from one impression of Rome to another, as seen through Jep's eyes, sometimes with love and beauty, other times with a more cynical eye. He thinks back to his younger years and the great love in his life, the one who died, and who ended up marrying his closest friend. This is a man clearly wanting more out of his life, but what?

As a journalist he is constantly going to pretentious and crazy events; a magician who can make a Giraffe disappear, a conceptual artist who screams like a banshee and runs headfirst into a brick wall, a young child on a stage with buckets of paint making art with her hands and body, these are all metaphors for the internal pain he is feeling, and the ridiculous around him.

And then there are his extravagant parties, as he says, "The trains at our parties are the best in Rome. They're the best cause they go nowhere." Hmmm, an insight into his mind perhaps!

There is also a thread about the Catholic Church and an elderly Mother Theresa type nun that Jep is sent to report on. It is presented with equal parts cynicism, respect, and humour, and culminates in the most stunningly serene scene with Flamingos!

But mostly the film shows the exceptional beauty of Rome, he goes to parties and soirees in many abandoned monuments throughout the eternal city, and wanders cobblestone back streets at night.

The cinematography is breath taking - monuments, nightlife, costumes, artefacts, ruins, food, beautiful people - everything you would imagine Rome to be. And the accompanying soundtrack, whilst not Nino Rota (Fellini's grand maestro) is superb; sweeping opera, instrumental pieces, and glorious choral vocals.

This is such an elegant, and visually sumptuous film, and whilst it has a large, strong supporting cast, it is Servillo pulls it all together with his gentle, and melancholy, yet assured performance.  

The Great Beauty is long at almost two and a half hours, and I think could have been edited to just under 2 hours easily enough. But I just adored it, the musings, the melancholy, the joy, the beauty. Make sure you stay until the very last moment, the footage over the credits is stunning. 

Don't Think Twice It's All Right: the moment I 'discovered' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan!!!

 

I don't know what to say, I adore his music more than almost anything, except The Beatles.

 

And that my friends, is really saying something.

 

But it wasn't always this way, I knew Dylan, knew his stuff, as a music lover how can you not? But I think I got caught up in the whole he can't sing, he's a bit too precious, and he's difficult, and I just didn't GET him. Funnily enough, these are the things I love about him the most now! I also was overloaded on his popular folksy stuff way too much in music lessons when I was younger, no matter how good something is, if it is shoved in your face too much, too often, it becomes tiresome. 

 

And so it went.

 

When his book, Chronicles, Volume 1, came out, I read it purely out of curiosity, not knowing how much I would love it. Or how much it would make me smile, because of his history and knowledge, and because he was bloody funny.

 

But also...because he is a wordsmith, a poet, a man with a turn of phrase that delights me, and now has a profound effect on me.

 

And then one day out of the clear blue sky I heard Don't Think Twice It's Alright on the radio...I song I knew, knew well, but up until then had never really heard.

 

I remember it so well, it was about 7 years ago, I had my new car about a week, and was driving and thinking about a boy long gone, and this song came on, and I just like that I got Dylan.

 

I remember going home and digging out his greatest hits and playing it over and over again, sobbing and smiling.

 

And I was gone...in the best possible way.

 

And it wasn't really about the long gone boy, or every other long gone relationship, it was just the right words to express those feelings, the culmination of life's disappointments and the calmness I felt about them upon hearing that song. Which is why it is my go to song for comfort now. At least that's my interpretation of the feeling of it.

 

It is not his best song I guess, but for those reasons it will remain my favourite forever, and one song I will never tire of hearing.

 

I know it is about Suze Rotolo disappearing overseas and abandoning him, mostly as he'd been a bit of a dope and a bit too intense for her, but of course he was bereft and missing her. I read her book and can appreciate both sides of the situation, it's also a fine book.

 

To me Don't Think Twice It's All Right is also about self respect and love and yearning. All the things that make the world go round really.

 

And it's a very polite fuck off too, and I love the ambiguity of that.

 

"You just kinda wasted my precious time, don't think twice it's all right."

That could possibly be one of my favourite lyrics ever.

 

I think it's also about people not realising the impact they can have on others, for good or for bad, and how we can unwittingly treat others not as well as they deserve, or be treated similarly ourselves, sometimes without even realising until after it has happened.

 

Other lyrics that really sing to me from it are:

 

"It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe" - advice I need to pay more heed to!

 

"But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say. To try and make me change my mind and stay" - That moment where you're waiting for that last grand gesture.

 

"I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul" - that thing where you give the very best of you to someone and they kinda stamp on you and destroy or try to destroy your soul, purposefully or not.

 

"Goodbye's too good a word, babe. So I'll just say fare thee well" - the ultimate kiss off!

 

Bless you Bob, whenever I feel down or used or hurt I listen to it and somehow, melancholy as it is, it makes me feel better, it warms my heart, hugs me lyrically and assaults every sense in my body in such a way it can bring me to tears. Sometimes tears of joy, sometimes tears of genuine sadness. I don't mind either way, to me that is the testament of a perfect song.

 

Musically I love it's rhythm, and the fingering on the guitar is so sweet and intricate. Add in the mellow harmonica and his voice (forlorn and melancholy), to me, sounds pretty perfect and that is why I love it so.

Don't Think Twice It's All Right (the song)

 

I could go one forever about Bob, but many have done it before me and so much more eloquently.

 

So instead, here is a list of my favourite things:

 

The Blonde on Blonde album cover

 

Blonde on Blonde 

 

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

 

Blood on the Tracks

 

Time Out of Mind/Love and Theft/Modern Times trilogy

 

Christmas in the Heart

 

Like A Rolling Stone - his best song

 

Subterranean Homesick Blues - all those words, all that attitude, musically fluid, and THAT video!

 

If Not For You and the pretty xylophone riff

 

Don't Look Back AND No Direction Home

 

The vibe and sentiment of Knocking on Heaven's door and Forever Young

 

His sense of humour...probably moreso in later life

 

He wrote the Ab Fab theme song...many years earlier of course

 

Chronicles, Volume 1

 

His wild hair and those cool black sunglasses

 

He's daggy AND the epitome of cool simultaneously

 

His authenticity

 

His intelligence

 

His way with words

 

His politics and hippy peace

 

He does it his way

 

He is fucking important musically

 

The perfect poetry of Blowin' in the Wind

 

"You may call me Bobby, You may call me Zimmy" in You Gotta Serve Somebody

 

Manfred Mann's cover you You Angel You

 

The Band and The Last Waltz

 

Theme Time Radio Hour

 

The beauty and fragility of Just Like A Woman

 

And the way I'll be your Baby tonight makes me melt

 

It's all over now, Baby Blue - his voice is not great in this, but the intent in there and his phrasing and rhyming is fabulous

 

Every single lyric he has ever written

An aside, I've been working on this for over a week, and could do forever and still not be happy with it. No doubt, once I hit publish I will think of something to add or change, but I'll let it go for now...it seems the right thing to do...

 

Documentary Review: A Band Called Death

I've just seen the most wonderful and inspirational music documentary called A Band Called Death.

I watch a lot of docos, they are probably my favourite genre of film. I had not heard of this one, it came through my hands ts work and it sounded interesting.

It was more than interesting, about a 'proto-punk' band called Death that formed in Detroit the early 70s. This is before The Ramones, before The Sex Pistols, really before punk took off, but they are punker than punk and extraordinarily good. Actually, one of the best punk sounds I have ever heard.

The band were an African American trio of brothers, David, Dannis and Bobby Hackney and their roots were in RnB, but then they 'discovered' The Who, and added rock into their riffs. You can hear the genesis of this in their songs, big Townshend guitar sounding riffs. The mix of styles formed this sharp proto-type of punk. Moved by the death of their father, David insisted on changing the bands name to Death. He felt it was the right word, a positive and spiritual thing, but back then it was just too hard a sell. Here were three black dudes, playing a new style of music, and they were called Death!!

Looking back it was authentically visionary.

They cut some demos and made a single of Politicians in My Eyes (which is a fucking fantastic tune, musically and lyrically). Clive Davis was interested in recording them, but on one condition.

They had to change their name!

Dannis and Bobby were like sure. David stuck to his guns and his vision, and refused to have his integrity changed, and so the deal went south.

And that was that for many years...but there's more...

And I really want to write about it all, so if that is enough for you to seek out this fabulous documentary, stop now and go forth and find out for yourself....otherwise, spoilers are coming...

The boys continued to play, write, and record, but not as Death, it was sporadic and mostly gospel then Reggae, and they thought Death was not meant to be. David, always the thinker of the three, was still sure they had something good. He recorded solo work under the name Rough Francis. Time went on, David got lung cancer and died. Ever the visionary, prior to passing he ensured Bobby kept all of their demos, because he felt someday someone would see how good it all was.

And then the Politicians in My Eyes single popped up underground in the vinyl collectors movement, especially among punk collectors, and people started to talk.

Bobby's son, Bobby Jnr, was really into punk and someone gave him a copy. Not knowing the back story, he realised it was his father. Hearing Bobby Jnr talk about this in the film is nothing short of amazing. He approached his father and his father told him the story. Bobby Jnr and Bobby's other 2 sons, formed a punk band and began playing songs by Death and their Uncle David.

They called themselves Rough Francis.

Death had a resurgence, people wanted to reprint the singles and make an album, and Rough Francis were getting asked to tour. Then Joey Ramone's brother found out about it all and asked Death to reform and play with Rough Francis at the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash.

David Hackney's vision was on the money...but he wasn't there to share it.

Listening to the brothers talk about David and the bittersweet feelings of joy and sadness, joy of his/their vision finally being achieved but sad David wasn't there to be part of it was absolutely heart wrenching.

By this point I was in tears, who would have thought a punk story would be so bloody sad and yet so incredibly uplifting.

They felt they couldn't really reform as David was their guitarist and it was his riffs and licks that really made the band. However they asked a friend, Bobbie Duncan, to have a go at David's work, and he nailed it. It left them a little broken as it was like a divine intervention. And so they now tour and play and record.

And if that is not a story about following or never really letting go of your dreams then I don't know what is. 35 years later they made it!!

I really need to get their records, I think the music is fucking awesome!!

The documentary goes into a lot more detail, has loads of cool Musos talking about Death, including Jello Biafra and Henry Rollins. It is a well presented documentary and you go ever so willing on this crazy ride with these gentle yet funky family men. It's not just about following a dream, punk music, and redemption, but about love of family and a bittersweet tribute to the vision behind it all, David Hackney.

Even if you are not into punk, but love music or a good story, I urge you to check out this film. It's one of the best I have seen.

FEBRUARY ROUND UP

February - you seem so long ago and I thought you exhausted me, but truly you were gentle compared to March. Not complaining, well maybe a little, but life is too short not to grasp it and live it hard, but even I need a little down time to recharge my batteries!

The month commenced in Melbourne which is always a wonderful thing, but I wrote all about that in January's Round Up. 

When I returned from Melbourne I still had another week off work. I had a few days rest, babysitted my niece and nephew, and spent time at their property.

Brunched with L one day, S the next. Had a last look at Brett Whiteley at Newcastle Art Gallery, Caught up with N & V over Chinese, had dinner with A & J, and watched some movies. Did this really even happen, I can hardly remember it!?!

Oh and my friend, L, caused a media sensation and kinda saved the world with #SPCSunday! Proud as punch I am!

So I was well rested for my first week back at work which was the lead up to Library Lovers Day on Friday 14. We had events during the week culminating with a Movie Night on the big day. Our first movie night, the brainchild of my colleague, T, was well received with a lovely group of people all dressed in their fineries for a viewing of Strictly Ballroom.

Also during the week I went to my first GenXWomen event where L, B, and myself breakfasted with about 60 other women our age and listened to the fabulous Shirva Geepta talk. I had dinner at Bocados, Warners Bay with J, and sobbed my way through 12 Years a Slave. 

I had lunch and spent time with my family, had my first Bibliptweeps Bookclub for the year where we discussed The Book Thief, a modern classic by Markus Zusak. The afternoon turned to rain and I took my other book, Unbearable Lightness of Being, up to Bar Beach Carpark to read.

I then met with L and S for an evening at The Ocean Baths, and to see Diving Off the Edge of The World by Tantrum Theatre. What an experience, with dance, short plays, fun, a documentary and synchronised swimming at various locations around the stunning Deco Baths. We had a delightful time and even the weather held off (mostly) for us. We also indulged in the most amazing Pork Belly Burgers and Beetroot Scallops at Scotties prior to the show.

I also guest posted for the now sadly defunct iamnewcastle account. Hosted generously by my good friend M, I got to tell everyone over the course of a week about me and my connections to Newcastle. I really enjoyed this and got splendid feedback from those who were interested. I surprised myself by loving talking about past generations of my family, their influence on me and those around them. I reminisced about days gone by, things I got up to as a kid and a teen, and what I love about my surrounds now. It was a really great feeling to share such things.

My beloved Regal Cinema reopened, oh how I've counted down the days. I was lucky enough to gain an invite to the special opening night, I was thrilled to locate my chair with a special plaque on it. It is for everyone I know, so please go and have a seat on me!!! It is located on the right hand side as you look at the screen, three rows from the back right on the wall. Two days later, we returned, A, J, L and myself to see the fabulous Dallas Buyer's Club. Wow!!

In between we all went to see Frances Ha at the Carriage Shed Cinema, it was a crazy night but we managed Scottie's takeaway, some Pimms and an outdoor picnic prior to the film. We'd seen this film when it first came out and loved it so much, I think I enjoyed it even more the second time! It's about having great friends, so pleased I saw it with my great friends, J, L and A! And we checked out a cool new bar in the west end, The Edwards.

A and I also saw Nebraska, which we loved.

Reviews of Oscar movies watched this month can be read here.

Work was busy, I worked on a Dr Seuss display, went conferencing at Singleton, visited Lake Macquarie Art Gallery, and worked really hard to promote the Anita Heiss Tour.

Oh, and I bought a Ukulele...finally...

FEBRUARY REVIEWS

I don't have much to share for February, was too busy.
 

Books read

Yours truly: cathartic confessions, passionate declarations and vivid recollections from Women of Letters curated by Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire

This is the third volume in this wonderful series. Again chock full of heart wrenching, honest and fun stories. This time my favourites were:

Amanda Palmer - to the person who told me the truth, which was about her friend Anthony

A letter to my other half - Megan Washington and Benjamin Law about their fun and long friendship

Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster Blake - cute letters back and forth working planning what they want to say.

To the woman who changed my life - William McInnes to a hairdresser who gave him a perm, hilarious! and Richard Fidler's love letter to his wife...sigh...

Anita Heiss - The moment the lights came on - a hilarious and honest appraisal of academia

The fault in our stars by John Green

All the kids are reading this, so whenever something is popular I guess I have to read it, part of the job! This was ok, a bit like Nicholas Sparks for teens, soppy and sad, not my thing at all! But I can see why it's popular.

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth by Alexander McCall Smith

I do like his Isabel Dalhousie series, they are my guilty pleasure, nothing much happens in them, but she is a philosopher, and he uses words so beautifully, I just escape into the melancholy that is Edinburgh and breathe in their lives. Having said that, this one did not hold me as previous ones have, so I am possibly starting to tire of them.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I read this when it first came out, a follower of Zusak's work from his early teen days, I could see his writing develop into something fine, but never for a moment thought he would deliver such an instant masterpiece. I recall when I first read it, I was holidaying at Fingal Bay, in this holiday hut thing. The afternoons were warm, so I'd crank up the old air con, pour a drink and read, read, read. I'd often have Max on in the background, it was the Summer of Bernard Fanning's Wish You Well, to this day that song and The Book Thief go hand in hand...it's all rather odd. 

But the worst thing was I found it difficult to get into. I only brought one book with me, knowing it was a big book and how much I loved his work. I realised it just took a while to get used to the style, which once understood is haunting and stunning and humourous and devastating. I laughed and sobbed my way through it. And so on to now, with a movie coming out, I scheduled it as the first read for my work Movie Book Club and for my personal Bibliotweeps Book Club. 

This time, I listened to the talking book of it in the car. So much more detail when you listen, and the reader sounded awfully like my beloved Neil Gaiman, I was in heaven listening to it. I did not anticipate the impact of the end of the book, it finished as I was driving to visit my parents, I parked my car outside their house and sobbed (if you haven't worked it out by now, it doesn't take much to make me cry!). Dad was hosing the garden, and tapped on my door to see what I was up to, lol!

If you haven't read The Book Thief, you simply must. It is a Holocaust story (a subject matter that kills me, but I oddly have always been drawn to), but a gentle one, told from the perspective of a young girl. The narrator is death, who tells the story with a little wit and the right sort of dry humour. I've yet to meet anyone who has not appreciated the story.

After Dark by Haruki Murakami

Murakami is one of my most favourite writers. I have devoured his essays and short works of non-fiction and after proclaiming Norwegian Wood (the first fiction title of his I read) as one of the best, romantic novels I have ever read and placed it firmly in my top 10 books of all time, I bought a huge stack of his other titles! I started this in Melbourne last year and been savoring it ever since...he is that kind of writer, he is poetic and scrumptious, and sensual and stunning. His pace is slow and even and ponderous in the right possible way. Barring Norwegian Wood, he writes most of his fiction in the magic realism style. After Dark is one such example. Set in Tokyo late at night, a range of characters run into each other over the course of the evening, each drawn to each other and connected in the most intricate ways. It is romantic, and rough, and freaky, and beautiful.

DVDs

Love Marilyn - a doco about her life with footage but actors reading from her letters/dairies/writing. I really enjoyed this, a fresh take on the subject.

Parades end - English mini-series about a love triangle between Rebecca Hall, Benedict Cumberbatch (sigh) and Adelaide Clemens as the world turns towards World War I. Also stars Miranda Richardson, who is always a pleasure to watch.

Sherlock S3 -  More Benedict, and this series, whilst, not as great as the two previous, was still outstanding.

Derek - I loved this series so very much, I was worried at first, that it was making fun of the subject matter, but it was beautifully told, funny and melancholy, brilliant acting, and made me weep.

Rush - the epic tale of James Hunt and Niki Lauder's show down in F1 in the 70s. As a huge F1 fan, my expectations were high, I am a fan of Lauder and in awe of his comeback. The film was a sheer delight, thrilling, attention to detail, great acting, and of course what a story. I only wish I had seen it on the big screen.

Metallica: through the never - I always loved Metallica, they are my heavy metal band of choice. But then I saw Some Kind of Monster and will never really be able to look at them again in the same light. A better doco you'll never get, but boy it had it's funny moments. This is another doco and to be honest it was very ponderous in the wrong sort of way, set against a Metallica concert, a young roadie is sent on a mission - of which I forget - it turns surreal, but really who cares, it's the music we want and they do sound good!

Music

Hmmm, I bought a lot of music this month but have hardly listened to anything. I know I listened to Bob Seger and Nick Cave at work a lot, but then, that's nothing new. They are my go to comfort music or calming music when I need to concentrate...usually on budgets and statistics. My brain is wired for words not numbers!

Neil Finn: falling at his feet...

 

 

 

I saw Neil Finn for the upteenth time on Thursday night.

 

I've seen him so many times now I have lost count, I've seen him play solo, with various backing bands, with his brother Tim, with Split Enz once, and of course many times with Crowded House.

 

I guess you could say I'm a fan. 

 

He's never ever delivered a bad performance, but this last performance, at the beautiful Civic Theatre - my Mecca for all things wonderful in Newcastle - was superb.

 

He played a mix of everything, songs from the new album, Dizzy Heights, solo tunes, obscure tracks rarely played live, Crowded House tracks, and a large selection of Split Enz.

 

He also channeled The Kinks and Michael Jackson, playing the guitar and drums almost at once, which was fabulously fun!

 

 

He also played a lot at the piano, songs he hadn't played on the piano before too, and they were superb!

 

And he was loving every single minute of it, having fun with us the audience, playing and joking about. This is not unusual for him, but it just made me appreciate what a consummate yet genuine performer he is. It's a rare thing, I have spoken about this before. I go to a lot of concerts, and it's really rare to go to a dog (I have good taste you know!) but sometimes whilst the performance is great you just don't feel the love, it feels somewhat perfunctory. You never ever get that with Neil.

 

His band was not Split Enz or Crowded House but they were pretty good. His wife is playing bass with this incarnation of the band, and I wondered how she felt, and indeed how he felt, hearing these stunning songs, so obviously written for her, performed with her own interaction. It must be the ultimate romantic notion...or at least to me.

 

But really, it's all about Neil. His stage presence, the way he glides about on stage, his spectacular voice, and those songs.

 

For me, as much as I love his musicality, it's the lyrics. They bring me to my knees, his way with words is second to none. They are poetry in motion, and filled with emotion and romance.

 

As he writes in one of my favourite tunes, "Where your words devour my heart. And put me to shame, put me to shame."

 

Neil, that's what we think about you.

 

My heart was caressed, melted, and devoured for the entire time you were on stage. 

 

 

I think at some point in the future I will have to post about my favourite Neil Finn lyrics...

 

 

Songs that make me smile: TUSK

I love how certain songs and music you love (or not) can take you to a place, time, and feeling and just make you smile.

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac is one of those for me.

And I have to say just listening to it today has brought me so much joy and happiness if I could bottle it I would!

 

It's the title track to their 'experimental' album from 1979. Their own White Album if you will. At the time one of the most expensive albums ever made. A follow up to their instant hit album, Rumours, Tusk sold nowhere near as well.

 

There are two reasons the song strikes a chord with me; the song itself, and my memories of it as a child.

 

I would have been 8 when Dad bought the album Tusk, and I remember him particularly playing that song really loud. It is a song that needs to be played loud I think.

 

I also remember it's unusual but now iconic film-clip, set in a large stadium with a marching band (The University of Southern California Trojan marching Band) and Fleetwood Mac mucking about on it. I remember them carrying a cardboard cut out of John McVie and I couldn't work that one out, where was he? I know I spent a lot of time thinking about that. I now know he was in Tahiti holidaying. I was a strange kid but it all intrigued me somehow, it was funny and weird and large, in sound and in look. I have always loved large and overblown anything.

 

I also thought Mick Fleetwood was a bit weird jumping around all over the shop and Christine wasn't featured much. As an adult I realise Mick was probably on something, and as a drummer his mind must have been blown hearing his drum solos played out so amazingly, and that Christine never liked the limelight.

 

I remember the film-clip being played a lot on Countdown, so much so I figured it must have been number one, but I don't think that was the case. Maybe it was just played a lot or maybe I thought it was played a lot, the mind is a funny thing.

 

I remember Lindsay had no beard and looked so good looking, and he was laughing and having fun and I was so in love with him. Also a few of the marching band members hugged him and I thought I need to play an instrument to get into a marching band! I remember Stevie looking fabulously cool in a see through cream strapless dress and a floppy straw hat, I loved her baton twirling. I do remember Mum mucking about with some of her own marching girl moves which amused and embarrassed us equally. To see your Mum bust moves like that when you are 8 is strange. Mum had been a champion marching girl when she was a young girl.

 

That film-clip is ingrained into my soul, my childhood, my memories!

 

The song is also one of those great songs, an instant classic and because it is essentially an instrumental song, you don't hear it on the radio so much these day. In fact it's a song I rarely hear at all.

 

It starts with a tribal drum beat and what sounds like an audience over it and then after a few bars the vocals come in very soft but in beat with the drums. And then a few guitar chords in between beats. It builds slowly then a funky guitar beat with more singing and some tribal style chanting, and Lindsay shrieking, "Don't say that you love me". Very anthemaic and very addictive.

And the manic drum beat to the steel guitar solo, all the while that same original drum beat continuing and finally the brass section of the band striking in. Building to a loud cacophony of perfection.  

 

It is such a positive and uplifting image from my childhood, it awakens every sense and I will never tire of hearing it!

 

And I'm sharing it here today as I've had a rough week and I always revert to comfort music when I'm feeling weary. A Fleetwood Mac compilation came through my hands at work and the timing was serendipitous and I was also playing it in the car today feeling good after some time spent with fabulous friends. I flicked the volume up high, very high, and played it on repeat all the way home.

And just like that I got my mojo back!