April/May 2001

Hello, another late one...

ACT OF FREE CHOICE EP
Change of plans... The Deserters single has been scrapped even though I'm bloody sure it would have been all over commercial radio! The EP contains Hide and Malaria, two unreleased tracks from the Ian Caple sessions, the former being a John Howard as 'a shiver looking for a spine to run up' metaphor and the latter co-written with Michael Barker, is a swampy, tropical impression of what the fever is like. I came down with said disease after a trip to the Trobriand Islands when I foolishly forgot to take my chloroquine tablets. The Deserters will be included on the EP.

UK
Thanks to all the support from those who made us feel welcome at our gigs at the Garage and the Electric Cinema in London last month. The Electric Cinema was a special one; beautiful venue, refurbished back to its original 1910 music hall days, the films beamed strong on the screen behind us, a great mix, and post-gig drinks at the Cobden Club. It's early days in our UK journey but hopefully we'll make some impact. Good reviews in Q magazine, the Telegraph and the Times are a decent start. We don't expect much; it's easier that way.

DVD
I'm a bit pissed off about all this but it's not looking likely. I apologise humbly but it's out of my control and disappointing, however, the SACD and Surround CD is being released in the UK and Europe thanks to Sony and we'll import them back here in Australia. The SACD is the next generation of audio CD and has to be heard to be believed. It can hold about 10 times the data than a normal CD, which means surround mixes and extra tracks. The surround part will be the 5.1 Dolby mixes of the album that I did with Simon Polinski at 301 in Sydney plus the extra tracks Hide and Malaria. The SACD also contains the Marius de Vries Dive mix and the Moloko remix of Koran. The 12 short films that accompany the 11 tracks on the album, plus Act of Free Choice, will be available on video at the gigs and through this web site from the beginning of August. That way at least all the components of what was going to be the DVD will be available, it just won't be the neat package that was planned.

My Brother Jack was on TV last week. William McInnes may be regretting doing those insurance ads, as they were everywhere. The orchestrated soundtrack was composed and arranged with Helen Mountfort. It's certainly worth a watch. The soundtrack is fairly moody. It will be released in the UK by Grenada on Channel 4. Stars Matt Day, Claudia Karvan, Jack Thompson, Angie Milliken. Other musicians who made contributions to the score include Michael Barker, David Abiuso (ex MFTCC), Hope Csutoros and Brent Parlane. The orchestration relies on the moodier instruments of the cello, French horn, oboe and piano.

STUDIO ASSISTANT REQUIRED
I'm looking to employ a casual assistant for my studio. If there's anyone in Melbourne who is young, has a passion for music and some basic knowledge of hard disk Macintosh recording and working in Pro Tools and Audio Logic, it's a great opportunity for someone wishing to further their skills, working with Christian Scallan (the master!) and myself on film scores, my album recordings and other projects. The job description is fairly vague; like all studios the hours vary, sometimes the days are long others less so but it's pretty enjoyable and a relaxed working environment. We need someone to keep the place in some semblance of order, do the hard drive back ups, some programming and dubbing, all range of things musical and computerish, setting microphones up, blah blah. If you are interested, email a CV to ptp@eis.net.au

THE MAN WHO SUED GOD
Currently composing the score for this film, which stars Billy Connolly and Judy Davis. The director is Mark Joffe who did Spotswood. Written by John Clarke and Keating's speechwriter, Don Watson, it's a very humorous tale of a man who sues the church when he finds that his fishing boat, destroyed by lightning, cannot be claimed against as it was an Act of God. Insurance companies cop a shellacking throughout. Connolly is hilarious as always. The score will have a fair bit of choral recordings, solo mezzo soprano and Celtic singing, a closing song, plus incidental bits and pieces.

FRANCE/ITALY
Launching the album in these territories with showcase gigs similar to the Electric Cinema show in September/October. The album is already out in Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Greece and Portugal.

YEPERENYE FESTIVAL.
I'm music directing a two day music and dance festival in Alice Springs featuring Arrente dancers and musicians Yothu Yindi, Nokturnl, Paul Kelly, Slim Dusty, Archie Roach, Frank Yamma, The Warumpi Band and others. Gough Whitlam will re-enact the Vincent Lingiari sand-in-hand handover. It is based on the Arrente Caterpillar dreaming. Rachel Perkins is coordinating the whole shebang with Nigel Jamieson who designed the part of the Olympics opening ceremony with the outback dunnies, corrugated iron, big-tyred vehicles etc. It's an honour to have been asked to compose and coordinate the music side of things. It will probably be the only worthwhile Federation event.

CLOSING OF THE CONTINENTAL.
Really sad this venue closed, as it was always very band friendly, good coffee at soundchecks, good sound on stage, dunnies in the band room, and treated musicians with respect. Rare to have a venue entirely dedicated to music, no pokies, Foxtel, etc. On the final night a whole bunch of people played a couple of songs each to a noisy and drunken crowd. Michael, Phil, Chris and I performed 'Float' and Spinal Tap's 'Gimme Some Money'. On the latter Rebecca Barnard and Kerri Simpson joined us: a seminal moment in our careers.

Top 5. I was asked on the David Bridie yahoo discussion group to nominate my top 5 Australian songs/records. Too many to narrow down but The Reels Quasimodo's Dream, The Underground Lovers Dream it Down, The Go Betweens Before Hollywood and 16 Lovers Lane, anything by Mixed Relations and the Warumpi Band, Ed Kuepper's Honey Steels Gold and Electrical Storm, The Triffids last two records, Kerri Simpson's VeVe records, these would all be included somewhere. Maybe also the Makers of the Dead Travel Fast (M squared) and Essendon Airport. I also liked MEO 245, Serious Young Insects, Flowers, Midnight Oil, No Fixed Address and the Japanese Comix when I was first going to see bands in pubs.

Would thoroughly recommend 69 Love Songs by The Magnetic Fields, led by Stephin Merritt. Saw them play at the last Continental shows and it was one of the best gigs I've seen in ages.

A friend/journalist recently came back from a 5 week stay in Vanuatu and found out ex-President Suharto has between 5 and 7 billion dollars in two trust accounts in a Pacific tax haven. Wahid looks gone and concern abounds re Megawati Sukanoputri's close links with General Wiranto, the man responsible for much of the carnage in East Timor. Megawati is a fierce nationalist and the crackdown in West Papua will intensify. Where are the stories in our newspapers about the trials and jailing of West Papua's Independence leaders? The same journalist, Ben Bohane, also wrote an article about how the OPM, West Papua's Independence Movement, in reaction to Australia and the regions total lack of support for their cause, are looking to the Chinese for support.

And on a lesser note: how difficult is it being a Melbourne supporter balancing between pushes for Ron Walker on the one hand and Derryn Hinch on the other? You have to wonder would all this be happening if Joe Gutnick was an Aussie bloke.

Listening to: O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, T Bone Burnett's fabulous production
Amnesiac by Radiohead is as good as Kid A

Cheers!