Another lazy day

Have you ever had one of those days when you had lots to do, but just couldn't get into any of it. Today was one of those days. I felt like doing nothing. I wanted to record some more songs but just could not get into the vibe. So I lazed about and played a few video games and watched some TV. Then of course you get to the end of the day and feel you have wasted the whole day. But nevertheless, I'm sure I am far better for it and tomorrow is another day. All I can say is, if your ever having one of those days, just go with it and get back to normal life tomorrow. You'll be so much better off.

Keep Smilin...

Band #8 "Crash"

After I left Bastille, I was again recruited by The Axemen as their Bass player. However, not much had changed in that band since I was with them over a year ago. So it very quickly became the same old same old. Then I had a friend suggest that if I wanted to make some good money and get plenty of work, I should consider a duo. Hmmmm, a duo. Could I do such a thing? I had only ever played in bands so far in my career and a duo seemed like such a step back. However, after pondering the suggestion for some time, I was reminded of a guy I knew who used to be in a local duo. He had once expressed his interest in doing some type of musical project with me if the occasion ever arose. Well the occasion was here and who better to start a duo with than a guy who had done it before. So after I finally tracked him down, (he was on holiday somewhere when I finally found him)He said he would think about it and get back to me. Think about it? What was to think about? Anyway, when he got home about a week later, he called and so Began Crash. His name was Matt Anderson. Crash quickly became a very popular act that lasted 3 and a half years and only finished because we both moved out of Armidale. Funnily enough we both ended up in Brisbane. Matt was on the north side and I was on the south. When the opportunity finally arose for us to get back together in a duo situation, he up and moved to Newcastle. And so the show must go on, but perhaps one day we will get to perform together again.

Keep smilin....

Job #9. No Idea.

Well here is a job that I don't even remember what I was. I worked in a factory for 2 weeks on a machine that rolled and heated fabric. I have no idea. The factory made material. Literally. Took stands of cotton and made huge rolls of material. Myself and another guy worked on a machine that used to unroll the rolls onto the machine. The roll would then go inside a big hot oven type thing and would get sealed in for a set amount of time. Then the roll would emerge and the machine would roll the material through some rollers back onto its original roll and away it went. I have no idea what we were doing. It was a very boring unrewarding occupation. Hence why I only stayed 2 weeks.

Keep Smilin.....

Band #6 Bastille

After about 18 months with the Axemen, Things were just not going the way I had hoped. They had been talking about recording ever since I joined them, but to date, nothing had happened. I was getting tired of playing the same old songs night after night, so I decided to give notice and go look for something else to do. I decided to form another band with a friend called Dave Bracken. He was not the greatest guitar player in the world, and could not sing for shit, but he had enthusiasm like no-one I had ever met before or since. He was a greast organiser and would practice hour after hour. So there was great potential there. We enlisted the services of drummer Dave Grayson from Grafton and Bastille was born. During its lifespan we occasionally enlisted a keyboard player and another singer. We travelled far and wide across NSW and southern Queensland having good rockin fun.

Keep Smilin.....

Job #8 McDonalds again!!!!

After the take away shop, there was another stint back on the side shows. Then I left the show to live in Orange NSW. This is where everything started to happen for me. Music, unstable women, and a day job. Orange had it all. Anyway, I was 18 years old and Orange was getting its first McDonalds store. Since I had worked for Macca's before, I thought I'd apply for the job. And I got it. Fulltime McCook. I actually liked the job alot. I worked fairly long hours since I had nothing else going on in my life at that stage. I can't remember how long I lasted, but it was a fair few months. Then one day my immature behaviour got the best of me and I snapped at the duty manager and walked off in the middle of the lunch rush. Needless to say, that job was over for me.

Keep smilin.....

Band #5 The Axemen.

After Nightshift, I was invited to try out for a band who needed a bass player called the Axemen. They were based in Armidale NSW. I went to a fairly relaxed audition that only contained 2 of the members of the band. It seemed to go alright but no indication was really given. A week or two later I was told that they really needed someone local to be able to fill their comittments. Fair enough I thought. Then 2 weeks later I get a phone call asking if I could do a few fill ins for one or two shows they had. They offered to pay petrol money as well as gig money. Why not I said. Send me your song list and I'll be there. So I went along and played. After the second gig, I was asked if I'd like to stay on as a permanent member. I had no problem with travelling so agreed and became a member of the Axemen. About two weeks later, I found a fulltime job in Armidale, so I packed up and moved. This was a fun band to be a part of. It consisted of two brothers Len and Jason Streeting on guitars, Garry Osbourne on drums and Rick Mickerts on lead vocals. This was the typical pub rock band that was just alot of fun....

Keep Smilin......

Sick again!

Well here I am on a Tuesday afternoon battling a damn head cold. There is nothing worse for a musician than getting a cold or the flu. If you are going to get it, then Sunday afternoon is the best time. Hopefully you can be over it by Friday. But who wants to be sick at all. I guess its just a part of life that we must deal with from time to time. Nice hot cuppa soups are certainly a good thing to help releive some of the symptoms. Then its easy to just kick back and watch TV all day and drink heaps of water. It also helps to have a good wife to take care of you if your really sick.

Anyway, enough complaining from me. I'll use the time to catch up on emails and read some more of my electronics lessons. At least that way the time won't be a total waste. I did manage to mow half the lawn yesterday but ran out of energy to finish it. Good health to you all.

Keep Smilin....

Band #4 "Nightshift"

After the Redbacks, there was a few years of musical dryness that saw me travel around the country a bit. When I finally returned to Tenterfield a few years later, I was asked if I would be interested in starting a three peice band as the singer and bass player. Well I had never been a bass player, but was keen to get back into music so I jumped at the opportunity. And so, Nightshift was born. Consisting of myself, Drummer Brad Foan and Guitarist Neil Savins, we set off to make our way in the Northern Tablelands of NSW. Neil was short lived with us due to family committments, so we sought out a new guitarist named Rod Wilmott. We travelled from Tenterfield the Lightning Ridge and to places like Cobar, Warren, and even Warwick. It was certainly a lot of fun and I would have no problem in joining those guys in any future projects.

Keep Smilin....

The gig from hell.

Well some gigs seem to stand out in your memory. Some for good reasons, and some for not so good reasons. The Victory hotel in Brisbane is one such gig. However, it has good and bad reasons. It is probably one of the best pub gig crowds around brisbane. The place is usually packed on any Friday and Saturday night. This makes it a desirable venue to most musicians. However, lets run through the factors that make it the gig from hell.

1. Its a real pain in the ass to find a park in the city and usually you need to walk a few blocks to get back to the venue. And it can cost you dollars to park.

2. Sound restrictions are unbelievably screwed up. Its almost to the point that you can hear the crowd noise over what your playing. I know that volume isnt everything, but when you have 300 - 500 people in a small area who just want to rock, its hard to get it going at 88db.

3. This has to be the longest gig I have ever played. Friday night starts at 7.30pm and usually goes through to 2.30am. Thats 7 hours. Holy hell.

4. There is not alot to keep the crowd off the barely existing stage. People tend to place drinks anywhere they please. And your gear can get knocked about a bit if your not careful. I had my music stand knocked over on Friday night and it fell to the floor and chopped straight through a power lead tripping out all the safety circuits.


So as you can see, this gig earns the title, "the gig from hell". Nevertheless, I will continue to take these gigs until my own music opens better doors.

Keep smilin......

Job #7 Take-away store

Well in one of my other leaves of absence from the showgrounds, I picked up a job in a take-away shop in a food court at a north Brisbane shopping centre. Funny thing is, I have no idea where that shopping centre was. I was living in Kallangur at the time and used to get a lift with the sister in law of my girlfriend at the time. I had no car so it was lucky for me. This was a short job two. Only lasted a few weeks. I'm not much into washing pots and cleaning ovens and that seemed to be all I was doing. I'm sure there are plenty of you out there that can attest to that feeling.

Keep Smilin.....

Band #3 "The Redbacks"

After my short stint in Bris-Vegas, I ended up of all places in Tenterfield NSW. What sort of music career could you get in a tiny town like that I hear you say? Well surprisingly enough, Tenterfield had many musical opportunities for more over a ten year period. The first being a local band known as The Redbacks. These guys had been around for a few years before I arrived, and we even recorded a few of my original songs that got some airplay on the local radio station. Jarrod and Simon Butler were the drummer and guitarist and David Gianoli was the bass player. We played several local gigs around Tenterfield including charity shows and birthday parties. It was just another link in the long music career I have forged.

Keep Smilin......

Band #2

After my drummer packed up and left for Brisbane, I got a call from him a few months down the track. "Come to brisbane" he said. So I thought, why the hell not. So off to Brisbane I went. This was the birth of Sweet Revenge version 1.1. Well lets just say that things didn't go as planned, and after out debut gig which was a free concert at the Brisbane show ground, I packed up and headed back to NSW. Sweet Revenge was obviously never meant to be. I have not seen or heard from the drummer since, although I have heard rumors about him and lets just say they were not pretty. Good thing I got out when I did I think. But fortunately for me, my music career didn't stop there. Stay tuned.

Keep Smilin......

Job #6 Bakery

In between working on the side shows, I took various leave of absences in different parts of the country for various reasons. During one such leave of absence, I had a job in a bakery. Nothing too technical. Pushing loafs through the slicing machine and then bagging them. It was in a small NSW coastal town. Work would finish about 8am and then we would go snorkling for an hour. It was a great time and a pretty good job while it lasted. But eventually I had to move on to bigger and better things. And those chocolate eclairs are best well kept to a distance.

Keep smilin.....

Music career

Well I figure that since I'm writing about the jobs of my life, I might as well write about my music career as well. So lets begin with my very first band.
I guess it was 1988 when I first joined a real band and actually played to an audience in Orange NSW. The band was called Sweet Revenge. We began as a five piece band that included a saxophone player. It had various line up over a two year period until its eventual demise in 1990. The drummer and myself were the two mainstays of the band. During this time we lost two members due to a car accident on the way home from a gig in Mudgee NSW. They didn't die thankfully, but they were pretty messed up for a while. We gave marching orders to another two after finding them smoking a joint backstage at a bluelight disco gig in Young NSW. They could not understand what our problem was:-). Eventually the drummer decided he needed to live in Queensland and delivered my guitar and amp to my place early one morning and then vanished. I did end up in a band with him again in the near future, but thats a story for another day. As for Sweet Revenge, well lets just say that all thats left are the memories.

Keep smilin......

Showie. job #5 (travel the country)

Yes thats right. I became a showie. How in the hell does a 14 year old become a showie I hear you ask? Well as it just so happened, I was living with my mother in Marybyrnong Melbourne. Our next door neighbour was Doug and Pat Roberts. They were sideshow operators who toured Australia doing all the major and rural shows. I had the opportunity to work at the Royal Melbourne Show for them in September and decided I really liked it. I had just finished my school year via correspondence at home, and was fed up with the whole idea of school. After my incedent at Treasureway, it was apparent that it would be very hard to get a normal day job. So I asked my mother if she could see if Doug would give me a job. Low and behold, he agreed. So Off I went with the show. Well what a wild ride that turned out too be. First stop was Bega NSW. All was going well until I stayed up all night the first night. I managed to get through the Saturday and was really looking forward to sleep. But Circumstances proved too much for me and I spent the majority of the night doing other things. Come Sunday, I fell asleep while working. We needless to say, I got the sack right there and then. Not to be outdone, I went and picked up a job with someone else in time for the next show.

I don't know exactly how long I travelled with the show at this particular time. I have been on and off the shows several times of a five year period and they all seem to blur together these days. Needless to say though, it was one hell of a ride and I met many good people and a lot of assholes as well. Perhaps it would make for an interesting book someday.

Keep smilin.....

Storeboy job #4 (Victorian Police coersion)

Well your probably wondering why I chose to become a storeboy again after my last experience. Well this time it was in a clothing outlet called Treasureway in the same shopping centre as my last job. I actually enjoyed this job a whole lot more. But my world came crashing down one day at the ripe old age of 14 when someone stole money from the pay office. Anyway, I had already fractured the law once or twice as a juvenile and so the focus was on me. Police in Victoria were very brave in those days. They took me on until I gave in and confessed. CONFESSED!!!! I didn't even bloody do it. But the only way these detectives were going to let up was if I admitted to it. So I did. I made up some cock and bull story about how I did it and what I did with the money. I don't recall how much money was involved. A few hundred dollars at least I believe. The police were so bright that they bought the fact that I had spent it already by the next day and had nothing to show for it. Anyway, I guess someone at that store was a little richer that day. As for me, well that job was only about a month old. And gone again. I have often thought of taking legal action against the Victorian Police for thier upstanding conduct. I had no legal representation or adult in my corner during the whole process. Perhaps I could look into it now, although a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.

Keep smilin.....

Just another lazy day.

Have you ever had one of those days when you just didn't want to do anything that involved work? Today was one of those days. Not only did I do almost nothing all day, I didn't even go outside. I just spent most of the day watching shows on TV with my wife and playing games on my computer. I finished my first electronics assignment on Monday and until the next modules arrive, I'm just chillin out and taking it easy. The principles of electronics can be very tiring with so much to read, but so far so good. Its true what they say. Your never too old to try something new.

So why electronics I here you ask? Well many years ago I was into two way radio communications. During this time, I learnt quite a bit about electronic components and their various uses and functions. So I decided that since I already had this knowledge, it would make it easier to learn more. And I must admit, it has made it easier. But nothing can prepare you for the principles of electronics and magnetism. It would seem that every subject in the world has a boring theory factor that just has to be learnt.

So what's in your future? Any plans to learn something new or take a new career path? Just remember, your never too old. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Keep smilin.......

Storeboy Job #3

Well here is a job that lasted perhaps two days. Working as a storeboy or lacky at a Safeway supermarket at Highpoint shopping centre Marybynong Victoria. I can't even remember much about this job except that I had it and didn't like it. Have you ever had one of those jobs that you just could not bear to keep going back to? I have had a few of them myself but thankfully not too many. I guess I'm just not cut out to be a supermarket lacky. How about you?

Keep smilin......

Paperboy Job #2

Well I don't even know if paperboys still exist today or have they been replaced by some technological advance. It would seen unlikey that any advance in technology could take the place of the humble paperboy. I remember getting up before the sun was up and heading down to the paper store on my pushbike. Then I would go with the boss and he would drop me off at a main gate of a local factory where I would set out my papers and magazines and await the employee's as they arrived for work. It was a great job. I had garunteed customers, and they were good tippers. They were simple times and life seemed alot easier then.

Keep smilin......

Mcdonalds! Job #1

McDonalds was my first real job in this big world. I was all of 13 but my mother told them I was 14 so I could get the part time job. It was in the Moonee Ponds store in Melbourne. Its a long time ago now, but I remember it pretty well. I know there are literally thousands of people in the world that got thier working start at McDonalds. If your one of them, add your comments about your experience here.

I remember things like we used to get to buy the food at cost price. We also used to get to take home any apple pies or burgers at night if there were any unbought ones left at closing time. I know McDonalds food is probably not the best food for you on a regular basis, but it is cooked to a tried method and kept for only a set amount of time so the customer gets only the best product. I have however come across many stores in my life that have streched the rules somewhat and sell inferior products to thier own detriment. This in turn gives a bad name to all stores which is sadly unjustified. A store with good managers will provide a good product when you buy it. I have experienced both in my life and can understand the reaction to burgers that are more than 10 minutes old.

All in all, McDonalds are responsible for starting many a young person on thier road to success. Despite all other opinions, you have to thank them for being one of the biggest youth employers in the world. Thanks Macca's.

Keep Smilin......

Jobs in life!

How many people out there have had many different jobs throughout thier lives? I know I'm one of them. I can't even begin to count the different things I have done in my life. Pondering these thoughts' I thought I'd begin writing a post for each job I have had and what it was like and how I got there. This could take quite some time as I try to recall some of those times.

If anyone out there actually reads any of my posts, add your comments to any job that I had that you may have also done sometime in your life and what it was like for you.

Keep Smilin.......

FIREWALL!

Here is a classic of example of hollywood running out of idea's. This whole story line seems so cliche its not funny. You have the money, lets take your family and make you give us the money. It was obvious from the beginning that the plan was to kill the whole family. The story took over half the movie to set up and the action took all of ten minutes to be done. And then to add insult to injury, the story ended with a whole lot of loose ends not tied up. Its my pet hate with movies that set up many different scenarios throughout the movie, and then finish the movie without finalising the secondary story lines. I feel cheated after paying to watch what I feel was only half the story. I expected more from the characters. Emotional performances were called for but not delivered.

My Score, 3 out of 10.

Its harsh, but in this day and age, I think being a movie maker is a hard business trying to please the movie goers that are used to such high class story lines and special effects.
Better luck next time Richard Loncraine and Joe Forte.

Keep Smilin......

The circle of life

Many years ago, my musical career took a few turns into various other areas of the music industry. I was part of a joint venture with a friend of mine called Central West Road Crews. We basically supplied road crew or laborer's to top Australian acts touring the central west of NSW. It was no big money spinner, but as my first entrepreneurial project in my life, it was a minor success. During this venture, we supplied road crew for such acts as James Reyne, The Angels, The Hoodoo Guru's, Spy V Spy, Johnny Deisel, The Delltones, Kevin Bloody Wilson, The Choirboys, The Radiators, Icehouse and Wickety Wak to name the ones I remember off hand. It was a good part time business that made a few dollars for us and a great many of unemployed people in Orange NSW for a short time. It was also a great way to get to see and meet some of Australia's greatest rock n roll hero's. One particular person I remember was Greg Doolan from Wickety Wak. A very witty talented entertainer. Well many years have passed since those road crew days, but today I stumbled across an ad in a local paper for a singer/guitarist wanted for a duo. The contact on the ad said Greg Doolan. I didn't believe it. So I rang Greg and low and behold, it was the same Greg Doolan. It's funny how the circle of life brings you around sometimes. People we encounter through the years even in the smallest way can come back to cross our paths even in the distant future. It really is a small world.

Keep smilin......

Parking Fines!

Well yesterday was just one of those days. After unloading my trailer of band gear at a gig in the city, I drove my car around the corner and to my surprise, there were loads of empty car parks. Thinking I was merely lucky, I drove into a carpark reading the sign in front of me. It satated "pay and display 7am-4pm". Awesome I thought, it was after 4, so I could park there withour paying. So park I did, and proceeded back the the pub to setup my PA.

At some stage about half an hour later, I was trying to locate an item that had somehow been left behind. So I decided to venture out to see if it was in the car. As I turned the corner, a heart stopping sight awaited me. My car was on the back of a tow truck. WTF? So I hurried over the busy street, narrowly avoiding my own demise, and asked what was going on. "Your not allowed to park here between 4pm and 7pm" said the tow truck driver. Well as you could imagine, I had a different view on the topic as I pointed out the sign. He then pointed out the sign several car parks behind me which inevitably did state exactly what he said.

Now I was lucky enough to get him to drop my car back off the tow truck so I could move both it and the trailer. It did however cost me a $120 fine for parking there. I think Brisbane City Council better be using my fine money to add a few extra signs that explain things a little better on every post and not just one and hope that everyone reads it. For those of us with very little experience in the city, we have to learn the hard way. I'm just lucky my car didn't get towed away with my trailer or I would have been up for a whole lot more than just a nasty surprise.

Keep Smilin........