hardtack

Yes, but after a year's hiatus, I wonder how his body is going to stand up to a full pre-season followed by the rigours of serious competition; as much as I would like to think he could, I really can't see it.

I like the latest tweet out of the MFC: "It’s Friday afternoon and we hope your boss is cutting you a bit more slack than ours is. http://twitpic.com/7cxoh0"

Actually, the other side of that coin is that the heat may well see us getting improved performance out of a few of our current underachievers... the likes of Bennell, Davey, Sylvia, Petterd, Bate and Dunn may suddenly get some direction.

I just received an email detailing the first artist announcements for next year's Byron Bay Bluesfest... so far they include among others: Roger Daltrey, the Pogues, Earth, Wind and Fire, John Butler Trio, Yes, Buddy Guy, Brian Setzer's Rockabilly Riot (my personal fave), Johhny Lang, and Steve Earl. I wonder if they have a sponsorship arrangement with Zimmer?

Yes, I do understand what you mean about Hendrix. Some of the stuff that Davis did with John McLaughlin ([censored] Brew sessions) is pretty incredible.

Well, I tend to disagree... yes Hendrix created a whole new genre, but as far as abilities and originality go, I think there are a number who come close (if not equal him). The obvious one would be Frank Zappa who was not only the master of major genre bending, but he probably had an even more unique sound than Hendrix. Peter Green of the original (and good) Fleetwood Mac was another... when he wasn't playing some of the best blues guitar around, he was creating some incredible improvisations such as on his album End of the Game. Another who I see as being just as important as Hendrix when it came to creating a whole new genre is Robert Fripp (one of my personal favourites).

There's been a lot of great music post 1990, but unfortunately I think the marketing machine had well and truly started to dominate by then and more and more music and performers were being "manufactured" rather than coming up through the live music scene. If you want to see what marketing has done to music in Asia, look no further than PopAsia on SBS on a Sunday morning. It's a real shame, because there used to be a lot of really exciting stuff going on in Asian music - well, I suppose there still is, but there is so much more dross that you have to wade through in order to find it.

I was singing Over, Under, Sideways Down in a band here in Sydney in the early 80's :-)

Well, here are a few I could mention: The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (with Peter Cook) The Bedsitting Room (featured just about every British comedian imaginable) Bedazzled (the original with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore) Dr Strangelove (of course)

Yes, love the Badfinger soundtrack - "If you want it, here it is, come and get it, but you better hurry 'cause it's going fast..."

I still have vivid memories of seeing the Stones at both Kooyong in Melbourne and Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on that Exile on Main Street tour... at the peak of their powers.

Don't get me wrong, I think pink Floyd deserved to have a mega hit/money spinner. I just happen to think it was one of their worst albums, having a preference for their more cerebral stuff :-) It did have some good tracks on it of course, but it just didn't really do it for me as an album from day 1 of it's release. In fact, I can only think of a handful of albums ever, that grabbed me from the moment I first heard them... The Rollings Stones "Beggars Banquet" and "Exile on Main Street", The Clash's "London Calling", Elvis Costello's "My Aim is True" and "Get Happy", Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Heartbeat" and a few others.

He did some great stuff post CCR... Centerfield and Eye of the Zombie being a couple that immediately spring to mind. Favourite CCR album was their second, Bayou Country - was never a fan of Cosmos Factory; probably because every party you ever went to back then had it playing (or maybe it's just me... after all, I'm one of those blasphemers that can't stand Dark Side of the Moon).

Not to mention The Loved Ones (arguably the best band this country ever produced), Mike Furber and the Bowery Boys, Little Gulliver, The Wild Cherries, Johnny Young, Bee Gees (Spics and Specs era). The Purple Hearts, The Valentines (Bon Scott's first band I believe), The Mixtures and on it goes. Discos like Thumping Tum, Box Hill and Ringwood Town Halls (fight night at the disco) etc etc. I have great memories of my first ever live concert which was a Go Show at the Myer Music Bowl in the late 60's; MPD, Bobby & Laurie, ONJ, Loved Ones, Bee Gees, Marcie and the Cookies, Wild Cherries, and a few others that escape me now.

Ok, thanks. yeah, he'll take time, but for a player who was being touted for his goal kicking skills, he sure keeps them well hidden.

Is that the Butcher (the bearded one) who was playing in the Claremont v Port Adelaide Foxtel Cup semi on the weekend? If so, I was thinking he really did appear to be someone who was at one time being touted as a number one draft pick (was it the same year as Watts and Nik Nat?) but has really failed to live up to expectations... maybe it was just an off day, but his reading of the play was hopeless and his set shot kicking for goal was terrible.

I was a Jessie White proponent early last year when the same topic was raised, but it turned out the Swans had re-signed him... but I'm not sure how long a term that contract was for (and with Bradshaw now retired, I think they will want to retain him anyway). However, I went along to the Swans v Freo game yesterday, and apart from one of two good things, he was on the whole very ordinary; unfortunately he really seems to have lost his mojo - maybe a new club would see him improve, but it would be a bit of a risk.