nutbean

My support for a player in our colours is not unwavering - we give a contract to perform - I expect a player to perform. I haven't written off Toumpas - but I have seen enough of Wines to know that Toumpas is going to have to perform out of his skin to be half the player - Wines is an out and out gun and Jimmy has a loooong way to go. We have got so many wrong in retrospect. We just need to get some right (where can we get some beforo-spect ?) The one thing the likes of popular picks like Scully, Toumpas, Morton and the like have shown me - the expert watchers are simply working on way too limited information - there is too much growth left in the seedlings when we draft them to have any confidence that the ratings we see every year trotted out by experts will be anywhere near accurate. What I would like to see is where get on the end of a surprise packet !

And yet JV is on record in an interview when asked who we should take with our pick said Jimmy Toumpas but thought he wouldn't be available.

I respect your opinion that you may have seen what was the right pick predraft but you keep failing to mention that the great majority rated Toumpas higher. The great majority were obviously wrong but this is only in retrospect. It may hurt you the most but it wasn't staring us in face - Toumpas was rated higher by nearly every good judge. Just proves there ain't too many good judges out there. This one doesn't hurt me the most - the likes of Cook, Blease and Strauss who were taken way too early hurt me more.

a few of them did - Rebecca Barnard opened the night - and then there were guests singing with The Jazz Party. The club was donated a grand piano as part of sponsorship - $110K worth - yikes !

It was like a who's who last night. Firstly - Harry Angus did join the Jazz party last night - they have a great sound. - especially if you like traditional jazz. Debra Conway, Shane O'mara, Jack Howard, Tim Rogers, Rebecca Barnard and a host of others were all there for the opening. Soo "Memo" - it is a great old room and will be fantastic for live music. They need to sort out two things - the sound was a bit muddy but this was the first ever gig they have put on - sound at the caravan club is absolutely pristine so I am sure they will work out. Next thing - it was roasting in the hall and it wasnt that hot outside so I hope something can be done about that. It is such a wonderful old hall and perfect for music so I am looking forward to seeing lots of music there - starting with the Sports !

noooooo... there are some music freaks - I know a bit from the comfort of my armchair but I would be like a rabbit caught in the headlights if I got chosen to be on the panel. Hey Hardtack - cracked an invite to the opening night of Memo tonight ( where we are seeing sports) - "jazz party" are playing - there are a couple out of Clairey Brownes band playing and sometimes Harry Angus from Cat Empire joins in - should be a hoot. Full report tomorrow.

Went to a taping of Rockwiz last night - it was a 50's theme. What a great night. Firstly - Katie Noonan has the voice of an angel Secondly - they had Col Joy on - he is a seriously funny man and can still sing well for a man of 78.

they sound great - fit in really well in a Quentin Tarantino movie

I am off to see Pokey LaFarge.... I knew nothing about him - but loved the name. Looked up his stuff on youtube and now I am very excited !

Sunnyboys were great -so good to see Jeremy Oxley in a good place.... However - The Cat Empire - You cannot help but dance and jump and sing when they play. I don't know how many times I have seen them but they never ever go through the motions ( unfortunately The Whitlams at the Corner - did go through the motions). There is a reason that the Cat Empire is my favourite live band - i always walk away ( albeit with a limp as I jump around like an idiot) with a huge smile on my face.

Sunnyboys tonight at the forum - i am getting too old for going out 3 times a week to a gig. Imagine if I drank as well ( which I don't)

You know how you make allowances for bands as they get older ( aka - Mick Jaggers voice is not what it used to be). No allowances needed for Chain - they were phenomenal. Matt Taylor's voice was the same as the back in the 70's. You are also right about Phil Manning - he was on fire. I did go up o the stage during the break in sets and noticed that he had nothing on the floor in terms of pedals and switches . Compare that to Mike Einziger of Incubus that had two acres of stuff on the floor around him. This Saturday night I am seeing my favourite of all live bands - The Cat Empire. It is impossible not to come out of a Cat Empire gig smiling from ear to ear,

it may be my failed eyesight and shot hearing that makes them sound good.

Macca - got two spare tickets for Chain on Saturday night if you are interested....

Its official - I am the Dustin Fletcher of Festivals - the mind and heart is willing but the body is failing. Saw Ministry - excellent. Faith no more rocked the house. Chris Cornell - this is what i imagine i sound like when i sing ! Incubus - excellent. Disappointed with the Smashing Pumpkins - musically was fantastic but no connection with audience at all. Slipknot - great visually and really tight. Marilyn Manson - horrible. Of the bands I hadn't heard of - Tonight Alive - Australian - really rocked - I got home and youtubed them and a bit Power pop when they are not live. Hollywood undead - a cross between the beastie boys and linkin park - really enjoyed them. It would be remiss of me if I didn't mention Steel Panther - they sent respect for women back to the dark ages with every five minutes getting girls to "show us your b00bs" - which all obliged. Their songs are so sexually blunt. They were sort of like watching a bad 1970's porn movie made into a musical. But I could not help but laugh.

Seeing Chain on Saturday night - I will give you a review of the gig !

Makes me feel way too old. I have a picture taken at Echuca of Todd Viney with my two girls when they were 12 and 10 taken many moons ago. As i took the photo I had a very young Jack Viney standing next to me. Even at the tender age of 7 he looked like he could steam roll me.

Ill give you feedback ! Thanks for that. Talking of wholesome look - have a look at the boys out of Parkway drive - they look like they should be in one direction right up until they start playing.

Too much music next weekend. Seeing Bombay Royale at the zoo on Friday night. Then two days of soundwave - any suggestions on less light bands I should see ?

I think we extended Hogan for two years ( correct me if I am wrong - but I don't think we have locked him in super long term). Rather than lock in players for contracts of the length of Franklins I prefer the other option of extending out the contract in the second last year of the existing contract. Problem is that not all players will do that as that may not maximum their return,

With Sting ( and Bono) it's not the promoting of causes that grates my grits - it's the extent they do it in their concerts. I have seen many a performer push their pet causes and have little problem with it unless it overshadows the music. Its about balance and moderation. Eddie Vedder is quite political but he is a good example of getting a message across without it detracting or dominating his performance. I have no answer as to why Peter Garratt doesn't offend me as towards the end of the Oils reign half their show used to be a protest. I think you hit it on the head with the word "lecture" - maybe it was how the message is delivered.

Are we doing that with Hogan ? Setting a star up for life is good in theory but is fraught with danger. Giving a player long term contracts ( more than 4 years and even that is long ) with the crash and bash their bodies take ? Big risk that clubs are adverse to taking. Then there is a question of how brightly the star will shine and for how long. I will admit that Wines looks very good - would I give him a creative contract for a very long period of time. Not sure I would.

That should read "Port player for the life of the contract (unless there is the Boyd get out of contract clause )"

Makes sense but is completely wrong. The reason Toumpas was taken is he was rated by all the experts as a higher rated player than Wines - that simple. Even young Viney is on record prior to the draft when asked who he would take without hesitation said Toumpas. There has been numerous debates around whether picking the "higher rated" is the way to go. Toumpas may or may not turn out to be good as Wines. As is stands today and now - this is one more example of a lower rated player shining brighter than his more highly fancied draft picks.

I thought it was a pretty good concert. I must clarify my thoughts on Sting. I loved the early Police - saw their first Australian tour at festival hall and they blew the roof off. His body of work is impressive. I am also politically active but I don't like muso's spending 50% of their concert preaching . Well..not 100% correct - Peter Garrett for some reason didn't seem to upset me. Sting on the other hand- I wanted to lock him in a room with Bono so they could bore the socks off each other. For the record- I love U2 as well - just don't want Bono to stop singing and start talking. Sting was great on Tuesday - all about his music - not a political comment for the whole night. Paul Simon was good too. He never had a fabulous voice and it hasn't improved. I behaved myself and wasn't turfed out.