Highlights, Lowlights and Brushes with Fame
(chronological and all true!):
Being musical director of a show I didn't understand.
(Wogs out of Work).
Playing a Jewish wedding gig with Virgil Donati (the highlight
was the drumroll for father of the bride!)
Having a stranger pass me in the street singing one of my songs.
Hearing Tiddas sing one of my songs and get the words wrong.
Hearing Scottish singer Ruby Carter sing one of my songs and
not understanding my own lyrics.
Supporting David Lee Roth at Melbourne Park with a soucous/hilife band (Afrodisa).
Being billed below the Harley rides at a uni gig (Oxo
Cubans).
Having
Simon Jeffes (Penguin Cafe Orchestra) be a fan at me while I was
packing
up after a sound check (and then me realising who he was!)
Being supported by the Australian Wallabies Rugby team and the Baby Animals at a bubble gum swap card launch (Oxo Cubans).
Touring South America with a drumming band (Batacuda).
Being invited on stage to sing with Salif Keita and his band.
Doing a 6 gig, 2 day tour of New Caledonia as a One Man Band ...ouch!
Meeting Michael Winslow at a radio station in Darwin (he was
very grumpy, but still amazing).
Having my piano composition recorded by Michael Kieran Harvey ("Piano Miniatures").
Having my first T.V. soundtrack job aired for the first time
in Belgium
(The Adventures of Lano and Woodley).
Doing my First comedy show at the Last Laugh (Sock)
Singing "Mr.Sandman" as "Mr. Stats Man" on The Footy Show.
Doing 25 programmed gigs, plus umpteen sit-ins, at Woodford
Folk Festival
1997/98, thus setting a record.
(Honky Trash, Sock, solo, Penelope Swales' Band and the fire event).
Having Ani Di Franco rave gushingly at me after a Port Fairy
gig with Sock.
Having my song, "Roofrack", come runner up to a song called
"Humpty
Dumpty Jumped" (Canadian Acapella Song Contest).
Doing a tea totalling pub crawl of Dublin with Jimmy Barnes (who
doesn't mind a pun!)
Playing "Eagle Rock" on mbira with Ross Wilson for John Safran's Music Jamboree (SBS TV).
Playing with The Cat Empire at Womadelaide (nice).
Teaching Kerri-Anne to beatbox on her morning show (Channel 9).
Winning the Tamworth Country Music Festival Cavalcade (with Totally Gourdgeous, play "Pub with No Beer").
Appearing with Greens senator Bob Brown and Dolly Putin in the comedy show, "Me and Mr Brown" (with Totally Gourdgeous).
Appearing with renowned ethicist Peter Singer and Dolly Putin in the comedy show, "Dolly Goes Down on the Farm" (with Totally Gourdgeous).
Appearing solo on Spicks and Specks as the band playing
obscure versions of songs... tough gig! (ABC TV).
Who knows what next?
Send me an eMal if you like to know details
of any of the above.