f for fred (Thursday February 23rd, 2006 - 20:11)

category: mmhuh?

While my life seems to have gone on the backburner allowing work to take over my days, nights and the wee-hours, I’m still managing to grab a little time most evenings to lull myself in to a daze on the guitar. For anyone learning, or considering to learn, a few words:

Your fingers will return to some form of normality.
My finger-tip calusses are all bit invisible now but on closer inspection it’s obvious that the tips are impenetrable. I can play for hours and find I’m left with painless grooves where once I’d have gaping holes.

Play the songs you love.
It depends on what kind of music you’re in to but there will usually be one or two songs by your favourite artists that are as simple as 1, 2, 3.. or rather A D E. Playing something you know off-by-heart means you don’t have to concentrate quite so hard because the song structure is etched in your mind.

The Fs (or Bs or whatever) will come to you eventually.
Counting up the time since I bought my el cheapo guitar I realise I’ve had it for 9 months. I started off sticking with the D, G, A, Am, E, Em chords. C came along fairly easily. I learnt a few more from the D family. Barre chords began to work after many complaints to friends that my fingers weren’t built right. The B chord started working. I learnt to transition from an E to barre chords. Other chord variations fell in to the repertoire. And the F chord.. we’ve been getting to know each other over the last month and we’re becoming firm friends.

After a while, invest in a capo.
This is my recent addition to the growing instrument-bits-and-bobs family:

Songs that seemed beyond my reach are now incredible easy.

Search for chords and tabs on the world wide web.
There are court cases happening, more looming, to remove tab and chord archive sites due to concerns that they’re affecting sheet music sales. I can understand it, but I don’t agree with it. Of course some of the biggest artists out there are regularly found on tab sites and I’m sure some people have copied the tabs directly out of songbooks, however there’s also an enormous amount of music out there that has never been available for sale as sheet music that is encouraging people to learn their instruments and in turn to make more music to provide more songs to be turned in to songbooks/online paid downloads/whatever.
While the tab sites are still running, make a habit of saving your favourites tabs to your pc either by using the “Save as..” feature in your web browser, or copying and pasting in to a text document.

Keep practicing.
Even if you play for just 5 minutes in an evening during the ad breaks to your favourite tv show, your fingers get a work out and every little bit of pressure on your finger tips helps to toughen them up.

Enjoy it.
That’s pretty obvious.

comments: 5 »

big day out – sydney 2006 (Friday January 27th, 2006 - 15:45)

category: mmhuh?

I finally put aside my reluctance to do a festival (I know it’s not a real festival because it doesn’t go over multiple days in a single venue but the name will do for me) and ventured off to the Big Day Out in Sydney yesterday morning.

I was suprised by how organised Central Station was with plenty of trains heading off to Olympic Park (even if the rest of City Rail was holding budding BDO-goers in halted trains for half an hour) and then the ticket queue and bag check took just a matter of minutes before I was bewildered and wandering and getting lost (due to missing friends as a result of the afore mentioned City Rail trains holding friends hostage!)

Venturing down in to the enclosure infront of the Blue stage I found who I was looking for and had a little chuckle at Airbourne. Faker‘s set began and Nathan bounded around while the band belted out their brilliant catchy rockpop songs as if they’d been doing big stages for years.

We wandered off to the Local Produce stage where the Red Riders were setting up. They shone happily, working through their tunes to a noisy and appreciative crowd. For me personally it was a dream to hear “Call on Me” live again; I love that little marching tune. I saw Dan the Photographer Man taking a few shots with his ultra special lens (hidden behind this girls head, but trust me, it was huge!):

 
We did a little wandering around before peering down at Bit by Bats briefly, listened to Sleater-Kinney but didn’t feel particularly moved despite their efforts to teach us Australian history, and then watched the gentle sweet pop of the Magic Numbers for a while and choosing to settle down to rest on the grass.

We ventured back to the main stages but the idea of dealing with the crowds and lining up to get in to the front enclosures was utterly off putting for my likes so I wandered around a little more, took in the end of The Go! Team before a mind-belting spoken word session by Henry Rollins. He talked about the brilliance of music, complained about how he could never out-perform Iggy Pop despite all his efforts with the final attempt in Finland (yes, he mentioned Finland!) a gig for which he’d put himself through vigorous training. He told us that if we were dumb we should educate ourselves, if we did stupid things we should stop, we should take the Queen off our money and we should make Australia our own.

I headed back to the main stage and listened to the Living End for about 20 minutes (but made-do with watching the crowd as I couldn’t see the stage from so far back and being so short) before returning to the Converse Essential stage to watch the Beasts of Bourbon where Tex Perkins proclaimed that today was “Invasion Day”, hurled himself around the stage and the band blasted out brilliant tune after brilliant tune. “Drop Out” was particularly amazing. Rider Tom, I hope you heard my thoughts from across the oceans that you would have loved it! I know you can barely see him but he’s in these pictures which I took for you as proof:

 
Off to the main stage again, standing on the edges of the crowd I listened to Franz Ferdinand and watched everyone dancing around, singing along. My feet were giving up so I took a seat oblivious to what was about to happen…

I wanted to see Iggy and the Stooges at the Big Day Out. I expected them to be good but I was incredibly far off the mark on that assumption. They were brilliant! Raw. Loud. Energetic. Amazing songs. Despite the age of those tunes they felt so amazingly fresh. It’s all in the delivery and boy do they know how to deliver. I kind of wish I had decided to stick with friends, ignore any nature calls, forget my hatred of crowds, and been down the front with them.. but I loved every second of it from where I was sat. As a result I’ve had to split my favourites of all time list so that the Jesus and Mary Chain at the Metro in Sydney (1995) remains at #1 on one list due to it literally making me unable to utter a word afterwards, and Iggy can head up the other list – the two gigs so uncomparable in style but both are now my absolute favourites for different reasons.

The White Stripes followed but it was just like Henry Rollins said.. you can’t beat Iggy. I enjoyed the set, the crowd sang and clapped along, Meg White acted coy as she stood up at the microphone for a song, they played many popular songs but detoured a little in to ones I didn’t know or changed older songs around. They were fine.. but all I could think about was Iggy.

Re-united with those lucky (self-controlled and crowd-contented) ones who’d been down the front, we headed home without any train dramas, and I couldn’t help but smile despite the sore feet, headache and tiredness on the walk home.

 
All in all the BDO surprised me nicely.

The side-by-side stage set up for the Blue/Orange stages and Green/Converse Essential stages meant that as a band played one stage the other was being prepared for the next band who then started straight after the other one finished – you could sit back and relax and hear continuous music rather than rushing about through crowds.

The distances between stages weren’t enormous so when you did need to wander it wasn’t too far to go.

There wasn’t a portaloo in sight, instead a luxury of proper toilet blocks and no shortage of toilet paper (though I did hear girls occasionally exclaiming “toilet paper!” which may mean that some toilet blocks had run out).

The crowd wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. There was laddishness and drunkeness but nobody threw up on me, stepped on my toes, or shoved me too seriously.

There was grandstand seating around the main stages! An absolute blessing for worn out feet, a headache and a have-I-told-you-I-don’t-like-crowds kind of person. They could have done with a few more bigger video screens but I was content with the one that they had.

 
Knowing the crowds would inhibit taking any worthwhile shots I only took my little Canon ixus with me but I got a few photos of the Red Riders and the crowds.

 
I’m so glad that I finally crumbled in to temptation and enjoyed my first Big Day Out.

ps. I’ve just tried to remove some of the excess uses of “brilliant” in this post (some simply have to remain).. maybe I should call it the Brilliant Day Out instead.

comments: 4 »

the needs of a stop-light (Sunday January 22nd, 2006 - 22:27)

category: mmhuh?

Last night watching the Australian Open tennis the commentators were gossiping along about someone when one of them said that suchandsuch was from a small town. The other stated “a one stop-light town” to which the first retorted “not even that!”

How many people does it take to need a stop-light/traffic-light in a town?

comments: 2 »

sometimes bigger is better (part 2) (Saturday January 21st, 2006 - 11:19)

category: mmhuh?

More computer random rambling..

My new PC was ordered this morning. Compared with my 4.5 year old companion it will have 3 times the GHz, 4 times the RAM (does anyone apart from me try to get by with only 256mb these days?!), almost 5 times the HDD space with the primary disk matching the size of my current single hard disk, a DVD burner, a TV tuner card and the ability to get my old videos converted to digital. Ah bliss. With the arrival of the monitor next week, by Friday I should have a whole new beast of a set up! But what to do with my beloved (and at times behated) Sony desktop? It might have to become a jukebox.

I apologise in advance that in a few weeks time I’ll be rambling about how to set up a home wireless network and adsl connection.

(Does anyone get the impression I haven’t been going out enough in the new year??)

comments: 2 »

sometimes bigger is better (Wednesday January 18th, 2006 - 23:31)

category: mmhuh?

In the “what on earth is niina going on about these days” vein of randomness…

I bought a 20″ ultrasharp wide screen flat panel LCD monitor with Digital DVI-D/Analog S-video/Composite inputs – a whole 5″ more than my current wee little flat screen and way more sophisticated. Oh how blissful it will be when it arrives in 4-10 days time. My eyes will have to learn to roam with the high resolutions!

comments: 4 »

toenails (Sunday January 15th, 2006 - 20:53)

category: mmhuh?

Currently reading Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel – a short history of everybody for the last 13,000 years, a book that explains how we/food/animals moved around the globe, developed and why. It’s a little dragging compared to my normal reads but it is causing my brain to ponder in tangents it doesn’t tend to go off in.

Today I sat on my balcony with my feet up and thought “I wonder how long it will be until humans will evolve to no longer have toenails?” I mean, toenails require maintenance yet are no longer necessary body parts for humans. In a thousand years maybe kids won’t even realise that people used to have nails on their toes. Or maybe they’ll have flippers and live in the ocean and paddle around all day with talking fishies.

comments: 1 »

cronulla boiled over (Sunday December 11th, 2005 - 17:40)

category: mmhuh?

One of the hardest things about being a pacifist is having a hopeful heart. If the police put warnings out in the news to avoid a particular area due to potential unrest then you find yourself hoping that everyone listens, calms down, realises there are better ways to solve whatever problems there are, and gets on with life. You believe in that, until you see the nightly news.

Tonight they showed thousands of people gathered at Cronulla in Sydney’s south, drinking beer, chanting racist statements, waving Australian flags, yelling “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” and pelting bottles at police walking beside an Ambulance taking out the riot casualties. The race riot was prompted as retaliation for the attack on two surf lifeguards the other week, and apparent ill-feelings within the community.

I realise this eruption is a result of numerous groups of people and various grievances but it’s turned in to a gang mentality: our group is bigger than yours.. until the next week when the other side have gathered some more team members and the numbers are reversed. Watching the news footage I can’t help but think that a large number of people there today were just in it for a bit of a punch-up and show-and-tell.

For goodness sake, regardless or where you are, respect the police and ambulance workers because you might be needing them next.

comments: 3 »

gigs in thunder storms (Sunday November 27th, 2005 - 15:41)

category: mmhuh?

During my recent Melbourne R&R visit it seemed that all the bands I knew the names of who were listed in the street press were playing after I was due back home so I made do with checking out a few venues and whoever happened to be on stage received my attentions. I can’t say I found anyone who stood out in particular, but the music was fine. The venues, such as the Espy, were better than fine – I want this calibre in Sydney, we’re sorely lacking. And so many free gigs all over town to choose from? Wow.

Since coming back it’s been a bit of gigging while avoiding thunder storms (summer starts in a few days but you wouldn’t guess it). Last weekend I caught Skull Squadron, the redsunband and a little of Sounds Like Sunset at the divey Mandarin Club; on Tuesday the Rex Wicked, the Duchesses and Bordello at Spectrum; Friday El Borracho (nice surfie Aus garage rock and the drummer was wearing an “Off the Hip” tshirt so full points to them) and the Mares at the Hopetoun; and last night the mighty Mercy Arms and the Morning After Girls at Spectrum.

Due to rain/sleepiness/fearofcrowds the camera hasn’t made it out as much as it should have.

 
Upcoming gigs that I’m trying to decide between:

Thursday Dec 1 – Mercy Arms @ Candy’s Apartment
Friday Dec 2 – British India @ Spectrum
Wednesday Dec 7 – Riff Random @ Club 77
Thursday Dec 8 – Expatriate @ the Annandale
Friday Dec 9 – Mercy Arms @ the Civic Hotel
Friday Dec 9 – the Glass Age @ Spectrum
Tuesday Dec 13 – the Morning After Girls @ the Annandale
Friday Dec 16 – Starky @ Spectrum
Wednesday Dec 21 – Phonograph and the Forgotten Army @ the Annandale
Thursday Jan 26 – Big Day Out .. ooh. Red Riders, Faker, White Stripes, Iggy and the Stooges etc etc.

So many gigs.. so little time..

comments: 2 »

top gigs of 2005 (Sunday November 6th, 2005 - 14:47)

category: mmhuh?

It’s been a good year for gigging. I can’t really estimate the number of gigs I’ve been to so far this year but a safe bet would be over 50 (it’s probably closer to 70). I’ve watched more than 100 different bands (I’ve just been putting together a list), one band in particularly I’ve seen more than 10 times (!), a couple of others around 5 times, and some bands I’ve seen once and once has been enough.

Following are some of the highlights that I can think of at the moment with links going off to the photos from those gigs where I had my camera with me.

Faker – January 22 at Spectrum
the Morning After Girls – February 12 at Spectrum
Phonograph and Vanlustbader – February 19 at the Hopetoun
Luke Perry Heartbreakers (where did they drop off to?), Phonograph and Starky – April 16 at the Annandale
Ruby Sue – June 16 at the Annandale
the Whats, Front End Loader and the Giants of Science – July 28 at the Annandale
Darren Percival – sometime in August at the Excelsior
Phonograph – August 20 at @newtown
Mercy Arms – September 13 at the Transit Lounge
British India – September 16 at the Annandale
Red Riders and Faker – October 15 at the Gaelic Club

The sweetest thing from that list? They’re all Australian. But then looking back pretty much every band I’ve seen this year has been local apart from a couple of NZ bands and Bright Eyes.

comments: 10 »

top songs of 2005 (Saturday November 5th, 2005 - 19:58)

category: mmhuh?

In response to others starting their Top 2005 lists I start on mine..

I’m sure a lot has been left off this list but here’s some of my favourite songs/EPs/albums (so far) from 2005 in band/artist alphabetical-ish order. Some are pop fruity punch (that someone I know will dislike in particular!), others miserable, but mainly nice head-nodding (note: not head-banging!) rock’n’roll:

Bernard Fanning – Wish You Well
British India – dang I don’t know the name of the song I really like.
BRMC – the “Howl” album is a gem especially the bonus track at the end of “The Line” that kicks in around the 5:15 mark.
Dustin’s Bar Mitzvah – Get Your Mood On
Faker – the Familiar; Love For Sale; and basically the whole “Addicted Romantic” album
the Glass Age – self titled EP
Grandaddy – Nature Anthem
Jim Reid – Song for a Secret (live version.. recorded will be as well once I hear it)
Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict a Riot
the Killers – All These Things That I’ve Done
Mercy Arms – Half Right; and the rest of the demo EP
Morning After Girls – Hi-Skies; Always Mine
Phonograph – Blame it all on me; and the rest of the “Sucker in the Cool” EP; the new live songs
Red Riders – Call on Me
the Saturns – Two Kinds of Ten; I Could be the One
Sister Vanilla – Slacker; Down
Sons & Daughters – Taste the Last Girl
Starky – Is This How It Ends
Tambalane – Little Miss Liar; Livin’ on the Upside; Become
tompaulin – Promised Land; 3 in the Morning; Seams
Vanlustbader – Scorcher; All She Sees is Stars; All You People

comments: 13 »