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24 years ago my dad and his dad took me to the Napier City Country Music Club for the very first time. The idea was for me to get up on the stage with my guitar and sing, but I chickened out at the sight of the band and the audience that night at the old Lions Hall in Vautier Street.
My old man, however, was well aware of the power of bribery and I was $10 richer when I made my debut that night with the old cowboy tune "Streets of Laredo". A mere two minutes later the music bug had well and truly bitten and I begged the compere to let me go again.
The Napier City Country Music Club became a huge part of my family's life from that night on and I hardly missed a club night or function for the next eight years, graduating to the lofty heights of rhythm guitarist in the backing band, and on the very odd occasion drummer.
It is with great pride that I shall be back in Napier, New Zealand, this weekend (December 10) as the club celebrates its 30th birthday at the old Tamatea Hotel, where my band the Infamous James Gang held a late '80s residency, less than a kilometre away from where I grew up.
I was honoured to be invited to take part in the celebrations by the club president Mary Wraith, who in fact was also the president when I came onto the scene as a 10-year-old in 1981, and club founder Jim Toner. Jim nurtured myself and many of the club's youngsters through our first professional band experiences, in the likes of Ramrod and later the Overtones.
I often find my mind drifting back to those days and the people who played such a large part in my influential years. The already mentioned Wraith and Toner families, the Fletchers, Kym Stanford, Rowly Burns, Jimmy and Glenis Thompson and their daughters, Chris Lyon, Lester Colvin, Tommy Taylor and his harmonicas. Late nights with acoustic guitars. Anyone remember Viktor T. Boskovic?
I'm looking forward to catching up with a lot of the old faces and meeting the new people who have taken the club forward since my job as a reporter curtailed my involvement in 1989. God knows a lot has happened since then, but to have been part of the Napier City Country Music Club during a real purple patch in its history has stood me in good stead to continue on this musical path.
And everyone knows we were robbed that night in Gisborne challenging for the Colvin Trophy.
So, it's a very merry Christmas to all. Check out the gig guide, come say gidday.
Glen
With the Tamworth country music festival just two months away, I've again failed dismally to secure any work there. This time despite making a trip down with my offsider Michael Muchow in September to play at the Pub and fire out some bios and demos to other venues.
Unfortunately, the material has fallen on deaf ears, and no one involved with booking the Pub during festival time attended our gig there either. Bugger. We did manage to impress the soundman and punters, though, as well as pass through Peter Allen's home town of Tenterfield.
Michael will still be attending the festival to be marvellous behind all manner of other artists and as a feature act at the Fender Super Jam.
The Tallboys are halfway through our four-week stint rockin' Premier's Bar at the Treasury Casino in Brisbane, and what a great gig this is! Premier's is tucked away in a corner looking out on the Brisbane River with not a gaming machine or one-armed bandit in sight.
It's loud, it's boisterous, it's crowded and it's a blast -- a considerable contrast to our staple diet of leagues clubs and RSLs. We've been very well-received by the patrons and expect to be back there mid-2006. You can still catch us there on the remaining Friday nights in November.
The elusiveness of a country music audience and the lack of any country music venues in Brisbane have seen the Tallboys morph into more of a classic rock outfit with a sprinkling of originals and obscure roots music. I've had to pack my piles of original songs into a suitcase and stash it under the bed.
It's not what I came over to do, but I just want to work, really, and I am a fan of good music no matter the genre. Who knows what country music is anymore, anyway? I don't believe it's the throwback to '70s pop music seeping out of Nashville at the moment.
If there is a country music audience here I can't find it, so the Tallboys will just keep on doing what we're doing -- mixing it up, blurring the edges -- and see where that takes us.
The gig guide will show that we've started accumulating bookings for the first part of 2006 at our regular haunts such as Easts Leagues Club, Greenbank RSL and Broncos. And don't forget we'll be bringing in the new year at Easts, so be there.
Glen
If there was a tribute band to the Band would it simply be called the Tribute Band? And what about one for the Average White Band -- would that be the Average White Tribute Band? I've seen a couple of average white tribute bands. These are the questions that keep me up at night.
It's been that superb mostly Canadian bunch called the Band that has been my source of inspiration over the past few months. I lent the 'Last Waltz' DVD to my duo partner Michael Muchow, and seeing him become all enthused about their music got me back into them and we ended up learning (or relearning) some of their songs.
In fact, we've nearly learnt up half a new repertoire lately, introducing some Tom Petty, Paul Kelly, Jay Farrar, Ben Harper and even the Scissor Sisters, not to mention the new original songs we've written.
Our trip to Tamworth was a success gigwise. As I've said, the Pub is one of the city's top venues, and we had a good crowd in there for a debut act. Michael and I threw some bios and CDs around, but we haven't locked in anything for the festival in January...yet.
Back in Brisbane, we opened the new Alfie's Lounge at Broncos Leagues Club. This was another good night, and once the teething problems inherent with any new bar are overcome this will be a top gig.
In October we will have the legendary Kerry Jacobson sitting in on drums for our Saturday night at Easts Leagues Club. Wellington music fans with a long memory will recall him playing with Rick Bryant and co in Mammal in the 1970s before joining Dragon in Australia for their heyday and then joining Ross Wilson in Mondo Rock. I'm looking forward to this one.
Check out the gig guide and get yourself down to one soon.
Glen
To quote Gerry Beckley, "I've been one poor correspondent...but it doesn't mean you ain't been on my mind." Sorry for not writing more regularly, but I'm just starting to understand my mother's oft-spoken warning that time goes faster the more years you put on the clock.
Does it ever. And the addition of children speeds it up even more. It only seems like last month we were enjoying a Christmas champagne breakfast in the arctic conditions of Auckland and now we're on the slippery slope to the festive season again!
Life on the music front has been getting busier of late as well. September sees Dash McIvor and myself at Easts Leagues Club on Father's Day for our second outing as a duo, and the band is back there a week later. In fact, Easts is becoming like a second home and we're starting to garner a bit of a regular following there. They have booked us in for New Year's Eve already, so mark that one on the calendar.
One I'm particularly looking forward to in September is Michael Muchow and myself performing at the Pub, one of Tamworth's premier country venues, on the 16th. The Pub is amongst the busiest of locations during the festival in January with the likes of Bill Chambers and the Feral Swing Katz playing daily.
It will be a great chance for Michael and I to escape from clubland for a little while and dust off the original songs and the lesser-known roots ballads we love (read Little Feat, Neil Young, Bill Kirchen), not to mention some rockin' Rodney Crowell, etc.
The intention is to fire some demos and bios around while in Tamworth in the hope of getting some work during the festival. With every other remotely country outfit in Australia vying for position, spots are limited. Fingers crossed we make an impression.
Recently I had the privilege of doing some cowriting with former Victorian Ian Muir. Ian is an award-winning independent recording artist who moved to Queensland three years ago. He lent me his guitar at a Bill Chambers concert not long after that and we met again through Dash in July. We found we liked the same artists and decided to write together.
You may have come across a couple of new photos on the web site. One is Melissa and the boys meeting Australian legend Ross Wilson after his set at the Manly Rhythms festival in July. The boys were ecstatic -- it was the next best thing to meeting a Wiggle, because Ross and "Eagle Rock" have become famous all over again thanks to his King Mondo cartoon character in the Wiggles' 'Space Dancing' DVD. Never mind that he's been at the forefront of Oz rock for more than 30 years!
Ross and his Urban Legends band, which included his Mondo Rock cohort Eric McCusker on guitar and Kaitaia's Chris Paraha on bass, were fantastic with all the hits from Daddy Cool, Mondo and Ross' solo material. It was very inspirational for all of us.
The other pic is Quinn and Reuben with their Pops, Ian Thomson, and a set of drums when Ian was here in June and guested with the Tallboys at Easts. I don't know which of the three is more excited. You can find this photo by following the link on Ian's bio in the Guns For Hire band page. Ian and I also feature in a new picture on Red McKelvie's page in Heroes & Friends. Talk about big hair!
Anyhoo, get a look at the gig guide and come and say hi.
Glen
I was very saddened to learn of the passing after a long illness of Wellington pedal steel identity Winnie Winston earlier this month.
I did not know Winnie well, but I had the absolute honour of performing two duo gigs with him in Wellington in 1996 or '97 ala Michael Nesmith and Red Rhodes. The gigs were a pleasure, but just jamming and listening to Winnie's tales during a Saturday afternoon rehearsal was just as thrilling.
Julian 'Winnie' Winston was born in New York City, spent a lot of time in Philadelphia, played guitar, banjo and pedal steel, and moved to Tawa, New Zealand, in 1995. He wrote an instruction book for Oak Publications in the mid-'70s called 'Pedal Steel Guitar' which set some of Nashville's finest on their way.
My heartfelt condolences to Julian Winston's family and friends. My thanks to Frank Sillay and the occasion of a milestone birthday for bringing the two of us together.
Still on the pedal steel, I have added a link on the Heroes & Friends page to another of my favourite players, Red McKelvie (aka Reg McKechnie). Red is a most unassuming character whose past and present accolades should be celebrated. This link is a start.
On the performance front, there's a steady flow of gigs at the moment for both the duo and band, with November and December already starting to fill up too.
Get to the gig guide and then get down to a gig, say gidday and have a yarn.
Glen
I have long been a fan of simple, effective guitar playing that becomes a distinctive part of an artist's sound. Don Rich to Buck Owens, James Burton to Ricky Nelson, Richard Bennett to early Steve Earle, and Pete Anderson to Dwight Yoakam (although I see now Mr Anderson is suing Mr Yoakam, so that could be the end of that).
Those guitarists' contributions have been an integral part of each singer's sound and have had nothing to do with flash and more to do with supporting and adding to great material.
Over the past 12 years, I have been lucky enough to have recorded and played with guitarists who have a similar sympathy towards songs. Who can argue with a list that reads Red McKelvie, Jeremy Dart, Rob Galley, Chet O'Connell and now Michael Muchow?
I love guitar players. Man, I should have been one! And it's guitar players that have provided recent highlights for me.
It was a privilege to be joined by the legendary Michael Fix for our last outing at Seagulls Club in Tweed Heads in April. Michael is one of Australia's best acoustic pickers and he is currently making inroads in the European market thanks to some heavy touring there.
I met Michael at the 1997 Geraldine Country Music Festival and then again at the Norfolk Island festival the same year, but, despite meeting up again in 2002 when I relocated to Brisbane, this was the first time we had played together, save an impromptu performance with Marian Burns in Geraldine.
It was also the first time I had heard Michael play electric, and it was great. We were very fortunate to have him subbing for us as a lot of his time now is spent in the studio or touring.
A second guitarist highlight was the early May arrival of Chet O'Connell's new CD, 'The Journey', recorded with his dad and great mate Johnny. As most of you know, Chet and I have been best of friends since kindergarten days, and what little Chet didn't learn from his father he actually learned from me.
The new album includes the first song Chet and I wrote together, "Country Music SOB", as well as one of my favourite Chet originals "Johnny's Guitar Song", written for the occasion of his dad's 60th birthday. There's also a cover of one of the greatest Kris Kristofferson numbers of all, "Loving Her Was Easier".
Michael Fix's and Chet's web sites can be found on the Heroes & Friends link, and I believe Chet's has even been updated!
A third guitar highlight is just being involved with a player of the calibre of Michael Muchow. He just blows me away every gig we play. And he's still only 19!
We recently got the chance to perform an hour-long showcase of original material at the QUT Student Guild Bar. There wasn't a big crowd, but it was so good for the soul to do a solid set of my own songs that was very well received.
Michael and I have started writing together and plan to record some demos later in the year.
On the gig front, we had an enjoyable Sunday afternoon at the Russell Island RSL, not to mention an uneventful return barge trip with wife and kids in tow, and we debut at another new venue for us, the Yeronga Services Club, on July 1.
Click on the gig guide for more, and stop by for a chat.
Glen
Thus far, 2005 has seen revolving doors installed in the bass player department of Glen Moffatt & the Tallboys with the departure of the magical Chris Haigh back to New South Wales.
Haighy left a big pair of boots to fill and although he was only with us for about nine months it was an absolute pleasure to have him. He was certainly one of the best bass guitarists I've played with and he could harmonise like Don Rich.
Since the start of the year, the bass duties have been shared between Luke Austen, Jerry Poulier, Dash McIvor and the original Tallboy Tamihana Johnston. I've introduced Dash and Tami in previous newsletters, but give me a moment to present Luke and Jerry.
Luke Austen is a fine singer and bandleader in his own right who is equally at home on bass or lead guitar. He is a graduate of the CMAA College of Country Music class of 1999 and has toured with the Brian Young show as well as Aussie superstar Troy Cassar-Daley. Luke's first gig with us was at Seagulls in February and he also provided us with the very able Damien Whitney on drums.
With a few years on Luke, Jerry Poulier is part of Toby Tyler's Country Boys line-up and has backed up such rock 'n' roll luminaries as Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley as well as befriending Rick Nelson before his untimely demise. Along with his fine playing and singing, Jerry regaled us with all manner of tales from previous tours.
Who will be nailing the low end next? Well, you'll have to check the gig guide and come and have a look. However, you won't see a bass player at our Southport RSL gigs any longer as the venue has decided to book only duos now. Never fear, guitar virtuoso Michael Muchow and myself have that base covered.
Recently, the Moffatt household played host to a reunion of three-quarters of my former Napier band the Colonials. Singer-songwriter Ian Turbitt still resides in the Bay, but independent of each other Tamihana Johnston, Simon Beattie (great name for a drummer, that) and myself all relocated to Brisbane within a few months a couple of years ago.
As you can imagine, there was much reminiscing and singing of the old songs, and as amazing as it was how those songs came back there were some absolute blanks with others. Keep an eye on the galleries because there'll be a reunion photo appearing any day now.
Check the gig guide and be sure to come and say hi at a show soon.
Glen
Eight years ago this month, Auckland singer-songwriter Malcolm McCallum and myself performed at the inaugural Geraldine Country Music Festival in the South Island of New Zealand. We were so inspired by the event, the place, the other entertainers and the locals that on our return to Auckland we wrote a song called "Geraldine", intending to unveil it when invited back to the 1998 festival.
However, the disastrous weather that hampered the mostly outdoor first festival saw the event deconstructed and scaled right back, and no invitation came. Until the middle of last year, that is.
The song "Geraldine" was dusted off, emailed to band members and relearnt, and just a matter of weeks ago she finally came home to the place Geraldine. I reckon the locals enjoyed it too, Mal. Bill Chambers, Chet O'Connell, Neil Hannan, Gordon Joll and myself certainly enjoyed the Geraldine Country Music Festival. And guess what, it rained again!
One of the highlights for me was catching up with New Zealand music legend Red McKelvie after several years. Predictably, I can report he is still playing steel and guitar like a man possessed. And he's looking bloody well too.
As usual, it was great to team up with Bill Chambers and Chet O'Connell again, following on from North Island tours with them and Ritchie Pickett last year and in 2003. Audiences really get off on the contrasting styles, and another dimension was added with that sublime rhythm section of Neil Hannan and Gordon Joll.
A big hats off must go to Phyllis and Gavin Prentice, who single-handedly brought the festival back from the dead after the initial event, and their team. Long may they reign, not rain.
The band sans Bill had three warm-up gigs in Auckland and Orewa before Christmas, which were well-received things. And at Muldoon's in Orewa, manager Les instigated a one-off supergroup of Highwaymen proportions -- Chet, James Ray, Brendon Ham and myself. Well, maybe it was the Guinness that made it feel like the Highwaymen! Photo in the galleries section.
Back in the Lucky Country, Australia Day found guitarist Michael Muchow and I at the Billinudgel Hotel in northern New South Wales for their version of Tamworth. I didn't make the real Tamworth, but this was a damn fine replacement, sharing the bill with, among others, Leslie Avril, Slim Pickens and, two of my favourite band names, the Toe-Sucking Cowgirls and Mary Loves To Yip Ya. Again, photo in the galleries, folks.
This one-day affair owes a lot to the hard work of former Hawke's Bay boy Jerry De Munga, aka Jerry Harrison, whose slide guitar with Mary Loves To Yip Ya was a joy to behold. Jerry also pulls together Billinudgel's Boozed and Rooted Festival, which runs the same weekend as Byron Bay's Blues and Roots Fest and is starting to attract some big talent.
Glen Moffatt & the Tallboys' gig guide is starting to fill up for the first part of 2005, so do check it out, and I'll catch you at a show soon. All the best for the year.
Glen
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