BLUEDAWE STUDIO

I HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN TO STEPHEN GARD'S STUDIO FOR SOME MONTHS. THIS WEEKEND, I'M HEADING DOWN THERE SO STEVE CAN MIX SOME STUFF FOR ME THAT I'M PREPARING FOR ROSS WARD, AND I THINK STEVE WANTS SOME STUFF ADDED TO A SOUNDTRACK FOR A MOVIE HE IS MAKING. STEVE LIVES IN THIRLMERE, IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS, RENOWNED FOR THE RAILWAY MUSEUM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS ABOUT TO RECEIVE 3801, THE MOST FAMOUS STEAM LOCOMOTIVE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. IF YOU LIKE STEAM TRAINS, AND YOU ARE IN AUSTRALIA, THIS PLACE IS WELL WORTH A VISIT.

ROSS WARD, NEW CD & ME!

THE PICS ARE OF WARDS EXPRESS AT THREDBO 2005 AND ROSS' PREVIOUS TWO ALBUM COVERS. IT WILL BE GREAT TO BE A PART OF THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.




FOLLOWING MY PREVIOUS POST ON ROSS, HE HAS ASKED ME TO PLAY ON HIS NEW CD TO BE RECORDED EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR AT GEORDIE LEACH'S STUDIO IN THE TWEED. THIS IS FANTASTIC FOR ME, IT IS A NICE THING TO RECORD WITH SUCH AN OLD FRIEND, WE USED TO PLAY TOGETHER IN 1968.

PHIL JONES (UNKNOWN BLUES) OUR SOMETIMES AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT

PHIL CONSTANTLY TRAVELS ACROSS THE US WITH HIS WIFE JENNIFER, AND THEIR ABLE ASSISTANT, SCRUFFY BUBBLES RUTHERFORD, HERE IS SBR IN HER, I ASSUME SYDNEY SWANS RUGGIE, WAITING TO ATTACK CHILDREN ON HALLOWEEN. PHIL WAS IN SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS AT THE TIME.

ROSS WARD, MEMORIES FROM THE PAST, AND OTHER STUFF

ROSS HAS BEEN IN TOUCH, WITH SOME LOVELY STORIES FROM OUR TEENAGE YEARS TOGETHER, ALONG WITH ROSS' BROTHER, WARREN. I HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOUCH WITH EVERYBODY FROM THOSE DAYS, LATE 1960'S FOR 35 YEARS, UNTIL RECENTLY, THANKS TO THE INTERNET. ROSS AND I WERE STILL AT SCHOOL, WHEN WE FIRST PLAYED TOGETHER, THESE DAYS ROSS, A PRO MUSO FOR MANY YEARS PARTICULARLY IN THE BLUES SCENE, TRAVELS THE COUNTRY FAR AND WIDE, PERFORMING SOLO, OR SOMETIMES WITH HIS SON, NATHAN, OR OTHER YOUNG UP AND COMING ARTISTS, OR AS A FULL BAND, WARDS EXPRESS. ROSS' MOST RECENT CD, TRANSIT LOUNGE SHOWCASES HIS GREAT TALENTS. HE IS PLANNING ANOTHER CD IN THE NEW YEAR, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

JEFF STJOHN & BONDI BITCH BAND

FOLLOWING ALONG FROM THE SHARON SIMS POST, PAUL ELLIS SENT ME THIS PIC FROM 1977. NOT THE BEST QUALITY, BUT WAYNE THOMAS' HEAD STILL APPEARS.
LINDSAY ASKEW INFORMS ME THAT IT IS HIM PLAYING THE TELECASTER AND BILLY CHILVERS TO THE RIGHT PLAYING A GIBSON SG.

A FEW MORE PATONGA PICS

THE TOP PIC IS OF FRANK DENGATE, A GREAT OLD MATE OF MINE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. BLUES FESTIVAL GOERS, PARTICULARLY AT GOULBURN, NAROOMA AND PATONGA WHO ENJOY A BIT OF FREE FORM DANCING SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH FRANK'S UNIQUE STYLE.

PATONGA BLUES FESTIVAL

TODAY'S LITTLE BLUES FEST AT PATONGA WAS, AS USUAL, FIRST RATE, WITH THE HEADLINE ACT, KEVIN BORICH EXPRESS. THEY WERE FANTASTIC. THIS IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST ONE DAY BLUES EVENTS. NOT JUST THE MUSIC, BUT FERRY TRIP, THE WEATHER AND THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OVER THE WATER AND BUSH. RELAXED FRIENDLY PEOPLE, SOME NICE FOOD AND DRINKS. THIS IS WHAT MAKES FOR ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF THE YEAR.

SHARON SIMS 70'S DIVA

WITH THE RELEASE OF THE FLAKE CD, THERE HAS BEEN MUCH SAID ABOUT THE WONDERFUL VOCALIST, SHARON SIMS. EVEN THOUGH WE HAD 3 LEAD SINGERS, SHARON WAS A STANDOUT, CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY DENISE CAINES. SHARON HAS NOT PERFORMED FOR MANY YEARS, BUT HERE ARE A FEW PICS OF HER. SHE'S A LOVELY WOMAN, I LOVED HER VOICE AND HER COMPANY. THE TOP PIC IS SHARON WITH FLAKE, AT THE BASEMENT, THE NEXT IS A PIC OF FLAKE WITH SHARON AND MYSELF AT SPINNING WHEEL DISCO, THE LAST PIC IS SHARON WITH BONDI BITCH BAND.

MUSICAL MELBOURNE CUP QUINELLA

IF EVER THERE WAS A MORE TOPICAL TIP FOR MUSOS, IT HAS TO BE THIS YEAR'S
MELBOURNE CUP WINNER AND SECOND PLACE GETTER, DELTA BLUES AND POP ROCK!