BILL CLINTON ALWAYS ENJOYED A BIT OF SAX ON THE SIDE

THE POLITICAL THEME CONTINUES. WHERE PAUL KEATING WAS A MANAGER, HIS MATE BILL WAS ALWAYS A PLAYER.

THE FORMER MANAGER OF THE RAMRODS

THE PREVIOUS POSTING ABOUT PETER GARRETT REMINDED ME OF FORMER LABOR PRIME MINISTER PAUL KEATING. IN THE 60'S A BAND CALLED THE RAMRODS FROM BANKSTOWN IN SYDNEY'S SOUTH WEST, WAS MANAGED BY A YOUNG PAUL KEATING.
KEATING SAID IN AN INTERVIEW WITH AUST ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE, HE TOOK THEM FROM NOWHERE TO OBSCURITY. PAUL KEATING LATER BECAME THE LOCAL MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, TREASURER AND THEN PRIME MINISTER. MY UNCLE, GREG CLOUT, WAS HIS ELECTORATE CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND MENTOR THROUGHOUT HIS POLITICAL CAREER. I ALSO HAVE AN AUNT WHO WAS A LIBERAL PARTY BRANCH PRESIDENT, AND A COUSIN WHO WORKED FOR B.A. SANTAMARIA, A RIGHT WINGISH CATHOLIC SOCIAL COMMENTATOR. WE HAVE SOME VERY DIVERSE POLITICAL VIEWS IN MY EXTENDED FAMILY!

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS NEXT SATURDAY

FOR THOSE POOR READERS IN AUSTRALIA, WHO HAVE HAD TO ENDURE MONTHS OF POLITICAL ADVERTISING, IT WILL SOON BE OVER. IF LABOR WINS, WILL IT BE THE FIRST NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WITH A FORMER ROCK STAR AS A MINISTER? FORMER MIDNIGHT OIL'S FRONTMAN, PETER GARRETT WILL BE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. ALSO, LABOR SEEM TO BE THE ONLY MAJOR PARTY WITH A POLICY FOR MUSICIANS.

DENGATE'S DAZZLING DANCING WAS AT THE USUAL HIGH STANDARD, DESPITE A RECENT HERNIA OP!

DUTCH TILDERS WITH THE FOREDAY RIDERS

SIMON AND FRANK ENJOYING A COLD ONE

PATONGA 2007

PATONGA, BLUES ACROSS THE BAY 2007 WAS ONCE AGAIN A GREAT DAY OUT.
THE RAIN STOPPED, AND ALTHOUGH THE ORGANISERS WERE FORCED TO MOVE THE MUSICIANS INSIDE, WE STILL HAD OUR OUTDOOR PICNIC UNDER BLUE SKIES.
THE HEADLINERS WERE FOREDAY RIDERS, +40TH REUNION MEMBERS, DUTCH TILDERS, WAYNE JURY AND BOB SPENCER.

WILL FLAKE REFORM?

I HAVE BEEN DOING A COUPLE OF RECORDING BITS AND PIECES WITH SONGWRITER STEVE MAHER OF LATE, AND HE HAS BEEN WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THE MATERIAL. WE NEED A RECORDING PROJECT TO KEEP US OUT OF THE PUBS, SO I THOUGHT ABOUT REFORMING FLAKE. IT'S THE BAND'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF IT'S ORIGINAL FORMATION NEXT YEAR, SO I EMAILED A FEW FELLOW EX-MEMBERS YESTERDAY, ALL OF WHOM STILL PLAY, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE AGREEMENT AT THIS STAGE, SO IT'S STILL EARLY DAYS, BUT, YOU NEVER KNOW.......I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

WHO READS THIS STUFF?

I AM ALWAYS CURIOUS ABOUT WHO READS THIS BLOG. ON MY LITTLE MAP TO THE RIGHT OF THIS POSTING, IT SHOWS WHERE PEOPLE ARE WHO LOOK AT THIS BLOG. IT'S BASICALLY EVENLY SPREAD ACROSS EUROPE, AMERICA, ETC. BUT TWO THINGS STAND OUT TO ME. ONE IS, NO ONE ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT HAS SEEN THIS BLOG, WHICH SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE INEQUITY OF ACCESS TO COMPUTERS IN THE WORLD. A SAD SITUATION!
THE OTHER THING I NOTICE, IS THERE IS A SINGLE AVID READER IN THE MIDDLE OF AUSTRALIA. IF YOU READ THIS, DON'T BE SHY, CONTACT ME AND TELL ME YOUR INTERESTS.

ROSS HANNAFORD'S GUITAR PINCHED!

SUBTLE, UNDERSTATED, BEIGE GUITARIST ROSS HANNAFORD HAD HIS GEAR PINCHED RECENTLY, IN MELBOURNE. I WONDER IF ANY OF ROSS' CLOBBER WAS IN THE VAN? IF YOU SEE THIS GUITAR CONTACT THE POLICE, IF YOU SEE ANY OF HIS CLOTHES, CONTACT THE FASHION POLICE.

STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN UP HERE IN THE NORTHERN SUN

GORDON SHEARD, GUITARIST WITH FLAKE 1989 VERSION CONTACTED ME YESTERDAY.


HERE HE IS PICTURED WITH PHIL EMMANUEL AT JOHNNO'S BLUES BAR IN CAIRNS. CHECK OUT MY FLAKE BLOGSPOT FOR MORE PICS.