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Derek was manful in his reluctance to criticize RSBS. Or he has cloth ears. One of the two.

Later on they played Love Me Do which was great, probably because it was allowed to stray from the template. Sounded fresh. Simpler and almost better - like that Rain on a uke I heard once.

Perhaps they were just having an off night, with the earlier songs serving as rehearsal.

Pity I missed it, mind, it must have been the One After 9:09.

I suspect if we heard the Beatles play their stuff (assuming they were all still alive) they would also sound pretty crappy. They were definitely a hot live band, but 40 years of their stuff on the radio has killed the thrill. Did the R. Soul guys happen to do Revolution #9 live -- now that would be worth hearing.
I can't stand that album of Beatles covers which comes from Son of Sam, with its exact copies of Two of us and Blackbird, with an insipid vocal over the top. Shocking.

"I suspect if we heard the Beatles play their stuff (assuming they were all still alive) they would also sound pretty crappy."

Not sure I agree with that, Prof. I've got no reason to suspect they wouldn't be just as capable now, as they were back then.

And while I do agree their musical impact has waned over the journey for me, anyone else hearing their gear for the first time would probably find them just as impressive as I did when I first heard them. The big difference now is that someone hearing them now has probably heard their influence in a 1000 other imitations.

As it happens, my first introduction to the Beatles was Something by Cranky Franky and Fool On The Hill by Sergio Mendez.

Here is a site dedicated to Beatles covers.

Pity I missed it, mind, it must have been the One After 9:09.

I'll pay that. 9.08.59 being your bedtime I assume.

I can send you a cd of their Melbourne concert live. If you are keen to hear what they did actually sound like in a big tin shed (The House of Stoush)with lots of screaming and small amps and speakers that a lounge room band would be embarassed to be seen with dragging out of their bedrooms these days.

You mean someone actually got a clear recording of them at FestHall sans shrieks? Surely that must be worth a few bob.

On the subject of covers - usually uninspired and dull but sometimes surprisingly engaging (and occasionally rip-roaring and WOW) - I recently found and downloaded a version of the fabulous Graham Parker acoustically covering Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" (from the album "A Fair Forgery Of Pink Floyd: US").

Nothing earth-shattering mind you, but I thought it was a pretty left-of-centre pairing... and if you like acoustic GP (1989's "Live! Alone In America" is great) then you may also enjoy it.

I saw him solo at the old Central Club in the 90s (I think??) and he was fantastic.

P.S. I must confess I hadn't heard of any of the other artists performing songs on the album... has anyone??

hey I was at the Central Club too to see GP that night. I got him to sign my Pink Parker. And had big rambling chat to him.

Unfortunately that night someone must have spiked my drink, or something, so that to an uninformed outsider and casual observer I may have appeared to be a sloppy drunk fawning fan overcome by excessive inarticulatness as opposed to the sauve hep cat and thoughtful GP aficionado that is the real me.

You mean someone actually got a clear recording of them at FestHall sans shrieks?

ha didn't you notice I cunningly didn't mention the screams. Somewhere in the background if you strain hard - you can hear something like the Beatles.

If I remember my arcania well it was actually filmed for tv and the sound is off that.

Greeny: GP the ten hit wonder. (Sorry, folks. In joke.)

FX: I missed that gig, but back in around 92, 93 or 94, I was sitting in my car in the Swinburne car-park, having a gasper before an exam, when GP was interviewed by one of the afternoon hosts on either 3AW or 3LO. Buggered if I can remember who the interviewer was, but it was certainly one of those times you wonder what the hell someone like Parker is doing being interviewed by someone like Ernie Sigley of Elaine Canty. (I lean towards 94.)

As a fellow suave hep cat, I can only stand and applaud the finely crafted gag that is "inarticulatness".

aah tones - the swinny carpark.evening classes.hopes.dreams.tombstones.

In case some are wondering, GP is /was one of the unsung heros.

The Howlin'Wind and Heat Treatment albums stand as some of the canon down at the hard end of popular rockin' music. Not that his subsequent output has been anything to be ashamed of.

Especially noteworthy in it's impact on me was Sqeezing Out Sparks containing the best song ever about abortion in Sydney (possibly a smallish genre)- "You Can't Be Too Strong"

GP's 1978 Australian tour, supported by Sports, still rates as one of the best ever live gigs I have attended. (It goes without saying that I like to think I know what I'm talking about)

Nice one FX!!

I was there at The Central Club ostensibly for taking photos for that classy street mag "Beat" (in reality getting in for free to see one of my fave artists as was my wont back then)...

He didn't sign anything for me but somewhere I do have a photo of myself (the awestruck fan) posing with him (the big rock star in large dark glasses).

Memories.

P.S. So YOU were the sloppy fawning mumbling drunk?!?! Thank you for clearing that up as I have been wondering who that was for for 13-odd years.

The glasses and guitar were huge. Bigger than he was.

I know this is an old line, but where are the Mark Chapman tribute killers when Beatles tribute bands are playing?

Hanging out with the Brian Jones' builder tribute bands.

Was that the band Not Waving, Drowning?

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