P'OHDO IN MOTION

I'm from Bury...

2010-05-17T20:21:00.001+09:30

Damn, I love this song. And the video, well, it's... beautiful. The Fall deserve it.

Goooaaaaalllll!!!!

2010-05-01T18:53:00.002+09:30

AVANT AGAIN

2010-02-28T21:31:00.003+10:30

ADELAIDE, 1986...

2009-10-26T22:50:00.001+10:30

GIDDY UP.

2009-09-13T16:41:00.002+09:30

pretty happy with this one:

a fine vintage...

2009-06-07T19:28:00.004+09:30

AVANT GARDENERS

2009-06-07T18:54:00.004+09:30

King Chief Birdman

2009-06-01T22:18:00.000+09:30

1974,

2009-06-01T22:06:00.000+09:30

YO.

2009-05-31T22:18:00.003+09:30

THE SEEMING & THE MEANING

2009-04-15T23:20:00.004+09:30

A DAY OFF...

2009-03-19T17:24:00.004+10:30

...and i needed it.
so much to catch up on, and as the day draws to a close, there's still plenty on the to-do list.
oh well.
nothing better than relaxing in the late arvo with a coffee and some music, courtesy of our friend Grover:

FOR THE LOVE OF FONT...

2009-02-23T23:32:00.003+10:30

I love this site. Boy, oh boy, this site rules for a font nerd like me. Showcasing some of the best design in the world using a brilliant layout, Typeneu is on my daily visit list.

HOW GREEN IS YOUR GARDEN?

2008-12-21T17:44:00.008+10:30

with the rather unusual weather we've been having, the garden's getting a real head start on summer... sure we're gonna cop in heatwave style in january-march, but right now, the garden is totally loving the cooler days and shock horror - the rain.
here's a selection of what's happening right now at the homestead:

the honeysuckle is FINALLY flowering

the coral barked maple

my three (hopefully cacti-styled) dahlias are making headway amongst the zinnias

we're gonna have a lotta lemons! the smell of lemon flowers washes through the back yard - awesome!

the gardenia is finally flowering, but is struggling somewhat. i don't think i've got the knack with these things yet...

gladioli - a vibrant red one. looks great amongst the yellow field daisies and lavender

the lebanese cucumbers are ripening up - by christmas day we'll have five or six to eat!

the clematis! finally! it's here!

a lil' punk cosmos with it's stripe...

WHAT COMES AROUND...

2008-12-07T21:16:00.002+10:30

lots of things on the boil at the moment.
birthday - tick! lots of fun.
thanks to all who wished me good things. i like you. all. a lot.
awesome-ly relaxed weekend. awnings up. shelves up. gardening. watching "no country for old men" on friday night.
still, it goes toooooo quick, i'd like another three or four days before going back to work. sheeeeeit hey. oh wellbs.

lots of pohdos now:

new spring onions - we have about 500 coming up!

my birthday morning. opening presents from sam - yay!

painting the wall: adrienne and the k lady work their magic

carrots - lots of them. all from our garden.

WELCOME BACK KOTTER...

2008-09-21T18:38:00.004+09:30

Hasn't it been a long time?
Life has been carrying on as usual, work, play and lots of rest...
since we last spoke - well, it's been fun: japan, melbs, down south and plenty inbetween...
i'd wished to have kept this blog going right thru all then, but, knowing me, that was never going to happen...
anyway, let's try again with this ruddy blog. maybe even regular like.
Anyway, back to The Wire (mos def).

IT'S BEEN TOO LONG...

2008-04-02T16:58:00.000+10:30

2007 - it be ending...

2007-12-24T22:04:00.001+10:30

It's been a good, but damned busy year...
japan was the obvious highlight, but there's been plenty of aktion to keep us entertained...
my top five list would be:
1. Japan - such an amazing place, very excited to be going back again next year, at around the same time (may). I can't wait... In some ways it feels like home away from home...
2. The garden - coming together in one short year - it's really done well for us - already planning next year's assault on the front yard, whilst still kicking it hard in the back yard - see photos above! after four or so years without a real garden to speak of, it's been brilliant to spend most of my waking, non-working hours getting the garden up to scratch and enjoying every moment of it... i think next year I'll calm down a bit, and start to focus on some of my other passions... but i'll still be getting up at 6 in the morning and enjoying le petit jardin for all it's worth...
3. Trams - yes - the butt of many jokes against me, but fuck it - i love 'em... finally, after nearly 50 years Adelaide has new trams and a new (albeit small) extension... What a controversy it created for what amounts to a brilliant improvement in service and rather a small (1.2km) extension of the line... here's to many many more km's to come!
4. A Labor government! after 11 years of being shat on from above, we're rid of lil johnny scumbag and his merry misanthropic misers... Lord knows it won't be a seachange with Labor, but anything was better than another term with the coalition... already though, Rudd has ratified the Kyoto protocol, made steps towards saying "sorry" to the aboriginal people and pressured japan into cutting their whale slaughter... not bad after one month, n'est pas?
5. My lady friend, Adrienne... through our ups and downs, we emerge stronger and more loving than ever... but it's been a fantastic ride and i can't wait for next year's surprises and well, all sorts of fun! i love you girl!!!

work is still getting better - some of the things we're doing now make me actually proud and even passionate for my job. working with a awesome bunch of dudes and getting shit done, i never thought that'd happen - bring on 08 y'all!

merry xmas and rock the new year yo!
xxxx

2007 - it be ending...

2007-12-24T22:04:00.000+10:30

DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES...

2007-11-18T22:03:00.000+10:30

Well, somewhat.

Plenty of rather cool events have meant the future looks brighter than it has been for some time... Mostly Work - it's a whole new world there now - I'm actually pleased to be there, 5 days a week. Strange.

Been riding to and from work on the bicycle - sometimes with Scoot from Work. It adds up to just under 40kms a day, not too bad for an old, unfit codger like me. I'm determined to ride every day the heat isn't baking us into the ground.

And hopefully I'll never run into, again, the brown snake I nearly rode over last Thursday. It was a scary little ordeal that involved me narrowly avoiding being bitten by a venomous snake as it leapt up at me while I rode within mm's of it. Long fucker, too.
It stretched across most of the path, and moved like a freight train through the hills as it buggered off into the scrub. Scrub, this was under Hackney Road Bridge for goodness sakes!
Bloody snakes in the city! What shit creek are we all paddling up to have snakes in the city?

It got me thinking that it's high time that I really knuckle into the backyard - it's a bit of a mess. We've finally ordered though, today, the mulch to cover over our sorry attempt for lawn... plus some pavers to make some nice new pathways thru the mulch.
Hopefully it will tie everything in together and make a year's effort pay off. Thinking of putting together two new beds, probably for more veg/fruit...
We've got 12 or so tomatoes (there's volunteers popping up all the time), 2 eggplants, a lone capsicum, 8 cayenne peppers, 100 or so spring onions, 50 or so brown onions, tonnes of silverbeet (still!) and barrow loads of herbs and lettuce. We're self sufficent in onions and greens, we'll see how it goes with the tomatoes... Hoping to make tomato sauce this year.

Did some freelance work recently that I've very much enjoyed... Got me thinking I should be spending WAY more time sketching and reading than I do.

Anyway, a shot to end off with...

My pride and joy. Let the sauce making begin!

49 YEARS IN THE MAKING...

2007-10-14T19:24:00.000+09:30

Well, it's been a long wait - but finally we have trams running thru the city again!
The original, extensive tram network had it's final day back in November '58 but today heralded the beginning of a light rail renaissance, with trams once again making their way down King William St and North Tce.
I managed to get on the first public service to roll down the 1.2km extension, after several trams, including an old H type, loaded with politicians, tram buffs and assorted guests convoyed their way along the new line.
It was a totally awesome experience going thru the heart of the city in a tram, it's as if Adelaide is a real, cosmopolitan city! Perhaps it will be, one day. We've certainly made the first step.
Media Mike let slip that he's a huge fan of trams in the city, and is most definitely looking to further extend the line in the coming years, starting with a loop line back to Vic Sq. Let's hope it doesn't take too long!

My personal celebrations today were marred by my total lack of hearing, thanks to last night's amazing Motörhead concert. Fuckn A! Exceeded my expectations, and they were very high to begin with! Lemmy and the boys delivered in every way, a consumate loud-as-fuck-take-no-prisoners rock'n'roll act. Often voted the loudest band in the world, I wholeheartedly agree. Why aren't more concerts like this? Why don't more bands know how to deliver the mo-fo goods every damned performance???

TODAY IS THE DAY

2007-10-11T19:51:00.000+09:30

Well, I took the plunge and became one of those facebook people.
Not such a bad thing to do, I guess... especially if you actually want to use it to network, but I can see myself wasting time I don't have on it. I'm wanting to hook up a network of people and groups to see if it might help me get some freelance design work - and hook up with crew I haven't seen or heard from in yonks.
That part has worked... Two friends from high school, people I spent 5 years or so pretty much joined at the hip with have resurfaced and it's good. It's awesome to revisit a side to my life unexplored for well over a decade... Schmaltzy to say, but it truly is funny how time flies...

Life cruises on here at Chez Usage:
The garden progresses - I've made significant steps towards securing a summer salad future and making our back yard look less like a complete shambles.

Adrienne has just deservedly earnt herself a new job, something she has wanted with all her heart and is long overdue! I'm so proud of the efforts she has made and the responsibilities she has taken on - viva la future my lub! I know she will ALWAYS succeed wherever she may boldly travel in her career!

As for me, I'm (reasonably) happy, ambling along a path well travelled... I still see a future at my work, as misplaced as that might be sometimes... but with each week and with each new design, I do feel progress is being made. I know my efforts are not being ignored, but i do wish the systems, the regime in place would radically change... where's Che when you need him?
I'm looking to really pour some SERIOUS attention into my freelance career... That means devoting far more time networking, reorganizing my portfolio site and then JUST GETTING OUT THERE AND SHOWING PEEPS WHAT I KNOW I CAN DO AND AM DAMN GOOD AT. Ok, that's enough big up for now. :P

To finish, a bunch of terribly random images and links. So there.
TRAILER PARK BOYS (potentially the greatest television programme ever made, besides any other show I've already said that about)
NEASDEN CONTROL CENTRE (who has a new book and I have it and I'm about to pop myself on a couch and slobber all over it)

TRAMS IN ADELAIDE (some fine shots of the new tram extension here in adelaide - this sunday's opening is a day I've waited with baited breath for far too long... TRAM GEEK TRAM GEEK TRAM GEEK... shots taken by Will409 and BillD of Railpage )

SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

2007-09-23T21:20:00.000+09:30

Damn, the weather is good at the mo.
Would be nice to have some rain, but when the sun is shining, you can't complain. Too much.
Spent the weekend in the garden, working on our lil vege patches. Adrienne's cousin Dave brought us some sleepers to build our tomato bed... should be sorted by next weekend, in time to watch Adrienne watching her wharfie lads kick potential butt in the Grand Final. I'll be doing the bbq.
Recovering from last night at the Prince Albert - wishing a fond farewell to the Kelly boys... I potentially downed nigh on 20 pints. Without feeling drunk. At all. Then came the hangover.
A day in the jardin returned some colour in my cheeks, thankfully.

MORE GARDEN STUFF TO FREAK MATTY B OUT

2007-08-28T22:40:00.000+09:30

A couple of months later, the garden starts to take shape.
We're thinking of either a fruit tree or a magnolia for the wine barrel.
Meanwhile the first of the bulbs are beginning to flower and things are pretty rosy.
We found a foul eight legged unmentionable creature from the pits of hell underneath a foot of solid blue clay, whilst digging up a new vegetable bed. What seriously lives down there? It was grotesque and wrong and hopefully my repeated stabs with the shovel sent it back where it belongs. Urgh.
Other than that though, can't complain.
Should soon be planting bok choy, more spring onions and lettuce, plus a mixture of herbs and assorted things. Then onto to the first of the tomatoes.

MUSHROOM?

2007-08-23T19:43:00.000+09:30

almost a year ago...

2007-07-29T19:39:00.000+09:30

a couple of shots of the garden in it's earliest stages. when we bought the house, the backyard was an empty dustbowl. slowly but surely we've been adding to it - creating beds, planting all sorts of stuff and generally making it a place we want to spend time in. we've been doing it as cheaply as possible though - a little bit here, a little bit there. anyway, it's amazing after less than a year where we're up to.
must take some more photos soon - in the last two months things have really taken off. made two new beds (for the veges) and added bits and bobs to really bring things together.
my gardening passion has always been with me, ask any of my housemates, but with owning a house, one can really make things happen.

THE SANJA MATSURI + THE SHIBUYA CROSSING

2007-06-22T15:56:00.001+09:30

TOKYO TIMES

2007-06-14T15:05:00.000+09:30

A few weeks after returning from the trip of a lifetime, I'm feeling it's about time to get some pics up here.
These first ones are from one action packed weekend spent in Asakusa at the Sanja Matsuri and in Harajuku. Over the next week or two, I'll start putting up a lil diary with pics of the journey. Adrienne and I certainly packed a lot into three short weeks...
In a good way, it felt like months!

REALLY REALLY GOOD IN THEORY

2007-04-09T00:34:00.000+09:30

Our second RGIT event - looks like it's gonna be a brilliant day.
Hope everyone comes along and checks us what we're up to.
The daytime market promises to be much bigger than last year and I can guarantee the nighttime extravaganza is gonna rock!
See y'all there!
xxx

AT LAST!

2007-04-09T00:24:00.000+09:30

Well folks, for the first time since 1947 (!), Adelaide is building a tramway.
The first section of rail went in this Easter weekend, with the remainder going in over the next couple of months of weekends...
For a tram nerd, this shit is awesome.
I'd love to think this is the beginning of a new love affair with rail, or something.

84J

2007-03-26T21:21:00.000+09:30

days passed, a beautiful life(style)...
now we begin the bogey hill adventure...
a tad more solitary
and we miss our closest
come back, come back
to a time of frivolity and abandon
we aint moved to the east coast as yet...

TRAMBULATER

2007-02-09T22:07:00.000+10:30

Adelaide, is this really such a bad thing?
According to the letter writers in that bastion of right wing baby boomer commentary, The Advertiser, the above tram is the devil and our government it's wicked minions.
Surely public transport in all it's forms is something we should embrace rather than crucify?
We do love our cars though, huh?
?

?

MELVOFEST 2007

2007-01-09T16:50:00.000+10:30

ok. it's on again. first time at the prince albert - a good thing, we can get a schnitty inbetween bands.

THE AUDREYS

2007-01-04T14:28:00.000+10:30

A couple of the shots I took of The Audreys for RIP IT UP, at the Tin Cat Café.
Lovely, lovely folk.

MY FAVOURITE BAND OF 2007, SO FAR. THE CREATION.

2007-01-03T14:22:00.000+10:30

I remember hearing Ride doing "How Does It Feel To Feel" back in the 90's and I hated it - at least their version anyway.
And of course I new that Alan McGee (Creation Records, Biff Bang Pow) was a fanatical fan.
The band I play in, Terrance Dicks, has covered The Creation's "Making Time" ('cept we call it "Wasting Time" and it's quite different in parts, though totally recognizable) for a while now, but it's only since I searched out the comp "How Does It Feel To Feel" that I've really discovered what this amazing band are on about.
I fukkn love them.
Rather than me wank on about them, read this:

The Creation burst on the British pop-rock scene with "Making Time", a single that seemed to have everything going for it -- a killer beat after a brief (but catchy) stop-and-go intro, a great chorus, and a flashy, slashy, crunchy lead guitar part by Eddie Phillips that intersected very neatly with and expanded on the kind of sound that the Who were carrying high onto the charts at the time. The parallel was no accident, as that single was produced by Shel Talmy, who'd also worked on all of those early Who sides. In an eerie and inexplicable portent of their future, however, "Making Time" soared to number five in Germany but peaked at an anemic number 49 in England, this at a time when they were getting amazing press for their stage performances, which included paintings being lit afire and, in anticipation of what Jimmy Page would one day be doing with the Yardbirds et al -- Phillips playing his electric guitar with a violin bow.
The group finally saw some slightly significant chart action at home in the fall of 1966 with "Painter Man", a cheerfully trippy pop anthem -- with a feedback-oozing guitar break -- that made the top 40; predictably (and one can see where this story is going), the same record hit number one in Germany. The B-side, "Biff Bang Boom", opened with a "My Generation" guitar riff and jumped into a pop-rock idiom with a psychedelic edge that could have earned it airplay on its own.

By the start of 1967, however, the Creation had hit a crisis point, as Kenny Pickett quit over creative differences and frustration at the need to continue touring in Europe, where their audience was seemingly rooted. He was eventually replaced by Kim Gardner, late of the group the Birds. Their sound at that point was still intact -- Phillips was still there on guitar, which was a huge part of what they were about musically and sonically. At this point, with whatever momentum they'd built up in jeopardy, the group took a totally unexpected turn into blue-eyed soul with "If I Stay Too Long", which was a good enough showcase for Gardner (supported by some reverb-soaked backing vocals and an organ) but offered little from Phillips except some emphatically played chords; it was as though the Who, having established themselves on the charts and the radio with "My Generation" and "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere", had suddenly issued their version of "Please, Please, Please" as a 45 -- it confused people who knew the Creation, and was mostly ignored by established fans. Much more like their established sound were "Can I Join Your Band", which somehow only got issued in France, and the UK single's B-side, "Nightmares".

They were still struggling for a commercial foothold in England, despite being one of the most widely touted live acts of the time, when the group's German label decided it was time to release a Creation LP. The latter, entitled We Are The Paintermen, ended up being better than anyone could have anticipated, highlighted by the previous hit plus a surprisingly good, crunchy, at times almost Byrds-like rendition of "Like A Rolling Stone" and a version of "Hey Joe" that had the temerity to take Jimi Hendrix's slow tempo and treat its jagged guitar line even more harshly. There was also a rousing rendition of "Cool Jerk" for anyone who cared, though a lot else of what was there was either off-point or represented the earlier line-up. One more single, "Life Is Just Beginning" b/w "Through My Eyes", showed up in the fall of 1967 -- the A-side was a rousing psychedelic showcase, with elements of Indian raga and a catchy, chant-like main body, plus jagged guitar and a string orchestra with the cellos sawing away in the best "King Midas In Reverse" manner; "Through My Eyes" was no throwaway, either, with a lean, crunchy guitar, beautiful choruses, and a great central tune, with three minutes and change of spacy sensibilities ending in a feedback crescendo.

Evidently, Eddie Phillips felt that the single was as good a showcase as he would ever get, and in October of 1967 he quit. His departure was followed by Kim Gardner's decision to exit the group for a team-up with Ron Wood, Jon Lord, and Twink, in what became known as Santa Barbara Machine Head. The Creation was kept "alive" into the spring of 1968 when their UK label, Polydor, released a single of "How Does It Feel" b/w "Tom Tom" on both sides of the Atlantic, with the US version tarted up in all sorts of dubbed on psychedelic effects. They were both good sides but never charted, and that might've been the end of the group, but for the sudden re-emergence of Kenny Pickett, who got Gardner and Jones back together to form the core of a new "Creation." That band went through a couple of line-up changes, played around Europe for a bit with Ron Wood as a member, and then dissolved, and somewhere in the midst of all of those line-up changes a new album was started and abandoned (and forgotten for 36 years). Oddly enough, the new group at its best didn't sound bad, or all that much different from the classic line-up, although they lacked Phillips' knack for brushing up right against the edge of chaos with his guitar breaks. ~ Bruce Eder & Richie Unterberg, All Music Guide

Then watch this: THE CREATION

PHIL FROST

2006-10-13T10:41:00.000+09:30

I have loved Phil Frost's work for years. the detail is intense.
check out the vid of his latest exhibit.

SEMAPHORE SUNNY DAZE

2006-10-03T16:55:00.000+09:30

BORED AT WORK

2006-09-27T12:48:00.000+09:30

amazing how much of a wanker you can be when yr bored at work and you have photoshop.

A NIGHT IN...

2006-09-27T12:32:00.000+09:30

COME ALONG THIS SATURDAY!

2006-09-20T15:14:00.000+09:30

ARTE

2006-09-20T09:38:00.000+09:30

In between the irregular p'ohdo postings, I want to keep this blog alive and useful. So I'm gonna start adding images that inspire and excite me. Stuff that I love looking at, stuff that makes me want to create!

Let's see how we go.

emm tee vee a-rama

2006-08-30T22:40:00.000+09:30

well, eventually jack had to post his pohdo's...
some 18 months later
he was there...
with a crappy digital, as guest to the host's....
did someone say, "hey, dude, are you family?"
hmmm.
and in several & many months later we have eventually post'd sumfinK
to let you know that, yes, we give a shit about the blog...
or something...
fanx for the view...x

the greatest quote...

2006-07-12T13:14:00.000+09:30

"an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind"

hope springs eternal...

2006-07-12T13:04:00.000+09:30

...or some such rubbish.
didn't get the house. but we're moving on...
and keeping busy. moving work. working and moving.
completed the artwork for the new no through road album,
i did the photos and design, while adrienne beautifully handwrote the liner notes.
comes out in a month or two on unstable ape records. i hope it turns out well!
watched the final episode of the second new series of doctor who a couple of days ago.
i'm not too ashamed to admit i got all choked up at the end...
who'd have thought in 2006 we'd have quality sci-fi drama from the BBC?

making a concerted effort to do as much in each day as possible... been feeling rather like a slothful hermit in the past couple of months... i don't want to see this as a way of life.
i want action!

where you been? ain't seen you for weeks...

2006-06-29T14:52:00.000+09:30

yes, it's been a while.
so many happenings, so little time to write it all down.
to make sense.

i didn't think my addled brain was still capable of learning all the things it has taken in over the past few weeks.
salt damp? pest control? internal wiring? adequate drainage?
urgh?
possibly in a month's time the pohdo family will be relocating to their first, purchased house.
the australian dream? possibly.

it's all pretty exciting.

WARNIE THE STALLION

2006-05-08T11:53:00.000+09:30

FROM ABC.NET.AU:

WARNE CAUGHT OUT ONCE AGAIN...

Shane Warne, no stranger to off-field shenanigans, has been caught out again, pictured in a British newspaper allegedly romping with a pair of models.
The News of the World tabloid published pictures of Warne standing in his underpants while a blonde and a brunette, both topless, fooling around with a blow-up sex toy.
The weekly tabloid also ran explicit text messages allegedly from the spin bowling ace, who is facing an expensive divorce battle with his wife Simone.
The threesome allegedly happened on Thursday night in a plush London flat - before the 36-year-old racked up some more impressive figures the following morning, taking 7 for 99 against Middlesex, his best performance yet for Hampshire.
Coralie Eichholz, 25, hailed Warne's innings. "Shane blew our minds. He was so fit. I'd give him top marks for more than satisfying us," the New Zealand-born brunette said.
"He was talking dirty all the time. It was full-on, hardcore and we had a great time. In the trouser department, he was above average.
"I've known him for years but nothing happened before because I knew he was married.
"But since his split he's been texting like mad. He even sent me one during a match."
Blonde television presenter Emma Kearney, also 25, said Warne had likewise bowled her over.
"Shane's a stallion and very willing to experiment. He loved playing around with the inflatable and was up for anything," she reportedly said.
Warne has had several well-publicised extra-marital sexual escapades.
The leg spinner has taken responsibility for the failure of his marriage, which has been blamed on a string of dalliances with young women which reportedly occurred since he moved to England to play county cricket last year.
After the 10-wicket win over Middlesex, Warne admitted he was feeling the strain.
He said in an interview: "If I'm honest, I'm tired out."

HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

RGIT iN EffecT

2006-04-27T16:01:00.000+09:30

really good in theory was a smashing success... here's the Avant Gardeners... more shots soon!

welcome back, benner...

2006-04-15T02:30:00.000+09:30

REALLY REALLY, GOOD IN THEORY

2006-04-12T09:31:00.000+09:30

Hope you all can make it along to this! It should be a great day...

ritual de las habitual

2006-04-09T21:54:00.000+09:30

a eso de las dos

2006-04-09T00:50:00.001+09:30

mama knows bess't

2006-04-09T00:50:00.000+09:30

MARKO of the BLAIR

2006-04-09T00:21:00.000+09:30

Carn Aussie Carn

2006-03-09T14:28:00.000+10:30

Another reminder that this country has gone down the toilet since the Hawke glory days...
Can you imagine Lil' Johnny H being this inebriated-up-for-the-grope-fucking-cool?????
I don't think so.

meices to pieces

2006-02-08T00:31:00.000+10:30

aloha paul n nic...
the sydney connection!

I WISH I WAS THE HIP PRIEST... ah....

2006-01-20T11:03:00.000+10:30

I always had a soft spot for The Fall, but it's only in the last year or so that I've decided it's time to really investigate the HIP PRIEST and his merry clergy. Trawling through their catalogue is an intimidating prospect, what with 50+ albums to their credit; it's the main reason I didn't hit them up before - where to start and shit, where to stop??
My official Fall cherry-popper was "Palace Of Swords Reversed", an excellent example of early MES's bile and lyrical fuckkn genius. I play this record at least three or four times a week (much to the chagrin of my WERK collegues, fukkem) and I can't imagine ever getting bored of it. Next was "Extricate", "This Nation's Saving Grace", "Hex Induction Hour", "Grotesque", "I Am Kurious Oranj" and the latest find is their first: "Live At The Witch Trials". Crackers, every bloody one of them.
Which is why I wish I was Mark E Smith.
Sure, he was bashed profusely with the ugly stick at birth but this man's genius and his bottomless well of bile is just jaw dropping... He was John (RIP) Peel's DUDE, he's sacked more band members than I've had chicken schnitzels and he's married to one of the most beautiful women in rock (who plays keys in the latest line up). Fuck him, bastard.
He OWNS me now.
He will OWN you too, ladies and gents.
I think there should be a FALL tribute night thingy here in Adelaide, like one of those wack FOWLER's LIVE DAVID BOWIE nights or whatever. Imagine the fruits that would come out of the closet for that. It would be AWESOME.

howzat!

2006-01-19T10:44:00.000+10:30

not to be a dyed in the wool rose coloured glasses ticket holder... but these were the days.
weren't they?
bring back the mo, bring back the fun.

day one: railway bluez

2006-01-08T00:19:00.000+10:30

OI? whatryalookinat?
xxx

A NEW BEGINNING

2006-01-04T10:02:00.000+10:30

This is what I must have felt like on New Year's Day '06... Unable to be anything else but vague and with a real bad taste in my mouth. The last thing I remember from the night before is a serious yakking session into a plastic bag in Adrienne's car.
Nice, don't you think?
Oh well, there's a lot of year left in 2006, so I'm sure things will be on the up and up from here.
Anyway - that pohdo was taken in 2004, pre-empting Slaughter and I's face-off. There's Bucko Palace in the background, and despite the beanie and scarf, it was a spring day and quite nice - it got much better in fact. I remember the sun coming out and due to a heavy night, I was in need of some sweet, sweet kip and feeling rather worse for wear. It had something to do with the hash I smoked from these two Iranian backpackers who didn't speak a word of English...anyway.
I splayed out on a slight slope in St James Park, resting my eyes for a half hour or three. Nothing could've been better, the English sun on my face, the cool grass beneath me and a sense of peace and belonging... truly one of my favourite slices of life ever.
I was awoken by this beggar:

Chewing at my feet.
DAMNED CUTE!
Shout out to Slaughter for keeping the squirrel flame alive...

We gotta get bakk over there...

sit back, put yr feet up and enjoy the ride

2005-12-21T11:44:00.000+10:30

We've been on holidaze for a while. It was rather awesome, not a day wasted or regretted. Wonderful fun. It was great to hang with family and friends, shop and booze on like never before and also see the truly incredible Billy Childish and his Buff Medways.
So, we're back now (well, we got back a couple of weeks ago, but you know how these things are...) and this lil blog will get hit with mad pohdos from the trip. More soon.
Props to M. Slaughter for the truly artistic time he's having in London. Good work, boy.
And he's nailing the squirrel shotz - i remember having a snooze in St James Park a couple of years back on a bright sunny day and being woken by one of the pesky buggers having a gnaw at my shoe. They're the best.
And yes Slaughter, I'm FUCKEN jealous you've seen the Toulouse/Sickert/Degas exhibit... BASTARD! I LOVE U! hahahhahahxxx

bevan the lion...

2005-11-26T19:55:00.000+10:30

its like it never happened...
like, he was just an imaginary friend.

i miss you, bro.

you are in my thoughts
wherever i may roam...
and afterall
the physical embodiment of our spirits
is only a disappointment for the most part, eh?

this is bevan.

he was a fire that was more than imaginary.

xxx

thank the goddess for friendz...

2005-11-20T03:18:00.000+10:30

check me now, slaughter!!!!!!!!

somefink old, somefink new, somefink borrowed, somefink blue...

2005-11-12T10:53:00.000+10:30

this is sam toocan's wedding a few sunday's back...what a beautiful day we all had.
with the warm sun shining on our back's in the midst of a thousand roses...
& what a pleasure it was for me to be maid of honour.

a day of much feeling, celebration & ethereal visual stimuli
to also remind me of how sam & i continue to evolve and grow so much...
and thankfully we are making some positive choices about love & life.

"here's to you, mrs cartwright!"
xxx

so my dear, do you want red like yr lips or black like yr heart...?

2005-11-07T13:17:00.000+10:30

like pohdos to the SLAUGHTER

2005-10-28T14:22:00.000+09:30

i can post stupid pohdos of myself too.

stitch one

2005-10-27T15:57:00.000+09:30

i'm trying out all the bells and whistles on my whizz bang pohdo contraption.
stitch assist is nice. here's my first attempt. you really need a tripod. but still.

the camera arrives. and they are happy.

2005-10-26T21:15:00.000+09:30

so the new camera arrived today, i'm very happy.
damn, it's small. let the pohdo wars begin.
to start, a shot from the balcony of my work.
each step takes a thought, each moment requires action.

do that to my anatomy...

2005-10-25T15:25:00.000+09:30

This is my favourite record at the moment. Their last two albums were no stinkers, but they never lived up to the aural hype nor their always-splendid cover art.
This record, on the other hand, is truly superb.
They're a two piece now, and have really stripped back their sound - distorted guitars, fuzzy keys, linear drum patterns with Trish's deadpan and slightly surreal vocals. So simple is the construction that it allows the music to breathe, and you to breathe with it.
I'd always found them to be a closed book prior to this record, but Tender Buttons is a raw and open masterpiece.
And I'm only slightly exaggerating.

GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY

2005-10-12T13:17:00.000+09:30

This Sunday night promises to be glorious night. The last time I saw Diamanda Galas, I was blown away by her raw power and intensity - her sheer awe-inspiring presence on stage. Her rendition of Johnny Cash's Long Black Veil is a wonder to behold. Anyone with even a passing interest in music and what it can really be about should make the effort for this gig! Adelaide Town Hall, this Sunday yo!

the camera doesn't lie

2005-10-12T13:10:00.000+09:30

this is soon to be my pride and joy. i can't wait! it's such a nifty little beastie, all the bells and whistles and shit.
hee hee!

toulouse my way in the world

2005-10-06T12:30:00.000+09:30

man. to be in london now.
three of my favourite artists in one show. i love Lautrec. i would have his children, if i was a woman, and had a time machine. i like short dudes who paint on cardboard.

an those that were ill'inn will never be siK, yo...

2005-10-02T12:46:00.000+09:30

at home with the boys...
loving life with jazz n karl in tow.
listenin' to the stooges & black sabbath
as we place
perfeKtly
polaroids
to make the most of the bare walls...
apple green, red & polaroids seemingly match oh so well
with peach painted walls...
"satan laughing spreads his wings"...
paint it BLACK, kidz...

sincerely, adrienne...XX

...and you will know her by the trail of art students...

2005-09-29T12:11:00.000+09:30

holy fuck. i'm in love with audrey kawasaki's work. fucking incredible. it's amazing that you can discover something new that can blow you away day after day. life ain't too bad, y'know? inspiring. Her website

MOVE YO ASS

2005-09-26T09:45:00.000+09:30

well, the big move happened on saturday - pretty cruisy really. i'm glad i had mad help, it certainly meant we could hit the beers earlier! we've already got the deliverance hick style front porch thing going, it bodes well for a fun summer. a rocking chair, a beer in hand and yr trusty sawn-off by yr side. hahahahah.
it's awesome to be living with my babe finally, and what a house to be doing it in! 84J in full effect!
now the move is over, let the decorating begin!
interior decorating is SO my forte.
here's what i'm leaving, well, it's the view out of the ol' pad... p'ohdos soon of the new "house of lub".

...in the midst of such a nice little death

2005-09-23T13:57:00.000+09:30

So, this begins. Right in the middle of a plethora of activity. One cycle finishing, another beginning.
There's a quote from Tony Wilson (courtesy of 24 Hour Party People) to do with the wheel of life and so forth, it would be rather appropriate here, but perhaps you should just see it for yerself.
anyways, welcome yo.