If I think about all of the things which have happened in terms of gay life in Lismore during my lifetime, there’s a lot to reflect upon.
As a teenager, I remember the homophobic editorials of Jim Brigginshaw, Editor of “The Northern Star”. I remember doing a school project, aged 16, where I was part of a group that interviewed him, and I was terrified. Lismore’s Big Log: As a teenager, I also remember the social scene was very much based around “the beats”, and in particular, the log outside the City Hall. For me, it wasn’t a “sex culture”, it was a social outlet to meet other guys. The house behind the trees was once home to “Double Dutch”, Lismore’s first gay-owned and operated restaurant, and which was very much a home to Lismore’s gay community during the 1980s. Later, the house became a residence for a couple: Les and Russell. Yes, South Lismore really did change!
I also remember Mike Bray and Vera Bourne (the mother of a schoolmate) hosting Gaywaves on the same community radio station I volunteered at (2NCR). As a young teenager, I remember listening in my bedroom on a Tuesday night. Later I went on to fill in as presenter on a few occasions. I remember the start of “Tropical Fruits”.
Winsome Hotel, Lismore: As an adult I remember the opening of The Winsome as a gay pub. The pub my dad used to drink at when I was a child, was suddenly the place to be.
As an adult, I also remember heading off to Tropical Fruits the night before my school reunion.
Tropical Fruits NYE at Lismore Showground
A lot has changed in Lismore, and I’m so proud the city in which I grew up hosts Tropical Fruits. Today, it was the street parade. Bravo Tropical Fruits.
Tropical Fruits Parade and LaunchTropical Fruits Parade and LaunchTropical Fruits Parade and LaunchTropical Fruits Parade and LaunchTropical Fruits Parade and Launch
I first heard/saw the song “Walking In The Rain” when the video clip of Grace Jones performing the song was first played on Countdown. I was about seventeen years old at the time and was completely blown away by the clip. In particular, the strong androgynous imagery of Grace Jones echoed by the song line “Feeling like a woman, looking like a man”.
For me, Grace Jones’ version has always been the definitive version, even though it was first performed (and written) by the Australian group, “Flash & The Pan”. But today on the radio, I heard Doc Neeson’s version. I’ve never been a big fan of Doc Neeson and his band. “The Angels”, but this version really stood out. It has a Nick Cave feel about it. Also a later Johnny Cash feel to it. I love the brass, I love Doc’s deliberate style.
So, I thought it would be worth sharing these three versions (that I’m aware of) with you.
Aside from watching “Astro Boy” as a child, and more recently occasionally browsing at the Channel 10 Breakfast cartoons, I’ve never really had much of an interest in, nor experience of watching Japanese animation. And I guess the only reason I went to this was because it was the closing night of the Sydney Film Festival and there was the associated prospect of boozing and schmoozing.
Actually it was with some dread that Damien and I went to see the movie. I’m not a great fan of fantasy and – with the exception of The Simpsons – I’m not a fan of animation. I didn’t like Futurama. I don’t understand why there are rows and rows of those animation DVDs at the shops. Truth be told, it’s because I’m not a great fan of fiction. Anyway, a couple of drinks under our belts and we settled down.
Almost instantly I was encaptured by the movie which, incidentally, was being screend with the film’s producer in the audience. The animation was beautiful and the story enchanting. Like many fantasy works, it was a story dealing with love and an epic quest. The good natured and self-aware humour of the movie also made it appealing with its living “fire creature” and the “bobbing scarecrow” providing many moments of great laughter. The central character, however, the old woman, was the character which gave the film its humanity.
Although the film has been released in America with voices dubbed by the likes of Christian Bale and Lauren Bacall, we watched the original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. Odd, eh?
One of the really terrific parts of my job is that I get to meet some really interesting people who I would otherwise not meet in my normal day to day life.
Such is the case of Michael K. Chin. He’s a composer and DJ from Sydney who appeared at Parramasala on the weekend. He is doing some really interesting collaborative work with photographers. I like his music very much, and I like the way in which the music and the still images from the photographers he works with combine so well.
This first track is just fantastic on so many levels. Musically, it’s very interesting. Photographically, there’s much to engage.
The story behind the female vocal in the second clip is also interesting. She’s a Japanese friend of Michael’s who came to visit him in Australia. The song she sings is a song she learned to help her learn to speak English.
Closer to home, I really love this project he worked on about Hyde Park.
Scott Spark brought a smile to my face tonight. He’s a colleague in ABC Local Radio who is also a singer-songwriter. Although based in Brisbane, he played a one-off gig tonight at The Vanguard in Newtown.
His musical style is as varied as you could imagine. As I listened to his work tonight I heard everything from Whitlamesque (Tim, not Gough) style ballads, 80’s influenced power pop, and even a Christmas song (it was my favourite of the night).
“His songs have a tune”, I mentioned to another colleague who was also in the audience tonight, which I think is a good thing. And he matches this with strong, tight musicianship.
As I watched him play I realised my musical preference is almost always for songs written and performed with a keyboard. I was about to jump off the bridge as I endured the mournful guitar tunes of the support acts. In fact, I genuinely loathed the second support act, and in particular, his song about the vagina (I’m sure my ears weren’t deceiving me). But when Scott came on with bright, varied, and sparkling tunes, it brought a real smile to my face.
Chinese Yuan to AUD
And just as well, because work is driving me a little insane at the moment, to be honest.
But there’s always tomorrow. At exactly 5.35pm tomorrow, I’ll be on holiday, and on Monday, I’m heading off to China for 2 weeks.
And even better? The dollar is extremely strong at the moment. Although no longer officially linked, the value of the YUAN is usually in sync with the value of the USD.
It was one of those days where I was almost too exhausted to move. Work had been busy – lots of long hours – and I was probably burning the candle at both ends a little too much. So Sunday afternoon and evening for me has been a time to relax and do not very much at all. I even turned down a regular Sunday night dinner catch-up because I was simply too bloody tired. Still, there were some bright moments to the day as I met someone new and interesting. Oh, and a cockatoo came to visit me on my balcony.
My mother always said that you should never put a pair shoes on a table, as there would inevitably be an argument. “It was the same in my family”, my friend Andrew told me last night, adding you should also never put shoes on a bed, as the only other time you ever see shoes on a bed is when someone has died. How superstitious! But how appropriate too, to talk about superstitions on Friday the thirteenth. I, however, blame the day itself for what happened last night in Mascot.
Last night, Graeme asked Grant, Andrew and myself to join him for a night of ten pin bowling put on by his work’s social club. We had agreed to meet at the bus stop outside the Commonwealth Bank on Elizabeth Street. It was one of those chillingly cold Sydney afternoons where the wind really cuts deep into the bone. “It won’t be long now until I’m enjoying a Swedish summer”, I thought to myself, as I pulled my jacket up and around my ears.
I’m not exactly sure how old the bowling centre at Mascot is, but it has a definite 80’s feel to it. It’s a little bit “Hard Rock Cafe”, a little bit “80’s theme park”, a little bit “Laverne and Shirley”. 80’s too in the music being played. Whitney Houston, Blondie and others with a DJ straight out of 5RM (Berri) or 4VL (Charleville). I thought for a moment I was back in Lismore during my high school years, producing Saturday night requests with Richard Mercer on 2LM.
And as we arrived and sat down to order a meal and a beer, they asked us to wear green wrist bands to identify ourselves as adults (and therefore able to drink alcohol) in a mixed-age environment. “What are we, sex offenders? Drink drivers? On day-pass from Silverwater?” Graeme joked as we put the wrist bands on.
Manhattan Super Bowl @ Mascot
A strike and a rainbow flag. Says it all really…
Its always bad luck to put shoes on a table.
I suspect the wrist band may have affected my game, as I didn’t perform nearly as well as the last time I went ten pin bowling which was six months ago, and before that, four years ago in Perth. On both occasions, it was a work-related event. When I was in Perth, with some visiting managers, I organised a night of ten-pin bowling which was a load of fun, and turned out to be (as intended) a great team building experience.
Last night at Mascot, ours wasn’t the only work group either. As I recall, there was a security company, a childcare centre, Lincraft, and a host of other work-place related groups. The centre was great fun, the staff friendly, and they recognised how important it was to make everyone feel well looked after. After all, it’s probably a good activity for a people who work together who want to socialise together, but want to do more than go just to the pub where they’ll only end up sitting around bitching about their boses.
On reflection I didn’t do all that badly at ten pin bowling, sometimes scoring 8s and 9s. But that was often balanced by scores of 1s and 2s. So yeah, as I was saying, I think the wrist band affected my performance. Or maybe it was Friday the thirteenth? Or maybe it was those damned shoes on the table?
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Sounds like the town is very accepting. That’s good.
I really admire gay people who can stick it out in country towns and not head for the big cities. Even better that they make changes in attitudes in where they live.
Sounds like the town is very accepting. That’s good.
I really admire gay people who can stick it out in country towns and not head for the big cities. Even better that they make changes in attitudes in where they live.
Agreed, but I think the arrival of new people has a lot/most to do with it.