Current reading is a birthday treat to myself: Funny Stories, Prophets of the Absurd by Hugh Wayland. It’s a memoir by one of the members of this highly influential Sydney comedy troupe of the 1980s. It is glorious. It’s self published by the author, you can find out how to get it from the Funny […]
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I was listening to ABC radio this morning, where Simon Marnie was taking calls about people’s jobs when they were at school: newspaper deliveries, chemist’s assistant, golf caddie and butter stacker (!) among them. It reminded me of the side hustle – I can’t really call it a job – that I had during the
The Bookmakers of Claremont High Read More »
I first heard the Go-Betweens when a live version of their stand alone single Hammer the Hammer was included on the first JJJ Live at the Wireless album in 1983, which still ranks among my favourites, with outstanding performances by Private Lives, Hoodoo Gurus, Do-Re-Mi, The Triffids and The Particles, among others. The Go-Betweens track
My Rock ‘n’ Roll Friend, by Tracey Thorn Read More »
Reviewing creative works by friends can often be tricky. You don’t want to be overly gushing, even when the work is obviously great, because people will think you’re just being nice to a friend. And then it’s also easy to slip into being unreasonably critical, which may well endanger your friendship, especially if you make
The Last of the Apple Blossom, by Mary-Lou Stephens Read More »
Having recently finished reading The Last of the Apple Blossom, by Mary-Lou Stephens, I decided to write a review. This set me to thinking and writing about my friendship with Mary-Lou as a preamble to the review and, in my usual long winded way, things got a little out of hand. So as not to
Ingredients 250 gm cooked brown rice 10 cooked cocktail prawns, tails removed 1 or 2 chicken tenderloins 4 slices chorizo, quartered 1 pork sausage, cooked and chopped 5 julienne slices red capsicum 5 julienne slices yellow capsicum 5 raw green beans, halved at angle slice Tbspn of frozen peas 2 slices white onion, roughly chopped
Cheat’s Paella for One Read More »
I really enjoyed reading Rickie Lee Jones‘ autobiography, Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of a Troubadour. It’s as idiosyncratic, off-centre, expressive and polished as her best musical work. It swings wildly in style from ancedotal – almost casual – reporting of some pretty terrible events for a young teenager to verbatim conversations at some of her
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I made a Lebanese dinner for four. Clockwise from top left and inwards (click photo to enlarge): Shawarma Chicken: tenderloins marinated in yoghurt, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, cumin then baked at 200C for 10 min, turn, then at 180C for about 30 min. Shawarma lamb: strips marinated in olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, coriander, cumin,
Time for another book report, this time on Loud, by Tana Douglas. Acknowledged as the world’s first female roadie, Douglas scored a chapter to herself in Stuart Coupe’s excellent 2018 book Roadies, which told just enough of her story to leave me and I’m sure a lot of others wanting to know more. And here
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Finished Behind Dark Eyes by Jeff Apter last night – LATE last night coz I couldn’t stop reading. This is a cracking good read for a number of reasons. Jon English was a fascinating bloke. A Sydney westie who carved a career in rock & pop, theatre and TV out of a powerful voice and
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