Road Trip Yaye!

we went on a mini road trip just before the June long weekend; out to Bathurst, Millthorpe & Orange - mainly to visit the grave of a friend who died almost a year ago.

it was really really cold outside but the little car hired (by friend who drives, who I will call MG) was a little greenhouse

pretty from the car window (a bit bumpy for photography though)

is that pash rash?
Orange cemetery - religion, gum trees and flies & a great-great grandmother & g-g-grandfather buried over yonder.

above - Millthorpe cemetery - top of the hill with my back to our friend's grave is a bunch of flags for people too lazy to pray.

we stayed overnight in Bathurst where it dropped to 0 degrees Celsius.

I burnt a bunch of CDs for the trip - all sorts of music and lots of fun - Nancy's boots were walking and Cher told us all about being gypsies, tramps and theives, Dusty - let us know that You Dont Own Me and got very sophisticated Take Another Little Piece of My Heart (way cooler and more convincing than Janis - to me - there was a minor dispute of who sings the best version but made better with some Patti, Laurie (Anderson) and Nina Hagen).  Top of the chart for me was Hush by Deep Purple, Melting Pot by Blue Mink and Love Grows where my Rosemary goes by Edison Lighthouse but the winner of the trip with the best melodrama and hilarious lyrics was:

A huge hit in Australia - Susan Raye singing LA International Airport - cause you know, in America, it doesn't matter how sad you are, there is always a pilot ready to tell you that you're flying friendly skies!

Laurie Anderson at the Opera House last night

we sat in the second row
Laurie Anderson live

sigh

Midnight posting - exhibition, a new blog, a new photo on an old blog

My eyes are computer sore and it's one of those nights when I've been a long time in the chair with not a lot to show for it but I do have some news & updates.

Firstly, those on my newsletter list will know about the confirmation of my 5th solo exhibition, SANE opening on 25th June at the Albion Street Gallery.   SANE is a collection of collages I have created over the last few months that have a splash of Dada, a smidge of Orwell, a bit of pop and some Americana. There is even a little tease under a few subconscious layers, of the Australian film & TV industry.

Secondly I began a new blog called Buildings & Things last month - check it out when you get a chance.

Thirdly, I have updated my 5 years as a rock moll blog with new photos like this one:

More excitedly, Vivid, Sydney's annual festival of music, light and ideas, which runs from May 27 to June 21, is being curated by Laurie Anderson & Lou Reed - fabbo! 

I think that's it for this late hour

 - AB

Sunday afternoon playing records

I was going to blog yesterday about little Saturday thoughts like getting dippy in the head (oh, ok, neurotic then) over the women's tennis final - really, really wanting to watch it but oh, it was just too exciting.  Instead I made us a late dinner and popped my head in the room with the telly to catch glimpses of Justin Henin's clever playing against Serena Williams but I really can't put up with either of the Williams sisters, especially Venus's ego carry on and porn film outfits designed, I'm sure, partially to put off their opponents but it's mostly it's ego. As if we can't see her??   As SW won, I'm glad I missed the last set.

One of the best games I've ever seen was a semi-final in New York between Martina & Chrissie - one time when the tennis was rained out, they repeated it (even though it was already a couple of years old) and it was still gripping second time around even knowing who won.  Guess I blathered Saturday today...

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Sunday afternoon - it's a bit yuuky-muggy & the fellow next door is drilling next to the wall of the room I am in - he is trying to get his house finished as its completion is now 7wks overdue - makes it a bit iffy to really focus & do good productive work so...
why not play some records!

Loud
yaye

On top is this favourite - crisp & clear like it was made this week rather than over 30 years ago.

Patti Smith has just released a memoir of her early years with Robert Mapplethorpe & I've just put it on the shopping list. Just Kids

Now, what's next...  a little Nina Hagen me thinks...
But first - hooray for Laurie Anderson, hooray!:

1986 Home of the Brave (check out the 80s hair dos - not Laurie, she is always cool)


I've been having an enjoyable Laurie Anderson fest these last weeks - listening to all the music of her I have, (and that's a lot if not all...) along with reading her Stories from the Nerve Bible. Very cool, clever and funny - laugh aloud funny at that..