drawings by one of the offspring

Falling Cats

There are more here

blossom dearie

I dig
I'm in step
When it was hip to be hep, I was hep
I don't blow but I'm a fan
Look at me swing
Ring a ding ding
I even call my girlfriend man
I'm so hip


One of my biggest regrets, and I have a few, too many to mention, was not going to see Blossom Dearie when she was here in Melbourne not all that many years ago. My conscious and unconscious pre-occupation with last week's heat, flame, darkness and destruction, means I've only just learnt she died on February 7, 2009.

When I first heard her voice I thought that's a very smart, clever, hip, piano playing pixie. I was right.

I've picked this youtube clip because although it's longish it does contain some typical songs. Unfortunately the sound and vision are disconcertingly out of synch a bit. But it does sound great. I'm Hip is at around 6.40 into the clip.

Blossom Dearie live clip on youtube - 9 mins.  (This clip can't be embedded. You'll have to click through) 

Update: Another reason she's great. From NY Times: 

"Ms. Dearie didn’t suffer fools gladly and was unafraid to voice her disdain for music she didn’t like; the songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber were a particular pet peeve."

wild & crazy banjo

Steve Martin has released his first all music album. It's called The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. Steve wrote most of the 15 tracks. It was produced by John McEuen, known for his playing in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Other pluckers or warblers of note on the album are Earl Scruggs, Mary Black, Tim O'Brien, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick.

Apparently it's exclusive to Amazon for 90 days. You can get the MP3s off Amazon for 99 cents each [only available for purchase in USA] but then you'd miss out on the 24-page colour booklet, with Steve writing about each song and his lifelong love affair with the banjo.

Amazon has kindly made the first track on the album, Daddy Played the Banjo free for download as an MP3.   

Worth a read is the lengthy but solid article and interview with Steve by Nancy Cardwell at bluegrasssnow.

Here's Steve with Tony Trischka and Bela Fleck playing The Crow on Letterman. 

ac/dc gs-t & nabakov melbourne tuesday

For Shaun Cronin


Fans, under signage and behind cameras, and smokers on crutches, in low key homage.

Adelaide visitor snaps memories of vibrant lane culture to take home.
(As always. Click on image for more involving experience)

inking - offspring no2