Ah, but thousands of people march to my songs. Some just ignore me and shuffle along. Some others tip me, hah, and sometimes they sing right along...One for the money, two for the show, three for the busker who plays by the road. (Always The Busker - Jon English) There's not too many musos that … Continue reading Busker’s Lament
Thirty years to the day the stars aligned for Steve Williams to play harmonica on a John Farnham tune that would change his life forever. A remarkable set of circumstances, links in a chain reaction, would take him from Melbourne's Pub music scene into the heady heights of the concert arena. To celebrate the anniversary … Continue reading One Link In A Chain
Strange days indeed. Most peculiar Mama. Had a reply earlier this month to an email I sent in November 2018 from harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite. Nearly fell off my couch! Better late that never. After Memphis Charlie's second album with Ben Harper I asked him this question via his website contact. "Just wondering if Charlie … Continue reading Crackshot
A story of an old Roy Boy, William (Winger) Griffiths (April 5, 1879 - October 16, 1928). As the curtain closes on the Grade cricket season and rises for Australian rules football what better way than to honour the transition than to have a tale about a District (Premier Grade) cricketer and VFL (Victorian Football … Continue reading Winger Griffiths
Will the real Sydney Dickens please stand up? There has been some confusion on the identity of Sydney Dickens or should I say Professor Dickens. On Melbourne's Empire Records back in 1908, two wax cylinder recordings were pressed containing mouth organ medleys credited to 'Professor' Dickens (these are Australia's earliest known mouth organ recordings). For … Continue reading By Dickens
Over a year ago I published an article about a young Australian lad (or American if you prefer), who was a big hit down under when he and his parents toured as part of the Tivoli circuit in 1953. Gene Jimae, although born in Detroit in 1943, was of Aussie heritage-his mother Joan was born … Continue reading Gene Genius Returns
G'day Riffers, On a chilly Sunday evening in the winter of 2014 my wife and I had the privilege of attending the Burrinja Cafe here in the Dandenongs (it wasn't raining-only dripping off trees). A local duo transported us back in time to a smoking blues joint in New Mexico called the Golden Inn where … Continue reading Buffalo Blues Burger
The year was 1970 when Rebel, a little known Melbourne record label released two highly significant singles in Australian music history, both featuring the mouth harp of a young Matt Taylor. Rebel was owned by Peter Goodman (a former member of the band The Town Criers) and they would press eleven singles and one long … Continue reading Rebel’s Yell
Floating on a cloud with a cosmic shroud. Play your music loud Chetarca. "He was one of the pioneers." (Matt Taylor) "Paul was the best harmonica player I had heard and a lovely man with a beautiful soulful voice and a great sense of humour." (Andy Vance) "Paul Lever was a great blues harp player." … Continue reading Paul Langford Lever
Revisiting a tune with a catchy harp riff that's having its thirtieth anniversary and is as good today as it ever was. It continues to mature like a single malt scotch whisky in an old oak barrel. When Scottish group Del Amitri released their single 'Kiss This Thing Goodbye' for the first time the tune … Continue reading Kiss This!
