Visitors to the fine city of Perth will be aware of a striking hand standing statue in Hay Street of a gentleman by the name of Percy Button - often misspelled by pluralising his surname. A prominent street entertainer in his day, he performed dynamic acrobatics and blew the odd tune on a mouth organ … Continue reading Busker Buttons
“Howdy Riff Raffers.” As a young kid growing up in the sixties Monday nights at 7pm was set aside to be seated in front of our four legged twenty one inch black and white Astor television. The program we were settling in for had an American compere, Bob Dyer and his capable assistant, Australian wife … Continue reading Dyer ’ere.
Besses o' th' Barn Band's visits to Australia, by the sound of it, had many similarities with the wild scenes experienced when the Beatles landed Down Under in the sixties. It wasn't just in the popularity stakes either, but also in the proliferation of punters taking up playing a brass instrument (or mouth organ - … Continue reading Besses & Beatles
(1898). [Tom Fatts versus Hock Keys, at the Golden Gate Club, Sydney, November 29th, 1898 - http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148541703%5D Late nineteenth century/early twentieth mouth organ bouts were held between pugilistic fights. Australia’s first mouth organ champion was Walter Omond in 1899, blowing on an Albert’s Boomerang at the Golden Gate Club in Sydney. He only had to … Continue reading Harpin Ringside
An early Christmas present. You wouldn’t believe how much I paid for it. Less than a ‘Pineapple’! I had no inclination of purchasing a Large Professional Boomerang. I was researching online for information on a Crackajack model when this struck me firmly between the eyes - for sale and not at an auction site. The … Continue reading Perfection King
There’d be a few Bridge Hotels on the planet I would think, but the one I’m highlighting here is the Pub advertised in Mordialloc, which was actually located in Aspendale being south of the creek (the geographical boundary). Come to think of it Mordialloc High School was too! This was my first venue of worship … Continue reading At the Bridge Hotel
I was too young for the festivals and, although the music would’ve been right up my alley, roughing it would not have been as I do appreciate the comforts of home. Many of the Australian bands that appeared at these festivals, appear in my vinyl collection and played at Pubs when I first ventured into … Continue reading BS (Before Sunbury)
I stumbled across the Des Bettany Trio when researching newspapers of yesteryear. On further investigation a website dedicated to Des by his kids was unearthed. What a life! Lancashire born Des Bettany, a trained analytical chemist, was a gunner for the 88 Field Regiment in WWII. He was captured in Singapore by the Japanese and … Continue reading Des’ Sketch
Every so often a new innovation in harmonicas piques the interest of the author and Seydel keep pumping them out like no one’s business. My interest was twofold: firstly, the ability to play Irish jigs and reels by huffing and puffing and secondly, that the developer of this new tuning was an Aussie. The Major … Continue reading Tony’s Cross
Dr. Hook Wild Colonial Boys My 45rpm single and the lads (caricatures) on the cover of the Rolling Stone. There was a wild colonial boy, Jack Doolan was his name (or was it?)Of poor but honest parents, he was born near Castlemaine (which one?)He was his father's only son, and his mother's pride and joySo … Continue reading Wild Colonial Boys
Harmonica Riff Raff 