The Sunset Strip

On December 1st a memorial concert for the late Dean F Bateup (wyld vocalist for Behind The Magnolia Curtain) was held at The Barwon Club. We were damned fortunate to have both Maree Robertson and Geoff Zypell organising different parts of the event and it went off magnificently.

3 bands played (The Gas Babies were scheduled but had to drop out). The Geetroit Zoo threw down some cramps-like rockabilly rebelliousness. It was great to see Tommy back on stage and in great voice after such a long time away. They weren't planning to continue but they should.

Next up Clifford Parade laid down some of the Stoogiest of Stooges rifferama I've heard in a long while and I love that sorta' stuff. They were so loud they cleared out the front row fans like Old Man Death wielding a scythe.

Next up was the, cough, Supergroup which was me (Andy) on guitar, Russell Baracevic on vocals, Geoff Z on bass, Geetroit Zoo's Rory on guitar, Clifford Parade's Mark Wiffo Wiffen on guitar and Dean's son Harry on drums. For your money (at this free show) you got Neil Young's Down By The River, Ledbelly's Bourgeois Blues and Alex Chilton's Bangkok. Most of the band had barely or never heard the songs, there was no soundcheck and Russ and I played the Nomad's version of Bangkok while the rest seemed to be doing a straight 12 bar. Chaotic? Hell yes, and gloriously so. Very much in the spirit of shambolic entropic madness that the early Magnolia gigs were notorious for. If only we'd had Dean to really bring it on home!

I probably looked all casual beforehand and on stage, but I was sweating buckets and my hands were shaking! 35 years to the month since I last took to the stage in a band (Wazza and I did a duo thing in 2011 but no band stuff).

The Supergroup was also supposed to have Warwick Brown, ex-Magnolia Curtain member, on guitar but he had to drop out. Buzz was also meant to have been in it but illness ruled him out. Get well Buzz. I missed you not being there. With old Magnolia member Geoff in the Supergroup, we would've channelled Magnolia even more. Ah well.

Here are my pics. Maree and Geoff's pages have lots more.

Nice to be played on this U.S. radio show.