City Slang by Sonic’s Rendezvous Band. Story by Earl O’Neill
Earl O’Neill Leichardt, Sydney, 1985What if something happened and I was at home watching telly? That’d never do. Sex, drugs and rock and roll were too important for a young fellow.
Loser by Beck
Debbie Lee Warrnambool, Victoria, January 1994"It's okay, love, no-one thought you would get a first-round uni offer". The weird thing is, you know Dad means well.
Wild In The Streets by Garland Jeffreys (and Skyhooks)
Vin Maskell Christmas Hills, Victoria, 16 December 1979It took two hot hours to get to Christmas Hills but Grub didn’t mind. He loved driving and he loved music. He could hear music in the hum of an engine.
Roy Rogers by Elton John. Story by Colin Ritchie
Colin Ritchie London, and motorway to Scotland 1974Elton looked across, smiled and waved and then he was gone. It was all over within a minute or so. The Mini was no match for the Roller.
Dumb Things by Paul Kelly Story by Tony Kelly
Tony Kelly Meredith Music Festival, December 2008Snug in my carousel I rose above the din and lights and looked out over the gloaming. I swung back down towards the crowd and the squalor and then back up again. It was hypnotic.
With A Bullet by Harry Nilsson
Hugh Jones Bonaventure Hotel Loa Angeles, July 1982“G’day Harry,” I began, “I’m from Tasmania …”
BAD MEDICINE by BON JOVI Story by Stephen Andrew
As James and I quietly reflect on the day’s pedalling, we are interrupted by the sound of something akin to a squealing, stuttering dentist’s drill a few thin tent walls away from us. Before you can say, ‘Hand me my hair gel’, Jon Bon Jovi and his Jersey boys are bellowing the song’s chorus, sixteen seconds in, no beg pardons.
Soma Mou (My Body Of Clay) by Notis Sfakianakis. Story by Phil Dimitriadis.
Phil Dimitriadis Patras, Greece September 1996I’m what some call a binge drinking alcoholic. I can go weeks, months and after hearing this song, seven years without having a drink.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Poem by Phil Dimitriadis
Phil Dimitriadis Watching YouTube in East Preston, March 2014Tom is but a spirit in the night/remembering the love of a Jersey girl.
HELLO DARLIN’ by CONWAY TWITTY Story by Damian Balassone
Damian Balassone Goondiwindi 1991After those rugby games we played music on an old cassette deck whilst going about our chores. It did not take long for me to realise that country music was the preferred genre amongst the cotton chippers.