Megascene issue 6

. . . featuring music, food, fashion and lifestyle in Adelaide

Issue 6 2016

Jon English Tribute

Gig photos of Burning Tongue, Angels of Gung Ho and Jac Dalton

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Gwyn Ashton

Photos of AMC SA Hall of Fame induction

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

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Rising Star Media Photography - Video - Design

Photography

by Sue Hedley

Specialising in music industry photography, portraits and events

www.risingstar.com.au 4

rsm@risingstar.com.au

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IN THIS ISSUE 06 15 18 30 32 34 36 44 46 50 51 52 54 56

Interview with Gwyn Ashton Live gig photos: Gwyn Ashton Vale Jon English Live gig photos: Burning Tongue Live gig photos: Jac Dalton Band Live gig photos: Angels of Gung Ho Photos: SA Hall of Fame inductions

- Headband Photos: Gaol Blues Festival Live Sound Advice Article: Bands Are Hard Work SA Paranormal Markets in Adelaide Maria’s Column - SA Dragonboats Championship 2016

Photos of Burning Tongue

Jon English tribute

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Ollie Savage

Burning Tongue

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Photo by Sue Hedley

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

MEGAscene Editor: Sue Hedley Deputy Editor: David Powell Editor’s Assistant: Maria Szczerba Contributors this issue: Allen Tiller Frank Lang David Powell Maria Szczerba Brian Cain Carina Bonney Ronny Davidson Jakam Kourasanis Photographer: Sue Hedley

EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome to Issue 6 of MEGAscene. I hope you have all enjoyed getting to know your Adelaide musicians. There are so many good musicians in Adelaide and each issue we are interviewing them. We hope that you attend their shows and support them.

Enjoy MEGAscene, share and like.

Regards, The Editor

Sue

Front Cover Photo: Gwyn Ashton

Additional Photography: Maria Szczerba Louise Miller Layout: Sue Hedley Published by: Rising Star Media www.risingstar.com.au MEGAscene web address: www.facebook.com/megasceneoz Editorial and Advertising enquiries: rsm@risingstar.com.au Telephone: Sue - 0414 984 739 Postal address: PO Box 333 Greenacres SA 5086 © Rising Star Media 2015-2016 All rights reserved

MEGAscene caught up with Gwyn Ashton at North Adelaide Bakery All materials published in MEGAscene are subject to copyright. No part may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. The opinions expressed in MEGAscene are not necesarily those of the editors or publisher.

No responsibility is taken for the contents or illustrations of advertisements. This linking to other sites within MEGAscene is provided strictly as a courtesy by Rising Star Media for the convenience of its’ users and Rising Star Media is not responsible for the content of any site linked, or linked within a site, nor does it constitute the endorsement of the web sites or of their policies, products, services or delivery of goods. Rising Star Media will not be held accountable for the content of any postings contained in any site linked or linked within a site, nor does it deem reliable any offers, expert advice, financial opportunities, or otherwise that any such postings should imply.

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Gwyn Ashton

Words by Sue Hedley and David Powell Photos by assorted photographers

Former Adelaide resident, inducted AMC SA Hall of Fame recipient in 2015 and internationally acclaimed guitarist Gwyn Ashton was in Australia for a ten week tour, performing in SA, Victoria and NSW. Adelaide residents may remember Gwyn from when he lived in Adelaide in 1990 and played the circuit as Dirty Tricks. Since then he has toured the UK, Europe and the US, basing himself in the UK from 1996. He has recorded one of his albums, Fang It with Rory Gallagher’s band and also Deep Purple’s Don Airey has played on another of his albums. David Powell and I met up with Gwyn at the North Adelaide Bakery following his jam appearance at the Gaslight Tavern.

“I’m not a blues player! I find a problem with being labeled that. It’s an American roots based music. My music is influenced by the blues but I have trouble calling myself a traditional blues player.” love touring around Australia too but there is a limit to how much you can do playing roots music.

In Europe you have a lot of cities besides Sydney quite close to each other so you don’t have to drive ten hours to get to the next place, you can drive half an hour to get to the next city. On the West of Germany you can visit five cities all together the size of Sydney.

Sue: Have you travelled to the US? Gwyn: Yeah a little bit; Texas, California and Los Angeles, also Florida a little bit.

Sue: You are formally an Adelaide resident!

Sue: Do play gigs there?

How long ago did you leave Adelaide?

Gwyn: The first time was in ‘83 and came back in ‘90 and the last time was in ‘96 and I haven’t came back! I come back to visit. I moved over to England in 1996 in June, twenty years ago and basically based myself there for twenty years. I played, recorded and taught around Europe and occasionally go to Europe and Brazil and Russia.

Sue: What countries in Europe do you go to?

Gwyn: Yeah, done some shows in Houston, Dallas and Austin, LA, San Francisco, one in New York. I don’t get to America that much.

I used to want to live there but now I don’t. I think Melbourne is probably the best place to live in the world.

Sue: Do you think you would be a success in Japan or Asia?

Gwyn: I’ve been trying to make some inroads Gwyn: Most of them. I’ve been playing in into Japan. I would like to go over there, they France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, are really big in guitar music.

Germany, around Scandinavia a little bit of Sweden and Finland, central Europe such as Sue: What about China?

Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary and Gwyn: I haven’t tried it. Somebody told me down to the non EU places. that they like pop music over there, they are Sue: If you lived in Adelaide would you have not into the Blues. done all that?

Sue: You have played with a lot of well known Gwyn: It is location. I mean if I lived in Adelaide musicians in England; can you tell me who I would probably be playing in Alice Springs. I you have performed with?

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Gwyn: I’ve played over the years with Canned Heat, Johnny Winter, Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac and Mick Taylor from the Stones, . . . so many people. Recorded with Rory Gallagher’s band. Don Airey, he has played on a couple of my albums now, he’s the keyboard player who has played with Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and all sorts of people. When you get on the festival circuit you get to do a lot of shows with big acts.

Sue: How did you get on the festival circuit?

Gwyn: I just kind of lobbed up in Europe and I really didn’t know what I was doing. A guy saw me play one night in England and he formed a record company so that he could sign me up. He went to Midem, he sold me to Virgin records.

Sue: What was his name?

Photo: R. Hortoneda

I started playing in Whyalla. We lived all over Australia. By the time I was 15 we had 28 moves and 21 schools. We moved every 6 months, first to Adelaide. We drove across the Nullabour Plains before it was bitumen and had to sleep on the side of the road, as an 8 year old. I’m used to a gypsy lifestyle.

Good preparation for touring Europe.

Gwyn: Gill at Riverside Records. That got me in last before the record industry collapsed. I Sue: I understand that Robert Plant has been had marginal success but that’s ok, the type to some of your gigs. of music I play is not rock music!

Gwyn: Yes he has been to 5 of my gigs.

Sue: You were on a compilation album with some big name artists.

Sue: He obviously likes your playing.

Gwyn: Yeah, I’ve been on a couple, Gary Moore was on one.

Gwyn: Yes, he said some really complimentary things about it, which is real nice, which justifies my existence. You get a lot of Sue: Didn’t you get picked up at the airport in bickering and a lot of people making jealous France in a limousine and got to do interviews comments but I just thought I’d ignore them. with 17 guitar magazines?

There is always someone trying to drag you down somewhere. You just have to rise above Gwyn: Yeah, that was through Virgin, because it. That’s the problem, especially coming from they had good distribution.

Yes I flew to a small town like this. Some people are happy Paris a couple of times. I did some interviews for what I have done and other people sort of with a bunch of guitar magazines but I’ve get funny about it, which is a bit of jealousy done all the ones in England as well. I’ve done a few tutorials for them. I can’t read music so they had a guy there transcribing what I was playing.

Sue: So you just play by ear?

Gwyn: Yes. Sue: When did you start playing guitar?

Gwyn: 1972. I picked up the guitar when I was 12 and then I started playing in 1975/76.

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Photo: Sue Hedley

here and there, but that’s alright. I’m jealous of me! I wish I could be me! (laughs)

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Sue: So who are your biggest influences?

Gwyn: Just about anyone who has picked up a guitar. Rory Gallagher is a huge influence. The other influences are Blind Lemon Jefferson, a lot of the Delta guys, a lot of blues players, and some jazz players like Django Rheinhardt and Charlie Parker, Charlie Christian.

Sue: Who is your biggest idol?

Gwyn: Well it’s kind of always Rory but there is Roy Buchannan in there too, some of the country guys I guess. I really love Willie Nelson, I love George Harrison. The thing that turned me on to electric guitar was the solo in “Rock Around The Clock”.

Sue: So what made you decide to be a guitarist?

Gwyn: I don’t know really, I was just 15 and everyone else at school was interested to be this or that and that seemed a bit normal to me, I guess. Then I joined a band and I found that I had things in common with other people who are musicians. They stayed up late. I wasn’t then as I was a kid (16 years old) and I was in bed by 9pm. The first ad I answered in the paper was a guy and his wife who were a hippy couple in the Adelaide Hills. They were doing a rock opera with Alice In Wonderland.

They wanted me to join that. I went to their house, they had a giant dinosaur in one of their rooms and their kids were climbing on it. I think it was ten foot tall. It was pretty nuts. Then I answered another ad in Adelaide and I joined up with their band which was 50’s and 60’s music so I was really into it.

Buddy Holly and Creedence, that sort of stuff, the Beatles, the Stones, the Kinks and the Yardbirds. That is why I got into the blues because I got it from the white guys. I read interviews in guitar magazines. I saw a band in Aldgate called Smokestack Lightening, a Chicago blues sort of band, and that was the first band who turned me on to the blues guitar. That was like a heavy Muddy Waters thing. That was pretty mind blowing.

Sue: What made you decide to learn guitar?

Photo: Sue Hedley

Gwyn: I don’t know really. My brother played it. I started on piano and I had an 80 year old teacher who used to whack me over the knuckles if I hit the wrong key. So that kinda’ put me off piano. Then my brother had a guitar and he wouldn’t let me play it, and I thought about it for four years before I actually got one. I just knew!

Sue: How old were you when you got your guitar?

Gwyn: I was 12. Like the other kids at school I started listening to the radio and I started getting into The Beatles. They had just broken up and then I discovered them.

Everyone thought I was old fashioned. “You like the Beatles? They broke up 2 years ago!

You are really out of time!”

Sue: When were you in the band Thin Ice? Gwyn: ’79 or ’80, something like that, till ’83.

That was the beginning of my songwriting, I guess. I wrote some really bad songs and we

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played them really badly. That was my ‘suck “I should clone myself! The world needs period’. more of me!”

Sue: Did you do covers or have you just been into playing originals?

Gwyn: Yeah, just the classics like The Beatles, rock ’n’ roll sort of stuff.

Sue: Do you teach guitar?

Gwyn: No, I gave up doing that. I hated it! I was falling asleep while I was teaching. Just boring. I hate teaching!

Sue: So you can’t actually read music but you write music?

Gwyn: I don’t really write music, I kind of play chords and write melodies, create lyrics and write about experiences.

I play the music because I want to have fun.

I’m not really into the music schools. I’m not a prolific writer. Some people are, like Gary Allen, who I’ve been playing with. He just writes and comes out with these great lyrics which make a lot of sense.

I write some riffs and he writes some words, we go out on the town and someone says Photo: Sue Hedley something and he sits there and writes a song. I say, “that’s good, I’ll play that one”.

Gwyn: Maybe around Christmas.

He’s written a couple that I’ll work on.

Sue: Is it your cd launch on Saturday?

Sue: Are you missing Australia?

Gwyn: It is a pre-launch because the album’s not ready yet. It is with Chris Finnen, Peter Beulke and John Freeman. We’ve recorded the album. We recorded that last year when I was here last. It is called “Ragas, Jugs, and Mojo Hands”. It is a blues acoustic sort of album.

It’s different to what I normally do.

Gwyn: Yes. I like it over here but if I lived here I would miss Europe.

Sue: Have you played on different people’s albums here?

Sue: If only you could tear yourself in half and have half here and half in Europe.

Gwyn: I should clone myself! The world needs more of me! (laughing)

Gwyn: I’m not a blues player! I find a problem with being labeled that. It’s an American Gwyn: I played on two of Jim Keays’ albums, roots based music. My music is influenced by “Pressure Makes Diamonds” and “Resonator”. the blues but I have trouble calling myself a traditional blues player.

I also played on Jac Dalton’s first album.

Sue: When do you plan to come back to Adelaide?

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David: In the UK blues scene have you played with any of your idols?

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Photo: Sue Hedley

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Gwyn: Peter Green. He was the best white blues player that ever existed.

Gwyn: There are a lot of guys out there who don’t get talked about and they don’t necessarily have to be young. Blues is an David: Was there any American blues artists experience of life. So you get some hot shot that you’ve really wanted to play with? kids who can play real good because they have been watching YouTube videos but it Gwyn: I’d love to have played with all those doesn’t necessarily mean they have got the guys. I’ve learnt something from them. I like blues. You’ve got to live a bit before you play Howling Wolf. I mean, if there was no Howling any type of blues.

Wolf there would be no Rolling Stones, if there was no Muddy Waters Led Zeppelin would Sue: Do you think that the quality of never have existed. That’s how important the musicianship is better in Australia or overseas? blues is!

Gwyn: Well, there is a hell of a lot of good David: Did you play with Buddy Guy? stuff in America, incredible stuff, and it’s their own music. I’ve got to give them number Gwyn: I played with Buddy Guy. I did a couple one. Every country has their strengths and of shows with him but he wouldn’t remember weakness. Europe has been brought up on me. classical music and then jazz. There are jazz players in Adelaide who are very respected on Sue: Do you record your albums at home? the world jazz scene. Nick Panosakis is one and James Muller. I did a gig at Lazybones Gwyn: Yes, I have a mobile recording studio in Sydney last week and there was a jazz at home. I go around to people’s houses and band upstairs. I was playing downstairs and get the tracks down. It takes me a long time apparently I stole all the crowd from upstairs sometimes. and they were playing to no-one. I made more money than they did that night.

David: Who would you like to take on tour with you from Adelaide?

Music has to evolve into something that younger people can identify with. Hip Hop is Gwyn: Well, I played with John Freeman the blues of the 21st century. The real good tonight and he is one of the best drummers hip hop stuff you don’t get to hear much, only I have ever played with. I loved John with the real commercial stuff.

Fraternity because he was incredible. There are only a few bass players that I want to Sue: How many albums have you released? play with and Peter “Boom Boom” Beulke is one of them, Harry Brus is another one and Gwyn: Six so far - Feel The Heat, Beg Borrow Geordie Leach up in Brisbane. We had a band and Steal, Fang It, Prohibition, Two Man’s together in Melbourne for a couple of years Blues Army, and Radiogram. I’ve got a live after he left Rose Tattoo. I love the history trio album that I’m about to mix. Well, I did of rock ’n’ roll in Australia. I’ve really come a tour of the Czech Republic three years ago to appreciate it more since I’ve been away, with a drummer and bass player from Wales. and since the next generation of musicians When we recorded it the bass player didn’t have come up. Learning jazz, they go out on really know the songs properly and didn’t do the road and they just can’t play rock ’n’ roll. his homework. It was a multi-track session Those people that play jazz think that they and so I got Peter Beulke to re-do all the bass can play anything. Some of them put down on parts. It’s going to be on a live Czech Republic other forms of music as inferior and simple. album. He has never met the drummer or been Then they try to play the blues and it’s not to the Czech Republic. working.

Sue: You have been in Australia for about two David: Could you name one person that you months. Have you enjoyed it? have either met, played with or seen that you think would be a next generation guitarist?

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inroads and meeting more people, more gigs, Photos from Gwyn’s launch @ The Boom and record distribution. I’ve got a distributor Boom Room: lined up for my stuff. So my albums will be available over here soon. I am forever trying to reinvent the wheel, change directions every now and then and occasionally I chuck in a left turn there that nobody is really expecting.

Sue: Do you think that your music has changed a little from since you started out?

Gwyn: The more you live the more influences you get. The more stuff you listen to, the more stuff that comes out.

Sue: What is your most favourite thing about Adelaide?

Gwyn: Family, friends, all of that. I like the history of what has come out of Adelaide, some great bands. Even if they’ve disappeared to different countries and cities, but they kind of initially got it together here in the first place. There is definitely something here, maybe because it such a f***ing boring place!

So you have to play music because there is nothing else to do!

Sue: Is there anything that you would like to promote about yourself.

Gwyn: I just plan to keep on touring and spend a bit more time in Australia than what I’ve been doing. I just want to keep expanding territories, the boundaries, get out further afield. A lot of people are dying. It is no better time to get out there and do it. No more procrastination, no more negativity about stuff, just get out there and do it. That’s me …

Gwyn’s web: www.gwynashton.com

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www.gwynashton.com

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Gwyn Ashton @ Boom Boom Room Photos: Sue Hedley

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Gwyn Ashton @ Berri Club

Words by Jakam Kourasanis Photos by Sue Hedley If I could count how many guitarists out there can perform without a band, just them by themselves, playing guitar, harmonica, kick drum and singing, I’d only need one hand.

At number one would be Adelaide’s resident blues rock guitarist Gwyn Ashton.

Ashton performed a variety of Hendrix style licks and paid tribute to many of his guitar heroes including the late Rory Gallagher (with whom’s band he recorded the album “Fang It” with), while working through songs from his many albums.

The show was simple. Gwyn in an intimate concert setting in front of a small audience but they all walked out with a smile on their faces. But to the guitar enthusiast Gwyn’s rig was something in which you were obsessed with for the night. A variety of guitars were on show, names like Martin, Fender for guitars and he was using Goldentone, Fender and Strauss amplifiers and a pedal board where there was no room to add any more. Gwyn’s show was something any guitarist should not miss.

Be sure to catch Gwyn play live when you can.

I also interviewed Gwyn that night on video.

Be sure to check it out on YouTube.

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Gwyn’s guitar pedals board

Jakam Kourasanis with Gwyn Ashton

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Vale Jon English

Words and Photos by Sue Hedley Jon English’s family, friends, and fans said goodbye to a superstar at The Capitol Theatre in Sydney on Monday 4th April at a Memorial Concert. Jon English died near midnight on 9th March this year with his family around him, following complications from what was meant to be a routine operation for an aortic aneurysm. He was 66 years old. He is survived by his four children, Jonathan, Josephine, Jessamine and Julian, and his partner Coralea Cameron.

The Foster Brothers played while John Paul Young, Simon Gallagher, Peter Cupples, and John Waters sang Jon’s songs and country singer Christie Lamb performed the Dixie Chicks’ “Loving Arms”. The Foster Brothers are John Dallimore, Keith Kerwin, John Coker, Jon English, Peter Deacon, and Greg Henson.

Tribute speeches included Peter Rix, who managed Jon for two decades, Amanda

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Muggleton, Simon Gallagher, Trevor White, and two of his children, Josephine and Jonathan. Video tributes included Richard Wilkins, Cameron Daddo, and Julie Anthony.

He was remembered by many as a magnetic performer, a unique Australian talent, a great friend, and a wonderful father and family man.

He was a prolific songwriter, experienced screen composer, and a popular actor with critical acclaim, a great sense of humour and dynamic stage presence. His daughter, Josephine, said that he was a private person with a very public job, and his final weeks were filled with love and laughter.

Jon played Judas Iscariot in the 1972 production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Trevor White played Jesus. I spoke with Trevor at the memorial concert.

“Jon and I met for the first time at the very first audition for Jesus Christ Superstar and it just happened that in a room full of people it was he and I that sat next to each other and

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we’ve been friends ever since, both musically, our families, we socialized outside,” Trevor said. “Our lives, of course, were going busily in different directions, but when you have a friendship and a bond like we had from Superstar you are friends forever - and a million other things.”

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“We toured Australia and NZ with the show,” he said. “Lovely time in Adelaide. We loved Adelaide.”

Barrington sums up Jon as “Genuine, absolutely genuine. There was nothing about him that was fake ever. Totally genuine, very loving, very kind, wonderful man ... a wonderful man.

Jon was in other theatre productions including I miss him so much.”

Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado, and his television acting credits include All Together Last week, Jon won the award for Original Now and Against The Wind. Jon’s last tour Music Performer at ACE - Australian Club was with Peter Cupples, and their shows were Entertainment Awards. Jon’s partner Coralea outstanding and entertaining.

Cameron accepted the posthumous award on Jon’s behalf.

Peter Deacon from The Foster Brothers has played with Jon for 44 years and 9 months. I caught up with Steve Wright, who worked He met Jon when he auditioned for Sebastian for Jon as his lighting engineer.

Hardy.

“I worked for Jon English doing lights for a “I wrote in my diary ‘Tried out for Sebastian number of years, some in the ’80’s and Hardy, gas group, I’m in’. Jon said ‘no worries pretty much constantly since 2000 on his you got the job. We’re playing tomorrow pub rock shows”, says Steve. “A couple of night.’” things struck me about Jon that set him apart from most artists I’ve been involved with, Peter sums up Jon. “Very talented, loyal, and one of those was his awareness of those good fun, creative, clever guy, smart guy, around him and also the production around compassionate guy, just all round nice guy.” him onstage. Even while working his ass off entertaining the punters he was also making When asked what his fondest memories of mental notes about things that weren’t right playing with Jon were, he said, “My fondest or things that could be improved. One night in memories onstage were every night.”

Griffith, I believe, as Jon was making his way onto the stage a monitor wedge had been John (Chief) Coker from The Foster Brothers moved after the house lights went out and he spoke to MEGAscene too. fairly strode straight into it. Without missing a beat he got onstage and done the whole first “I’ve been in The Foster Brothers from the set. I hadn’t noticed anything different about beginning and circumstances happened and his attitude or performance. As usual, during I had to leave and Tony Mitchell took over. the break I wandered backstage and asked if He was playing tonight on stage too. We did everything was ok and did he need anything. a 30th reunion tour about 18 months ago He was sitting on a log at the back of the around Australia with about 15 gigs. The building with his jean leg rolled up, and I saw last gig we did was in Newcastle just before a huge bloody red scrape on his shin. He said Christmas. We look back on it now and think he didn’t want to look at it but was it bad. He wow, that was the last gig we did. Pretty sad.” added that he did the whole first song worried that he may have broken his shin. That’s our “He was larger than life, great fun to be Jon.” around, and you always knew when he was in the room. Just a regular human being. He was “I’m missing this guys presence already,” says a very talented guy.”

Steve. “There is a space in all our lives now, left by his untimely departure. There will never Barrington Davis played Annas in Jesus Christ be another like him. He was entertainment in Superstar in later shows in 1975/76. it’s natural state but more than that he was my friend.”

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At his memorial, Keith ‘Stretch’ Kerwin’s plectrum disappeared from on his amp.

Apparently Jon was well known for stealing Stretch’s plectrums.

“We never found the pick, even after clearing the stage”, says Steve. “There was an orchestra pit between the punters and the stage so there was no way that anyone could have nabbed it. The plectrum disappeared.”

Could it be that Jon’s spirit was there at his memorial? Many of the performers believed that he was. Maybe taking the plectrum was Jon’s way of letting the band know that he was there.

Vale Jon English. A true star and a wonderful person and family man.

Photos in the Capitol Theatre bar after the Memorial concert . . .

Denny Burgess and friends

Barrington Davis, Carolyn Lenthall and Trevor White

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Brett Williams from The Choirboys and his girlfriend

Michael Chugg and Bob King

Michael Chugg and Bob King with Jon English fan Margaret Ball

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Clare and Denny Burgess

John “Chief” Coker and Keith “Stretch” Kerwin from The Foster Brothers

Clare and Denny Burgess and Glenn A. Baker

Cast members from Pirates of Penzance

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Jon English Memorial Concert Photos: Sue Hedley

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Burning Tongue @ Crown And Anchor 16/03/2016 Photos by Sue Hedley

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Jac Dalton Band @ Crown and Anchor 16/03/2016 Photos by Sue Hedley

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Angels of Gung Ho @ Crown and Anchor 16/03/2016 Photos by Sue Hedley

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AMC SA Hall of Fame Inductions

Words and Photos by Sue Hedley On Friday 1st April AMC SA Music Hall of Fame inductions were on again at the Goodwood Institute. Peter Head, Robyn Archer and Peter Thornton were inducted. Performances were from Goldstein, Courtney Robb, Robyn Archer & The Mt Lofty Rangers, and Headband.

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Richard Semmons and Bev Harrell

Joff and Chris Bateman

John Freeman, Gwyn Ashton and Gary Allen

Chris Loft and Phyllis Skryprek

Damien Reilly and Scott from Blue Pie Records and John Carlini

Gwyn Ashton and Gary Allen

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Phyllis Skryprek and Robyn Archer

AMC SA Hall of Fame recipient Peter Thornton

Goldstein

Rob Pippan, Richard Semmens and Gwyn Ashton

John Pemberton, Victor Marshall, and Alex Innocenti

Robyn Archer and Elaine Moore

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AMC SA Hall of Fame recipients Robyn Archer and Peter Head

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Phil, Tooley, and Victor Marshall

Richard Semmens, Phyllis Skrypek, and Peter Head

Jan McAskill, Elaine Moore and Gillie Dee

David and Lydia Moyse and Mark Meyer

AMC SA Hall of Famers

Richard Semmens, Gwyn Ashton and Gary Allen

Barry McAskill, Jan McAskill and Chris Loft

Quinton Dunne and Bonnie Galea

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Robyn Archer shows off her award

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AMC SA Hall of Fame Inductions Photos: Sue Hedley

Peter Thornton

Robyn Archer

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Peter Head

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HEADBAND @ AMC

Photos: Sue Hedley

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Words by Ronny Davidson Photos by Louise Miller

Gaol Blues Festival, held on Sunday March 20th at Old Adelaide Gaol was an incredible success. Over 1,000 patrons enjoyed the fabulous sounds and talent of ISAIAH B BRUNT BAND (Sydney), BLIND DOG TAYLOR and ONE MORE MILE, LAZY EYE, CHRIS FINNEN BAND, GUMBO YA YA, DREAMBOOGIE (Melbourne), ZKYE BLUE, and The BLUES BROS and SISTER of SOUL. The event, staged by the SA Government, was hosted by Ronny Davidson as MC for the day and the staff of the Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources, who did a fantastic job of organising the whole event. Held to celebrate the 175th birthday of the Gaol, the success of the event will probably mean the continuation on an annual basis. Discussions are already being held for next years show. The Adelaide Roots and Blues Association was extremely happy with the day and signed up many new members. Anyone interested in joining the association can contact them via Facebook.

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The Blues Bros and Sisters of Soul

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Chris Finnen Band

Chris Finnen Band

The Blues Bros

Chris Finnen Band

Chris Finnen

Chris Finnen Band

The Blues Bros and Sisters of Soul

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DREAM BOOGIE @ GAOL BLUES

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Photos: Louise Miller

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LIVE SOUND ADVICE

Still On The Desk

200-450 Hz. The rationale being: it scoops an awful lot of the muddy low mid’s close to the region where vocal fundamentals are looking for some space.

What you really have to do In order to excel at live mixing is to get to grips with the EQ on the desk, be it, two way, (bass and treble) three way, (bass, mid, treble) or even the luxurious parametric mid.

Don’t forget to return some gain as this “cut” ends up taking a lot of gain out, and returning the gain gives the output a good amount of presence and your mix as a whole, some breathing space.

The EQ on mixing desks of the mid 70’s consisted of basic bass and treble controls.

Frequencies were set at 100 Hz for bass boost-cut and 10 KHz treble boost-cut, and that’s all I had when I started out and didn’t know any better, but still had some good mixing experiences.

Next, try and tighten up the kick by cutting 3-4Db off the bass (lows)and return a little volume, and see if the bass drum has a tighter and punchier sound. The Shure Beta 91A mic. has a setting where 400Hz is scooped by 7Db (so you’re half way there) and it is my favourite mic for kick at present.

By Frank Lang

Sure there was better gear around but I couldn’t afford it, and Frankly, I didn’t need it.

Over the years I stubbornly resisted another technique used a lot in the studio, but now I regularly roll off some channels under 100 Desks evolved and along came some smart Hz and even up to 350 Hz for anything that technical guys who added one mid range could be adding mud. control, and then two mid range controls.

They fixed frequencies at 250 Hz “low mid” I buy some of the mix mag’s like CX, and Audio and 2.5 kHz “upper mid” and we all had more Technical, but I find they deal with issues tools at our disposal, more ways to get it right more relevant to bigger shows than our front and maybe more ways to loose it, but I found bar scene. Then again, so much of this can be the 4 band graphic configuration effective. scaled down to our scene.

These days when in doubt I still find it useful Over time I have learnt to listen, and glean to use these frequencies as reference. any information I could from other engineers.

This used to occur at shows with more than It’s always easy to boost/add frequencies but one band, and I’d find time to look over the this can tend to clutter up and muddy things shoulder of the guy/gal mixing and read the in reverberant rooms with loud bands so: let’s desk, try to make some sense of the EQ, rack consider that cutting frequencies can be very settings, and mentally prepare for my shot at useful. the system.

If you have a lot of channels with low or low mid frequency information that might add up or “sum”, to muddy and clutter the bass region, so, cutting frequencies can help.

Here is one trick I have found helpful. On your kick channel, and I admit this seems counter intuitive, (after all you would think that bass is bass so for a (bass drum)? I find it useful to drop up to 15Db in the low mid’s between 52

Will I need to vastly change settings? Can I start from where the previous engineer left off? Will I bypass gates and compressors?

How much can I achieve in a short break to set up my bands sound?

All important considerations and here I go again, if you can’t get it right on the desk???? how can all the effects in the world help.

Happy mixing folks.

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

BANDS ARE HARD WORK

By Brian Cain I recently visited a close friend on return to Adelaide to catch up and introduce family he was not familiar with. He was a big man, not only in stature but ability and experience. I made the comment during conversation that I would like to just play harp in a band, just as a member. He quickly corrected me by making a statement that rang true, “I’d like to just play bass in a band won’t happen. Bands are hard work, just wishful thinking on our behalf”.

you’re a venue operator.

The vast, and I mean vast majority of venues are run as a business. They have to make money or they would not exist and there is no law to the amount of money they can make. This is obvious when we consider major mining magnets in the country making masses of money and still being subsidised by the public purse. The reflective and in laying cause of this phenomena is that mining Every now and then one requires a check on magnets are business people, reflected solely reality as they pass by musicians of great on making money and they are good at it. talent, for years discarded in a relegation Social consequence and what people think of to the scrap heap. No matter how hard you them is none of their business. work, be it in the music industry or any other commercial enterprise, hard work is prevalent The operator of a venue must operate within to success. It may be a personal success or the bounds of social economics, they do not one demanded by rigorous standards imposed supply a service to the musically affiliated by multi national conglomerates focused on jamming public, although some instances do nothing but making money. exist and to their advantage, and good on ‘em, social and commercial economics clash Personal success is far different to the success in an array of divided opinions. Beware of reflected by commercial enterprise, but the prostituting bass player with his own PA. without personal success even multi-national Why? We live in a free world and the affiliation giants would fail. In relation to multi-national of talent, experience and commercial entity is expenses against those of a few struggling to be encouraged and applauded and sounds musicians ploughing through the day to day like someone working hard coming at us from events of weekend warriors, expense is still many angles, not something to be condemned important. Loosing a million dollars in a multi due to social implications in the front bar. billion dollar corporation is like paying ten bucks each for a rehearsal room, not important but The words of my learned friend again ascend the mention of massive amounts of money in my mind, bands are hard work. Treading the certainly pulls one up when you read about boards and learning them blues, finding band it. The vast majority of us are gob smacked members that don’t want to kill you, rehearsing by the mention of a billion dollars but to to the point of acceptance, disregarding the our governing bodies its just ten bucks, and opinions of the Blues Nazis, finding venues here we find a very good point, if you are that actually support live music of any genre, involved in the live band music industry and trolling the net and walking the streets in a complain about the climate, the directors of flurry of promotional direction. multi-nationals are complaining about their climate and they drive Rolls Royce cars and From all this one thing is absolutely paramount, fly personal jets around the planet. This would if you want to be in a band and play live, be indicate that finance and money are not the ready for a lot of disappointments, until one main driver for live music, any more than the day things change - and that takes a lot of labour market is for a businessman that drives hard work. a Rolls and flies a jet around the planet, unless 53

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

SA PARANORMAL

Words and Photos by Allen Tiller Located in Port Adelaide, The National Railway Museum offers a glimpse into South Australia’s railway past. Within its many sheds sits old trains from all eras of our railway past, including Steam Trains, Diesel Engines, old Red Hens and even the old Callington Railway Station, but did you know, there are also claims the site is haunted?

The National Railway Museum started originally on Railway Terrace, Mile End in 1963 and was run entirely by volunteers, who not only restored and preserved old trains, but wrote and published books about them too.

In 1988 the volunteers sought a new site where their trains could be kept undercover to keep them out of the weather, and in pristine condition. After a Government grant and help from the History Trust of SA, a new site was purchased.

The National Railway Museum office, which was built in 1951 in the town of Callington, near Murray Bridge. The building was taken from Callington in 1991 and reerected in Port Adelaide in 1994.

The museum also has in its collection an original coffin trolley, used until 1982 at the Adelaide Railway Station to transport coffins by hand through the terminal.

My father worked in the railways, as did both his parents, so trains were a big part of my life growing up. My wife and I, and my mother-inThe Port Dock Station Railway Museum was law had investigated the Steamtown Heritage opened in 1988. In 2001 a new facility was Rail Centre in 2011, and had some great opened with in the existing one that featured experiences, so when we were invited to join exhibits from the Australian National Railways Lyon Paranormal, Paranormal Spectrum and and the Commonwealth Railways. With the The Ghosts Within to investigate the National new exhibit came a new name for the site, Railway Museum for paranormal activity, my one that remains today “The National Railway whole team made themselves available for Museum Port Adelaide”. the opportunity!

The original railway station stood where the Port Adelaide Police Station now sits, and was opened in 1856. This was one of the first lines in South Australia and the main line to the ports. The station closed in 1981, but the goods sheds and railway yards remained, which is now the site of the museum.

There had been ongoing reports of spooky thing happening at the site, including reports of a shadow person, and of phones ringing when they are not plugged in to the wall.

It is thought that one of the trains, the “Y 12” may in fact be the very train that was involved in Australia’s first terror attack, at Within the complex are a series of sheds Silverton, Near Broken Hill. On New Year’s Day containing many displays of railway related 1915, two Turkish men opened fire into the items, including a miniature train set and old carriages of this locomotive which was hauling steam train carriages one can walk through. a picnic train, killing a number of passengers.

There is also the original 1878 Port Dock It is believed by some parties that the spirits Station goods shed on the eastern side of the of those deceased may linger near the complex, and the old Callington booking locomotive.

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Other deaths onsite include railway workers killed while working in the rail yard shunting trains. There is also an unconfirmed story of a man who fell asleep on the rails whilst very drunk, and was run over by a train.

We investigated as many carriages and trains as we could enter on the night, but for us, it seemed the spirits did not want to communicate. However, Paranormal Spectrum’s investigators did manage to collect an EVP during their sessions.

The National Railway Museum

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

The National Railway Museum

The National Railway Museum Port Adelaide is located at 76 Lipson Street Port Adelaide – you can find more information about exhibits and the train via their website at: http://www.natrailmuseum.org.au/

Allen Tiller is the Australian star of international hit television show “Haunting: Australia” and author of “The Haunts of Adelaide – History, Mystery and the Paranormal” as well as being a historian, lecturer, poet, musician, Tour Guide, blogger and podcaster. Allen is also a White Ribbon Ambassador and volunteer for many different associations and groups.

You can find Allen online at: www.twitter.com/Allen_Tiller www.facebook.com/AllenHauntingAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide

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MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

by Carina Bonney

MARKETS

Here are some of the markets on in Adelaide.

Fisherman’s Wharf Market

When: Every Sunday from 9am - 5pm and Monday Public Holidays Location: Lighthouse Square, Port Adelaide When: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday www.fishermenswharfmarkets.com.au and Saturday 9am - 5pm Location: Grote Street, Adelaide Shop at the Market with free parking after Gawler Lions Station Market 3pm & before 6pm every Tuesday & Thursday When: Every Sunday 8am - 12pm during Spring!

About: A huge range of fresh food, all under Location: Gawler Railway Station one roof - fruit and vegetables, meat and About: Arts and crafts, fresh local produce, poultry, seafood, gourmet cheeses, bakery bric-a-brac, tools and more. products, sweets, nuts and health foods. www.adelaidecentralmarket.com.au/ Gepps Cross Treasure Market

Adelaide Central Market

Adelaide Market

Showground

Farmers

When: Every Sunday 9am -1pm Location: Adelaide Showground Leader Street Farmers markets are the best place to find healthy food direct from the source. You will be supporting local industry, growers and farmers as well as getting the freshest produce.

Blackwood Craft Market

When: Sundays 7am - 1pm Location: Mainline Drive In @ 588 Main North Road, Gepps Cross

Gilles Street Market When: October to May the market is open on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from Location: Gilles Street Primary School 91 Gilles Street, Adelaide 10am – 4pm About: a focused Fashion & Accessories market only

Glenelg Markets

When: 1st Sunday of the month 10am - 4pm Location: Memorial Hall Cormandel Parade, Blackwood About: handmade craft items

When: Every Saturday & Sunday 9am - 4pm Location: Moseley Square, Glenelg

Bowerbird Market

Market Shed on Holland

When: Friday 6th - Sunday 8th May Time: Fri 2pm – 9pm, Sat + Sun 10am – 5pm About: Adelaide design market. Talented designer makers from SA and around Australia http://bowerbirdbazaar.com.au

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When: Sunday, 9am-3pm every week Where: 1 Holland Street, Adelaide (behind the Gilbert St IGA) Contact: marilyn@themarketshed.com.au About: One big bustling shed is filled to the brim with local food producers selling their wares. The market focuses strongly on organically and locally produced food.

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

Semaphore Community Market When: 1st Sunday of the month from 9am - 2pm Location: St Bedes Anglican Church 200 Military Rd, Semaphore When: April 24th - 10am - 4pm Location: Druid Ave, Stirling Free entry

Wild At Hart Fresh Food Market, Port Adelaide When Open Sundays 9am - 1pm or 2pm Where: The Harts Mill precinct About: A famers market with fresh food and produce http://www.wildathart.com.au

Gilles Street Market

Stirling Laneways and Market Organic and Sustainable Market When: Every Saturday from 9am – 1pm Location: Henley Beach Primary School Military Road, Henley Beach

Round She Goes Market Adelaide Held in Adelaide 3 times a year When: check dates on website http://roundshegoes.com.au/whenwhere/ adelaide-dates/ Next market: Saturday 21st May Location: Woodville Town Hall 74 Woodville Road, Woodville Entry: $2, 10am-3pm About: Pre-loved Designer & vintage clothing, and handmade jewellery. Also in Melbourne and Sydney. http://roundshegoes.com.au

Wild At Hart Market

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MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

MARIA’S COLUMN

by Maria Szczerba

SA DRAGON BOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 DRAGONS DOWN UNDER – WCCC 2016

each Boat having an ornately carved dragon’s head at the Bow and a tail in the Stern. The Hull is painted with the Dragon’s scales. The paddles symbolically represent the claws. In As I do this article, I do it under an enormous IDBF Sport Racing there consist generally of amount of stress this week due to personal 18-20 paddlers per Standard size Dragon circumstances, but are persevering on with Boat and 8-10 paddlers in the Small Boat, plus a drummer and a helm called the Steer writing this article for you. or Steerer. In Traditional Festivals the boat As we approached the SA Dragon Boat designs and crew consists from 10 up to 50 Championships week, I did not know what or more paddlers, plus of course the Drummer to expect and I was assigned my duties and the Helm, Steer. All Steers must wear a as marshall at the SA Aquatic Reserve at life jacket and is requirement for racing dragon boats whether it be a 20 boats or 10 boats.

Semaphore, West Lakes end.

There were many boats that I had seen from the following teams such as- Singapore Plk, Black Pearl Dragons, Adelaide Phoenix, Canberra Combines Grammar Schools, Brave Hearts DBC, Dragon Flyers, Melbourne Flames Dragon Boat club, Manly Dragons, Water Warriors, Yarra River, China TBT Dragon Boat Club, Typhoons Dragon Boat Club, FSD Hong Kong West DBT, Black Pearl DB Team, Avonside Girls High School, Christchurch Girls High School, Hillmorton NZ, Red Dot, German Dragons Singapore, Dubai Diggers, Dragon Warriors Dubai, Golden Dragons, Miami Dragon Slayers, and Space Dragons. Space Dragons is from San Francisco.

THE DRAGON BOAT RACE The Dragon on the boat has a very symbolic meaning for the Chinese. The head of the dragon has the head of an ox, deer’s antlers, mane of a horse, body and scales of a snake, claws of an eagle and the tail of a fish. The Dragon with its strength and power rides the clouds in the sky and commands the wind, mist and rain.

As I had watched the training for the racing happening here at the SA Aquatic Reserve where I had marshalled for the whole day after being shown the duties by Julie French, my supervisor, who went through the duties of what I had to do. I got to my post down on the beach of the SA Aquatic Reserve and Julie and I started to book in the boats that had booked in for their training. Whether it be a 20’s boats or 10’s boats that was booked, many of the teams had started their training and as I marked teams in and out I found it very interesting and such a joy to have been part of this for a whole day and seeing the teams train.

The teams that I had seen were Singapore Plk, Black Pearls, Hungarian, Water Warriors, Avonside Girls High School NZ, China Macau, and Hillmorton NZ to Christchurch Girls High School. The teams arrived in the morning and all trained in the fine weather compared to the ones in the afternoon, they had the weather turn on the them and it was and got very windy here at the SA Aquatic Reserve but that did not deter the various teams that The Dragon Boat culture is very deeply were training here, not at all. embedded in the China’s Dragon culture, with 58

As I got the swing of things in being a marshall for the whole day and was in charge for the day, it was interesting to watch the different paddle strokes of each of the teams and a very worthwhile experience here on Sunday followed by me helping out marshalling at the West Lakes Ramsey Avenue end where the real racing was being held.

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

I was thanked for volunteering Sunday all on my own and for helping out with marshalling down at the West Lakes on Wednesday. I met some very nice people and made some new friends. The organisers have booked me again for the next event and next year’s SA Dragon Boat Championships.

In closing, the SA Dragon Boat Championships As I was at the West Lakes end and helping are held to drive off evil spirits and pestilence with marshalling, my first job was to report in and was a worthwhile world event to have to Julie French and from there was directed to here in Adelaide! the volunteers sign on room where I proceeded and signed on. I was then given a grey jumper I am so happy to be given the opportunity jacket to wear as part of my duties and was to be part of such a special worldwide event, also given a nice yellow bag with a Dragon commemorating the Chinese culture. Thank Boat Championships 2016 book in it, together you. with a water bottle to have for the day while I marshalled in the team marshalling area I hope to see you all there next year! where all teams assembled into their lanes and each official marked each of the teams in. Maria The teams all assembled, got checked in by the officials, I as marshall saw to it that all life jackets were ready for them and put onto the railings set up for all teams and saw to it that all teams had baskets to put their clothes and water bottles and shoes and anything else that they saw fit to put into the baskets while they went out to their boats and assembled into their prospective racing lanes ready for racing. The boats beforehand were being assembled by the other volunteers and bailing out water from the previous races. Then it was time for the others to assemble and there were some hard racing by teams, so much so I experienced by first ever topple overs I had watched, and some very cold people. But all in all, the SA ambulance people and the officials were ready to pull in those who had fallen out of the boat.

Despite some topple over from boats at the end, all in all everyone was okay and all had a great SA Dragon Boat Championships.

Everyone had an awesome time at the championships and all the volunteers were looked after very well by the organisers and officials.

To finish, just wanted to say that SA Dragon Boat Championships also were tested by Anti-Doping Agency and The SA Dragon Boat Championships are now being being recognised all over the world.

Maria marshalling

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MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

Photos by Maria Szczerba

Singapore Plk

Maria with official Trinidad Tobago

Maria with Sophie, Phoebe, and Kim (NZ) Singapore Plk Team 2

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Singapore Plk and other teams on the water at West Lakes

The Dragon Boats

MEGAscene • Issue 6 - 2016

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