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Showing posts from November, 2018

Jim Hansen and the Sonics @ the Sandgate Town Hall

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On Saturday November 24th I went to the Sandgate Town Hall where I saw Jim Hansen and the Sonics and it was my first time being at the Sandgate Town hall which they've been doing shows there for the Rock Under The Clock for the last 4 years to raise money for the PCYC. Dad took me to Cannon Hill, had an Coke Zero to drink, caught bus to the city, went to Central Station, caught train, got off @ Sandgate and walk to the Town Hall. Rang Dad, got inside, took photos, Saw Bob with his wife Lesley, Rod and Ann, ate Le Snack, drank Diet Coke, Saw Ken and Robyn who are volunteers at my work who bought me the tickets, met some of their friends and Saw Matman from matman Promotions with his wife Marina. The show started @ 6.30pm with the classic movie clips and then Jim Hansen and the Sonics came on stage which they performed songs from the classic movies which they were joined on stage for some songs each set by Nicky Steele who I saw with the Sonics an year and an half ago @ Coolangat

Glen Campbell Sings For The King

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This is the new CD by legendary American country singer Glen Campbell and it has 18 Elvis Presley songs that Glen recorded between 1964-68 which at that stage Glen was an well known session guitarist and had released some singles but were not big hits. These songs were written by Ben Wiseman and Sid Wayne were Elvis eventually recorded them and Glen's recordings were found by producer Stephen Auerbach on reel to reel tapes and of those songs through technology that Elvis and Glen sing together on We Call On Him produced by country musician Carl Jackson. It's an FANTASTIC CD with great singing by Glen doing those songs which he sounded great on them and it's amazing that it's taken over 50 years for those tapes to be heard but it's out now so it's wonderful that we the fans can hear it and hear the way Glen sings them which it's just brilliant too. It's in the UK charts at number 84 and Alan Light did the liner notes. It's been an year since Glen

Archaeology Zoot

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This is the new compilation CD by legendary Australian rock group Zoot and this CD has the classic Zoot hits from the 60's and 70's including Eleanor Rigby, One Times Two Times Three Times Four, Monty and Me, You Better Get Going Now, The Freak and others as well as some live tracks as well as an version of the Move's song I Can hear The Grass Grow which was the very first recording of Zoot and an new song Life In A Northern Town which Daryl Cotton had recorded and Rick Springfield and Beeb Birtles played on it. It's FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB with AWESOME songs that has stood the test of time which sounds great today as it did back then and even the new song sounds great too. It's been 6 years since Darryl Cotton passed away after reforming Zoot to do the Cruise shows that Rick Springfield does called Rick Springfield and Friends in November 2011 and there was talk of an Australian tour when Darryl passed away but the great music he made with has stood the te

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

This afternoon I went to the South Bank Cinema to see the movie The Nutcracker and The Four Realms. it's London England on Christmas Clara Stahlbaum(MacKenzie Foy) is given an locked egg shaped box from her mother who passed away and is unable to open it and then goes with her family to an Christmas Eve Ball which it's hosted by Drosselmeyer (Morgan Freeman) who is an skilled engineer as well as the godfather of the children and when she finds an string that had her name on it which she follows it into an forest where she sees the key but is unable to get it as the mouse has it and encounters an soldier named Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight) and goes to the palace where she meets Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley), Hawthorne(Eugenio Derbez) and Shiver(Richard E Grant) and they are dealing with Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren) which gets interesting. it's an excellent movie with excellent acting by MacKenzie Foy, Morgan Freeman, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Eugenio Derbez, R

Go Records the Complete Collection

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This is the compilation of the Australian recording label which lasted for 2 years from March 1965 until may 1967 and it came at that time when the pop music show The Go Show had commenced on ATV O Melbourne in August 1964 which would last until September 1967 and it was hosted by Alan Field, Ian Turpie, Johnny Young and Ronnie Burns which it had people like Normie Rowe, Merv Benton, Bobby and Laurie, Terry Dean, The strangers, Marcie Jones, Pat Carroll, Olivia Newton John, Lynne Randall and many others. In this 4 CD set it has the singles with the b sides as well as EP and LP tracks by the acts who recorded on the Go label including Bobby and Laurie, MPD Limited, the Cherokees, Betty McQuade, Yvonne Barrett, The Henchmen, Terry Dean, The Rondells, the Strangers and bonus demo tracks by Justin Anthony and the Impacts. It's AWESOME,BRILLIANT and SUPERB with AWESOME ROCKIN songs that holds up so well today and it's sounds FANTASTIC today as it did back then and an job well do

An American Treasure Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

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This is the 2 CD set compilation by legendary American rock group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers which I am reviewing the double CD Version as there is an 4 CD set of it as well and on the 2 CD version there is songs that are album tracks as well as live songs as well as alternate versions of certain songs and some unreleased ones as well. It's FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB with Great songs and an brilliant effort putting this together so well done which it's an fitting tribute to a man who had done a lot for music who kept going till the end. This compilation was produced the Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench and Ryan Ulvate as well as Bud Scoopa doing the liner notes and it has gone to number 9 in the USA, number 38 in the UK and number 80 in Australia. it's been an year since Tom petty passed away but the great music he made lives on and it's great that he's appreciated after all these years. It's an must for Tom Petty fans and I

Unchained Melodies Roy Orbison

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This is the compilation CD by the late American singer Roy Orbison and this is the second CD with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra which they used his masters from the 60's to the 80's combining with the orchestra which was done in London and Nashville with some of the tracks were played on by Jeffery Foskett who plays with the Beach Boys as well as Roy Orbison's sons Wesley, Alex and Roy Jr as well as the backing vocals by his granddaughter and daughters in law. It's an FANTASTIC and an BRILLIANT CD with great songs and an great mix of the master recordings with the orchestra which works just brilliantly and an great effort again. It's produced by Nick Patrick and Don Reedman with Roy Orbison's sons Alex, Wesley and Roy Jr and Chuck Fleckstein as executive producers and this CD has entered the Australian album charts at number 32 on Saturday which I will predict another Top 10 hit album. It's 30 years on December 6th since Roy Orbison passed away but the

Kerry O'Brien A Memoir

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This is the memoir of legendary Australian journalist Kerry O'Brien and in this book he talks about his upbringing in Stanthorpe, Warwick and Brisbane in the suburbs of Yeronga and Tennyson, Doing work in the public service, doing cadetship for Channel 9 in Brisbane, working for the Queensland Times in Ipswich, moved to Newcastle where he worked for NBN news, worked for APP and the Sun in Sydney, achieved great success with the ABC doing This Day Tonight, Four Corners, Lateline and the 7.30 Report, working for Gough Whitlam and Lionel Brown, interviewing people like John Howard, Colin Powell, Margaret Thatcher, Robin Williams, James Taylor, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and many others. It's an BRILLIANT, FANTASIC and SUPERB book with AWESOME, FANTASTIC, and BRILLIANT stories told by Kerry as it is very entertaining and an impressive read indeed and he tells it Superbly. He is currently on an book tour promoting this book and this is an must for Australian TV fans. I am givi

The Children Act

Tonight I went to the Balmoral Cinema to see the movie The Children Act. Fiona Maye(Emma Thompson) who is an court judge whose marriage to Jack(Stanley Tucci) who is an school teacher is strained as he wants to have an affair and Fiona is occupied with her work . She gets an call about an 17 year old boy named Adam Henry(Fionn Whitehead) who has leukemia which he and his parents refuses as they are Jehovah Witness which they think it's against biblical principles so she goes to the hospital attempting to determine is it what he really wants and he eventually has the blood transfusion which he leaves hospital and he follows her as well as ringing her as well as writing letters and sends her poems and it gets interesting. It's moving, excellent and FANTASTIC with top and FANTASTIC acting by Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci and Fionn Whitehead they played those roles just brilliantly. It's directed by Richard Eyre, produced by Duncan Kentworthy and Ian McEwan does the screenpla

Widows

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This afternoon I went to the Events Cinema at Carindale where I saw Widows. Veronica Rawlings(Viola Davis) along with 2 other widows Linda(Michelle Rodriguez) and Alice(Elizabeth Debicki) got together after the deaths of their husbands in an botched robbery and Veronica is threatened by Jamal Manning(Brian Tyree Henry) an crime boss as well as an politician who is running for Mayor against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell) whose father was an former Mayor(Robert Duvall) and Jamal wants Veronica to get the money that harry and his partners robbed. When Bash(Garrett Dillahunt) gets killed by the Mannings Belle(Cynthia Ervio) who is an hairdresser who has been babysitting Linda's children gets recruited to join in and it gets interesting. It's an excellent and an FANTASTIC movie with FANTASTIC acting by Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Ervio, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jackie Weaver who plays Alice's mother, Carrie Coon, Robert

The Old Man and The Gun

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Tonight I went to the Bulimba Cinema where I saw the movie The Old Man and the Gun which it's based on the true story about career criminal Forrest Tucker. Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) who is an career criminal who has escaped from prison and has been robbing banks which has confounded the authorities as well as enchant the public. John Hunt(Casey Affleck) an rookie detective gets wrapped up in the case who would be captivated by Tucker's commitment to his craft while Tucker is having an relationship with Jewel (Sissy Spacek). It's an excellent and Brilliant movie with Top and Brilliant acting by Robert Redford in his final film role and also one of the producers , Sissy Spacek, Casey Affleck, Tika Sumpter who plays John's wife, Danny Glover who plays Teddy Green and legendary American singer-songwriter Tom Waits as Waller both Forrest's friends. Directed by David Lowry who also did the screenplay and beside from Robert Redford the other producers were Ja

The PM Years by Kevin Rudd

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This is the second memoir by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and in this book he talks about the time he was Prime Minister of Australia from 2007-10 and 2013 which he talks about the saying sorry to the Stolen Generation in 2008, the Financial Crisis, the Black Saturday Bushfires in 2009, his removal as PM in 2010 as well as serving in the backbench and foreign Minister , returning to lead Labour and being PM in 2013 until he lost in the Federal Election, rubbing shoulders with people like George W Bush, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, royalty and many others. It's an FANTASTIC and an SUPERB book with SUPERB stories as well as impressive, very entertaining and honest by Kevin and I enjoyed reading it very much. He serves these days as President of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York and he divide his time between Brisbane and New York. This is an must for those who are into Kevin Rudd and I am giving this stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves

Molly's Women Of Rock & Pop

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This is the double CD compilation of Women Of Rock and Pop from the 70's, 80's and 90's which it's been put together by music guru and Countdown host Molly Meldrum and there is great names on this double CD by The Eurogliders, The Go Go's, I'm Talking, The Pointer Sisters, Abba, Cindy Lauper, Kim Wilde, Pat Benatar, Alannah Myles, Aretha Franklin and many others. It's AWESOME, BRILLIANT and SUPERB with AWESOME songs which holds up very well to this day and these songs from the late 70's, 80's and 90's sound as great today as it did back then with great effort by Molly. It's an great listen indeed and this is an must for music fans of 70's 80's and 90's which I give it 5 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves an favour and BUY IT.

Stages by Reg Livermore

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This is his second book as his autobiography Chapters and Chances was released in 2004 and in this book he talks about working on the stage as well as working on shows like the Producers, Wicked, Rocky horror Picture Show as well as working with Julie Andrews, Tom Burlinson, Harry M Miller, Nancy Hayes as well as watching an parent decline as well as growing the 1950's Sydney when it was conservative for boys who danced or danced were not like what other boys were for that time. It's FANTASTIC, excellent and very entertaining with entertaining stories told by Reg and it's very impressive indeed to read about his experiences on the stage. Reg is still going strong as he has done the one man stage show The Widow unplugged in Sydney. This book is an must for fans of Reg Livermore as well as fans of Australian entertainment and I give this 4 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves an favour and BUY IT.

The Searcher Elvis Presley(Boxed CD Set)

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I am reviewing the box CD set of the Searcher by the King Of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley and this is the soundtrack from the documentary that was shown about Elvis during the year. In this 3 CD boxed set the first 2 has Elvis' recordings from the 50's up to the 70's which the Elvis classic recordings as well as live recordings as well as rehearsal versions of songs as well as different takes of certain songs that would be different to the well known recordings and the 3rd CD has most of the original singers doing the original versions before Elvis as well as Rocket 88 by Jackie Breston as well as an recording done by Elvis' mother Gladys called Home Sweet Home as well as Rebound and Dissolution 2 done by Mike McCready of the American rock band Pearl Jam and Wooden Heart by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It's AWESOME, ROCKIN and SUPERB with AWESOME songs that has stood the test of time and the recordings sounds just as great today as it has been there. Warren Za

Boy Erased

On Friday I went to the Balmoral Cinema in Bulimba where I saw Boy Erased which it's based on the book of the same name written by Garrad Conley. Jarod Eamons (Lucas Hedges) who is the son of a Baptist minister Marshall Eamons(Russell Crowe) who is also an car dealer and Nancy(Nicole Kidman) who is an hairdresser and has an well adjusted happy life at home, school and on weekends but he is secretly gay and goes to an gay therapy conversion program to get straight which it's headed by Victor Skyes (Joel Edgerton) and also he meets other gay people going through therapy to get straight as well as finding out that the people are getting abused which makes it interesting. It's an Powerful, brilliant and excellent with brilliant acting by Nicole Kidman, Russel Crowe, Lucas Hedges, Joel Edgerton who also directed and produced it with Steve Golin and Kerry Kohansky Roberts as well as writing the screen play, Joe Alwyn, Xavier Dolan and Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers . I am

The Despair Of Monkeys and Other Triffles by Francoise Hardy

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This is the autobiography of legendary French singer Francoise Hardy and in this book she talks about her upbringing in Aulnay-sous-Bois, her parents spilt, started piano lessons as well as getting an guitar, began recording for Vogue in 1961 which she would have number of hit records throughout the 60's including Tous les garcons et less fillies, La Maison ou j'ai grandi, All Over the World and others, doing movies including Grand Prix, working with Malcolm McLaren and many others. It's an FANTASTIC and an excellent book with excellent stories and it's an enjoyable book to read which I'm impressed. Francoise Hardy is still around as she released an album early in the year called Personne d'autre. This book is an must for 60's music fans and I am giving this 4 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves an favour and BUY IT which you will enjot it.

Thanks A Lot Mr Kibblewhite by Roger Daltrey

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This is the autobiography of singer and founding member of the legendary British rock band the Who Roger Daltrey and in this book he talks about his upbringing in London, made his first guitar, played in the Detours who would eventually become the Who, achieving great success with rock classics like My Generation, Pinball Wizard, Won't Get Fooled Again, touring the world including Australia and NZ in 1968, performing at the Monterey, Woodstock and the Isle Of Wight, his 2 marriages, the deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwhistle, his recent health scare, his solo work and many others. It's an AWESOME,BRILLIANT & SUPERB book with AWESOME stories told by Roger which I thoroughly enjoyed it. Roger is still performing and recording which he released his solo album back in June with As Long As I Have You as well as doing some US solo shows and the Who are still going with Roger and Pete. It's an incredible journey from being born during the Second World War, the period of the

Bohemian Rhapsody

Last night I went to the balmoral Cinema with my mum to see the movie Bohemian Rhapsody which the biographical movie about the legendary British rock band Queen. It's 1970 and Farrokh Bulsara aka Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) who is working at Heathrow Airport London as an baggage handler as well as college student goes to see an group Smile at a nightclub which after the show meets guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor(Ben Hardy) and he becomes lead singer after their lead singer Tim Staffell (Jack Roth) quits. They recruited John Deacon(Joseph Mazzello) as bass which they started playing gigs as well as becoming Queen and starts recording for EMI which they would achieve great success and touring the world but around the time same time he is questioning his sexuality as he has been engaged to Mary Lindsay(Lucy Boynton) but breaks up and as well as achieving there is tensions about the direction of the music as well the personal issues Freddie is going throug