Muse on the muse, Negotiators Duo update

The Negotiators finally got together again on Sunday for a 'practice' (more of a jam, really) at Steve and Jackie's. Played quite a few old classics and a handful of originals from the days of Requiem. There's something that clicks when all five are together that isn't quite there when it's just the four of us. Listening to what we were doing, I could hear that we have grown into a unit. Not a polished unit, but one that when it gets it gets it well.

Every unit has its own sound. Even when they play the same songs, in the same style, they will still have uniquely identifiable groove which is theirs alone. When you hear it, you know. Not all bands have it. In fact, over the years I've seen a lot of performers who haven't 'found their sound'. It always eventually comes down to sounds like going through the motions. When you have your sound, your music comes alive.

It's a bit different than simple performance or technical skill. It is a collective inspiration expressed in the sound of the unit. If there are inspired moments occuring on stage, the moment will shine. Across an evening, a band with its own sound will carry both itself and its audience into the altered state which is rock n roll. As long as it holds its own act together aesthetically.

And with every practice session we do, we get better at this last.

The Negotiators Duo (Steve and Nancy) play at the Excelsior Hotel, Hawker Street in Brompton, this Friday (11 May) from about about 7.30pm.

The Status Quo ...

...continues.

Band waiting to get together again. Seem to have lost the flywheel at present.

The Duo plays this Friday night at Excelsior Hotel, Cnr Hawker and Coglin Streets, Brompton. Start around 9. Hamley Bridge Hotel on May25th.

RIP Lobby Lloyd

I just heard on the radio today that Oz Rock Utter Legend Lobby Lloyd passed away. This bloke was the man who gave aussie rock its kick, dragged it through the front bar and gave it one hell of a working over. I'm no coneisseur of guitar, but I know what I like and I liked him.

Considering that Billy Thorpe passed away earlier this year, we can see the passing of the Aztecs into legend. Sigh. And to think I didn't go to their last gig at the Pier in Frankston (Victoria) last October, when I was practically just up the road! Probably the best 'last gig' show I saw was the Exploding White Mice at the Exeter on Hinley Street. Like most of us, however, most of the time I don't get to say 'I was there'.

I wasn't. I regret that.

RIP LOBBY LLOYD.

Negotiators Duo next play at the Excelsior (Phantom pub, corner Coglin and Hawker Streets in Brompton) on Friday May 11th, from about 9pm.

Playing for sheer fun

We had one of our regular, if not frequent, band 'practices' yesterday. Sadly, Nancy had to pull out at the last moment so it was just the guys. Last time this happened the results might have been fun, but probably not too good on the ear. This time Chris was probably the 'lead' singer, and he was pretty good considering...

We warmed up with 'Wipeout' (no vocals to scare us off) and then got stuck into almost three hours of rock. Not being too picky (except in areas of structure) we just played for the fun of the moment. Or, at least, I did. I think we all kicked back in our own way and just forgot about the gig just around the corner or the dictates of publican's prejudices or the absence of a 'manager' and just got into the music.

Not that it won't be great to get back into playing in public, but it's great not to also.

Don't forget, The Negotiators Duo (click here here or here for pix from another country gig they did) play this Friday night (20 April) at Burra, usual start time (about 8pm).

Upcoming Negotiators Duo Gigs

Tomorrow (Easter Sunday) - Jamestown. From around 7.30 pm.
April 20 - Burra
May 11 - Excelsior Hotel, Coglin / Hawker Streets, Brompton. From around 9 pm.
May 25 - Hamley Bridge Hotel. Probably from around 9pm.

Band still in state of semi active hibernation.

Sorry about the brevity of this post and this blog in general, things will pick up as the band does.

Negotiators Duo gigs - this weekend and last

This Weekend

This Friday Night (23 March) the Negotiators Duo (Nancy and Steve) play their little duo thing at the Excelsior Hotel on Hawker St in Brompton, I think they start fairly early (like around 7.30). Last time they played their it was by all accounts a good gig. I hear there's a few people planning on going so it might be a relatively biggish show. The things I most recall about the pub are its 'Phantom' decor and its food (lots of it and yum).

On Saturday Night, it's off to the midnorth again - this time in Jamestown. It'll be a latestarting gig (say, 10 pm or after?) and no doubt a fairly interesting night. There's a busload or two of jazz people coming by, my guess is they'll appreciate what they see and hear.

Last Weekend

The most recent show Nancy and Steve did was at The Taminga Hotel in Claire. There was a bit of competition on in town, with a band at the 'young' pub, a drunken Karaoke in the middle pub, and The Negotiators Duo in the front bar of the Taminga. Not that I'm biased but I thought the band was okay, I could listen to their pop punk and enjoy it. The Karaoke was crap. The best show in town was The Duo at the Taminga, they held a dozen til the end and had a couple dozen more through the evening. All rocking at one stage. Which is pretty good for a duo midi thing. Need I say more.

(By the way, the band is still rehersing. Not a lot of new stuff, but there's a lot of ground to recover with the old. My ear detects improvement, will be good when we start booking gigs again)

RIP Billy Thorpe & Negotiators Duo gig on Saturday

'The Negotiators Duo' (Steve and Nancy) are playing at Claire, lovely little town in South Australia's Mid-North, this Saturday Night (March 10). They start at around 9.00 pm. I'm not sure which pub it will be at, but there can't be too many! Would be good to see some of you there (knowing, as I do, that you don't mind getting away from the big smoke for a weekend in the country).

The band itself continues rehersal, though of a fractured kind. For example, due personal tragedy only us blokes could make it last Sunday. This allowed for a technically oriented practice which was good, but necessitates further delay in our return to the pubs of Adelaide.

Speaking of pubs, one of the greatest legends of Oz rock, Billy Thorpe, died of a heart attack in the last week, aged 60. Our sympathies to those who knew him. For those that don't know, Billy Thorpe almost singlehandedly put bands into pubs (as early as 1963!), was upsetting everyone with his loudness almost straight away and, with his band 'The Aztecs', made a name both nationally and internationally for loud and aggressive hard rock. The chaos which attended his following was legendary. He was still into the music game, and I understood had recently recorded another album which will now no doubt become a best seller when released.

RIP Billy.