END OF YEAR REPORT 2004
Well what a year! Guano Hoik! finally folds after 17 years as any sort of jamming ensemble with Norm...well err...disappearing from February onwards. With one door closing another opens. Early in the year Al had expressed interest in recording a version of The Way Of The White Clouds. This ultimately lead to an almost 6 month recording project, 16 songs, several of them newly written, a new band name 'The Tides', a new website, a debut 'album' and a whole new direction and sound.
Song-wise: Lots of new songs written throughout the year and hopefully everything is included here: Al's Story Eyes, Hollow Ground, The River and his collaborations with Neil with Jenny Maybe and 5 Things (I Want To Do Today), Neil's The Many And The Few, The Frankston Line and She Never Once Looked Around and Mark's Vanilla Boy (co-written with friend Silvio), Queen Uncrowned, How Can I Tell You, Count To Ten, Under Winter, All Night Long (yet to be aired publicly...due in large part to the fact that it's not much good), Tonight, Milk And Honey and Flatlander. Hallington Lad, another Mark tune, has 2 verses done so far
Jam-wise: We count 16 jams for the year...some sort of record (maybe need to count again!)...some impromptu, some full blown extravanganzas. Norm came to a couple (in recent months he is back in contact which has been great) along with Steve and Greg on occasion.
Hardware-wise: Neil bought a mandolin and got his amps fixed, Al got an internal pickup put into his 'Newporter' and Mark bought a capo and tuned down to Eb!
CD-wise: What do Steve, Greg, Dom, Kate, Rick & Phyllis, Bill, John, Neil (no relation), Mark (no relation) Andy, Michael, Silvio, Bernie & Michelle, Norm, Stephanie, Dezarn and Jarad have in common? They all have our self-titled debut CD! Yep all of 17 have been distributed so far. At this stage to go platinum...well don't hold your breath! Anyway The Tides are a non-profit organisation...and there's plenty like us around.
Concert-wise: Meanwhile bands or artists seen by the lads collectively or individually during the year included Jewel, The Waifs, Sarah McLachlan, Tania Bowra and Jess MacAvoy, Richard Thompson (at Basement Discs), The Killjoys and Grant-Lee Phillips. A trip to New Zealand was Mark's other 2004 highlight (he's still paying it off).
Finally but importantly The Tides would like to wish all our reader a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

December 27 2004
Boxing Day saw a gathering at Neil's where as a matter of course the guitars were dragged out, tuned, pick or strummed by Neil, Greg, Mark and Bill. All covers...things like Solitary Man, Heart Full Of Soul, Hotel California (a performance epic), Summertime Blues, Take A Letter Maria, Suspicious Minds, Passionate Kisses, Not Pretty Enough, To Love Somebody, Hey Joe, Born On The Bayou, Mystery Train, Joey, Because The Night and an impromptu blues in E with lyrics that have since drifted with the sands of time.
Good fun, good company, good food and drink. A great way to round out the music year. A bit of Moloko and Tom Petty in the evening on the box.
Meanwhile Mark has written another song for the year titled 'Flatlander' a ditty about being the first something or other...who knows!.

December 18 2004
Hillside last night with Neil and Mark jamming pre-Christmas. A totally acoustic evening...no amps, mikes or drum machines in sight. Mark introduced a new song 'Milk And Honey'...possibly the slowest song he's ever written. Other songs played were Mykel Kain Mistaken Identity Blues, Do The Grace Poole, Do It For Me, She Never One Looked Around, Jenny Maybe, Dorothy Parker Said, Now You've Gone, Mad As A Hatter, Caviar and But A Dream. Even snippets of Alice Down The Wind (a very old long forgotten one) and Who's That Girl (Not One Stitch) got an airing.
Coffee/Tea, Chocolate and dvds rounded off the night...the whole gamut from Moloko, Aimee Mann, Sarah McLachlan, Big Country to the O Brother Concert.

November 27 2004
Neil has got his amps fixed and they were out in full force today...if not thankfully full volume...as Neil and Mark got together for a Saturday jam, determined (well at least Mark was) not to play anything from "the album".
Having said that there was still plenty of songs to choose from. Those selected were Cesspools Of Your Mind, But A Dream, A Word Is Enough To The Wise, Dorothy Parker Said, She's An Amazon, Vicious Fish and three (two completed) newies...Neil's She Never Once Looked Around...his collaboration with Al titled Jenny Maybe and Mark's unfinished Hallington Lad (possibly still a working title). Couple of covers too...Gone Gone Gone and Somebody To Love.
The sound was good, the mix was right...a successful afternoon's playing.

November 8 2004
Neil becomes the first of the trio to pen a new song after the epic recording period for the band's first album. Titled 'She Never Once Looked Around' or SNOLA...it's described by the author himself as a 'trashy disposable pop song'. Sounds like a hit to this internet diarist.
Whilst there have been no jams for a few weeks, Neil and Mark did catch Grant-Lee Phillips and his band on October 29 at Basement Discs here in Melbourne and also at The Corner Hotel in Richmond in the evening. Great show...lots of GLB tracks amongst the newer solo stuff (which is excellent in itself). Interesting hearing Grant-Lee's 12 string Takemine grunged up through pedals and a Marshall amp. Hmmm gives one ideas!

October 24 2004
The venue was Al's shed for yesterday's get-together and run through of the 16 'album' tracks. Old Croissant member Steve joined in on bass and guitar duties, depending on what Neil needed to play on any given song...the result of which was a fun jam with a fuller live sound possible with the songs than with the 'multi-trackless' trio.
The Frankston Line was played twice, otherwise the other 15 tracks got an airing and we all know by now what the track are! Al bought some light-weight sticks which helped keep the volume down, given that Neil had to pump his bass through a practice amp, his two bass amps unfortunately both now in need of repair. Oh and Al now has an internal pickup on his acoustic which sounded good.
Artwork for the disc has now been completed...two versions...a limited edition with lyrics and a slim line case edition without.
Meanwhile after following his beloved Richmond Tigers for 30+ years and experiencing no on-field success (as a spectator of course) since 1980, Mark's rugby union team Canterbury won the NPC Final within a month of his adopting them (following his holiday in NZ). Well done Canterbury!

October 17 2004
The Way Of The White Clouds has received some further mixing and mastering with Mark's vocals well and truly boosted to the fore. The project is just about complete now, though Neil may re-record The Many and The Few in a different key as he is not happy with his vocals on Version 2 (the faster one).
Meanwhile in a probable first for an album production we have two track orders of play. I suppose it depends on who you ask for a copy I suppose. With The Tides recording project complete (or nearly there) Al will be concentrating over the next few months on recording and producing the next effort from his other band Blocked Drains On Fridays.

October 13 2004
Neil, Mark and Greg got together for an enjoyable 'covers' jam last Saturday afternoon (Oct 9). Greg brought his reading glasses and the lads were soon rockin'...albeit in a fairly rusty way. Songs mauled included Not Pretty Enough, Games People Play, One Perfect Day, Solitary Man, You're No Good, Suspicious Minds, Behind The Wall Of Sleep, Passionate Kisses, Take A Letter Maria, Take It Easy, Who'll Stop The Rain, Different Drum, Because The Night and Children Of The Revolution.
On the album front Mark and Al have tweaked the final mixes of Tonight and Under Winter, a little boosting here and a little de-hissing there. Also October 3 saw Neil and Mark check out The Killjoys at the Marquis Of Lorne in Fitzroy. Acoustic Guitar, Drums and Vocals, a great sound and an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

October 2 2004
Al has completed the mastering of the 16 album tracks and bar the final artwork and track listing the disc is ready to hit the streets!
Meanwhile the lads are been all over the place of late. Al worked on the mastering while in Tasmania in fact, Neil has been to the Grampians and Warrnambool to check out Southern Right Whales with his family while Mark took his kids to New Zealand. The 10 day holiday in the South Island took in Christchurch, Karitane, Dunedin, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Lake Tekapo and Akaroa. Some Lord Of The Rings location sites were visited too, including Fangorn Forest, the Ford of Bruinen and the Pelennor Fields. Mark, a bit of a wildlife buff, managed to see Yellow-Eyed Penguins and Hector's Dolphins amongst other feathered and furry beasts.

September 15 2004
All the songs are now recorded with only minor 'tweaking' to be done before Al starts on the final mastering of the album. 16 songs, nearly 70 minutes of Tidal tunes. Album cover has been designed with work on the the back cover and jacket soon to be started (once we decide the running order). Good friends at Grafix to help with the layout. With a print run of around 20 discs they may go quick! I'm sure we can get you one if you listen to our sound bites (still not posted...sorry) and decide you'd like a copy. Henk from Bulgaria has already expressed interest.

August 29 2004
Final mixes have been completed for Think About Tomorrow, Count To Ten, Twofold Bay, Story Eyes and Feels Like The Rain. Recording finished for Colder with only Tonight, Under Winter and the faster version of The Many And The Few needing 'fairy dusting' from either Neil or Al.
The lads got together on Friday (August 27th) to jam, running through the 16 album tracks: Neil's 5 Things (I Want To Do Today), The Frankston Line and The Many And The Few, Al's Feels Like The Rain, Story Eyes, Think About Tomorrow and Colder and Mark's The Way Of The White Clouds, How Can I Tell You, In The Garden, Caviar, Dress Of Many Colours, Count To Ten, Under Winter, Twofold Bay and Tonight. The only other song done was Way Upwey.

August 9 2004
Dress Of Many Colours is now finished with Mark adding some acoustic lead to complete the jigsaw. Last Friday (Aug 6) saw Neil and Mark jam, playing songs such as Dress, A Word Is Enough To The Wise, 5 Things, Dunbar, The Frankston Line, Tonight (Mark's newie), The Way Of The White Clouds, a sad attempt at The First Cup Is The Deepest (what on earth is a Gsus!?! - poor Mark has forgotten his own compositions!) and The Many And The Few.

Sunday August 8 saw Neil, Mark and Al venture to The Corner in Richmond to catch Tania Bowra's cd launch of her 3rd album along with supports Jess McAvoy and Michael Stibey (both excellent performances). Well we were part of an exclusive crowd of only 21! For Heaven's sake Melbourne!...where were you? Probably watching crap like Pop Idol or whatever that stupid show is called! Simply Tania Bowra would have to be one of the finest singer/songwriters we have in this country and her and her band put on a great show for us. I think we as The Tides sort of fell in love with you Tania that night. It was great meeting you.

August 4 2004
Three more songs are now basically complete, they being Caviar (Mark completing vocals and guitar), Count To Ten (Al putting down the beat) and Dress Of Many Colours (with drums - "think Tamworth" was the brief for the skins on this one along with Neil's bass). Meanwhile another song of Al's looks like making the cut with Neil adding bass and mandolin to 'Colder' and Neil's The Many And The Few set for re-recording with a faster version being agreed upon. Mark also continues to write, another introspective, less than quirky lyric accompanies his latest composition titled 'Tonight', hopefully a late candidate for some recording treatment.

July 20 2004
Al has now put drums onto Caviar while Neil has put bass onto Count To Ten (Mark recorded guitar and rough guide vocal tracks on July 13) and Dress Of Many Colours. Story Eyes, a ballad by Al, is now almost complete after Mark did his bits on it last night.
Saturday July 17 saw Mark and Neil get together for another exchange of session files. A few songs were played as well: Count To Ten, But A Dream, Collision Girl and Fairport's Gone Gone Gone.

July 11 2004
Further tracks have been completed for the forthcoming debut album with the finishing touches done on In The Garden and Feels Like The Rain (the latter a real rocker!). Two nights ago (Friday) saw Neil and Mark get together for a jam after a superb lasagne cooked by Leeanne. Songs played were In The Garden, 5 Things (I Want To Do Today), The Frankston Line, When They Come, Caviar, Dress Of Many Colours and amazingly a very old one in Angel's Song (written in 1979 and performed at some of the Exodus Hall gigs in that year).
More recordings news has seen Neil working on Caviar (putting down some nice guitar melody) and also putting bass onto Dress Of Many Colours. Al meanwhile has been redoing his vocals on Think About Tomorrow while Mark completed his guitar bits on The Frankston Line today.

June 30 2004
Sunday 27 June saw Neil come up to the hills to roadtest some of the lads newer material to be included on their as yet unnamed album project. Songs played were The Frankston Line, The Many And The Few, Under Winter, Count To Ten, How Can I Tell You and Dress Of Many Colours along with others A Word Is Enough To The Wise and China Crisis' Black Man Ray.
The recording of In The Garden is now complete with Al adding djembe and shakers while Feels Like The Rain and The Many And The Few are close to finishing. It looks like Caviar will now replace Vanilla Boy with Neil's excellent suggestion of recording the 'groove' version that the band plays live as opposed to Mark's original acoustic recording a few years ago. Al has been recording drums and other bits to Think About Tomorrow and Story Eyes while Mark has put down the vocals and guitar tracks (all 6 of them) to Under Winter.
The Sunday jam was marked by a continual forgetfulness of the fact that Mark's guitar was tuned to Eb. Time after time Neil thought his bass was out of tune only to realise that Mark hadn't placed his capo on the right fret! Oh fun and games!

June 19 2004
The lads continue writing and recording, with Mark in a creative purple patch with two new songs, Count To Ten and Under Winter. Neil meanwhile has put bass, mandolin and keyboards on Mark's In The Garden while Al has been working on Feels Like The Rain and another original Think About Tomorrow.
The result of all this...a project of around 14 songs for a self-produced 'debut album'...current tracks either completed, partially recorded or newly written are The Way Of The White Clouds, 5 Things (I Want To Do Today), How Can I Tell You, Feels Like The Rain, The Many And The Few, In The Garden, Dress Of Many Colours, Vanilla Boy, Twofold Bay, Story Eyes, The Frankston Line, Think About Tomorrow, Count To Ten and Under Winter.

June 9 2004
Neil has written yet another song...this one titled 'The Frankston Line'. Last night Al got a hearing when Neil collected the session files so far for The Many And The Few and Feels Like The Rain. Al has mixed the mandolin and bass on the latter song and it will be finally mixed once Mark has done his bit.

We notice that our guestbook has been signed by an 'admirer'. We think you should reveal yourself...Mr Thomas.

June 6 2004
Guano Hoik! unreservoovibly retracts what was an erroneous statement in our last posting as to the numbers of heads swaying and bodies bopping in a Clayton Internet cafe. The number of bodies involved was one, not sixty. The boppin' head in question, through his people, have requested we amend our statement, which our people thought why not as there's every chance we'll make more errors in correcting it.
Meanwhile May 27 saw Neil and Mark see Sarah McLachlan in concert at the Regent here in Melbourne. A terrific concert, Sarah's voice was great, loved the guitarists and the light show was awesome.
Neil is working on a new song, Al has been recording bits to The Many And The Few and Mark is still stumbling along with writing his newie. Not much else to report.

May 26 2004
Mark has completed putting the 'finishing' touches to Neil's 5 Things (I Want To Do Today). Boy what a song! Along with How Can I Tell You and The Way Of The White Clouds (the three songs currently recorded by the trio) the lads are getting close to having enough tracks to approach the odd label or two. Fanciful as it might sound given our track record there's something about these new songs...5 Things has hit written all over it...it's so boppy!

Hark one of our listeners! - "Just ducked in to an internet games cafe and fired up your song over the loadspeakers. This place is full of people playing war games but once your song started, heads began to bop, bodies began to sway...what a cool, laid back tune you've got there!" or this about How Can I Tell You..."Bono meets Paul McC...U2 meets Beatles...this is great...I love the way the drums kick in..."

Remember you heard it first here!

May 22 2004
The nucleus of Guano Hoik! met for another weeknight jam with Al and Mark 'rendezvousing' down at Neil's on Wednesday 19 May. Al had put drums onto How Can I Tell You and Mark was super eager to hear the result. It was a good get together with a couple of Grant Lee Buffalo songs attempted for the first time, Lone Star Song and Mighty Joe Moon (as Mark had discovered that by tuning down to E flat he could play these songs 'almost' properly) along with originals 5 Things (I Want To Do Today), The Many & The Few, How Can I Tell You, Better Day, Caviar and The Way Of The White Clouds.
Thursday 20 May saw Mark put the finishing touches to How Can I Tell You, working out a simple lead break and putting some electric guitar from the second verse onwards. Another song completed by the trio!
Meanwhile Norm, who seems to have become almost a 'guest' guitarist these days through work committments, was spotted in Frankston last Sunday. Unfortunately there were no adoring fans with autograph books....I suppose that's the price of being in a low profile band!

May 9 2004
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEEANNE (for tomorrow).

Friday saw Neil and Mark cough their way through a 'hills' jam in which Neil introduced YET another new song...he is being very productive at the moment...titled 'The Many & The Few'. By the time Norm returns to the fray the lads will have a whole new songlist the way things are going.
Other songs played were 5 Things (I Want To Do Today), How Can I Tell You, Vicious Fish (the usual opener), A Word Is Enough To The Wise, Softly (with Neil playing mandolin), The Thirty-Nine Steppes, The Way Of The White Clouds, Twofold Bay, The First Cup Is The Cheapest, Emmylou's Deeper Well (Mark enjoying the sustain possibilities when amplifying his acoustic), Fairport's Gone Gone Gone (Mark still enjoying those sustain possibilities), and Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love.
Neil has put bass and mandolin on the session recording for How Can I Tell You with Al to add some drums soon. The evening ended with some concert footage of Sarah McLachlan and The Moody Blues (we're going to book their orchestra for our next gig).
Big hello to our fan who signed our guestbook. Umm how many Saints fans do we know? We have a good idea though.

April 29 2004
Neil has co-written a new song with Al, titled '5 Things (I Want To Do Today)'. Dissatisfied with his own lyrics (which were still pretty good) Neil handed the task to Al who added some ideas here and there to come up with what ended up being AMAZING lyrics between them. For example (last verse):

Anyway last night Neil and Mark jammed and this newie got a few plays as Mark worked on some guitar ideas. Another song played for the first time was Mark's newie 'How Can I Tell You' with Neil trying out both acoustic bass and mandolin on it which will be added to the recorded version as it stands at the moment. Other songs played were a riff idea of Neil's that maybe Mark will write lyrics for, A Word Is Enough To The Wise and Way Upwey. Neil also dragged out some old jam videos from 1994/95. One version of 'Heart Full Of Soul' sounded almost like the original...well almost!
Meanwhile like Neil, Mark has a few song ideas on the boil at the moment and has recently recorded a basic version of a riff-based instrumental.

April 18 2004
The White Clouds sessions continue unabated with Al recording djembe. An acoustic version looks a possibility now with Neil buying a mandolin with pickup in recent days...he hasn't bought a musical instrument for nearly a year!
Meanwhile Neil continues to write while Mark has been recording (April 17). One, an old song 'Notorious', was partially completed years ago with vocals, bass, rythmn guitar and drums put down by Neil and Mark. The latter has now added at last some lead guitar and extra vocal tracks to complete it. The other is a simple recording of Mark's newest composition 'How Can I Tell You'.
Neil went see The Waifs again at The Palais recently (3 rows from the front). Meanwhile Mark and his kids went to see Richard Thompson play 4 songs instore at Basement Discs today. What an amazing guitarist and great voice he has. One song, Gethsemane, done acoustically, just blew our Hoiker away. Getting a disc signed Mark just had to tell the former Fairporter that an old band of his own (Beltane) used to do 'Meet On The Ledge', a classic early Richard Thompson track.

April 9 2004
Neil ventured up into the foothills to Mark's cottage last night to collect his copy of the White Clouds session files and Mark's mix. Of course it was a musical get together as well, covering acoustically (albeit amplified) originals The Way Of The White Clouds (of course), Notorious, Now You've Gone, Sunday Roast, When You're So Far Away and Vicious Fish (which finished off the night). Neil also introduced a newie titled Five Things (I Want To Do Today) which he and Mark intend recording after getting down a rudimentary version onto 'tape'.
Covers played were Linda Ronstadt's You're No Good, The Smithereens' Behind The Wall Of Sleep, The Church's Almost With You, China Crisis' Black Man Ray, Tears For Fears' Mad World and Nights in White Satin (minus the orchestra - kitchen not big enough!).
The dvd offering this time Natalie & Co from Vol 2 of some New York sessions (sorry forgot the name) and a Robbie Robertson docu which Mark found fascinating.
A big cheerio to the few people who keep abreast of all the Hoiker news on this site. Let us know who you are (if there is anyone beyond Steve and the band itself) by signing the guestbook.

April 6 2004
Mark has finished his contribution to the newly recorded version of The Way Of The White Clouds, putting down vocals, guitars and Tibetan monks. Whilst the first version of the song, recorded in the mid 1990s, really rocked with some great guitar work by Norm, this newer version is probably closer to the spirit of the song's content, based on Mark's travels through Tibet in 1986. Also Mark was never particularly happy with his vocals on the original cut. This time he is.

April 1 2004
What started out as a simple trip for Mark to pick up the session files (drums, bass and keyboards) for the band's new reworking of The Way Of The White Clouds turned into an abbreviated, totally acoustic (not even mikes!) but fully functioning jam last night at Neil's when Al came along as well.
Neil had suggested that Mark needn't bring a guitar but when you've got Elixir strings on your acoustic nothing else will do. With that in mind the trio played originals The Way Of The White Clouds (naturally enough), Cesspools Of Your Mind, Al's The Dream and Story Eyes, But A Dream and Dunbar.
Covers played were Which Side Are You On (recently recorded by Natalie Merchant), Emmylou's Deeper Well (ended up wrecking Neil's hands playing bass on that one), Michelle Shocked's The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore and Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love.
It was a fun couple of hours for the lad's almost first mid-week music get together.

March 21 2004
2004 may already be looking like a repeat of 2003 in some ways but regular Hoikers Mark and Neil are determined this time not to sit on their hands music-wise.
Last Friday saw them jam up in the hills (a last minute change of venue when they figured Norm wouldn't be attending) covering some new and old songs. Undoubted highlights were their version of Emmylou Harris' Deeper Well (got the underlying folk drone going well on that one) and Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love. Other covers included Emmylou's Red Dirt Girl, Dylan's If You Gotta Go, Go Now and Linda Ronstadt's Different Drum. Originals played were But A Dream (again came out particularly well), Do The Grace Poole, Caviar, Dorothy Parker Said, Cesspools Of Your Mind, When You're So Far Away, Moth To A Flame, I Don't Know, Dress Of Many Colours and to finish it off Mykel Kain Mistaken Identity Blues! The evening wouldn't be complete without a dvd concert...this time it was Sarah McLachlan and the new Jewel one
Meanwhile Neil had a quick jam with Al in recent days doing Cesspools and The Way Of The White Clouds, the latter of which Al proposes to re-record the drum track. Mark on the other hand caught with another local guitarist Rob with a view to get him along to a jam or two. Rob likes the Hoiker material, especially since there's not a 12 bar song in sight!

Bulletin from the evening of March 21:
Mark and Neil dropped in on Al this afternoon to record Al's drums for White Clouds. This looks to be precursor to a whole new version, with Norm's original guitar tacked onto the new recording (it was very good guitar playing first time round).

February 21 2004
And the quartet practiced in the...family room. Neil, Mark, Norm & Al again went predominately acoustic last night sounding good and on occasion very good. Musical highlights were their rendition of Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love, Al's Feels Like The Rain and Mark's The Way Of The White Clouds, Al's djembe filling out the sound and allowing the others to work off a real drummer for a change. Other originals included Way Upwey, I Don't Know, Caviar, Mad As A Hatter, Vanilla Boy, When You're So Far Away (a final song played after Al left) and a string of Al's impressive compositions, The Trains, Between The Lines, (the aforementioned) Feels Like The Rain and Chasin' The Wind (Al playing solo on the latter).
Other covers included Fairport's Gone Gone Gone, Michelle Shocked's The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore, Dylan's If You Gotta Go, Go Now (we're going to try Fairport's French version next time), Carly Simon's You're So Vain and Little Heroes' One Perfect Day. Jewel's Standing Still may get an airing next time, one to learn properly.
Some new photos were taken out back which will be posted soon. In other Hoiker news Neil has been home recording some covers, One Perfect Day and Sorrow. We wait the finished product.
Meanwhile on February 17 Mark and daughter Mog (her first concert) went to see Jewel playing solo and acoustic at The Palais. Great concert. Very informal, funny anecdotes and a glorious voice.

February 9 2004
Going juusstt a little bit Country, Neil and Greg teamed up with old friend, steel guitar playin', mandolin pickin', Bill on Saturday (Feb 7) for an enjoyable jam down in sunny Bentleigh. Greg sang and played bass, Neil kept to acoustic guitar and vocals and with Bill also playing some acoustic, the lads covered classics like Lodi, Solitary Man, Suspicious Minds (a bit rocky but they got there in the end), You're No Good, You're So Vain, Lucinda Williams' Passionate Kisses (I only know it by Mary Chapin Carpenter), Little Heroes' One Perfect Day (which came out very well with Bill on mandolin sounding really good), Games People Play (Neil thought their rendition was less than perfect on this one), Not Pretty Enough, Sorrow (two part harmonies by Greg and Neil), The Eagles' Take It Easy, To Love Somebody (another good version) and one right out of left field....Take A Letter Maria by R.B.Greaves.
A mega jam has been mooted involving the other Hoikers soon.

January 31 2004
Norm couldn't make last night's jam but it didn't stop Neil and Mark cutting a swathe through a heap of covers in an overwhelmingly acoustic night. Only three originals played: A Word Is Enough To The Wise, the seldom played Botswana and Cesspools Of Your Mind. The rest? Well there was (in no particular order): Neil Diamond's Solitary Man, Michelle Shocked's The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore, Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down and Yer So Bad, The Bee Gee's To Love Somebody, Linda Ronstadt's You're No Good and Different Drum, Dire Straits' How Long, Clive Gregson's Second Choice, Paul Kelly's From St.Kilda To Kings Cross, The Church's Under The Milky Way and The Unguarded Moment, Hunters And Collectors' Throw Your Arms Around Me, Kasey Chambers' Not Pretty Enough, The Smithereens' Behind The Wall Of Sleep, CCR's Lodi and Who'll Stop The Rain, Fairport Convention's Gone Gone Gone, Velvet Underground's Femme Fatale, T.Rex's Get It On and Billy Bragg's Greetings To The New Brunette. Whew! That's a lot of songs for a few hours playing.
The big discovery though was the whale noises Mark achieved with his acoustic guitar feeding back in front of his amp. The things that amuse our poor rythmn guitarist! The acoustic night was fun and the sound surprising full, with Neil moving from his acoustic bass to second guitar at times.
Emmylou at the Legendary Exit/In again provided the post jam entertainment.

January 23 2004
Norm and Mark got together for some recording last night culminating in a week of recording by Mark. The joint effort, Way Upwey, joined versions of Mangbango and newies Vanilla Boy and Queen Uncrowned to pass the 'mixing' desk in recent days. A good night was had and a grungy version of the song produced.
The evening was completed by a viewing of Emmylou Harris' Spyboy concert.

January 14 2004
The first jam for 2004 (last Friday 9 January) saw Neil, Norm and Mark back together for the first time since last July up in dem hills at Mark's retreat. Originals played included Vicious Fish, Nonchalant, I Don't Know, When You're So Far Away, Muttonbird On Your Breath, Caviar and Way Upwey. Only a coupla covers (well four), All Along The Watchtower, The Triffids' Bury Me Deep In Love, Fairport Convention's Gone Gone Gone and Kasey Chambers' Not Pretty Enough.
Needless to say it was really nice to get the trio back together. Norm has written a new song which he promised would see the light of day next jam. Mark demoed a song under construction called Vanilla Boy and Neil had just started holidays. The recent Paul McCartney DVD provided the post jam entertainment over coffee and chocolate.
Mark has also gone retro rediscovering his old Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention albums...Fairport would have to be in the Top 10 all time British bands.
Meanwhile today Mark and Silv workshopped Vanilla Boy with the latter contributing a typical Silv bridge to the song. Other songs played (fully or in part) were Muttonbird, Way Upwey, Mangbango, Caviar, The Great Song Of The Dispossessed, Collision Girl, The First Cup Is The Cheapest, In The Garden and Dress Of Many Colours. Great spaghetti for lunch. Thanks Silv!