December 2007
Neil, Norm and Greg got together for a jam a few weeks ago. No news on songs covered as yet. Last month (November 4) Neil, Norm and Mark had another Guano Hoik! reunion jam. Mainly originals...songs like Vicious Fish, When You're So Far Away, Muttonbird On Your Breath, What I Want, I Don't Know, The Thirty Nine Steppes, North To Alaska, She's An Amazon, Way Upwey and Mad As A Hatter and I think they was a new one from Norm...was there a new song?...will have to check for all our reader out there...with Children Of The Revolution got an airing too. No news on the recording front except Norm's daughter Rebecca recorded her vocals of Fields Of Gold over Norm and Neil's accompaniment at Neil's and Neil has helped out Al on a few recordings over recent months (well this year at least).
April-July 2007
If Slackness is the new cool well I'm right out there. First entry for ages...our one fan has probably gone elsewhere wondering what has been happening. Well in short the lads had a jam around Easter (I should work out the date...it could have been early April)...there was Neil, Mark, Norm, Greg and Bill. We played mainly covers...a great afternoon and I reckon we sounded pretty ok at times. Soon after...mid April...Neil, Mark, Norm and Jane met at Al's house mid-week evening for a jam. Songs played included Fields Of Gold, Vicious Fish, a song of Jane's 'Plain to See' and a few other bits and pieces. Al introduced his PA system, bought at Aldi. It was a good night but I was a bit weirded out. Sorry guys.
Meanwhile July 7 saw Neil, Mark & Norm jam...a Guano Hoik! experience...just about all originals were played including a new one of Norm's titled 'Stay With Me'. Other stuff incuded Badfinger's 'Day After Day' and the aforementioned originals like Vicious Fish, Way Of The White Clouds, My Momma Told Me, She's An Amazon, North To Alaska, When You're So Far Away, Moth To A Flame, I Don't Know, But A Dream and WAy Upwey.
January-February 2007
The lads have had a few jams already this year. Neil & Mark played an afternoon of mainly covers on January 2, the Guano Hoik! trio of Norm, Neil & Mark re-united on January 19 (Norm had guitar troubles with his pick-ups - bless him!), Neil, Norm Greg and Bill jammed 2 days later on January 21 (Mark was in Beechworth) and February 10 saw Neil, Mark, Greg & Norm join forces for another afternoon of covers.
Recording for 'Tides 3' has started with Neil putting down bass tracks for 5 of Mark's back catalogue of songs: Vicious Fish, A Word Is Enough For The Wise, Muttonbird On Your Breath, Way Upwey and Cesspools Of Your Mind. The idea is to record 12 songs in total, 4 each. Maybe two of the songs started will eventually make the cut as Mark wants to allow space for any new compositions.
Neil & Norm accompanied Neil's friend Jane when she sang Sting's 'Fields Of Gold' at a wedding last weekend. Photos can be seen (mainly on pages 17 and 18) by clicking here
Meanwhile Mark's daughter Mog played bass for her School House on a recent music night, accompanying her house choir on Amazing Grace and Beat It.
End Of Year Report 2006
A quiet year for Carrum's favourite ensemble. Let's see...what did happen?
Recording-wise: Al recorded a cd for the year, titled 'Little Stories'... 10 tracks written by the Alster: Red Sand, The Wreck Of The Stinson, Scares Me, Little Stories, Last To Fall, Between The Lines, Addie's Bodhran Blues, My Ol' Girl, Wishin' Well and I Got You. Neil contributed bass, keyboards and lead guitar to the title track.
Mark got together with Silvio to record a Silvio song 'C.S.I' during the year. It featured Silvio on guitar and lead vocals, Mog on bass and also (along with the two mentioned) Jasmine, Mark and Jess on backing vocals. There was also a lot of shared percussion...mainly things like duck calls!
Gig-wise: Mog's band played a gig at a school fete on November 25. Songs played included Sunshine Of Your Love, Wishing Well, All The Small Things and Smells Like Teen Spirit. There was also a Ramones songs, something from Yes and something I can't remember.
Jam-wise: Around 6 jams for the year? There have been other stuff too with Neil and Al getting together occasionally, Neil and Jane also and Mark jamming regularly with his daughter Mog. Norm came to one jam too.
Hardware-wise: Al bought a PA. Mark bought a foot pedal. Did you buy anything Neil?
Concert-wise: Neil and Mark went to Port Fairy in March to see such wonderful artists like Richard Thompson, The Wailin' Jennys and Harry Manx. Neil, Mark and Al also caught the WJs at the Mordialloc Festival whilst Mark caught up with them in Upwey. Let me know guys if there was anyone else.
Finally but importantly The Tides would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
December 27 2006
Boxing Day and the guitar were brought out briefly at Neil's annual get-together. Neil, Mark, Mog, Greg and Bill played a few covers including Solitary Man and Bad Moon Rising. They were others but the jam was fairly brief and of little note (unlike everything else written here!).
November 16 2006
November 12 and Neil and Mark jammed again...Mark bringing his Ric out for the first time since it was 'serviced'. Songs played included Dress Of Many Colours, I Don't Know, Lost Together, Cesspools Of Your Mind, Way Upwey, Dunbar, Do It For Me, Angel's Song (rocked up and dirty), When They Come, Lateral and Leaving The River.
Meanwhile Al has been rehearsing for a gig with non-Tidal friends. We eargerly await the live recording!
October 22 2006
I've been so slack! It's November 16 and I'm posting something for a jam almost a month ago. Gee I hope I got the dat right! Anyway yesterday (yep pretend it's October 22) Mark and his bass chick daughter Mog jammed at Neil's. Mog played bass of course, freeing up Neil to play his Schecter. Songs played included Grant-Lee Buffalo's Lone Star Song, Mog's own composition You're Opulent, Mykel Kain Mistaken Identity Blues, Vicious Fish, Cesspools Of Your Mind, Collision Girl, Sleek and Blue Rodeo's Lost Together. If I remember any more I'll include them.
September 20 2006
Neil has put down bass and guitar on another of Al's 2006 project recordings. Meanwhile Mark...in engineering mode...completed with friend Silv their recording of Silv's song C.S.I. yesterday. Under the moniker of Uncle Silvio and his Autopsy-Turvy Band, the recording included bass from Mark's daughter Mog and backing dialogue from her, Jess and Jasmine. Only the cover artwork to go!
June 25 2006
The BIG Reunion Jam took place yesterday afternoon at Neil's with Norm entering the fold for the first time in over 2 years! It was good to have him back, trusty Rex amp at his feet, Gonzales Les Paul copy (mid 1970s vintage - actually a fine guitar) in his mercurial hands. Was it the return of Guano Hoik! or The Tides plus one?
Al recorded the songs we did...apparently we were more tragic than magic though the sound quality is apparently quite good. Songs played were Vicious Fish, Sleek, Dress Of Many Colours, She's An Amazon, The Many And The Few, The Frankston Line, When You're So Far Away, My Momma Told Me, (She's Oh So) Nonchalant, Hollow Ground and Feels Like The Rain. There were also a bit of intrumental ad hoc jammming....one dubbed "Interminable Blues Jam' and another (just Al and Mark) and not as yet named. It was a great afternnon...aah just like old times when equipment started to fail.
Photos from the day can be seen on www.flickr.com/photos/tidalpix and www.flickr.com/photos/gifas.
In recent times, in other news, Al and Neil have been working on a song of Al's called "little Stories' complete with trains in the fading of the final mix, while Mark has been jamming with his daughter on a regular basis, playing such stuff as The Dandy Warhols' Godless and Cream's Sunshine Of Your Love in which Mog sings as well as plays bass! Very impressive for a fourteen year old!
April 15 2006
A jam at Neil's on Thursday night (April 13). Mark brought his daughter Mog along and Al was there too so the Tides were back for the evening. Songs included Twofold Bay, Vicious Fish, Colder, Feels Like The Rain, The Frankston Line, I Don't Know, But A Dream, Mykel Kain Mistaken Identity Blues (with Mog on bass), Hollow Ground, and Sunshine Of Your Love and House Of The Rising Sun (Mog on bass and vocals!). AL also introduced a couple of new songs including one called 'My Ol' Gal' a song about his dawg. A fun night as ever.
Meanwhile yesterday it was Uncle Silvio and the Autopsy-turvy Band in recording mode at Mark's, working on his song 'CSI' for his niece Lauren. Full of sound effects and really fun, Mog was enlisted on bass, dialogue duties and various effects while Mark added some back-up singing, effects and tweaked those recording knobs ala Jorge Martyn!
March 14 2006
Neil and Mark did the drive down to experience the Port Fairy Folk Festival this weekend. Highlights included Richard Thompson, The Wailin' Jennys and Harry Manks. Neil packed the guitars and a jam was held at Cheryl and Murray's on the Friday on their back porch and a performance in front of our hosts on the Monday (13th) of Twofold Bay, Vicious Fish and A Word Is Enough To The Wise.
January 27 2006
Neil and Mark got together for a jam on this date. Songs played included Jenny Maybe, Sleek, Vicious Fish, Dunbar, But A Dream. I'll add more in once I find my music book!
December 26 2005
It's getting a bit blurry now as I'm updating this in March 2006...but at Neil's regular Boxing Day bash Greg, Neil, Mark & Bill broke out the guitars to play a heap of covers mostly badly but still fun...things like Mystery Train, Take A Letter Maria...Mark's daughter Mog sang on a few songs like Bad Moon Rising (I think)...Gee I'm sorry Reader but the memory has faded somewhat!
End Of Year Report 2005
Another big year tide-wise. Tides 2, the follow-up disc to 2004's debut was released in November. Twelve tracks in all, a myriad of styles and a lot of fun to make.
Stage-wise: Al hit the stage providing music for the play 'Sweet Road' from June 30 to July 16. So at least one of us played before a paying public this year! He also gigged with the Beach Trains remnants, Michelle and Keith, on December 16 at the Carrum Primary School Christmas bash.
Song-wise: Not so many songs written this year...Sleek, Song 3 and Custom Shop from Mark and Billy And The Moon by Neil and Al. All featured on Tides 2 along with songs like Flatlander, She Never Once Looked Around and Milk And Honey (these three written late last year after the first disc was finished. Leaving The River, again by Neil and Al, is another 2005 composed song and likely to feature on Tides 3.
Jam-wise: We count 14 jams for the year...3 as as a full Tides ensemble...one other with Greg behind the microphone...the rest Neil and Mark.
Hardware-wise: Neil bought a new electric guitar, Al got an amp with stacks of effects and Mark bought some plectrums.
CD-wise: What do Steve, Greg, Dom, Bernii, Michelle, Silvio, Stephanie, Bec, Daniel, Connor and Keith have in common? They all have Tides 2 gathering dust on their CD shelves! Yep all of 11 have been distributed so far. Al plans to give a few more out as Christmas presents!
Concert-wise: Meanwhile bands or artists seen by the lads collectively or individually during the year included Luke Doucet, Michelle Shocked and Glen Tilbrook (all at Basement Discs at different times of the year), Sarah McLachlan, The Special Beat, Michelle Shocked, Garbage and John Fogerty.
Finally but importantly The Tides would like to wish both members of our fan club a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
December 1 2005
Song samples of Mark's Custom Shop and Al's Hollow Ground from Tides 2 are now on our 'sounds' page. Enjoy.
December 1 2005
Mark and his kids went to see John Fogerty at The Palais on November 24. Great concert. All the hits! James Reyne and Mark Seymour supported. Bonus was unexpectedly seeing Paul Kelly play at Readings Book Shop in Acland Street beforehand.
New mp3 song samples from Tides 2 are slowly filtering onto the site with Neil's 'She Never Once Looked Around' the first. Follow the link to 'Sounds' on the main page.
November 13 2005
Friday night (Nov 11) and The Tides gather at Al's for the exclusive launch of 'Tides 2'. Eleven of the twelve album tracks played...the odd one out being 'Song 3'...Mark has only played it once...the night he composed and recorded it! Since last week Al had tweaked The River, Song 3 and Jenny Maybe, removing tiny bits of residue distortion from the mixes. Move over George Martin! Also the disc itself has been 'covered'...another professional job from our drummer.
A fun night though a little subdued, Al and Neil having been on the turps at various times over the last 24 hours. Al, hope you've found the cracker crumbs I hid down the side of your couch...your place is just too clean and tidy!
Steve's review of 'Tides 2' can be read by clicking on the album cover on the main page. Thanks Steve, the cheque is in the mail...just don't bother trying to cash it though.
November 6 2005
Big news is that Al's mastering of 'Tides 2' has been completed and hey there the album sounds great! Mark's Cover artwork has also been tweaked so it's 'job's done'...'Tides 2' is finished!
So while Al was completing mastering yesterday, Neil and Mark rendezvoused at Neil's and played a few songs. They were Custom Shop, Leaving The River, Flatlander, She Never Once Looked Around and Sleek.
Neil meanwhile is scheduled to appear in an upcoming Work Christmas Revue as one of the 'Three Wise Bass Players'...more details as they emerge...but must say in my best Monty Burns voice 'Excellent'
So the 'difficult' second album is finished. Nearly a year in the making...we think it's pretty darn good.
November 2 2005
Al returns from Lake Tyers and Mark from whale watching at Eden as Makybe Diva wins her third Melbourne Cup and re-writes Australian Horse Racing History. With Al back, mastering of 'Tides 2' will soon be completed. Track order has been finalised.
October 26 2005
Last minute tinkering to the mixes bound for mastering with Neil re-mixing Slave To Your Words, Billy And The Moon and Jenny Maybe, the volume being too loud and in the latter's case distorting in places. Also Neil's distorted guitar in She Never Once Looked Around has been re-recorded (less distortion this time) with also some hand claps clapped in for good measure. Al has also recently re-recorded his vocals on Hollow Ground (yet again). Mastering continues.
Meanwhile Mark's wildlife photography attempts have expanded. Click on the link on the main page. Also Mark's daughter Mog has been jamming on her new bass with the kids next door (Oct 23). Smells Like Teen Spirit and Pink Floyd's Money got a work-out.
October 22 2005
Early pre-mastered copies of the 'Tides 2' cd have gone out to Number 1 fan and part-time Tider Steve and old friend Dom. Al meanwhile is on the verge of mastering the tracks. Official release soon.
October 13 2005
Sad news with the passing of Al's brother Paul in Sydney last week. A great musician who played piano, guitar, trumpet, clarinet, sax, harmonica and just about anything he could get his hands on, he was Al's first ever song-writing accomplice, together writing over a hundred songs in the Elton John vein dating back to the early seventies.
Al has found many hitherto unknown original songs of his brother's on scraps of paper amongst his belongings and hopes to re-construct and record them eventually. Those familiar with Al's song 'The Trains' would be interested to know Paul featured in the last verse.
Vale the piano man. He will be missed and was loved by so many.
October 10 2005
The Album 'Tides 2' is finally ready for mastering so it should be out in Op Shops once Al the magic masterer sprinkles his fairy dust!
Neil and Mark jammed Saturday (Oct 8) and covered back-catalogue stuff like Muttonbird On Your Breath, Do The Grace Poole, Dorothy Parker Said, She's An Amazon, In Celebration Of Lyn, Mad As A Hatter and the newer Sleek.
Meanwhile New Ways To Be Dumped #347: Have your friends over watching videos when you make the 'just want to be friends' call...two hours before a planned rendezvous...catch the poor bloke getting his grocery shopping out of the car. Hey may make a good song though..."Is This How They Do It In Canada?". Stay tuned for Tides 3!
September 28 2005
A night after seeing Garbage at the Palais here in Melbourne (Sept 26)...6 rows from the front and Shirley we were standing...Neil and Mark got together with Greg (with spectacles) for a night of diabolical covers (the playing...not necessarily the songs themselves). Beset by technical gremlins as well, the lads destroyed such well known songs as Who'll Stop The Rain, Because The Night, California Dreaming, Ring Of Fire, To Love Somebody, Somebody To Love, The Weight, Take It Easy, Not Pretty Enough, Almost With You, I Can See Clearly Now, Sorrow, Solitary Man, Different Drum, Take A Letter Maria and a constantly repeated riff section to Blister In The Sun complete with quirky keyboards from Greg. A fun evening but boy were we awful!
September 17 2005
Been most remiss of late keeping the diary up to date, but since no-one reads it...firstly sorry Steve but I must say I'm pretty pleased the Swans won last night...not into this 'adopt a Victorian team' come finals time...just too tribalistic from the old VFL days I'm afraid.
Two weeks ago (Sept 3rd) Neil and Mark got together for a jam on a Saturday afternoon. Neil had bought a new electric guitar and of course was eager to show it off...as was Mark in seeing it! See the pic below...aren't guitars beautiful! So up into the hills did Neil venture and these songs were done (over) proper: North To Alaska, A Word Is Enough To The Wise, Twofold Bay, Dress Of Many Colours, I Don't Know, Leaving The River, Jenny Maybe, Colder and Aimee Mann's The Moth. If there were any more I just can't remember!
On the recording front Al has put down drums on Slave To Your Words so basically the final track on Tides 2 is complete...just the final mastering to go! Neil has also started recording Leaving The River...maybe an early track for the next disc. Oh and Neil caught Glenn Tilbrook at Basement Discs on September 9. Apparently he was pretty darn good!
Finally but by no means least Mark (me) caught Michelle Shocked at Basement Discs yesterday (Sept 16). She said she wanted to touch us all individually and in my case she certainly succeeded. Michelle, you were simply amazing. I was blown away! Seven songs included When I Grow Up, Anchorage, Prodigal Daughter/Cotton Eye Joe, Wanted Man...Anchorage always brings a lump to my throat with the line 'keep on rockin' girl' and you're right we gotta keep rockin' the boat, don't just dumbly accept what's happening out there. The last unaccompanied song about the Vietnam War widow was incredible. Thanks for signing my copy of Short Sharp Shocked. It was a joy to meet you. Take care.
August 23 2005
Neil's very good idea of helping hobby musicians find each other through his
.com database bites the dust as it attracted really no-one...except for our friends! Oh well, one can only but try.
Meanwhile 'Tides 2' will see Beach Train singer Michelle Howe guest on two songs after a recording session last Saturday (20 August) with Neil...Slave To Your Words and the bonus track alt version of Jenny Maybe. Excellent vocals actually which certainly will add another dimension to the 'follow up' album.
And must report Mark catching 'The Special Beat' at The Corner in Richmond on 17 August. Boy was the place jumping!
August 14 2005
Mark has completed the cover artwork for the 'difficult' 2nd album...and can be seen on this webpage! Yesterday Neil and Mark met for the exchange of the Milk And Honey final session files. A few songs played too: Leaving The River (both versions with different chords), Slave To Your Words, Custom Shop, In The Garden, Way Upwey, Flatlander, Dress Of Many Colours, Jenny Maybe and Do It For Me. Coffee, cake and Shakira on dvd rounded out the afternoon.
August 9 2005
Tides 2 nears completion with Al re-recording drums on Milk And Honey. Guest vocals may now also be provided on Slave To Your Words with Michelle (Beach Train singer and co-writer of the song with Neil) keen to contribute to The Tides version.
Meanwhile on the debut album give-away front even more people are now in possession of this exclusive recording since our last ownership posting...has there ever been an album in history where the band personally knows who has each copy?...these lucky beings being Ian & Dianne, Peter and John, the latter receiving a hybrid copy of 75% of Tides 1 and seven preview tracks off Tides 2!
July 24 2005
First full Tides jam since January when the lads got together yesterday afternoon at Neil's. What songs did we do? Well there was (in no particular order) Vicious Fish, Sleek, Way Upwey, Custom Shop, Leaving The River, Jenny Maybe, Hollow Ground, Colder, The Moth, The Trains, Slave To Your Words and Dunbar. The entire jam was video-taped, warts and all, recriminations, finger pointing but most revealing...Al's beer consumption!
Meanwhile Al has finished mixing Hollow Ground, Mark likewise with Custom Shop. Also the 'Sweet Road' play was a huge success with its season finishing last weekend.
July 9 2005
An acoustic jam today as Neil and Mark got together on a cold winter afternoon. Neil introduced a new song, 'Leaving the River' co-written with Al(what is it with rivers with the Alster?) and the idea for another which Mark hopes to provide lyrics too. Other songs played were A Word Is Enough For The Wise, Feels Like The Rain, Colder, Lateral, 5 Things (I Want To Do Today) and Flatlander. The afternoon was rounded out with some footage from Later with Jools and Live 8 plus classic T.Rex from 1972.
Meanwhile Mark caught up with Hoiker Norm during the week. It was great to catch up after so long an absence. Hopefully a Hoiker reunion jam can be organised soon.
July 3 2005
Friday night (July 1) saw Mark, Neil, Leeanne and Steve catch the Mordialloc Theatre Company production of 'Sweet Road', an 'on the road' play set in the Australian outback. It was an excellent production but our focus was upon Tides drummer Al who provided incidental music, percussive sound effects and sang two original songs, 'Feels Like The Rain' (from the Tides' debut CD) and 'Sweet Road'. Well done Al mate...you did good!
The only issue Mark had with the show was the bird sound effects. He thought the Little Raven call was inappropriate and that an Australian Raven would have been better used!
On the follow-up album front Billy And The Moon and Custom Shop are almost in the final mix stage. Slave To Your Words now goes to Al for some peerless drummin' as does Milk And Honey once more as Al wasn't happy with some of his initial contribution.
June 28 2005
Mark has completed his guitar contribution to Slave To Your Words as the follow-up album nears completion.
Meanwhile Sweet Road's season at the Shirley Burke Theatre in Parkdale starts this Thursday June 30 with a senior citizens performance before the official opening night on Friday July 1. Expect some well-known Tides songs amongst the music to be provided by Al.
June 20 2005
Al has completed Hollow Ground after recording new vocals today. Apart from deciding to re-do his percussion to Milk And Honey he's finished his portion of the recording process. With The River shelved...blame it on a Asus4...the new album will now have 11 tracks: the aforementioned Hollow Ground and Milk And Honey along with She Never Once Looked Around, Sleek, Flatlander, Jenny Maybe, Billy And The Moon, Song 3, Custom Shop, Dunbar and Slave To Your Words.
Meanwhile rehearsals for 'Sweet Road' frantically continue. With fellow Beach Traina Keith unfortunately pulling out of the music performance, Al is now "it". As a result he's been honing his harmonica skills, buying a brace so he can play guitar as well and somehow...this is the measure of the man...planning to use a floor tom, cymbal and marraccas too! As Al says..."just think Bert in Mary Poppins". First performance June 30.
June 19 2005
Work progressing slowly on the second album. Al has put drums on Custom Shop whilst Mark has added guitar to Billy And The Moon. Al has been busy with the upcoming play 'Sweet Road' which begins its performance run on July 1.
May 29 2005
Neil has been working on Custom Shop during the week, adding bass and backing vocals whilst Mark has contributed guitar to The River and finished off Dunbar by recording some additional guitar tracks and vocals. The River sessions are now back with Al for the final touches (some talk or re-recording vocals).
A few songs were also played today at an impromptu afternoon get together (Neil and Mark): Slave To Your Words, Custom Shop, Colder, Way Upwey, The Thirty-Nine Steppes, How Can I Tell You, Jenny Maybe, The Way Of The White Clouds, Vicious Fish and When You're So Far Away.
Meanwhile the lads unfortunately witnessed the sickening leg injury to Nathan Brown at Friday night's football match (they were sitting in the stand above)and wish him a speedy recovery. Saturday saw Mark's Crusaders win the Super 12 final in a great clash with the 'Tahs.
May 22 2005
Neil has started recording 'Slave To Your Words', a song from around 2001 with lyrics by Beach Train singer Michelle. Mark has finished (for now at least) his guitar bits on Custom Shop and it's over to Neil and Al to weave some magic.
With the exchange of session recordings Neil and Mark ran through a few songs at the rendezvous yesterday. These were the aforementioned Slave To Your Words and Custom Shop, along with Jenny Maybe and Mark's newie Hallington Man.
Successful sporting weekend too with Neil and Mark's beloved Richmond Tigers winning up in Brisbane while the Canterbury Crusaders won through to another Super 12 Final with a big win over the Hurricanes.
May 14 2005
Time for another recording update on the The Tides' eagerly awaited second album. Al has put drums on Dunbar and Billy And The Moon, Neil has added bass to The River while Mark has finished his guitar parts on Hollow Ground and has started recording Custom Shop. Song 3 and Flatlander have had their final clean-up and are raring to go!
Meanwhile Al has been busy preparing music for the 10 performances of the play 'Sweet Road', scheduled from July 1 at the Shirley Burke Theatre in Parkdale. He has written the title track, which looks like appearing as well on Tides 2, and with fellow Beach Trainer Keith, has been honing the rest of the music to be performed.
April 16 2005
What's the first thing one should do after returning from a trip to the Mallee chasing Regent Parrots? Get the Diary Page up-to-date again of course!
Ok...April 8 saw Neil and Mark get together for a hills jam. Songs done included Billy And The Moon, Aimee Mann's No-One Is Watching You Now, She Never Once Look Around, Flatlander, Mark's newie (not quite finished) Custom Shop, Sleek, In Celebration Of Lyn (Where Art Thou Lyn?)and When They Come. Mark had borrowed a guitar-banjo off friend Silv and added a little bluegrass feel to a song...can't remember which one!
Meanwhile Al has been working on song recording adding drums to Flatlander, Song 3 and The Moth and re-doing vocals to Hollow Ground. Also his song The River is getting a guernsey...has this already been mentioned?...does anyone read this? Neil has put keyboards to The Moth and Mark has done absolutely nothing!...well he was in the Mallee...though a guitar of sorts did appear briefly at the evening campfire.
April 2 2005
Neil has put bass and keyboards on Flatlander, bass on Song 3, bass and mandolin on Hollow Ground and bass and vocals on The Moth (trying a cover for fun)...these four are now with Al, along with Billy And The Moon, for him to add drums too. Al meanwhile has put down drums on Neil's SNOLA and contributed another song into the mix...titled Wishing Well (not to be confused with the Free classic). Mark has been working on his newie, tentatively titled Custom Shop. He also has to put some guitar onto Hollow Ground for it to join Milk And Honey, Sleek, Jenny Maybe and SNOLA as finished products.
In other 'news' Neil caught Sarah McLachlan guitarist Luke Doucet at Basement Discs on Friday. Al has been seen at a recent Melbourne Storm game (today in fact). Mark joined Neil and Greg to witness Richmond's inglorious start to AFL Season 2005 last week whilst armchair supporting the Crusaders to victory over the Waratahs tonight.
March 17 2005
Recording continues on The Tides second music project. Al has put drums on Sleek, Jenny Maybe and Milk And Honey. Mark has started recording guitar and vocals on Flatlander, whilst since last posting has finished his guitar bits on Jenny Maybe. Neil has started work on Billy And The Moon. Al also will contribute his song Hollow Ground to the project after all, despite his hectic music project schedule - the lad just can't help himself! And most welcome too.
Meanwhile a critical analysis of Mark's songwriting techniques has been conducted by the eminent Professor Mottola of the Abbey Roadie Institute. He has concluded that very few of Mark's songs are conventionally written. These include Dress Of Many Colours, basically a 6251 composition, the 6 being the Bm7, the 2 the Em, the 5 the A and the 1 the D (and reminiscent of doo wop), In The Garden, Southern Movie Show (basic blues formation) and The Thirty-Nine Steppes. Apart from flooring the said songwriter with this revelation, the good Professor may in time write the definitive thesis on the subject, possibly one day to be included in music theory at Berkeley!
Finally Mark, Neil and friend Peter went to see Sarah McLachlan at The Regent last night. Like the gig last May at the same venue it was an excellent concert. Would love her to throw in an odd cover though...like Dear God from her rarities disc.
March 6 2005
Squally wind and rain was the backdrop to a jam yesterday afternoon down at Neil's with Mark in attendance. A new song was showcased...a Neil/Al collaboration with the working title 'Billy And The Moon' along with Jenny Maybe, SNOLA (grunged up), Sleek, Muttonbird On Your Breath, The Frankston Line, Oak's Day '93 (Mark fluking some ok lead guitar work), Missed Ya, Evangelista (a relic from the mid 90's - a truly woeful song...in fact we couldn't even remember how the verses went!), Mangbango, Flatlander and of course...it's becoming a regular...Aimee Mann's The Moth. After jam entertainment provided by Cat Stevens on dvd.
March 4 2005
In recent weeks Mark has added guitar to the recording sessions of 'She Never Once Looked Around' and 'Jenny Maybe' (not quite finished all the guitar bits on the latter, though adding some backing vocals on this one - Neil started the ball rolling on JM in the last fortnight...putting down vocals, bass and acoustic guitar).
Al will have to restrict himself to drums and percussion only on this second Tides album project...spreading himself thin as he has other music projects on the 'stove'...overseeing some Beach Trains recordings and writing music with Traina' Keith for a local play production titled 'Sweet Road'...some 9 performances planned in July where he will be playing between scenes and providing incidental music within the play itself.
As a result the second Tides disc will probably have 10 songs instead of 12...but we'll see how recording pans out. At present work has started on Milk And Honey, Sleek, SNOLA, Jenny Maybe and an instrumental titled 'Song 3'...something Mark composed two Saturdays ago.
February 12 2005
Neil has started working on a recording of 'She Never Once Looked Around', affectionately dubbed SNOLA by the lads. Last night he and Mark got together 'in da hills' for an exchange of session files. Some songs were played too: Sleek, SNOLA, Jenny Maybe, The Moth, When They Come, In The Garden and Moth To A Flame. A little Bad Company, Los Lobos and Siouxsie And The Banshees filled the TV screen afterwards.
Meanwhile our biggest fan recently received a pre-release of early mixes of Sleek and Milk And Honey. His verdict?
"The speakers are primed, the volume pumped...and the silky smooth ambience that is "Milk and Honey" wafts gently through the room pacifying my fellow 7 cafetarians. Subdued vocals, the gentle lilting melody and the lonely guitar break soothe and sedate this cyber crowd into a sea of relaxation...only to be abruptly awoken with the alternating left to right rhythmic guitar surge paving the way to the song's final conclusion. An artful, thoughtful piece of work.
"Sleek" continues the trend of laid back, mellowmania...the line "she's built for gyration" may have raised an eyebrow...but not enough to break the hypnotic spell that exudes from the total feel of soft harmonies, clean guitar and the slow, but insistent beat. Another Tidal classic."
We think a career in rock journalism awaits our official reviewer!
February 8 2005
Neil has added bass, backing vocals, handclaps and keyboards to Sleek, probably putting in more session hours than Mark himself on the new song. At 5 minutes 40 seconds it looks like it'll be one of the album's longer songs and possibly an early candidate for the all-important final track on the eventual new album. Neil has also added bass, keyboards and guitar to Milk And Honey. He is planning to start recording Jenny Maybe soon.
Meanwhile Al was re-united with his old band 'The Fabulous Blue Dog' on Sunday night (Feb 6). With fellow members Jon (lead guitar), Bruce (rhythm guitar), Margaret (vocals, kit, guitar and percussion) and Rob (bass) they played a stack of covers at a rehearsal room with as much volume as they could muster! Things like She's Not There, Messin' With The Kid, T.Bone Shuffle, You Can't Always Get What You Want and two extended blues jams. Al's Feels Like The Rain also got an airing. Al recorded some of the jam and can't wait to see how it turned out.
January 26 2005 - Australia Day
Mark has started session recording (guitar and vocals) for his newest song Sleek (There She Goes), a slow groove number unlike anything he contributed to the debut album. The working title of 'Sydney Road' has now been ditched.
Meanwhile the webpage has had a bit of a facelift, with new banner links, a gallery page and the lad's lists of their favourite albums and songs (to be found in the Personnel Page) now included on the site.
January 20 2005
First full Tides jam for the year last night with the lads running through candidates for the eagerly awaited follow-up album. Seven songs so far are looking likely...the idea this time is for 12 tracks, 4 songs each.
So what are the seven songs? Al's Hollow Ground and The River, his collaboration with Neil on Jenny Maybe (Al the words, Neil the music), Neil's She Never Once Looked Around and Mark's Milk And Honey, Flatlander and Sydney Road (working title - work in progress). Aimee Mann's The Moth was the 8th song played before Al had to leave.
Neil and Mark ran through some older stuff thereafter: A Word Is Enough To The Wise, Cesspools Of Your Mind, Song For You, Softly, When You're So Far Away, But A Dream, She's Oh So Nonchalant and The Plan (two Norm songs - good songs), Botswana (scrapping the barrel with that one), Sunday Roast, Southern Movie Show and to finish off the evening Dorothy Parker Said.
Thanks Leeanne for dinner. Very tasty.
January 17 2005
All Quiet on the Southern Front as the band slowly gears up for recording again. Mark and Neil got together in early January and a few songs were played. Neil had worked out some tasty bass for Milk And Honey, Flatlander was introduced and Aimee Mann's The Moth (great song...wish I'd written it) was done too.
Song bytes from the album are finally now on the site for your listening pleasure. We know it's taken awhile but you just can't rush some things...
