A Musical Journey!

 Music was part of my earliest years of life. My mother would sing around the house until a record player arrived. She continued to sing when bathing the dog and I remember hearing, "What shall we do with a drunken sailor." I heard this repetitively! 

My eldest sister Sharon had a Beatle record and Deep Purple's Machine Head. My other sister Yvonne was nearly 3 years older than me, and she had Carly Simon, Brian Cadd, Tubular Bells, and others in her collection. We had different music tastes.

My folks collection consisted of Harry Secombe, The Seekers, Kamahl, Paul Robeson and I remember hearing Steve Marriott's voice when he was the Artful Dodger in Oliver. I was not a big fan of Adults music at this time.  My father did have a record with songs, "Piss Off Parking Inspector" and "long Live the Bastard King of England." When I looked at their Records after my mother died I noticed the diversity of music.

My father was known to turn up the volume when listening to the Redgum song "I was only 19." He witnessed combat when he was about that age. He once made a positive remark about a song when I was playing a Gary Wright record. He never seemed to take much interest in music. What he was hearing was ahead of it's time with a lot of keyboard and synthesizer.

My mother being Scottish liked the sound of bagpipes. She had an Andy Stewart record and I remember hearing the song "I belong to Glasgow." My Mother was from the east coast!

When I had my first piano lessons I was taught scales. My memory is not clear, but I remember the teacher was a cranky old Catholic Nun. Sister Mary Mell once wacked me across the face with a bible. I do remember the incident which happened in church and someone brought it up years later.

Our piano must have been rented which was common in those days. When you bought a piano, you had to arrange for someone to tune it. If you rented one, it was part of the package to have it tuned.

My sister Yvonne had private tuition and learned classical music. She may have began with Sister Mell but I've never discussed this with her. I know she learned Beethoven!

My mother started taking me to a different tutor where I learned chords. We would catch a bus to Newcastle and change to catch another bus to Grinsell street Kotara. This journey would have taken almost 2 hours from my doorstep. 

My third piano tutor came to me at home after school. I don't remember her name but she drove a yellow FB Holden. I gave her the credit for teaching me melody. Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep were just a couple of songs that I learned to play. I wasn't practicing and something was going wrong. For me to continue having lessons did seem like a waste of time.

In later years my mother blamed football and I blamed Jimmy Hendrix for distracting me. I do remember getting in trouble for playing a song without reading music. I can understand the frustrations of the teacher as I began to drift.

Liberace wasn't an icon of mine and I was not into Young Talent Time. Graham Kennedy always entertained me and I watched game shows. Some of the kids loved World Championship Wrestling but I was not a fan.

The Radio played T Rex, Deep Purple and the Rolling Stones. In 1971 I went to my first concert at the Newcastle Showground. Mungo Jerry were supported by Edison's Lighthouse, Daddy Cool, Caboose and Newcastle band called Delta. We were supervised by two mothers that made a smart decision to leave early.  I wasn't even a teenager and it wasn't until many years later when I seen another band.

The Nun that replaced sister Mell taught guitar. I had a few lessons in a group where we began with scales. I don't remember much more but I had already been taught this stuff. A story got out of hand that I jumped out of the window during a lesson.

There was a time I did jump out the window. It wasn't during a music lesson when a class mate tossed my pencils away trying to being funny. I remember collecting them without being caught.

Most of the serious musicians were older guys born in 1959. Some of my classmates had a guitar and bought records. I recall they were into Creedence, Led Zeppelin and Three Dog Night. I never kept in close contact to know whether they got back into playing just like some people do. 

As a youngster I had a lot of fun and had many friends during my youth. I played Football, competed in swimming and was in the Caves Beach Nippers. I went for a ride in a speed boat and spent a night on Pulba Island with a mate that left school early to be a professional Fisherman. I'd catch a bus to Newcastle to see a movie and had friends everywhere. I'd travel to Sydney and spend time with my Grandmother who lived about one kilometer from central station's eastern entrance.

There were negative moments and I learned to stay away from certain people. The parents of my friends treated me well. Some of my teachers in high school were good and did their job. There were a few of them that I would liked to have punched.

In 1973 I went to Saint Pius high school in Adamstown. The first form music teacher was Harold Lobb MBE. He returned to teaching after having health issues and took a lot of medication in front of the class. I was a 12 year old that was turning 13 and I enjoyed a good laugh. Harold would hear noises and we would give him some to drive him crazy. He'd cane the whole class before things got out of hand. I was caned across my back and legs which was illegal. I could have made a complaint but I didn't.

Father Jimmy Saunders would sneak up to the classroom and make a brief appearance. Ted Hall would also do a patrol and make his presence felt, acting like he was still in the army. Many decades later Ted ended up in prison for crimes he committed at the school.

Years later I thought about what was actually going on. Harold Lobb could have been hallucinating from the medication he was taking in the the classroom. The noises he claimed to be hearing did seem funny to a immature teenager like myself. This was the same year the Paul Hogan Show made it's way to our black and white television sets. Nothing is better than having a good laugh! 

When we did our final exam, Harold Lobb lied on my report card. He gave me a zero mark and wrote "Copying from paper brought into exam room." During the class, I had to sit down the back facing the wall and was forbidden from participating in the exam. That was the truth!

My family would have been very disappointed in what was written about me. I don't remember discussing my side of the story and just moved on. My folks were good people that experienced hardship when they were young. They were getting on and didn't need any more stress.

My mother turned 45 that year and my father may have been turning 50. They went to the club and socialised and had different opinions. They also had many sober days when they played scrabble and read the news paper. Dad was still working as a ships cook on the Macedon. Both of my sisters were about to leave home and their bedroom was to be turned into a dining room. I'd have a lot more space and I was a happy kid.

My parents never had a car but there was a bus service to Newcastle and Wyong. I could also travel to Sydney on the train and spend time with my Scottish Grandmother. I also had to do a lot of walking. I'd walk to the Pelican Boatshed after school and there was a jukebox on the way. I invested in Black Knight.

I was listening to the radio when I heard Deep Purples, "Burn" for the first time. I knew it had to be Deep Purple because only one band could sound like that. The Hammond Organ was heavily featured and I was correct. Although Ian Gillan had left the band, they still had Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore to give the production plenty of vibes. Hard Loving Man was one of my favourite songs at the time with unique distortion. My musical taste was developing.

My sister Yvonne bought me the album "Burn" for my 15th birthday. It was my very first brand new record. Eventually I remember buying Rainbow Rising to add to my small collection of second hand Deep Purple records. 

AC/DC was my favourite Australian band and I ended up with TNT in my collection. I remember the Zoot and the Coloured Balls who were on television presented by Donny Sutherland. I was not a fan of Country Music at this stage of my life.

Some things were not good at Saint Pius High School. Positively, my school mates were great to hang around with. Some of them had been to my house and I'd visited their homes. I did miss them when I left. 

My mother did not want me to leave Saint Pius but with support from my father it all happened. In 1976 I enrolled in Swansea High and this was to be my last year at school. I had enough of Catholic education and religion. 

Swansea High was a lot better for me. I was already friends with the football crowd who initiated me on arrival. They made me feel welcomed with the force of feather.

It was much better to have girls in the classroom. Saint Pius was an all boys school for the three years I was there. At Swansea High I was never canned and the girls would talk to you. One of them went to see Rainbow with Ritchie Blackmore. 

Music was a subject at Swansea High but I don't remember what was taught. We had no band or productions but we did go on an excursion to the Sydney Opera House. We later went to a play at the at the Belvoir Street Theatre in Surrey Hills. I remember going to the Surrey Hotel in Redfern which was nearby where some of the year 10 students had a beer. 

There was one guy at school that was learning the guitar. I did see him perform covers in a covers band at the Swansea Workers Club a few years later. That was something I couldn't do!

There were drugs on the playground when I was at school. I kept my distance at the time and later years I heard stories. I'm not sure if they were true or not.

When I completed school I threw my School certificate in the bin. Maths was average and I was in the bottom 10 percent for English. I could type a letter, and I'd read subjects in the encyclopedia to distract me. I'd suffer from Rhinitis, and I never had great confidence. 

I did play some football on Cahil Oval but my knee played up. My father had some surgery on his knee at the same time. His health began to play up and I had some concern for him.

Lyrics was something I could never get into. I was more into melodic riffs and distortion. The guitar part on Demon's Eye was a good example of what I liked. I don't recall ever writing a poem until after I was forty. Dad would often recite a poem when he was in a mood. It was always the same poem, and I don't know who wrote it or if it was original. I changed it slightly because my aging memory forgot some of it!

Dogs do like to bark and bite; little birds love to sing. But all a fly has time to do, is shit on everything. They buzz around from night to morn, never do they ever yawn. Sometimes they'll stop for a bit, just to have a proper shit! 

After I began working full time I regularly went out and seen live performances. A lot of them were Australian recording bands that were often on television. Cold Chisel had only recorded a live EP and INXS were just a support band. I remember the first time I seen Midnight Oil at Doyalson and the only time I seen Dragon was in Newcastle. Eventually I bought some Australian records to appreciate the scene.

XTC, Cheap Trick, Black Sabbath, Kiss, AC/DC, Santana and Uriah Heap toured, and I got to see them. It wasn't until 2004 when I got to see Deep Purple and Status Quo. I also seen Heaven and Hell with Ronnie James Dio. In 2008 I got to see Maddy Prior at Cecil Sharp House when I was in London. The band I regret not seeing was Thin Lizzy when they toured in 1977.

I bought a guitar and had a lesson with my appreciated wages. My brother inlaw loaned me a chord chart and I learned the notes. I lost interest before I broke the guitar and then it went missing. 

When I got away to sea I bought a white Yamaha keyboard with earphones. I never took it with me and kept it at home. It was easier for me to play and I could still read music. I bought some 2nd hand song books and began to play again.

My father gave me a piano accordion before I left school. I believe it was given to him as a gift and then he gave it to me. It was very heavy and I wasn't a fan of the sound at this stage of my life. I stuck it under my bed for about 30 years before I attempted to play it seriously. I began playing melodies and got a book out at the library to figure it out. The instrument began to fall apart after I played it in Timbertown. When I heard that early settlers couldn't play properly I was inspired, and performed as a character that was useless. It was so easy to be the worlds worst accordion player!

The accordion is and interesting instrument to study. It helps to know some music theory and you can create all kinds of sounds. In some units the chords are triads, and the older ones use an extra note or so I am told. Some musicians can make it sound good and Garth Hudson was good at it. Although they are now made lighter, it can still be awkward to carry if you have back and shoulder pain.   

When I was in New York in 2008 I walked passed Tom's Restaurant and seen a Mexican Trio band performing.  They had an accordion player that sounded terrible. The next night when I walked passed again there was only the two guitarist. Maybe they sacked the accordion player!

I bought records in Japan that were like Dinner plates. I was impressed with Video Discs which were being marketed in Japan. I bought a Walkman with earphones and listened to many heavy rock bands. I was introduced to Little Feat, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Sex Pistols and so many crew were into AC/DC. I cooked for Bon Scotts brother who was an Able Seamen on the Australian Progress. I was also introduced to Steeleye Span and Burl Ives to broaden my taste. Country Music was often played but it took me a while to get into it. 

It was in a Bar somewhere in Japan when I heard "Blue Marine" by Masaru Imada. Grover Washington was on the record which I immediately went and bought. I found myself listening to Jazz and Classical!

When I walked down the gangway for the last time I started to write music. Bridget was in primary school and my imagination was inspired by having a daughter. I spoke to musicians and had ideas when I was living in Geurie. I never got anywhere!

After I began travelling to Melbourne to see Doctors and Solicitors, I got in contact with Don Santin. He taught music and produced three songs that I wrote. Don was using software which I was not familiar with and I was inspired.

Thanks to Don, Brendan Scott sang on 2 of my recordings. Mike Edwards was a jazz musician who sang "Bird That's Full of Drivel." This was when we first moved to Nambucca Heads. The Solicitor handling my case introduced me to her father who had his own law firm. Phil Dwyer was an entertainment specialist that wrote a book that I read.

After my Yamaha keyboard died I bought a Kwai followed by a Roland that was on special in Newcastle. I bought a second hand Clarinet from Don Santin and I got some lessons. Eventually I bought a second hand Saxophone and played melodies. I also bought a new guitar and realised I needed some lessons.

The Bowraville Theatre had only just reopened and I stuck my head in to have a look. They had a course going so I registered and I found myself learning about what goes on in Bowraville! The course lasted for 16 weeks and I found myself in a production which wasn't my intention. I met some amazing people and I had no regrets!

Terry Simpson was teaching guitar in Bowraville and I got to know him. He had his own studio at Taylors Arm and he produced some songs that I wrote the lyrics to. I also had some lessons with Terry who showed me Barre chords. I had a eureka moment to understand a lot of theory. I was also introduced to finger exercises which helped me get through the pain and cramps I was getting. 

It was about 2003 the Community Radio station in the Nambucca Valley attracted my interest. I became a member and after about a year I signed up to do a presenter training course. I never joined 2NVR to become a presenter but it become another learning avenue. The training focused on what we didn't know which made it interesting. I became a presenter and ended up on the committee. My show was called "Sounds of Ronaldo," and I broadcasted overnight. I relieved several presenters playing all kinds of music and assisted where I could. I prescribed to AMRAP and connected with local musicians inviting them to the studio. Some even turned up!

Josh McGovern introduced me to Brian Connolly at a Jam in Bellingen. He was an Irish musician travelling around Australia. I invited him to perform the next night at Goori Broadcasters and he showed up. He played some original songs which was a memorable experience. The Beer Garden Song was one of them!

When Dana Lyons came to Australia he performed in Bellingen. I got to interview him at the gig which was inspirational. He's on Wikipedia!

I also assisted in outside broadcasts and made use of Audacity to mix community announcements and sponsorships. I began to get through a fear of technology plus I helped paint a wall. I even got to be the designated driver of the OB vehicle!

Working with the Phoenix crew was an important experience. It was enjoyable to work with Les and Dave and make sure they were not my side kicks. I applied to broadcast Nationally, but the show was not quite suitable. They allowed me to do one show only on International Day of People with Disability and that was enough for me.

With all the airtime I had, none of my original recordings were played. When we broadcasted live poetry in a Cafe at Macksville, I got to sing some of my songs and recited poetry.  

Although I only broadcasted live for an hour locally, it required a lot more work than I realised. My health was important, and I never felt rejected. I caught up with the programing chief of the CBAA for a discussion at a conference on the Gold Coast. He liked my show, and he laughed when I thanked him. 

My Timbertown experience began about 2006 after hearing an interview on the ABC radio. I headed down to Wauchope and first met folks from Bago Magic theatre before joining Friends of Timbertown.

It was an interesting time, and I got to performed and make use of the old accordion. I played Harmonica, Concertina, Piano, Saxophone and used my voice when possible. I made a Lagerphone and a new case for my accordion.

Prior to this I went to a writer's workshop in Dorrigo. I was paid $100 after I wrote a short script that was performed. A lot of ideas began to flow my way, and I got to improvise. I loved working with the crew and helped where I could. They put on few shows, and I ended up with a cheque from Hastings Council which covered some of my expenses.

I tried standup comedy at the Sydney Comedy Store. It was when performing at Timbertown and I learned a lot from the experience. Justin Hamilton was the host when I performed there for the first time. I only had 5 minutes on the stage, and I was invited to an open mic in Goulburn. Unfortunately, I had to turn it down.

The next time I went down Dave Williams was the host, and I did something different. I got to meet Jackie Loeb and talked to Chis Wainhouse. It gave me more confidence for when I lurked around at Timbertown. 

Comedy is the easiest job if you have the right timing. Audiences are different and you need to be able to handle the odd heckler. You don't need to set up, rehearse, or do sound check like a musician. I've been known to have good and bad days because of Arthralgia and poor sleep. I'll stick with being an amateur!

I'm not sure when it was when I joined the Australian Songwriters Association. I had work judged a critiqued, but I never got really involved with the mob. I was shortlisted a few times and I resigned because I was doing little writing. I could still submit work and support the organisation without being a member.

After I joined APRA I performed some of my own songs on stage at Wauchope and at the Nambucca Heads Bowling club. This enabled be to collect some royalties for my work. AMCOS has now merged with APRA but I am still working on getting my mechanical stuff registered. Hopefully, I'll get around to it!

A competition was run by the ABC called, "Your Town Your Song." You could enter as many times as you like, but there was only going to be one winner. The lyrics were entered online for anyone to read, and it cost you nothing. They were looking for lyrics that could be performed by Male or Female. I had already written 2 pieces that could be entered so I went to work and kept writing. It went for a few months and 5 percent of the entries across Australia were my work. An Architect from Melaney ended up winning the prize which was to be a recording made with his words. I believe they correctly chose the right entry. 

One morning I was listening to the ABC and Kim Honan read some of my lyrics. It was before the competition was judged and she didn't mention me which was good. I wasn't a winner, but I proved to myself that I can write lyrics. 

Music has been an important activity through my whole life. It helped spending 19 years cooking on merchant ships where I was always learning. It's a creative occupation where you get to improvise and think. You get better with experience!

My mental health situation has had its moments. In 1989 I spent 10 days on life support and was non weight bearing for about 8 months. I had blood transfusions and had pneumonia.  I was on a lot of prescribed medication and had respiratory issues thanks to a flail chest.  It took me some years to get back to confidence. 

Music should get plenty of credit for helping me out. Being moderately active is another contribution to my wellbeing. It took a long while to get somewhere. I've been telling people that I'm a jack of most trades and master of none. There is some truth in that. I never thought I'd get to be a Ship's Chief Cook, radio presenter, Secretary of a rescue squad, Comedian, songwriter, musician, and other pursuits. I'm not that good, I just try my best!