Friday, August 04, 2006

sleepy jackson and the reels

Every so often I go off the deep end over some musical artiste or another. I don't quit know how to categorise this type of deep end item, but it's not the same as the artistes I really adore and always will, or perhaps it's a transitory filtering stage - ? Anyway right now I am right into the Sleepy Jackson. It happened in Canberra. Mia and I were apprehensive of them because they were from Perth and seemed to have coined their name from a melding of Mia's former band Sleepy Township and either the Jackson Code or Michael Jackson (come to think of it maybe the Jackson Code took their name from Michael Jackson anyway, or was it Janet). Marc Reguiero-McKelvie was very pro-Sleepy Jackson but I was antipathetic because I suppose they seemed to have sprung from nowhere and taken their name from Mia's band. Well, Marc won because he was so darn pro-SJ and when I was in Canberra I just suddenly thought, why the hell not? So I went to the second hand record shop in Civic and bought their new album second hand. And it is absolutely incredible. My favourite song is track 9, which is the song that starts out like a total disco number and then goes a little weird. I love 'em. Sleepy Jackson. Then I bought their first album and played that quite a bit as well. Then Marc told me he hated the new album (the one I think is amazing). But I think it's amazing nonetheless.

At the moment I am also enjoying on my MP3 player:

Tamam Shud
The Twilights
Empress
Tactics
New Estate

Today a very generous person sent me some discs. DVDs of the Reels on tv and an audio only live show. Wayne had generously given me a DVD of old Countdown stuff and I was unable to play it on my computer. I had been particularly keen to see Karen Ansell's clip for 'No Commotion'. It's on this DVD and it's immense. I can't believe what a great song it is!!! I should always have known, having owned it on a single since it came out. But there you go. Also there is a lot of excellent Reels clips, interview stuff with Dave Mason. The Reels were one of the most remarkable, truly original groups of the 20th century - no doubt about it. Always innovative and always extraordinary.

Don't ask me to make a copy of this DVD. I don't know how. You'll just have to come round and watch it with me and we can talk Reels stuff.

10 comments:

dfv said...

Although I have some Reels albums, I think that Tactics are more interesting and creative. Don't have a Tactics DVD do ya?
P.S Thanks for the invite.

David Nichols said...

There are no Tactics DVDs.
It's chalk and cheese - both delicious

Richard Forster said...

Haven't heard (of) Sleepy Jackson before, but I wonder if there is some kind of nod to that all girl group that was on the Beastie Boys label, Luscious Jackson?

Anonymous said...

You might be interested in Robert Forster writing about the Sleepy Jackson in The Monthly this month.

David Nichols said...

I was, Simon, so I bought it this morning, thank you for alerting me to it. I was interested to see RF thinks that if everyone in your band leaves except your drummer of ten years you are alone...!

Anonymous said...

theres a 2cd tactics set out next month by the same mob that did the toys went beserk one. fyi. 2 albums plus bonus goodies.

David Nichols said...

That's great. I know that they were very unhappy with how Glebe was mixed. Actually the mix doesn't bug me but assuming this includes Glebe, my favourite of their albums, I'm jazzed!

Anonymous said...

dont quote me but i am sure it is glebe and my houdini plus other bits n pieces.

Anonymous said...

Ah, so you're in that two week period one experiences after first hearing The Sleepy Jackson when you actually like them. Wait for the saccharin to take hold and have a bucket handy. That's my advice.

David Nichols said...

I hope I never become that cynical

the early 70s was all juxtaposition

October 1970, everyone had their arms out in the air, from Barbra to, um, whoever that is on the left, to Thumbelina. This is from the Sprin...