Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Welcome To My World

G'day. My name is Brendan, but you can call me Axe. I have accumulated many monikers throughout my life. Long.E. Trendy Brendy. Hoss. Barney. Axe, however, is a term of endearment that has stuck with me, as a name I wear with pride. It is an acknowledgement of my involvement with Brisbands in my former life.

I was christened 'Axe' by the great Dirt Petty. This was during my brief stint as bass player with Dirt and the Rebels. Or should I say "bass player"? I am not a musician. I never learned to play my chosen instrument. I do not know scales, notes, chords, let alone how to tune the blasted contraption. God knows how proper musicians ever put up with me. (It has, in particular, been a great source of consternation for my good friend Carl, who often accused me of being tone deaf.) I could competently acquit myself once shown what frets to hit on the bass and, God knows, how I would practice through repetition to get the songs right. But a musician? Nah. I was more concerned with style and sound. I also treated the bass guitar as a sonic weapon. To be called 'Axe', therefore, affirmed my lack of musicianship, and amped up the style and sound credentials. I did a mean Stetson on Saturday nights.



I have always loved music. Being in bands such as Laissez Faire, Dementia 13, Hotel Breslin and Slaughterhouse Joe allowed me to channel that love into more expansive and creative dimensions. It also established a series of core values and principles that I live my life by. They are part and parcel of being 'Axe'.



Anyways, nostalgia for the ghosts of beers and bands past is not the point of this post, nor of any others that will appear on my blog. That job is being done elsewhere, by more competent authorities. (See, for example, Carl's definitive blog The Rehearsal Room.) I do not feel that I can add or curate anything meaningful about 80's music as a "bass player" or slavish fan of music. What I hope to do on this blog is talk about music - albums, singles, songs, bands - that has mattered deeply to me in the time since I hung up my Stetson and bass guitar. Music, in that time, has gone from being a personal creative enterprise to something that has provided the very emotional and intellectual foundation of my life. This covers the period from 1989 to the present day. I will not talk about things in chronological order. My ramblings will also not just be confined to 90's and 00's releases. Rather, I will share my thoughts, as they come to me, on music that has come to be significantly meaningful and life shaping to me over the last twenty odd years. I have come to learn a lot more about music and life in that time. Music, in particular, has come to be a deeply trusted and faithful friend.



These posts are also a tribute to my good friend Dogga. He has done more than he can possibly know to encourage me to channel and share my enthusiasms and creativity. When I was in a bad way some seven years ago, Paul encouraged me to dabble in music software. Out of these sessions was born my electronic music alter egos Luvox and Knuckles. This saw me, again, assuming the mantle of non-musician. I was constructing soundscapes, engineering noises and effects, not making music. I certainly was not a band. But it was a liberating time for me, as I realised further creative possibilities. "Being" Luvox and Knuckles allowed me to once again channel into the practical principles of being 'Axe'. Luvox and Knuckles are currently inactive (or, should I say, in hiatus).



Dogga has recently encouraged me to take up blogging on music. He is good at getting my arse into gear. Let's hope it has been worth the wait.



I am sorry to have waffled on so much in my introductory post. Hopefully it sets the scene for what will follow in subsequent posts. I look forward to sharing and conversing more with youse all.



Cheers.

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. http://flannies.blogspot.com/

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  3. Music files added to the blog above. It isn't very flash, but it gives you an idea.

    You'll need to find somewhere to store the music you want to link too. (I've used Box, which is free for up to 1 Gig).

    The other alternative is to use youtube. Actually, I'll go do that too.

    Ok, done.

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  4. Of course, as a card carrying Grammar Nazi, I should point out that I meant "link to too" up there.

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  5. Thanks, Dogga. Took me ages to work out youtube (but that is because I am a numbskull). I don't know if this still satisfies you, but I am happy with what is coming out. I can only work at it and improve. Stay tuned for Monday. Now there is cricket (weather permitting) and footy!

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  6. WhyisntblogspotoneoftheoptionsJuly 31, 2009 at 9:23 PM

    It is fine, bloke. You have it. There is a further thing with the YouTube, but I'll telephone you about that.

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