'JUMP START' - PBGB HONOURS THE RHYTHM AND BLUES PIONEERS BEHIND THE RISE OF ROCK AND ROLL

Cosimo Matassa at the J and M studio desk, 

New Orleans, 1947 - 

"three microphones going straight to the wax".

Pete continues to be fascinated by the global seismic shift that accompanied the acceptance by white American teenagers of the fantastic Rhythm and Blues ( previously known as Race Music )  being pounded out by black musicians down in the Deep South of the USA in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

History tells us that the first recordings of the small combo 'jump music' that sparked the white teen music revolution came out of Cosimo Mattassa's studio in New Orleans. Cosimo's 'studio' was no more than a small room in the back of the Mattassa family store. And yes, as quoted in Jump Start, the studio only had three microphones to capture the magic. No tape, cut straight onto wax.

When it became clear that white teenagers actually wanted to buy such "jungle music", bigger record labels started recording white,  inanely sanitised cover versions. White djs called that Rock and Roll. Of course they outsold the original versions by a huge margin and less than a handful of the black R and B musicians were accepted by white America.

Anyway, Pete decided to try to tell the story in a three minute song.  He pays homage to as many of the heroes of the story as he can jam in...... Cosimo Matassa, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Huey Smith, Earl Palmer, and of course the outrageous, impossible to ignore, Little Richard.

Could PBGB really do this stuff justice ? Of course not. But it was great fun having a go. Listen to our humble attempt by clicking HERE

A wop-bop-a loo bop a lop-bam-boom !!!

Pete wrote the lyrics, sang 'em and played the drums

Neil Porter played the bass and did all the production work

John Drews played the piano

Graham Brown played the sax

JOHN DREWS AND MICK NADIN CREATE A MESS IN THE PBGB SHED

We were very pleased when John came in one day and announced he had composed a song that he hoped would provide the makings of good Shed project. This was the first song John had put together specifically for The PBGB Shed so we were all very curious to hear what he had come up with.

John played it through solo a couple of times and before long we were all tapping, strumming and generally blowing along.

Mick pulled a set of lyrics out of his bag, reckoning they could be massaged to fit the mood of John's song. Turned out they fitted just fine.

"The Mess I'm In" began to take shape.

John has all the necessaries to produce songs at home, so we agreed this would be a 'John Drews Production'. Of all the many PBGB songs produced over many years, very few have been produced by anybody other than Neil, so we were all very curious to hear what John came up with.

THIS (press to play) is what John came up with.

We're all pretty stoked about it. To us, it represents a new direction. A change. A different concept, a different style. And we are very happy to now have two producers for our songs.

The music reflects John's love of keyboard centric songs reminiscent of, say, Procol Harum and the like. Orchestral ? Film themes ?

As for the lyrics, Mick says....... "Fairly simple stuff - I was inspired by John’s comment about the amount of equipment he had been trying to organise and “the mess he was in”. That, I thought, would make a great title, and possibly a name for his new composition. I had some thoughts already written down about the nature of life and existence, but no chorus. John's comment helped me put a chorus together, and 'The Mess I’m In' was quickly knocked into shape, and is now part of PBGB Shed history. 

Beautiful team work guys !!!

We hope you like it, and like us look forward to hearing more of John's compositions and production work.

John Drews - music, keyboards, and production

Mick Nadin - lyrics and vocal

Lousie Nadin - bass

Peter Reid - drums

GRAHAM BROWN WONDERS ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF THE NEW AGE GIRL

 

It's been a while since Graham brought some lyrics into the Shed. A tad too long really.

So when he finally did we took it on board, messed around with a few melody structures and rhythms to find something we thought sounded just right.

Being a percussionist and lover of Latin styles, Graham was after something that moved in that direction.

We spent a few Seshes trying different approaches, and having John Drews on keyboards made it so much easier to get the right feel. With the appropriate level of Shedster collaboration and Neil’s production magic, we finally got it together. And (press to play HERE ) it is.

The lyrics echo that timeless situation………..boy grows up tough and leaves home searching for love. Meets the girl of his dreams, only to realise it might not last.

Hope you like it !

Graham Brown - lyrics and percussion

Mick Nadin - vocals and harmonica

Louise Nadin - bass

John Drews - keyboards

Peter Reid - drums

Neil Porter - guitar and production

"Flying High" - Neil's 7th album released.

 

You can listen HERE (FREE).

"I've been writing, recording and "publishing" my own songs since early 2005. Since then I've written and released upwards of 150 songs - initially on "MacJams" (now defunct) and more recently, I post the better ones on BandCamp. I only record my own songs, although I've collaborated on over 100 songs with others from many parts of the world ("The Cannon Porter Project" and "The Safe Hands Band") as well as nearly 150 tunes with the local "musical collective" known as "PBGB".

Even though I've "released" 6 "albums" (and 5 "EPs") on BandCamp, I had a few songs that have never really had a spot in the limelight, so I decided to put them out as a collection, with a crop of new songs from 2023/24/25.

This is that collection.

All amounts received from sales of “Flying High” will be donated to The Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast."

Neil

Mick Nadin is indeed a Wicked Man

Not so long ago Mick wandered into The Shed with a set of lyrics he had conjured up. We set about figuring on a feel and accompaniment and before long had it pretty well roughed out.

Neil, meanwhile, was making major changes to the Shed’s recording gear and process, and had pretty well turned it all inside out. All comes with the replacement of our old iMac with a 'new for the Shed' iMac that Neil had after replacing his home Mac. Lots of changes, most of which a drummer has trouble understanding, but if you listen to Wicked Man you might agree with us that the overall sound / sheen has risen a notch or two. Thank you Neil !

The lyrics to Wicked Man ( have a listen by clicking HERE ) tell the story. Mick obviously leads a double life because as we know him he's not a bad bloke at all. Never thought of him as wicked, but there you go !!

Shout out for John Drews who, we are so glad to say,  seems to have settled into our Shednanigans and adds so much to our songs. Thanks John !

We're very pleased with Wicked Man and hope you like it too.

Mick Nadin - words, vocal, harp

John Drews - keys

Neil Porter - guitar and production 

Louise Nadin - bass

Peter Reid - drums

MICK NADIN SENSES SOME IRONY IN OUR "FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS"

Mick strolled into the PBGB Shed a while back with a set of lyrics to a song called 'First World Problem'. We liked the lyrics and set about sussing out a groove or two that we thought might fit the bill.

Before too long ( to quote Paul Kelly ), we settled on what we thought was the right feel and got into it.

Mick says the song is about the lament some relatively well off people display when things don't go quite to their liking. Problems with the kids borrowing the cars, trees blocking their views, downturns on the stock market etc. etc. Things that really, in the current state of the world are not really as challenging as the problems facing people in, for example, Gaza or Ukraine.

We should moan about the price of eggs !!

Anyway, we had a lot of fun putting the song together and hope you like the result.

Have a listen by clicking HERE

Mick Nadin wrote the lyrics, sang them, and played harp.

Graham Brown played percussion

John Drews played the keyboards

Neil Porter played guitar and did all the production work

Louise Nadin played bass

Pete played the drums 

Neil’s “Cold Eyes On You"

This version of “Cold Eyes On You” is the first song by Neil that we’ve completed in The Shed since September 2023 (and only the second since October 2020). It features most of the current lineup: Louise Nadin (bass), Mick Nadin (backing vocal), Peter Reid (drums), John Drews (electric piano) and Neil Porter (guitar and vocal).  Graham Brown had a note from the doctor ….. or his mum or something apparently.  Pretty much totally live (vocal was replaced due to recording issue), and mixed on Neil’s new Mac Mini setup.

In Neil’s words:

“Of late I’ve realised that the lyrics were inspired by a party in the late 70s at a friend’s place on Scotland Island in Sydney.  Midnight swimming off the house wharf struck me as being a pretty stupid thing to do at the time.”

Here's the link:

Cold Eyes On You

©Neil Porter 2017

If you go swimming on a moonless night

Make out your will just spell my name right

Big fish swimming and it’s great and it’s white

It won’t take much just one little bite

Way down deep but just out of sight

Not really friendly and not that polite

Swimming around with not much to do

He’s got his eyes on you,

Eyes on you

Chorus: 

He’s got his eyes on you

Cold eyes on you

He’s got his eyes on you

Cold eyes on you

Leave me the keys to your fancy car

I’ll take it for a drive but I won’t go far

Or if you’re riding on your motor bike

I’ll take it for a spin, it’ll be alright

Just don’t worry you can stay where you are

I’ll be heading off to the nearest bar

Riding around with not much to do

I got my eyes on you,

Eyes on you

Chorus:

BRIDGE:

You dive down deep while the world’s asleep

It can be it’s own reward

Trick or treat while they’re counting sheep

There’s no time to get on board

SOLO

Chorus: 

We can kill two birds with just one stone

I can drive you to the beach you’ll be all alone

No moonlight in the pitch black sky

Dive right in now don’t be shy

Big fin slicing through the water unseen

I know where you’re going ‘cos I know where you’ve been

Feel a bit guilty to be having this dream

I got my eyes on you,

Eyes on you

Chorus:

JOHN DREWS BACK IN THE PBGB SHED FOR 'LOSE THE ATTITUDE DUDE'

Pete wrote the lyrics for 'Lose The Attitude Dude' many moons ago. For some reason or another it never got to see the light of day. But at a Sesh a few weeks ago we dragged them out and started fiddling.

John Drews who we hadn't seen in The Shed for a year or so, but who has made brilliant contributions to many of our songs (click on The Musos tab above, then click on John's name to check out his style) happened to be in The Shed again on the day and helped set the tone.

Wasn't long before we had an arrangement together and the song started to take shape.

The story line is about those angry buggers who seem to enjoy bothering people. Pepped up on something or other, ice, meth or whatever, they throw tantrums in your rearview mirror, flashing lights, generally carrying on like dangerous pests. Or they'll be hassling people just trying to enjoy a relaxed wave or two. Then there's the filthy rich and powerful who can't stop whingeing about the basic human rights afforded those less well off. Really ??

Anyway, we egalitarian Shedders thought we'd take the piss. Have a moan ourselves.

Good fun.

Take a listen............click HERE. Hope you like it.

Pete wrote the lyrics and played drums

Mick Nadin sang and played harp

John Drews played the keys

Neil Porter played guitar and did all the production work

Louise Nadin played the bass

GUS WASHBOURNE AND ROB SMALLWOOD RETURN TO THE PBGB SHED TO JOIN THE RANKS IN 'THE BATTLE FOR LOVE'

.

It has been quite a while since the PBGB crew last posted a song featuring Rob or Gus, but during the gestation of Battle For Love they both turned up and tuned in.

And it so happened they both played on the version we decided would be the keeper.

The song had been in the making for a while. It all started with a set of lyrics and drum patterns from Pete. Rob contributed up the main riff. We decided to throw some chickens into the mix, and generally pieced it all together..........as we do.

Really fun to play (after all it's only rock and roll and we like it)  the Battle For Love is another soap box lament.............subject matter extremely obvious but ever topical as tyrant after tyrant continue to rain  terror and grief over vast swathes of the planet.

Where the hell is James Bond when we need him??

Anyway, hope you like it - click HERE to listen.

Pete wrote the lyrics, set up the groove, and played drums

Mick Nadin sang it and played the harp

Neil Porter played guitar and did the mixing and production duties

Louise Nadin played bass

Rob Smallwood played guitar

Gus Washbourne played guitar

MICK NADIN AND THE PBGB SHED CREW PLAY EIGHT BALL

Mick has a habit of keeping sets of lyrics in his trick bag. If we run out of songs to do we can usually rely on Mick to pull out a lyric sheet which we just pick a groove for and work away hammering it into shape.  Such was the case with Eight Ball which we sorted out licketty split. Went from a lyric sheet to a completed recording in the one session.

It's a fun song that tells its own story. We liked that Mick turned on an exaggerated Aussie accent when he sang it. That sort of set the tone for us, taking us back to a mid eighties Sydney pub rock vibe.

Anyway, have a listen by clicking HERE

Hope you like it as much as we do!

Mick Nadin wrote the lyrics, sang the song and played Harp

Louise Nadin played Bass

Neil Porter played the Guitar and did all the production work

Graham Brown played Percussion

Pete played Drums