AL NOBLE TAKES A WALK DOWN 'ARDEN STREET '

Little while ago Al sat in The Shed strumming a tune he was working on. He called it Arden Street. He was singing about his earlier days in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

Wasn't long before we started kicking it about.

Found a basic feel we liked. Manny came up with a neat refrain.

When we figured we had the bones together we turned on the recorder. Got the bed down pretty quickly.

Neil took the files home, waved his joojoo over it and added a keyboard track.

THIS is what we ended up with - Arden Street.

Al speaks........."The story at work in Arden Street is one of generational change, international chaos and violence seeping into our quiet homes and cultural icons, and the challenges of growing old in a changing world. Our protagonist sets forth on his day with a surreal but unshakeable feeling that in some profound way his world has changed. The pillars and safeties are no more, even the birds sound alien. He walks through the usual streets and but they feel foreign to him. He catches his usual bus and in a meeting of the comfortably mundane with horrific foreign violence his feeling that this was somehow his last day becomes reality. The riff of the song is to signify the "town bells ringing, the horn of Gabriel, the bells of Armageddon". 

Heavy stuff Al !

Anyway, it's yet another great song thanks Al. We're really chuffed to be part of bringing it to life.

Al Noble wrote Arden Street, sang it, and played acoustic guitar

Manny Aigner played electric guitar

Neil Porter played the bass and keyboards, and did the production work

Pete played the drums

Hope ya dig it !!!

PBGB TEE SPOTTED ON STAGE AT CANDELO ARTS FESTIVAL

There we were at the Candelo Arts Festival last Friday night, watching The Figmentz deliver the first performance of some of the songs they are planning to present in their 50th anniversary of Woodstock extravaganza later this year. 

Friday night's show went down very well indeed. Town Hall sold out. Dance floor packed.

Lots of PBGB family members up on the stage, including those seen in the snap.........John Drews, Brother Ken Vatcher, and Phoebe Mills, all sporting their happy hippy garb.

And there, under John's swirling scarves...............a PBGB Tee.

Keep an eye out for the big Figmentz 50th Anniversary of Woodstock show, coming up in October. It'll be held at the Longstocking Brewery in Pambula. A three hour show featuring heaps of the best local musicians presenting their tributes to Woodstock.

Just watch out for the brown acid.   Legend has it that was the word spread at Woodstock.....................by the guy selling the blue acid !!!!

MICK NADIN IS BACK ON HIS SOAPBOX WITH HIS NEWIE.......... 'AIN'T IT GRAND?'

Mick, in common with many of the song writing fraternity, has a predilection for songs with a strong social message.

If you look back over the tunes Mick has brought to The PBGB Shed you will see that he has offered up quite a few political ditties, including those that take a stab at issues including runaway bureaucracies, the nanny state, race issues, and a general wish for better ways of co-existing on our planet.

Mick's latest offering, 'Ain't It Grand' continues on that tradition. This time the subject  is multiculturalism.

Mick is proud of his homeland. He's comfortable in our multi cultural country. He wonders, however, why some people find it so difficult to accept that our society is greatly enriched by the cultural melting pot that is modern Australia.

Mick is always quick to point out that with the exception of the First Australians, we are all immigrants. We are all first, second, third ( whatever ) generation arrivals. Our vibrant culture is a product of the diversity that people bring to the country that we love. Our lives are enhanced by the food, music, art, and so on that new arrivals from so many different countries contribute  to our lives.

'Sfar as Mick is concerned, it's all pretty grand !  Let's enjoy and celebrate our diverse mix of cultures and offerings.

Amen to that Mick !  We're with ya cobber.

'Ain't It Grand' is another PBGB song that came together in the space of a single afternoon in The Shed. Mick pulled it out, gave us a few hints and we fired it up. It is a fun song to play, we enjoyed mucking about with it, and just three hours later...........there it was, all done and dusted.

Thanks Mick........... It's a beauty !!

Hope you like it too. Have a listen......................just click HERE

Mick wrote 'Ain't It Grand', sang it and played harmonica

Manny Aigner played lead guitar

Neil Porter played rhythm guitar and did all the production work

Louise Nadin played the bass

Pete played the drums