Sam Shinazzi

Tour Diary

Melbourne January 2002
Wednesday 9th January 2002

Accompanying me musically for this Melbourne show was Robert Cranny, whilst also joining us for the ride were friends Adam Wes Gregorace and Luke Smith. Our keyboardist Tom Hartney had to cancel on us due to work committments. At Luke's we end up playing FIFA 2002 on the Playstation for four hours. Finally around 12:30am we leave for Melbourne. Adam and I are the only drivers; he took the wheel first for quite a long time. Around 3am Sandro's first album was played.

As a singer, I sometimes get this feeling in my voice. It's almost a warning that my throat may be in for a bumpy ride (so to speak). Problem was I actually hadn't been overusing it at all. This leads me to thinking it is a nervous thing; a problem in my head rather than my throat. I make an announcement that I won't be speaking much, but I guess due to my constant lack of sleep and with three close friends in the car what else could I do? At one point Rob turns to me in the backseat and says "For a guy not talking, you sure are chatty". Adam and Luke are chain smokers, so I am grateful when they agree to only smoke out the window and whenever we stop. I promise them on the way home they can smoke until their lungs give in. (They do).
It's a beautiful night out. Stars, moon and Australian landscape everywhere. I must admit the journey is fairly uneventful but that is a good thing. It is great travelling with Rob and Luke because I haven't really done so before; and Adam is my lifelong friend whom I would go anywhere and everywhere with. I take the wheel at 4:30am. I think Rob feels responsible to be awake upfront and he does an impressive job. We listen to the Wheat album which sounds brilliant. Around 6:30am I put on the first album by Counting Crows. I know every damn word so it keeps me awake. I listen to it as the sun comes up; something I have done many times at home. My driving stint is done. Technically I sleep best from 7am to 11am so Adam takes over the rest of the way. I sleep about ninety minutes. I wake at the big petrol station I always awake at, about thirty minutes out of Melbourne (crap at geography). I'm sure there is at least ninety minutes of this highway that I
always miss. We turn on RRR and hear Johnny Cash. I swear this happened last time too.

Thursday 10th January 2002
I apologise in advance if I get these suburbs wrong but we park in Fitzroy and head for Brunswick Street. Everyone we know in Melbourne is working so we have to kill some time. Polyester Records is a must. I have no cash to throw around but boy if I did. They have a vast folk section and lots of independent Australian music too. The weather: keep in mind that Sydney is filthy hot in January and that the yearly bushfires are infact the worst we've seen. For two weeks there was smoke in my street and even in the house. The week prior Melbourne averaged 18 degrees. We arrive to a tasty 35 degrees.

At 11am we have a fine brunch at one of Rob's favourite eateries. (I am guessing he has been here lots with his previous band 78 Saab because he has many favourite eateries down here). We then walk the streets looking for a place to drink. None are open this early. Finally the Punters Club opens and we enjoy beer. The boys go harder than I for I am conscious of playing in nine hours time without sleep nor a shower. (It's hard to believe they are closing this place down. I loved playing here exactly a year ago and it is a pretty legendary venue). We discuss rugby league. Adam, Rob and I have varying views on the video referee. We stop at a sports betting agency.

Collingwood is next. More of the same really. I kinda just want to go somewhere and nap but the car is way too hot to even sit in. At 4pm we head to St.Kilda. We drink at the Esplanade Hotel and play pool. I look for stars of the Aussie hit TV show Secret Life Of Us. No luck. Suddenly a strapping young man walks in. It is Adam 'T-Bone' Taylor, a close friend and ex-Landspeed basplayer who moved to Melbourne a few years ago. We were going to meet up at the show but this was much more romantic if you know what I mean. I have missed T-Bone so much and he hasn't changed at all which is a great thing.

We finally get to our friends Angie and Ewen's place around 7pm. We are running really late. It is also lovely to see these two again. Heck, it is great catching up with everyone. Rob and I get into our 'stage' clothes (no shorts). I feel bad for staying such a short amount of time but the hour really is getting late. Angie and Ewen debate over the best way into the city as I push the boys out the door. I think we take Ewen's advice.
The Pony is a small but sweet venue in the actual city. We are here to help lauch Heligoland's single released by my good friend Cameron Webb and SteadyCam Records. We meet the bands and then set up. My lovely pal CC and her fella Shayne arrive. Shayne lends me his excellent Maton acoustic guitar. It is the exact model I have been seeking too. I go downstairs and meet Natalie. (Most of these cool people I have mentioned in other Melbourne diaries if this isn't making sense).

Before I know it showtime is upon us. Sometimes you just know when you are going to have a good show and I knew tonight from the opening chord. I played some of the songs slightly fast (energy kick?) but if you know our music that isn't too much of a problem, generally speaking. It feels right and proper playing with Rob. He is so talented and for such a larrikin he takes it really seriously which is important to me. In this environment (a small venue with an attentive crowd) two guitars and two voices sounds tops to me.
We played a strong set that flowed well:
You're Home, I'm Home
Night For Rememberance
Untitled (Melbourne)
My Friend and a Free Day
Goofy
Wyoming
747
Tiger's Tale
House Near Bridge (interlude of 'Beautiful'by Broken Girl)
Hey Broken Girl

Tugboat played a great set, reminding me of The Go Betweens somewhat. I chat with a few well wishers and then head outside for some much needed fresh air. I take a walk around the block hoping not to get lost. I chat some more with T-Bone Taylor. Heligoland impresses all. Dark, gentle and haunting. Paddy from Grand Salvo (actually he is Grand Salvo) introduces himself to me and we chat like old friends for about an hour. After watching Paddy play in Sydney and listening to his wonderful album I felt a great musical kinship with him. We discuss all sorts of things but mainly music and our hometowns. For two shy guys we talk like a couple of teenage girls.

After the show Rob and I talk on the lounge. We are both tired. He, Luke and Wes head downstairs for a final drink whilst I gather the equipment. I get dropped off at Nat's. I have her absent housemate's room all to myself. It is a huge room. I am mentally and physically exhausted yet I cannot sleep. I start to wish I had taken Angie's floor; at least then I could pester Adam. I write for an hour or so, probably sleeping from 6:30am til 9am. I stare at the vast ceiling.

Friday 11th January 2002
The house is empty yet I feel quite awkward. A stranger in a strange house. I shower, gather my things, steal an Eric's Trip poster from Nat's room and wait for Adam to pick me up. The weather has changed to an early twenties temperature and it is rather overcast. The wind is kinda nuts too. I end up sitting in the gutter for an hour waiting for the boys. I am relieved when they arrive. I think I was having some sort of weird emotional breakdown but I was fine once in the car.

We visit St.Kilda again. Each of us buy sepaerate takeaway food. Rob is in another favourite place, a noodle bar I think from memory. I watch as Adam buys some fruit. I am amazed that he is eating something so healthy and I laugh quietly when after picking his fruit and placing it on the counter, the girl in the shop offers to re-pick them for him. We eat in the park next to Luna Park. The rollercoaster looks good and I am shocked that the guy in the middle of the coaster car manually operates the brake with a big piece of wood. Adam had said so but I didn't believe him. I then had second thoughts about getting on. We discuss what a job it'd be, just coasting around all day. I spot actress Deborah Mailman walking by, looking all smiley and nice. There you go; someone from The Secret Life Of Us actually in St.Kilda, where it is filmed. We also saw Jack Jones, the former Southern Son himself.

One final stop at Au Go Go Records. Makes me think of my beloved Waterfront Records (r.i.p.). I miss having somewhere to shop. I miss Frank, the lads Yee and Towner, the lasses Amanda and Tanith. I buy a second hand WPA vinyl album for my brother. Around 6pm we offically hit the road. THE LONG DRIVE HOME. Funny thing is it was one of the most pleasant drives I've had. Maybe I've said this before (and I apologise if I have) but for me there is something sweeter about the drive home. Getting back to familiar territory and habits. You have already played your show/s and you would hope you had played well, so that's one less worry. Driving interstate to the show is harder; no sleep and you feel disgusting. On the way home it doesn't matter. I probably am not explaining this as best I could. The time of the journey is also a factor; leaving late afternoon you avoid the sun, traffic and arrive very early morning.

Adam drives first and again puts in an admirably lengthy spell. I am shotgun. We listen to Heligoland and Gersey, both totally suiting the Victorian countryside. Luke and Adam smoke plenty. Rob and Luke drift towards sleep on and off in the back. Adam and I listen to the first Red House Painters album. They are his absolute favourite band and certainly one of mine as well. We discuss Kozelek (RHP leader) until we are out of breath. He fascinates us. We love him, and I love Adam. He is a unique human being which is a trait I seem to look for in all of my closest friends. He tells us he wants to stop at Red Rooster in Albury. We search endlessly until we spot the big red chicken sign across the road. Adam is smiling like a little kid. Luke and I amble in and relunctantly order some fast, frozen food. Back on the road. I put on 'Massachusetts' by the Scud Mountain Boys. It must be around 10pm by now.

We drive along the dark highway listening to the Scuds at a very loud volume. It is breathtaking, heartbreaking and beautiful. We reminisce about the last Joe Pernice show we saw at the Hopetoun where Luke was blind drunk, falling over tables and people whilst demanding Joe play the song 'Massachusetts'. He did. Rob puts on The Olivia Tremor Control which none of us had heard but all liked. Psychedelic lo-fi meets the Beach Boys perhaps? Adam pulls over around 1am and I hop into the driver's seat.

He says he's glad I don't sleep much because I can always (seemingly) take the wheel. We all chat. Boy talk. Music talk. League talk. I sense we are getting closer to home. I convince everyone that I should get dropped off at home rather than in the inner city. I am driving anyway so it was a done deal really. Adam puts on Crosby, Stills and Nash (no Young). He sleeps until I keep poking him at every exit sign. Before long I drive across a familiar bridge and I am home. I unload my belongings onto the front lawn, say farewells mixed with gratitude and go inside. It is hot again. Summertime in Sydney town. Fred the cat greets me despite it being 4am. I have missed him.

Saturday 12th January 2002
Would you believe that after all of this I still couldn't sleep. Around 7am I must have begun snoozetime. Turns out I left my phone in Adam's car. I drive over to Jen's (Adam's better half) in the late afternoon. We listen to the brand new limited edition Mark Kozelek live album whilst playing FIFA 2002 and drinking Japanese beer that Rob had brought back recently. We finish our adventure the way we started it. Beer, computer soccer and friendship.

Sam January 2002