sabrina lawrie

_{The Celebrity Roadie informs The Barman that he can't go out in public like that. As usual, he's ignored. Kyleigh Pitcher photo.}

This is a Top Ten of two parts. First, live gigs, and second, albums. You know. Second part, different from the first.The rule of not reviewing my own gigs goes right out the door from the get-go. Got an issue with that? See you in the carpark...

Chris Masuak and the Sydney City Wave Riders:
This was a sensational run of shows- a mini-tour in and around Sydney because that’s all that time allowed - by Klondike and his crack band of Tony Bambach (bass) and Stuart Wilson (drums). Great players, top blokes. Armed with a killer setlist drawing on most of Chris’s back catalogue, the guys fired from the get go. Many of the versions surpassed the originals with Maz playing two guitar parts, as few people can. The shows blew away much of the skullduggery and malakarey involved with certain ghosts from the recent past.

HITS at Marrickville Bowlo
You can’t keep playing the same old songs or you’ll get staid and there’s no sign of HITS doing that just yet. Members are now scattered the length of the East Coast so it can’t be easy getting together…or maybe that’s a blessing in disguise because it keeps things fresh. They continue to be THE Aussie band to follow.

If you’re not from Brisbane, you might be justified in asking: “Sabrina Who?” If you are from Brisvegas and you're still in the dark, shame, you need to get out much more. The rest of the world? You just need to pay attention.

Sabrina is well known in her home town and its small but vibrant live scene as a performer and band booker. She used to put bands through the much loved (and regrettably defunct) Beetle Bar. Her own Sabrina Lawrie and The Hunting Party is an ace band that I’ve been lucky enough to see, and she’s also dipped a toe in the water by playing in Los Angeles. 

It started at a Some Jerks gig at the late, lamented Beetle Bar in Brisbane. Journalist Andrew Stafford, author of Brisbane rock history "Pig City", approached his friend Sean Clift, of Red Dust Music Management and drummer with local thug-rockers Lords of Wong.

“Listen,” he said. “This band is great. Everyone here loves ’em. If we can’t sell a few hundred of their records we’re dumber than I thought. Maybe we’ll lose a bit of money but fuck it, let’s do it anyway.”

Several months later, Some Jerks asked Staffo if he’d write them a bio for their new record. “Well, yeah,” he said, “But, funny you should mention it. Would you like to be on this new record label Sean and I are putting together? Then I’ll have to do it!”

And so, after a fair bit of planning and a couple of false starts, Pig City Records was born – a vinyl/digital only model, with Some Jerks’ second album, "Strange Ways", to be the first official release in October, with the vinyl limited to a special hand-numbered run of 300 copies.

“I FEEL YOUNG, I HAVE FUN, I'M NOT DONE!"

1. This year I've been back writing songs. To have Mick Medew as a collaborator is fantastic. Hope you've enjoyed them on our second album, “In The Zone”.

2. I've seen some amazing gigs this year. Here’s the highlights. Human League!!Halfway's 20th anniversary of “Any Old Love”. (I was asked up on stage to play harmonica on one song, but I danced instead). Dave Graneyand Clare Moore and Adele Pickvance at The Bearded Lady.  Glycereens at our single launch. Radio Birdman, Sabrina Lawrie, Salt & Steeland Sarah Stockholm at Stranded, Loves a Blur as part of the Going Nowhere Fast exhibition and book launch. The Worm Turns at PFR Lounge (plus I got to meet Ildi Babu). The Melancholics single launch. The Saints ‘73-‘78at The Princess Theatre. The Donnybrooks at Lismore.

3. The 23rd March is a special day for Mick Medew and me, because that's when we saw Stuart McLaughlin drumming in Sarah Stockholm's band. We both looked at each other and said. “I like his style; he could suit us”. I approached Sarah and she said, “Go for it! He’s got his own studio too!” Turns out said studio is five minutes from us. Stuart was keen. We asked Mick's former bass player, Lois Andrews to join, and she said Yes too!! The Mick Medew and Ursula 4was born and April 1 was our first rehearsal. We’ve since played four gigs and we are looking forward to next year's shows in Newcastle, Sydney, Ipswich and good old Brisbane.

4. On the 24th of January we got a new fridge! The door actually closes and seals the cold air in!! How about that??!!!!