My Top Ten Songs

After my last blog, something a little lighter.... and totally inspired by Nicole Molloy's blog on the same topic (that's the sound of me being a sheep...)

I couldn't possibly find a proper order for these songs so I'll just list you ten of my favourite songs (click on the title for a youtube link to the song in question)

Burn- Deep Purple

After the departure of their most revered lead singer, Ian Gillan, and their brilliant bassist and songwriter Roger Glover, you could be forgiven for thinking that Deep Purple would just give up. Instead they hired David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes and kept right on going. The first song off of the first album with these two is quite simply one of the best songs DP ever did. The drums are like pounding cannons, Jon Lords throws in an amazing keyboard and Ritchie Blackmore, as per usual, blows the socks off of every other guitarist in the business. 6 minutes of white knuckle pounding rock...

Katie Melua- Thank You Stars

One of my most favourite love songs ever. Katie has a beautifully fragile voice here. The string arrangement is wonderful- and the addition of the mandolin inspired. But more than any of that, it's the beautiful and haunting lyrics that get me every time. This is a wedding song if I ever heard it.

Spandau Ballet- Gold

Oh yes. I'm going there. Have you ever sat down and listened to what this song is about? A father's final words to his daughter before she heads off. I always envisage he's alone and she's has turned up at his house and seen him by himself but instead of being downtrodden he gives her this beautiful piece of advice- always believe in your soul. There's nothing left for me to do, you're everything I had hoped you be. For a band in their mid twenties, this was remarkably mature writing. Tony Hadley has amazing vocal chops, his technique is flawless here (remember this is pre-Protools). Beautifully produced and performed.

Electric Light Orchestra- Mr. Blue Sky

There are so many ELO songs I could have listed here, but I'm going to go with this one, as it really is one their very, very best numbers. So bright, happy and catchy. You hear this once, you'll never forget it. This is the finale to side 3 of their "Out Of The Blue" album and it's the finale of their "Concerto For A Rainy Day". You can just hear the sunshine in every pore of this song.

Kate Miller-Heidke- Space They Cannot Touch

Haunting, evocative and so brilliantly underplayed. Anyone who has followed me on facebook will know how highly I regard Kate's music. This song- one of her earliest- is a great reason why. How do you describe that moment when you wake up next to the person you love? That moment when nothing else in the world matters- it's just you and them. Kate does an absolutely brilliant job of describing it.

Live- Lakini's Juice

This song is just one of my all time favourites. The lyrics make no sense at all, but in this case, who cares? This song has a brilliant vocal performance from Ed Kowalcyk on top of some outstanding playing from the rest of the band- added in to that is a great string arrangement. I just love the way it dips down quietly and then explodes out of the blocks with an almost primal scream. Crank this one loud and proud...

David Bowie- Life On Mars

Long before John Simm's series of the same name propelled this into the musical stratosphere it was one of my favourite Bowie numbers. What an amazing vocal performance (stretching nearly two octaves) and beautifully arranged, produced and performed. This was Bowie at his absolute creative and artistic peak.

Bon Jovi- Keep The Faith

This song is one of those numbers I loved the second I heard it. From the moment the bass kicks in with a brilliant riff this hooks you in. Jon delivers things with a powerful punch (as usual), Richie Sambora chugs along for most of the song and then nails a fantastic solo. This was a remarkably great period for Bon Jovi. The whole album is brilliant but the title track for me is one of their finest ever.

Queen- Princes Of The Universe

Again, so many Queen songs I could have picked, but it's this one that sneaks over the line. Why? Freddie Mercury proves why he is the greatest vocalist in rock history. Just an all out rock pounder. I swear Roger Taylor sounds like he's about to break cymbals during this one. Brian May is in outstanding form too. The production is brilliant as well. loved this song from the moment I heard it as well. Yes, THAT'S why I picked this one over the others...

Iron Maiden- Run To The Hills

Another rock classic that has embedded itself into my subconscious. The drums don't pound, they BATTER. Bruce Dickinson shows amazing vocal chops and it's all capped off with a brilliant guitar solo in the middle. This is a Maiden classic. And a fitting end to my top ten list.

Here comes that feeling again.....

This week I started planning my move to Melbourne. To be honest, I'm scared witless about the whole thing. Everyone keeps asking me if there is anyone I know over there- and yes there are a few friends that now live over there- but none I'd want to mooch off of for a few months while I find my feet.

But there's also someone else living there....

To tell this tale (probably one of the few deep regrets I have in my life) we have to go back to 1998. I was 24. I was the rehearsal pianist for Mayfair's brilliant production of "Sweeney Todd"- it was how I first met Tim Sexton. It was also where I first met Rochelle.

Originally she was just going to be in the chorus, but then our original Johanna had to pull out and Rochelle became the new one. She was inexperienced, an ok singer....and absolutely drop-dead, gob smackingly beautiful. Both physically and mentally.

Of course, being the rehearsal pianist I had to spend a lot of time with Rochelle while she learnt her part. Oh how I ached to hear the magic phrase from Tim- "Rochelle, let's work on your bits while we have a moment".

I should say that I was a total professional. I assumed she had some boyfriend tucked away somewhere so I just thought "Ok Rodney, read your music, do your job...it'll pass". It didn't. Then after one rehearsal she came over to me and hugged me and said "I'm glad you're playing". I was a jibbering mess. What I meant to say was "Why thanks Rochelle, that's really sweet of you". What came out was a new language- I think it was a hybrid of Swahili and Mandarin Chinese. She laughed. I laughed. She left. I had to start breathing again.

For the next two weeks or so I tried to be more social with her, all the while reminding myself that this woman was more than likely off the market, when during a conversation she casually mentioned that she hadn't had a boyfriend for a couple of years. That mysterious language I created? Yup, came back again.

Now before I continue on here, I should point out that I have never been that lucky with the ladies. I don't really know why. If I was being brutal to myself I could say it's because I'm a fat, ugly git. I don't think too many women think of me like that but I'm pretty certain none have seen me and immediately thought "hubba hubba" (or words to that effect). I have never found it easy to talk to attractive women. For some reason I get very self-conscious and as a result I probably come across as either a try-hard or desperate. Or both.

But with Rochelle it was different. I was worse. I seriously could not string two sentences together. I was so damn in love with this girl that it totally and utterly screwed with my mind. It was the first time I was truly in love. I didn't realise this until about halfway through the rehearsal period when I found myself watching her every move and just hoping and praying she would spend some time with me. It was pathetic.

I'm glad I don't have a TARDIS- or some other time travel device- because to see me act like that would be embarrassing. I honestly have no idea if the rest of the cast (which included her brother by the way) noticed it.

One night I had to ring her brother (honestly!) and she picked up the phone. We talked for over an hour. Anyone that has called me on the phone will know what an absolute miracle that was. I soon convinced myself that she was, at the very least, open to going out on a date with me. All I had to do was ask. So I started to psych myself up.

Days turned into weeks and soon the season was upon us. I could see the window of opportunity rapidly disappearing. Oh I'd love to tell you that I summoned up the courage to ask her out. But I didn't. The only thing we ever did together was go and see B*Witched together at the Saturn Nightclub (It was promo thing- I won two tickets on the radio). No dinner, no coffee afterwards. Just the show, a hug goodbye and that was it.

You sad, sad, sad, pathetic man.

But the worst was still to come for my already fragile psyche.

She auditioned for State Opera and didn't get in. I'll never forget the email she sent- "I didn't get in. that does it! I'm moving to Melbourne!". And she did.

"That's ok," thought I, "I'm sure she'll keep in contact". Well she did for a little while. And then she told me about her new boyfriend she met over there. My heart sank. The final nail came when I rang her and her boyfriend picked up the phone and hadn't realised it had connected to me- "It's Rodney" he said. "Oh...hmmm....he can leave a message" came her response. That was a conversation I wish I hadn't heard. I silently hung up the phone and slunk away to my bedroom. I listened to Mahler- as I often do when I'm depressed- and even the beauty and majesty of his music failed to lift my spirits. For a very long time I couldn't even bring myself to say her name for fear of losing it completely.

What if I'd actually grown a pair and asked this girl out? What if we'd become a couple? Would we have moved to Melbourne together? Would we have moved in together here? Marriage? Kids? God only knows.

I'd love to tell you all that I learnt from that experience but I really didn't. In fact I think it burnt it into my psyche that I'm simply not able to ask anyone out.

I don't have very many regrets in my life, but that is by far one of the biggest.

Somewhere in Melbourne she's living with her husband (yes she got married a few years later) and, presumably, kids. She probably doesn't even remember me now. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

I think it is....

Curtains for the Curtain Calls?

The recent announcement of nominees for this year's ATG Curtain Call awards has come out. Doubtless over the next few days there will be many a congratulatory message left on people's Facebook walls and a few grumbling ones in status updates. (There's already one in my news feed!). It's times like these that make me wonder if the awards are a good or bad thing for Adelaide Theatre. This is not a slap against the ATG (Adelaide Theatre Guide)- they created these awards with the absolute best and noble intentions (even if their categories leave a lot to be desired- I'll never forget at the first awards ceremony the bile I forced down my throat when I heard one of the reviewers for the ATG declare to all and sundry from the podium that it was the onstage performances people remember the most so that's what's being honoured and nothing else- hence the reason there was no backstage awards like Best Director, Best Costumes- now there are a few minor dribbles like "Best Technical"- but rather the mindset that turned us into competitive and slightly narky theatre folk.

It would be incredibly naive of me to think that the awards were the reason Adelaide Theatre has recently become more separated than what it was. This is not a fault of the companies but rather some of the individuals that populate them. Now they have a reason to get narky ("Oh the Joe Bloggs company got nominated yet again- ho hum- no surprise given that one of the reviewers is on their committee", "Oh gosh what a surprise to see Fred Nerk nominated yet again, seriously he's SO overrated"). Before, all the recognition the hard-working folk of Adelaide Theatre got was a good review and at the end of the year a paragraph in the Oscarts. Now there's a CEREMONY!!! and AWARD TROPHIES!!!! and CLAIRE HOOPER!!!!

I realize this probably comes across as sour grapes because none of the shows I was involved in got nominated, but to be honest when I see what these awards have done to us it makes me sad. I just don't think we're ready for these awards. There have been a lot of simmering tensions for a while (long before the awards started) but these seem to bring out the worst (and best) in us. When the inevitable winners are announced, there'll be lots of backslapping and faint praise I'm sure.

Actually I think one of my MD colleagues summed it up perfectly when he said "Nobody supports anyone else these days yet expects everyone to come and see their shows". He's right (and I'm as guilty as anyone- although I do try and make it to a large number of shows throughout the year).

There's a lot more I could say on where Adelaide Theatre is going wrong, but you know what? It's easy to bitch so how about I finish by saying a few nice things about recent Adelaide Theatre and the people that populate it?

What I AM loving about Adelaide Theatre now is the daring of companies to do more recent shows that haven't made it to Adelaide's theatres before. Shows like "Curtains", "Honk!", "Spamalot", "All Shook Up" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (that's just this year!) have proved a boom for performers and audiences alike. 8 years ago you would have said that Adelaide audiences don't embrace new things. The large crowds that attend these shows actually prove that they do! This can only be good. I'll also say that the level and quality of the productions are of a very high standard all round (both on and offstage). That's something I LOVE about Adelaide Theatre. So what if we have a budget of only $15,000? Let's stage Miss Saigon! That "can do" attitude of companies is a healthy and good thing to see. It's also good to see the immense pool of young talent we have (again, both on and offstage). I don't think Adelaide Theatre will ever have THAT particular well dry up.

Time for me to take my bow (and dodge a few rotten tomatoes).....