Crows Garage » Music

22th April Method play Ocean View Dudley

Geoff — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:24:36 +0000

Sunday evening 22/4/2012. Method - the 2 piece band with a huge sound played a fantastic set at the Ocean View Hotel at Dudley. With Bill Jacobi on amped up acoustic guitar and Frank Corby on drums Method played an awsome gig. Be sure to catch them touring and look out for their new CD – Times Like These.

Method 2 Oceanview 22-04-12

Method 4 Oceanview 22-04-12

Method 7 OceanView 22-04-12

Frank Corby Method 22-04-12

Bill Jacobi Method 23-04-12

The surf jumped up and stayed up for about 5 days in a row.

Redhead surf 20-04-12

Redhead 1 20-04-12

Redhead 3 21-04-12

Late afternoon scenery 19/4/12 at Redhead Beach

Redhead Beach 19-04-12

Late afternoon pot of gold at the end of the rainbow at Merewether Beach 24/4/12

Merewether Rainbow 24-04-12

12th April 2012 Zappa Plays Zappa

Geoff — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:30:06 +0000

Redhead Bodyboarder 6/4/2012

Redhead bodyboarder 06-04-12

Redhead Bodyboarder 10/3/2012

Redhead Bodyboarder 10-03-12

Redhead surfer 11/3/2012

Redhead surfer 11-03-12

Horshoe Beach early morning 8/4/2012 Photo by Jo Layzell

Newcastle Harbour 8-4-12

Stormy night drive 8/4/12 Photo by Ellen Moore

Stormy night 8-4-12

The band Zappa Plays Zappa Newcastle Panthers Club 8/4/12

Dweezil Zappa Band 8-4-12

Dweezil Zappa and the band were awsome, fun and brilliant and showcased the many fine tunes from Frank Zappa’s massive 60 plus album repertoire in a 3 hour show.

Dweezil Zappa guitar solo

Dweezil Zappa at Panthers 8-4-12

Zappa plays Zappa Band with dance contestants

Zappa Dance Contestants 8-4-12

Dweezil Zappa and Dancers

Dweezil Zappa and dancers 8-4-12

Singer Ben Thomas Zappa Plays Zappa with Dance Contestant.

Ben Thomas & dance contestant 8-4-12

Guitarist Jamie Kime

Zappa plays Zappa guitarist Jamie Kime 8-4-12

Dweezil signing autographs after the concert

Dweezil Zappa signs autographs 8-4-12

19th August 2011 Redhead Surf

Geoff — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:18:28 +0000

Redhead Lovely arvo 18/8/11 and a few good waves and some good surfers out.

Redhead Surfer 18/8/11

Redhead surfer 18-08-11 1

Redhead surfer 18/8/11

Redhead surfer 18-08-11 8

Redhead surfers 18/8/11

Redhead surfers 18-08-11 5

Redhead Bluff with the late arvo sun showing out its colour.

Redhead Bluff 18-08-11

But it went pearshaped Friday arvo 19/8/11 a strong front hit wiping the surf out for the weekend.

Storm coming 19/8/11

Redhead beach storm 19-08-11

Bad moon rising 19/8/11 Storm clouds on the way

Redhead stormy sky 19-09-11

Boys at the Barby for TR’s 21st Crows Garage 1980

Crows Garage party 1977

Sidewinder cranking at the Mawson 1978 – Great Band!!

Sidewinder Mawson 1978

Chambers of Horror Newcastle Show 1979

Newcastle Show Chambers of Horror 1979

Peaceful Byron Bay early morning 1979

Bryon Bay 1980

Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Angels, Jimmy and the Boys

Geoff — Thu, 26 May 2011 08:50:50 +0000

Cold Chisel first came up to Newcastle in the late 1970’s and played at the local southern pubs and clubs the Orana, Belmont Sporties, Mawson, Swansea Workers and went on to bigger things quick. They always played their guts out and got a big Newcastle following. great guys too. Ian Moss wowed us with guitar, Jimmy Barnes revved the crowds, Don Walker’s songs made us listen and the beat was held by Phil and Steve.

Ian Moss at Belmont Sporties

Jimmy Barnes at Cardiff Workers early 80′s

Here is a rare view of Don Walker as he was always behind the keyboards.

Don Walker loosens up at Belmont Sporties 1980

In the late 70’s and early 80’s Cold Chisel regularly visited around Newcastle and we always had a good night when they played.

Cold Chisel Group Shot Belmont Sporties 1980

Another hard working band, The Angels always kept the crowd on their feet hooting, with Doc bouncing around and the guitars riffing.

Doc Neeson from The Angels at the Mawson

Midnight Oil played at the Mawson in the late 70’s and were awsome. Peter Garret had the audience hooting.

Jimmy and the boys were outrageous and played great stuff. Ignatious was a showman and always up to mischief to say the least. Rumours were he left a lot of gigs in the roadies gear boxes. Here at he Belmont Sporties I had no idea what he was going to do next.

Jimmy and the Boys – Ignatious Jones

Cold Chisel Photos Newcastle 1978

Geoff — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:53:55 +0000

Cold Chisel toured Newcastle constantly making Newcastle a Chisel stronghold. The music suited our town’s working class fans and were always great shows.

After another great gig at the Mawson, Don Walker gets to sit down and relax and takes the jar going around. Don was always thinking… and well, just maybe he comes up with inspiration and the first words for a new song (Cheap Wine).

Don Walker and Cheap Wine

Jimmy Barnes belting it out at Cardiff Workers Club around 1979.

Jimmy Barnes Cardiff Workers Club around 1979

Bass Player Phil Small same night as above.

Cold Chisel bass player Phil Small 1979 Cardiff Workers Club

Ian Moss into another great guitar solo Belmont Sporties Club around 1978.

Ian Moss Belmont Sporties around 1978

Ian and Jim same night as above.

Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes Belmont Sporties around 1978

Cold Chisel Sydney Sports Stadium same bill as Peter Framton around 1978.

Cold Chisel Sydney Stadium around 1978

Jimmy Barnes claps to the rythm coming from Don and Phil behind him at Belmont Sporties Club around 1978.

Cold Chisel – Barnesy with Don and Phil around 1978

Ian Moss Mawson Hotel around 1978

Rock photos taken in Newcastle 1978

Geoff — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:36:57 +0000

Lou Reed came to the Civic and gave a great show, I was lurking about a bit back from the stage with my camera when a big wild hairy guy picked me up put me on his front row seat and said “now take an fn picture mate”. Lou eyballed me, I clicked and then Lou just winked at me and carried on the great show.

Lou Reed about 1978 at the Civic Theatre

I just love this one – when opposites attract. Jimmy & The Boys Ignatious Jones, Neo Punk meets Nimbin shoeless Hippe girl and rock out together regardless. A fan gets up and helps out Jimmy and the Boys at Belmont Sporties around 1978.

Jimmy and The Boys with a fan at Belmont Sporties

Joe Cocker played the Civic, didnt sing out of tune and put on a great show. His band were great.

Joe Cocker Civic Theatre around 1978

Cold Chisel’s Jimmy Barnes hard at work as usual Cardiff Workers around 1978.

Cold Chisel’s Jimmy Barnes Cardiff Workers around 1978

Cold Chisel’s Ian Moss also hard at work around the same time.

Cold Chisel’s Ian Moss Cardiff Workers 1978

Midnight Oil’s Peter Garret at the Mawson Hotel 1978. He inspired all us unco guys to just get up and have a go when the music gets ya. I got caned in primary school for bad dancing.

Midnight Oils Peter Garret Mawson 1978

Kevin Coyne – scottish folk/rock/social critic had an album out called Marjory Razorblade in the late 1980’s which I recommed listening to. He played the Newcastle Uni solo and was just awsome. His guitar stlye is unique, using his thumb on the frett board to make chords, he has a very powerful strumming style.

Kevin Coyne Newcstle Uni 1978

Redhead Bluff 2010

Geoff — Wed, 25 May 2011 07:51:57 +0000

A close inspection of Redhead Bluff (not too close, there’s rocks falling off – like in Billy the Mountain) shows a Tubular Section in it, recent rain has done some corrosive damage and has hollowed out a literally tubular gnarly slab.

Redhead Cliff with wave June 2010

A solid swell pumped through on the last Sunday of May 2010 and the wind held them up. Unknown surfer behind the Redhead Shark Tower.

Unknown Surfer Redhead left May 2010

An email from Julie and Shayne advised me of surfing footage from the 70’s taken from the movie Fantasea, of Col Smith and also Steve Butterworth on Youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38YzceIQAtE

Not somewhere in Europe – Hunter Valley Gardens in Cessnock’s wine country, a lot of very nice different types of gardens, very well put together.

Hunter Valley Gardens 2009

Catherine Hill Bay in 1975. Catho hasn’t changed much in 35 years – lets hope it stays that way.

Catherine Hill Bay Township 1975

Lou Reed at the Majestic Newcastle Civic Theatre around 1978. Lou had a great band and played great guitar and had the crowd on their feet.

Lou Reed Civic Theatre Newcastle 1978

Justin Lee, one of the most consistant long term surfers from the Lake Macquarie Beaches on a VERY solid day at Dudley September 2009. Photo by Geoff Connors.

Justin Lee surfing at Dudley September 2009

The Redhead Crew celebrate Gilly’s Graduation around 1978.

The Redhead crew celebrate Gillys Graduation

Up the Coast

Geoff — Wed, 25 May 2011 07:47:05 +0000

Angourie 1978 4 guys out.

Angourie 1977 4 guys out

HOW TO GET MORE CHIPS.

In 1968, on a weekend surfari up the north coast, a small group of starving surfers head into town for a feed after a long day of surfing at Green Knob. They stop at their favorite Taree Fish & Chip Shop. The boys walk up to the counter and the beaming old guy behind the counter asks “Yesssh Pleassshse Boyssssh! “ Yes he had a squeak to every S.

Without batting an eyelid one of the guys orders first (…let’s just call him Jim, a normally quiet reserved guy perhaps bouyed by a great day surfing) “Can I have a hamburger and 10 Cssssentssss worth of chipsssh pleassssh!” (10 cents worth is about $3 worth now)

We all roll our eyes and figure we will be thrown out and go starving now… but the gentleman remains cool and proceeds to take the other orders then make the food.

After a tense 10 minutes of subdued behavior from us, he hands over the first order to Jim – and low and behold there is enough chips to feed an army! The rest of us get the standard portion serving of chips.

I guess he felt an affinity to the fellow speech afflicted Jimmy – or perhaps he just admired his cheekiness! The moral of the story – be an up front complete bastard and you can get away with anything.

Ronnie is getting good waves up the coast right now, here is Byron Bay in May 2010, photo by Ronnie Rudder.

Byron May 2010 photo by Ronnie Rudder

At Bells Beach Surfing Comp in 1977 – I spot the other Mr Pipeline, the revered Rory Russell taking in the scene. Aprehensively I raise my camera, Rory spots me about to take his picture, I baulked as I don’t like to take anyones photo without approval. Rory breaks into a big grin then waves, Whew! Click! The next week he was cruising past Newcastle and dropped in to see Col Smith. Col says “where were you yesterday I brought Rory around to your place”. I was at work.

Bells Beach 1977 Rory Russell the other Mr Pipeline

This photo was taken from Nobbys Beach in 1978. It is the now decommissioned Zara Street Power Station. Not 300 meters from the beach, it used to belch out smoke all over Newcastle. In its place now is the Nobbys Forshore Park - thanks goes to all who decided to remove it.

Nobbys Power Station 1977

On Big Brother Mountain over looking Laurieton and Camden Haven.

View of Laurieton 1983

Frank “Meatball” Skewes surfs a punchy right peak in 1975 at Redhead Beach.

Frank Meatball Skewes Redhead 1975

The Angels good Doc Neeson blesses his followers and there was plenty.. and it was good.

The Angels Doc Neeson gives his blessing at the Mawson 1978

Photos from around Newcastle

Geoff — Wed, 25 May 2011 07:42:45 +0000

Dweezil Zappa, son of Frank, brought his dad’s music to life again in Newcastle at the great Civic Theatre in April 2009. Dweezil played amazing guitar. I saw Frank Zappa play back in 1972 and 1974, awsome. He had guest Norman Gunston (actor Gary MacDonald) play a harmonica solo. Here Dweezil rips out another guitar solo, this one was from the song Montana. My daughter Ellen took this picture.

Dweezil Zappa plays at Newcastle Civic Theatre 2009

Mark Richards gouges a cutback on his twin fin at Leggy Point around 1977, classic style.

Mark Richards Leggy Point 1977

Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett on keyboards and guitarist Jim Mogine on guitar playing at the Mawson Hotel at Caves Beach in 1977. Awsome night. Not long after they were packing the places out wherever they played.

Midnight Oil 1977 Garrett & Mogine Mawson Hotel 1977

Looking back up from Redhead beach to where I was living in 1975 . Before the tar car park, the grassy hill and the real big houses.

Landscape above Redhead Beach in 1975

Crow & Bird and Bridgette my Curly Coated Retriever in 1977 on the verandah.

Crow and Bird and Bridgette 1977

Martin Littlewood cranks a turn windsurfing Blacksmiths around 1978.

Martin Littlewood Windsurfing at Blacksmiths 1977

Redhead’s Col Smith around 1979 in his shaping bay with some almost completed Channel boards, this one’s mine.

Col Smith Shaping Channel Boards

Wooden Surfboards

Geoff — Tue, 24 May 2011 09:37:39 +0000

In 1935 Tom Blake made a hollow surboard and put a fin on and surfing moved quicky ahead with many changes since.

Well, the hollow board has started to come back with technology advances, Weber is making chambered epoxy /styrene composites and Pope is making hollow epoxy boards and now many craftsmen are making chambered wooden boards again.

A good surfboard is regarded as a work of art, in this case a work of art – is a good surfboard.

Redhead regular David Chung met up with some other like minded Aussies and attended a mind blowing week on the NSW South coast making their own wooden boards under the guidance and trained eye and skilled hands of US craftsman Paul Jensen.

Here is a link to Paul Jensen’s blog, giving details of the process of building a wooden board.

http://www.hollowsurfboards.com/2010SapphireCoastAustraliaTripReport

Check out Paul Jensen’s Website: http://www.hollowsurfboards.com/

David’s new board detail:

Manna Fish 5?10? x 21? x 2.5?
Built by hand October 2010 at Manna Park Merimbula
Decks – Blackwood, Western Red Cedar and Paulownia
Rails – Cork and Ply, Fins – Marine Ply
Inspired by Steve Lis
Designed by Paul Jensen
Board Construction and Fins by David Chung
Rails shaped by Jed Done
Glassing by Jye Byrnes
45+ hours to build and a lifetime to enjoy.

David Chung’s wooden Board – Deck

David Chung’s Wooden Manna Fish November 2010

David Chung’s wooden Board – Bottom.

Dave Chung’s Manna Fish November 2010

Here is a collage of the week making the board :

Making of David Chung’s Manna Fish November 2010

About 1975 I discovered and bought an old hollow ply 1950’s kook box in an old furniture shop. Eventually I took several layers of paint off it and coated it with 5 coats of marine ply and took it out for a few waves. Roger Hamilton painted a picture of Redhead on it for me.

Mark Richards Lip Bash Leggy Point 1978

Dudley/Redhead swamp 1980. The white paperbark trunks reflecting in the water made a striking scene.

Dudley/Redhead swamp 1980

The little crab in the top left was keeping very busy making this sand sculpture 1978 Marks Point.

Crab at Work 1979

Peter Allen took us all on a trip to Rio when he did this song at the Newcastle Civic Theatre around 1989. What a great singer songwriter and entertainer he was.

Peter Allen Civic Theatre 1989