The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 7 August - 20 August 1996
AUGUST 7th
Hi Diary People! Today a big parcel arrived from my pal Sally in England-she's been sick so I've been sending her cures for her cold etc. She sent me a nurses outfit-ahhh gee Sal. its a BIT small-and I'll probably get arrested wearing it. Not sure if Blue and white are my colours!!!!!!!!! Alex joins us for Coffee at the Elephant.She use to work there and now has moved to Greville Street.
Greville Street is one of the coolest areas to shop in melbourne-like a GOOD Melrose shop, or a GOOD Oxford street shop or one of the cool small shops at Kensington markets in London. Its not a very big street but it makes up for it with quality clothes etc. Anyway Alex is there, her girlfriend threw a shoe at her and she has a huge bruise on her thigh- so much passion! I arrive home and find a BIG padded parcel from Amanda at Grants office. Shucks its a GOLD record for the last Screaming Jets album. It made my morning- I know the guys are always getting gold records- Noel Crombie made a Coffee Table from some in the eighties, but I still get a buzz out of being remembered. The JETS are one of the hardest working bands-Aaron their manager has been good to work with-we'll be doing a lot more fan-related projects over the next six months. Grant sends me some money for my $500 phone bill-at last I can pay it-I talk too much.
AUGUST 8th
Today becky and myself go and visit Jen and Merl. We are both having a massage. Tell Merl about my scary dream "state" last night. I woke up thinking there was a person (thing?) standing over me-he was completely black and he didn't have a but he had his arms folded and was a bit pissed off. My room-which always feels safe felt very unsafe-so I curled into a ball and was a bit scared!!! Gee that sounds pretty tragic.Wonder if neil can use it in a song (: The Massage was great-no sign of the cactus spike-feel very relaxed.
AUGUST 9th
Drop in and see Paul (Hester) at the studio. God you can smell the pot down the road. Its a great little studio,but I always feel like I'm intruding. Paul always makes a cuppa and plays me something new. Sean kelly and others worked on the latest track-sounds very much like Voodoo Music. Kind of cool. I notice the underpants are missing off the wall-did someone need them???? Paul signs a pile of CDS and just loves the CRowdies album on vinyl . It does look good-someone mentions that he doesn't get much of a mention.........dont worry a lot of us didn't-especially on the bonus live album ): He (Paul) doesn't think the CH shows will happen-I still have some feelings that they will. We'll see.
AUGUST 10th
Crowded House seems to be getting played everywhere- RED Music channel have played several clips today-must be all the letters that club members have been writing in. Caroline and John (downstairs) have flown up to Sydney for the weekend so I am looking after Juno the cat. I have to hide inside the door and entice her inside with a trail of dried cat food! It works. She even lets me pat her. Johnny in England is still trying to get a deal-I hear so much shit music I'm amazed that someone hasn't signed him-his stuff walks all over some of the crap thats out there. He's in the studio and he has Bjorks drummer and the bassist from Simple Minds is playing on the stuff too.A new song about ...... er...Termites? Spend the day going through all the mail.
AUGUST 11th
Decide to take a table at the Camberwell Record Fair-its always a good excuse to clean up the office. Some jerk comes up and starts slagging off CH-its the best day that they decided to break up etc etc. I told him that music is a personal taste and I'm sure that heaps of people would think he was a total loser if they knew some of the crap he listened to. Simple really-if you dont like something DONT listen to it. Thankfully there were a few people buying the new album and someone told him to Fuck Off-so that was A "nice" way to start the day. The CH article in the Age was ok, not too many mistakes (except that Neil joined in '77 I told him he had the year wrong) still some good quotes. "The mix of personalities is what makes a band sing,like a club that you want to join,a gang you want to be in",Finn says"a good band has that sense of putting out a shared aesthetic and everyone looks at it and it looks attractive,inviting,seductive,almost.That was the case throughout on stage.Towards the end when Paul was getting dark on it,we certainly lost some pizzazz on stage,we wern't putting out the same amount of energy". A good article. We have Dinner at Prahran-Mark,Rosemaree,Kim,Andrew. Rosemaree tells a strange tale of Indian men stretching their penis's by hanging rocks on them .Weird dinner conversations-what is in this food? Dianne from America calls-she cant sleep-she mentions that "Recurring Dream" is at #23 on the Virgin megastore charts.That will probably be our only chart for that album from America-I cant see Capitol making any effort.
AUGUST 12th
We work all day long and most of the evening in the office. Our Uk charts arrive and "NOt the Girl" debuts at #20-thats not too bad-this single is getting more airplay then INSTINCT.Plus its on lovely WHITE Vinyl. Its so great having Crowdies on VINYL again. Congratulations to Paul Blower for snatching a minute or two of fame by being our lucky 1500th "hit" on the diary site-he gets one of the Famous for Sixteen Minutes shirts.
A strange blue car just pulled up in front of the apartments,a girl in a green dress jumped out with a camera and snapped a photo. I watched this weird even happen from the front bedroom window. How strange-it wasn't someone I recognised-but then again my friends usually come inside when they "visit". They didn't even glance at Neils huge house.Maybe they liked the look of our place? I just planted heaps of Bird of Paradise plants near the front fence, when I was in LA they were flowering everywhere and they are such an off plant (very out of this world-ish) so I decided they would look good at the front. Plus if they grow large enough they'll stop weird people in green dresses taking pictures (*gryphon grin*).
AUGUST 13th
Leanne calls from perth-she is moving back in with Wendy. cant believe I've known both of them for so long. They first sent me letters when they were young ENZ fans/CRowdies Fans . They shared a caravan together. They've moved on and grown up a lot-they still love the guys music though-anyway they are going to live together again-should be fun! Charts-oh we dropped today nationally from #1 to #2, Celine bumped us off as expected. hey a month at #1 is fine. Still #1 in WA and SA. "Everything is good for you" is now out of the top 50,but it did ok. Book our house in the Grampians-Melbourne Mountain range. We'll head up there in a few weeks-hope it snows.
Cook Lasagne for dinner.
AUGUST 14th
Brent (Grants brother) sends me the new Divinyls CD. Its pretty good, far better then the reviews its received. Chrissie is sounding a bit bluesy, and Charley Drayton who worked with Keith Richards band worked on the album too. "I'm Jealous" is on there- it was played on Melrose Place a lot. I get a call and an email from SKIP who used to be our Tour manager and now looks after Mental as Anything (Their manager).he's just returned from "T. in the Park" in England. 30,000 people a day and 3000 in the backstage beer tent. Radiohead and Pulp headlined- would of loved to see PULP. Radiohead I've seen a few times and they don't do anything for me. Pulp are very cool. "Mentals" are busy recording a new CD and "Dog Trumpet" have a new cd out on TWA-must buy a copy.
AUGUST 15th
No real CRowdies news-keep hoping Grant will ring about a gig or two-still don't feel its totally over-haven't heard that fat lady sing yet! Heard a few good songs today by two Aussi groups. One is "Mr Lazy" by Little Hornet and the other is "I want you" by Savage garden. I think Savage garden are going to be big-could be an International Hit. I cant believe that 2000 people have clicked onto this site already-am humbled by your comments. Still feel the need to thank Deb. for getting it happening. I know Marck has also been running the address.
AUGUST 16th
My Mum went into hospital last night- I should be in Sydney. I speak to her and she demans that I stay in melbourne. I'll give her 24hrs and if she isn't any better I'm up there. A few hours later and the Doctor tells me she is fine, and they are taking her appendix out. Fairly sure she has an appendicitis. Worry too much to go the Divinyls gig. Blow it out and stay by the phone. cant believe that all the hospital beds at 3 hospitals are full except one bed-make sure my Mum gets it.
AUGUST 17th
Tim flys into Periscope. A Geelong (Outer Melb. suburb) band called Big bag are doing some writing with Tim. Its more of a work session,throwing ideas around,he;'s helping them out. Karen from the band whips my arse at pool, in fact she's beaten everyone today. Tim is writing a letter for his website.
he's looking good-and tanned,of course when he flys into melbourne it rains! Jane from periscope is flying out tomorrow for 2 weeks in Italy-lucky duck. Talk to Tim about returning to America-at this stage its not confirmed and probably only a small chance-he wants to go back, if it happens it could be late OCT. But please its only a chance. A major tv show want the Finns to play a song or two. Wonder if I'll be back on the road-hope so-America was fun last time.
AUGUST 18th
Miss Candy turns up at the Blue Elephant for Breakfast-she's very quiet today. Maybe she did a show at Three faces? At least her makeup is on straight today. Call Nigel (Griggs) this Enz Bassist is 47 today. he's amazed at how many people have called him- Noel,Neil,our old manager Nathan etc. Will go and visit him next week if I get a chance. There is a petrol strike on the way and I dont want the Grey Ghost to run out of gas. Its rains heavily today and the central heating is working overtime. Create some painted vases-I was shocked at how good they are-may give the big round one to Rosemaree for her birthday on Tuesday.
AUGUST 19th
A lot of fanmail in today-half of them mention the diary site-that scares me. No more Nurses outfits. Send calvins!!! Grant finally calls me back-must be the email that I was running away to work with INXS that spurred him to call. he's been very busy and the ENZso dates are ready to be announced for Australia. here they are: Jan 30th 1997- Brisbane Ent. Centre. Feb 1st- Sydney ENT. centre. FEB. 4th- Flinders Park-melbourne. FEB 6th-Adelaide ENT. centre. We are still trying to get to perth-so its not confirmed. We'll keep you updated. The tickets for these ENZso shows go on sale SEPT. 2nd. So overseas fans it might be a good time to visit OZ. probably the only chance you'll get to see this incredible production. Still no news on CH date/s.
Just heard dear Diary that our wonderful tour manager Billy Cullen has become a dad. His incredibly beautiful wife Edrei just gave birth to a 6pound 2 OZ baby girl called Daisy. Wecome to the world Daisy Cullen- its a nice time to be alive (well most days). Wow becoming a Dad the first time-must be the most incredible eperience EVER......is that my bio. clock ticking away???????? The race is on-who'll be first-myself or Tim!?
AUGUST 20th
I've juumped ahead a day to say a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to DEBBIE LEVITT for keeping the Split Enz site up and running for its FIRST YEAR. She's done an incredible job and its a lot harder then you guys realise,especially with a band that exists only from time to time. She's managed to keep it interesting and suffer madmen like myself. Good on you DEB. Dont forget the lucky 10,000th HIT will win a very cool prize! Thanks DEB. we wouldnt be here without you! PS-Happy Birthday Rosemaree-see you at Monroes Tonight!!!!!!Goodnight Readers.
[editor's note: you're welcome - it's been beyond fun - I love you all!]