The Life and Times of Peter Green
updated 30 November 2025
 "Lights, camera, action". We start work on the Skyhooks mini documentary. |
November 10thLast night 46 years ago two teenagers from Wollongong spent their first night in Melbourne. A shoe shop window in Frankston to be exact. We found out that we couldn't rent a flat as we were both too young (imagine) so hatched a plan to ask the guys in the band The Aliens if they could be our guarantors . They were playing the Pier Hotel that night so we caught the train to Frankston and went to the gig, convinced this band we were hanging around would say "Yes". We were so unrealistic and of course they said "NO". They had as little money as us. Being teenagers we thought it sucked and never saw the band again and never bought their debut record. Hanging around to talk to them we missed the last train back to the city. We walked around Frankston which was a scary place at night at the best of time. We needed somewhere to sleep or hide for 6 hours till the first train in the morning. We found an old shoe shop with a boarded up window and started to climb inside. A "Yobo Mobile" as Mark called it went past, slowed down and attempted to pelt us with eggs. We were fast none found their mark. We were homeless, couldn't get a flat and the indignity of Frankston bogans trying to egg us. Any smart teen would have bolted for the safety of home (Wollongong). But we loved Melbourne and we both vowed one way or the other we would get a flat, we would stay together and make it work.On the train back to the city I grabbed a newspaper off the seat and read my horoscope. "A Star will save you" mine said. Of course we both went "Bongo Starr of Skyhooks". Hours later I was banging on the door of the Walsh street bed sit at Bobs parents place. He said YES I will be your guarantor and the rest is history. We never let him down, never late with our rent even if it meant not eating for days. A gesture of kindness to the two brats from the 'Gong, one we will always remember. Thanks you Bob 'Bongo" Starkie. November 11thRain again and loads of fog. It feels ancient, smells ancient and you keep expecting some extinct species to suddenly emerge from the Kalorama fog bank…or a Liberal Party politician….a different dinosaur?The Split Enz "Forever Enz" tour was announced. My IN box fills up, our answering machine fills up. I keep having to tell, people I am retired. This will be the first Split Enz tour since 1980 that I haven't been part of. I'm sure it's weird for Enz bassist Nigel Griggs and drummer Mal Green, as they are both not on the tour either. No Phil Judd. I see the Liberal youth vote has now collapsed even further. It must be a concern for the Liberals. Most of their voters are geriatrics and are dying out and not being replaced by younger voters. Even their older voter base is deserting them for One Nation. Interesting days for Australian politics. November 12th374 bagpipers show up at Federation Square and the break the largest bagpipe ensemble record. So cool they play AC/DC's "It's a long way to the top..". Sounding brilliant guys.Markys Youtube Wednesday is now up. The last clip we have from the Crowded House Hanover Grand show. It's from June 3rd 1996. Peter Jones is on drums. The rather excellent PRIVATE UNIVERSE. Which is one of my favourite Crowded House songs. I email Noel quite a lot of possible images for his Split Enz costume book. Hopefully this has helped him a bit. November 13thI totally blow it and forgot that Andy White was playing Merri Creek. We had one of those days that were so endlessly demanding by every human in the planet. I really was worn out from it and needed to switch off, and I ended up falling asleep. It felt like everyone was chiseling a piece off me. Normally it's all ok I can deal with it but not today . Sorry Andy I totally blew it. A few mates did go and said it was a fun night.November 14thThe seismology research centre has recorded low frequency activity as AC/DC rocked the MCG. Registering around 2.5 hertz.Feeling bit sad for Split Enz fans in Brisbane with no show. Probably due to the Bluesfest contract but still gotta feel for them as Brisbane loves Split Enz. November 15th"Sleigh Bells" the Christmas pop up shop opens at Olinda (next to the bakery). I head on in to show some support and buy a little glass deco Christmas tree for our table. I didn't realise but I was the first person to buy something so they took a photo. I give the store bit of a plug on Facebook and twitter. Good to support local, plus they have some very cool Christmas items. They are open all the way up to Christmas.I've started going through a few things for our little mini Skyhooks - In The Heat Of The Night documentary. Marks been working away on it for weeks now. It's a difficult one as there isn't a lot of stuff and it was only a ten date tour by the Hooks. Hardly a mention in Jeffs Skyhooks book, we do set ourselves difficult tasks. I did clean the bathroom, come on how exciting is that. Not. November 16thThe Kalorama Community Picnic is on today but it buckets down. I have the doors to the office open listening to music and suddenly the loudest thunder and it buckets down, the music stops. It's all over.I love former PM Malcolm Turnbull's quote. "The Liberals have the memory of a goldfish and diet of piranhas"!. Lots of Liberakls getting the knife in the back ,both state and federal. Hey guys how about some policies etc ,we pay You a wage , you politicians seem to forget that. No wonder no one votes Liberal anymore in Australia. So over them which you probably work out by now. November 17thSuch strange weather for November. The rain and fog seems to of decided to hang around. It's not really cold as such but the outside water tanks on our property are full. I keep finding reasons to use the water from the tanks so it just doesn't become run off.I hand paint the clapper board for our upcoming video. We don't really use them anymore, more of a fun tradition, archive item, always good for a photo moment. I give the council a call to clear the gutter outside our place, on the other side of the road. It's beaver dam blocked where the pipe goes under the road so the water tends to just fill up. I've cleared it a few times but decided it's really the councils job. Myself and Ian chat to a local called Sahara at the bakery. She is an artist so looks like she will be one of the group who will hopefully do some art of our house in the not too distant future. Skyhook Tony Williams and his girlfriend are coming up for the day too , to engage in some art. Should be fun. Nice that Ailsa Craig will appear in paintings and drawings , which might be used as part of her 100 years celebration. Live Nation run our "I Got You" Split Enz live clip from our YouTube page as part of their promotion. If nothing else it might turn some attention to our Youtube page for the other 800+ clips. The live "I Got You" has now had 111,631 views. Not bad. It's now really foggy in the evening and we have worked all day. No way am I cooking so I drive into the fog layer and head to Indian by Nature to buy some dinner. Olinda is almost hidden under a fog bank, the Indian place the only golden glow. One customer and I am delighted to see Tony again. He was the guy who gave me the best hug after those long hours at the last election.He was on the phone so I didn't talk all that much but good to see that he was indeed real and not some imaginative moment from my mental election exhaustion. I play the Birthday Parties "Release the Bats" while I drive home into there gothic fog. It freaks me out bit as there seem to be creatures darting in and out of the woods by the side of the road. Strange shapes in front of my windscreen. Whoa. bite Whoa, bite Release the bats, release the bats Don't tell me that it doesn't hurt… November 18thMiss Midnight is still the best alarm clock I have ever had. She climbs on me and wakes me up in time for charity work today. I stumble out of bed a bit of a blur this morning.Coffee at the Garden Cafe. A young work guy comes in and goes "You are Peter Green". I am taken back as I am still half asleep. His name is Chris (yes another Chris! So many) and he loves music and a reader of this diary. So a shout out to Chris. Nice guy. Well Battin got knifed by Liberal Jess Wilson. So more dramas for the Victorian Liberal party. I have to say I might well have addd to their drama, don't ask. LOL. Whats that now, three Liberal "leaders" in 11 month, talk about unstable. November 19thHappy Birthday to Split Enz guy Eddie Rayner. Ed hits 73. Wow all my Enz blokes are getting on.Foodbank for me and we get all the Food Boxes done in record time. Everyone is focused on the job. Markys Youtube Wednesday today is really great. Not a lot exists of the Mullanes. So it's nice to be able to put up a rare Mullanes song that never made it onto a future Crowded House record. Well a few lines did for When You Come. Anyway it's the CREEK SONG- Taking Water. Bankstown ,May 31st 1985. We used one of our friend Sues photos as the Youtube image as well, so thanks Sue. November 20thSo thrilled for Amyl & the Sniffers dominating the ARIA awards and winning four awards. I predicted their success many years ago now, they keep getting better and better. I hope the commercial side doesn't wear out their punk honesty.I'm sitting in the Garden Cafe listening and watching Amy & the Sniffers -full performance live on KEXP. Recorded in March 28th 2025. So good to see all those Americans going nuts for this Aussie band. Suddenly it gets dark and the rain and really dark storm clouds roll in. It is rather early in the morning, workers run like ants to escape the rain. I return to Amy and sip my excellent coffee. Snug as a bug in a rug. Top end residents in Oz start preparing for Cyclone Fina. It will make landfall ion Saturday and they don't really know how extreme (or not) it will be. They certainly emptied all the supermarket shelves of food.I sit and write out a few questions for Greg Skyhook. He arrives tomorrow for a bit of filming (possibly) for our little documentary on Skyhooks IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT tour from 1975. November 21stI have a list of things to get done in the morning. Keeping the afternoon clear for Greg Macainsh. One of our heroes but we never really say that, I think of us as his bad children.Good that You Am I were finally inducted in the ARIA Hall of Fame. Long overdue that one. Greg Skyhook arrives at 3.00 and so good to see him. We find the sweet spot for sound in the house, which strangely enough is in one of the bedrooms. So we sit him down on a stool and have a quick chat around Skyhooks. Greg also hands over some t-shirts and (huge drum roll) his Blue Satin 2 piece stage suit from 1974/75. It's one of the classic Hook stage outfits, and in amazing condition. It started its life as big blue cape for Lady Myer. In 1974 she donated the cape to one of the Melbourne inner city Op shops. Greg spotted it and had it made into the 2 piece suit. It is now logged into the Archives as HK0059. We spend the afternoon catching up and walk him to his car. A good day. November 22ndSo I attempt to give Midnight her full worming tablet and end up with my right hand scratched to pieces and bleeding. She's been ok before but absolutely hated it this time. So much blood. I cleaned myself up, antiseptic spray etc so my immune system will do its thing. When she has her next injection I'll get the vet to give her the next tablet.I received a lovely sympathy card from Dot and Claire from Sth Australia, around my Uncles death, really touching. People are so kind sometimes. November 23rdWe mail our old housemate Kaytja a 60th birthday card. You never know with Australia Post when it will arrive. But good intentions etc. Hopefully on time. Happy Birthday Kat.Greg mentions one of the early Skyhook costume designers so I do a bit of sleuth work and surprisingly track her down with very little effort. We chat about the band, the costumes etc and I am able to add her name to the making of several which is great for the archives. In the evening I have the best moments on the phone with Bongo Skyhooks daughter Indianna . I think we both needed some silliness and laughter. Mainly checking if he wants to be in the doco (he does) so let's hope we can get that happening. I'm such a sad arse around his Leukemia , it seems so bloody unfair. I hate it. In my head a clock is ticking down and it upsets me so much. The filming of another season of High Country is underway. We really enjoyed the previous with Aaron Pedersen, Leah Purcell , Sara Wiseman etc. This time it's local, they are filming at the Pig & Whistle which is 5 minutes from our house. The locals are all excited. I was tempted to head on in as an extra but I dont get my hair cut and dyed till Wednesday so don't want to look like a High Country Marge Simpson hair wise. On that odd visual thought I will leave you dear reader. Stay happy Love Peter |
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