Clare's Open Letters

5th August 2005

One Sentence Story: I'm the Fire Starter.

My one-sentence story this month is of touring with Paul Kelly, and his top crew, and how on the last night of our tour together we all headed back to the hotel for a few shandies, and wrote impromptu ‘I Love The Crew’ songs for Davros and Shannon and Rob until 3am, and how when I finally stumbled back to my youth-hostel and had a very hot sobering shower at 4am, the steam from said shower set off a faulty and violently loud fire-alarm, resulting in a total-hostel-evacuation, and before I knew it I was shivering on the street with forty smoking Germans watching fire-trucks roll up, wondering what the f—k was going on and whether this was somehow all my fault, which it most certainly was.

Until next time,
CB read more »

4th August 2005

The Cycle of Independence

A couple of months ago, we finished recording our forthcoming second album ‘What Was Left’. As with Autumn Bone, the album was recorded on analogue-tape here at home with Martin W Brown at the helm, thanks to the kind assistance of Arts Victoria. We were… read more »

31st March 2005

Paul Hester, and Places to Go When You're Sad

I miss you Paul Hester. I only met you once, so I have no great claim to grieve you. But many of us here in Melbourne feel the same – we wish you hadn’t suffered, and that we did not now suffer in your absence. Such is the irony and horror of suicide.

Being human is no easy gig… read more »

17th March 2005

Art and the Secret Self

Joining a band didn’t stop it, leaving my strict Catholic school for a liberal alternative one didn’t either, nor did acing VCE, or getting a licence. Getting a car didn’t impede it, falling in love didn’t freeze it, moving out on my own didn’t end it, travelling the country didn’t prevent it, nor did travelling the world… read more »