Tuesday 30 September 2014

Diamonds

Howdy,

Finished Joan Baez "Diamonds & Rust" painting on Monday night. Pretty sure I've actually finished this one, maybe a small touch up, but 99% happy with it.

Here tis.


Also done a rough yesty for the John and George painting. Kinda needs some obvious tweeks in the painting, but general lay out is all there. Circa 64', round the Australian trip/Hard Days Night. 50 years ago...Hard Days Night suits, though John's hair is a little longer like on the Australian tour. Listened to a bunch of Beatles yesterday and watched Hard Days Night last night, such a great film, those guys....


Here's somethin' else I haven't posted that I'll feature in this exhibition. Dylan as Woody.



So, after I finish the John and George painting in the next couple o days, I'll sketch up my last piece of the main 16 painting series. Jimi Hendrix. what song? Thinkin' "If 6 were 9". Maybe... Maybe somethin' more obvious. Maybe even Purple Haze, but at the moment...

Jimi Hendrix – If 6 Was 9 Lyrics
Yeah, sing the song, Bro

If the sun refuse to shine
I don't mind, I don't mind
If the mountains fell in the sea
let it be, it ain't me
Alright, 'cos I got my own world to look through
And I ain't gonna copy you

Now if 6 turned out to be 9
I don't mind, I don't mind
Alright, if all the hippies cut off all their hair
I don't care, I don't care
Dig, 'cos I got my own world to live through
And I ain't gonna copy you

White collared conservative flashing down the street

Pointing their plastic finger at me
They're hoping soon my kind will drop and die
But I'm gonna wave my freak flag high, high
Wave on, wave on
Fall mountains, just don't fall on me
Go ahead on Mr. Business man, you can't dress like me
Sing on Brother, play on drummer

behind the song.

Hendrix lookin' mean! In front of the Marshall stax.

 Been alotta great portrait inspired by Hendrix, my favourite by Martin Sharpe. He originally printed this with Jimi playin' right handed..oops..







Tuesday 23 September 2014

Joan and Bob

Hey,

Been working on Joan Baez sketch and painting, decided on "Diamonds and Rust", which is obviously a song about Joans relationship with Dylan, although she once denied it...It is probably the first real personal song I've dealt with in the series. Great song, great chords. The song was written in 74' just after Dylan had gone back out on the road again for the first time since 66'. With the Band again. Also on the album is another song about this "Winds of the Old Days". Both are very public out cries of lost love, with the later a commentary on Dylan turning his back on the whole "spokesman of a generation" tag that he so rightfully felt uncomfortable about.  Very brave indeed. She also does a great cover of Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate" on the record.

"Winds of the Old Days"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMzWqIZXUAg

Joan sketch.


Next up I think I'll do another portrait in the same vain as the Ronnie/Keith and Ray/Dave paintings. This time John and George circa 64'. 50 years ago! damn! Great year for that band. The year they really conquered the world.


"Twist and Shout" Festival Hall Melbourne 1964

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTS65BESzn8

And then onto the very last of the 16 painting series. Jimi Hendrix. Then back to the start, touching up more than a few things...Probably another couple of portrait paintings along the way. Who?

Tuesday 16 September 2014

Blue-collar

Hey there,

Finished a few paintings during the week.

When I think of blue-collar artists these three are the first to come to mind I reckon. Both in the material and the audience they play for.

Although this song (and most of the album "Born To Run") was written on piano, it's about cars and guitars. It also has the classic line "Well, I've got this guitar and I've learned how to make it talk".

Bruce Springsteen "Thunder Road"


Willie.


and John Fogarty



Next I start work on Joan Baez. Been debating with myself all week on which song. I also kinda need a drinking song in the series as it's been a major topic in songwriting forever, also missing a prison song too. But at the moment I'm leaning towards her 1975 song "Diamonds and Rust" which seems to be about Bob. That fits...Guess we'll find out next week.

 Joan in 75' performing that song.


And the Lyrics...

DIAMONDS AND RUST by Joan Baez
Well I'll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon is full
And you happened to call
And here I sit
Hand on the telephone
Hearing a voice I'd known
A couple of light years ago
Heading straight for a fall

As I remember your eyes
Were bluer than robin's eggs
My poetry was lousy you said
Where are you calling from?
A booth in the midwest
Ten years ago
I bought you some cufflinks
You brought me something
We both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust

Well you burst on the scene
Already a legend
The unwashed phenomenon
The original vagabond
You strayed into my arms
And there you stayed
Temporarily lost at sea
The Madonna was yours for free
Yes the girl on the half-shell
Would keep you unharmed

Now I see you standing
With brown leaves falling around
And snow in your hair
Now you're smiling out the window
Of that crummy hotel
Over Washington Square
Our breath comes out white clouds
Mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me
We both could have died then and there

Now you're telling me
You're not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You who are so good with words
And at keeping things vague
Because I need some of that vagueness now
It's all come back too clearly
Yes I loved you dearly
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust
I've already paid


Tuesday 9 September 2014

Except, Roll Down Your Windows...

Howdy,

Been workin' on the Boss's "Thunder Road", such a great song, and great album. Have been quite content listenin' to it over and over again through the last week. Such a big, thick sounding record. Helluva production.

Here's me rough....



And the song, live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London 1975 just after the LP's release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx71aA62Hx4

And watch the makin' of "Born To Run" Awesome doco, box set that came out a few years ago is really worth the $$$

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwkt6L_vY-I


Here's a painting that I did last year. Thinkin' it'll feature in the exhibition. An impression from my memory of Neil Young and the Crazy Horse in Geelong 2013. Incredible night, never thought I'd see Crazy Horse play my home town (Though I did strangely dream it a few years back). It rained really solidly all day, but then when the band launched inta "Like a Hurricane" it really came down.



I'll have the finished Thunder Road" painting to post next week, and hopefully a portrait of Willie Nelson too.




Tuesday 2 September 2014

Lizzie and the Two Sisters

Hey,

Finished Mempis Minnie "Bumble Bee" painting. Such a great guitar player, singer and songwriter. Been really good listenin' to hours of her stuff while doing this piece. Kinda pretty happy with myself with it. Though I just realized I didn't paint the guitar strings in between the nut and the tuning heads, oops. Easy fixed...

Here tis'.






Also finished brothers Davies painting. Titled after the Ray Davies song from the Kinks' 67' record "Something Else", "Two Sisters" This is Ray and Dave circa 67'/68'.


So, gunna start the Boss "Thunder Road" sketch tonight. "Well, I got this Guitar and I learned how to make it talk".

Gettin' towards the end of the series I just realized that the first painting I did was Hank Williams and the last one will be Jimi Hendrix...Just like the Neil Young song from Harvest Moon "From Hank to Hendrix". Stoked on that coinsidence...

Here's somethin' ta watch.

The Kinks - "Days" BBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQetbyueIWg 

Live set from the kinks early 70's.AWESOME!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smIF5374bTw

Neil. "From Hank to Hendrix" MTV Unplugged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIAiPQ2Ge50