360. A choir of friends, songs shouted not sung.

My unique singing voice,

Unwanted by school choirs,

Released – with gusto!

Only under strict conditions:

– no-one within earshot
– volume is drowning loud,
– alcohol is performing its equalisation function (for listener & singers)

Always best,

A choir of friends,

With songs shouted not sung.

Often accompanied by instruments invisible (eg air guitar).

A choir of friends with a song shouted not sung.

Extra:

The choir picture is (l-r) Ross Goodfellow, Steve Carr, Glen Davidson, me. The photo was taken by Greg Totman (who was undoubtedly also contributing to the vocals). It is almost certain that we were singing along to The Yardbirds. Glen reckons the most likely song for this choir is Hot House of Omagarashid (listen to the lyric and you’ll understand why) but I have a distinct memory of warbling along to I Can’t Make Your Way – in fact, I think we may have sung our way through the whole Roger The Engineer album on this night.

 

 

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278. Holidays – family extends, car bulges … Friends join in.

School breaks, family holidays,

8 Track Cassette of LZ III

Car (towing boat) trip.

Destination: skiing venues – south, west, north.

Friends invited to join holiday

Squeeze in bulging car.

Kid-bulging car on long drives

In-transit entertainment becomes vital.

This trip:

New released album on 8 track.

Played, repeated, again & …

Led Zeppelin III

Hats off to (patient) Roge & Mum.

Extra:

Friends …

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231. There’s one in every crowd.

My team – Penrith Waratahs

A group more than team-mates.

Most are really good friends.

None attend Nepean High

Giving me an extra network of

Support, guidance & allies

As I tread wayward, shifting paths.

Some team-mates –

Mmmmmm?

One team-mate,

Steel arms, crazy eyes,

No fear, no conscience.

Is the paddy-wagon waiting for him?*

Note:

* Towards the end of the following clip (apologies for the poor quality) you’ll see a police van parked on the sideline. My team, Penrith Waratahs, wear the blue jerseys with the horizontal white bands. I think we are playing St Marys at Jamison Park in Penrith. Some of the characters I can pick out are: Robert Anscombe, Mick Harpley, Steve Costigan, Graeme Leggett, Peter Cameron, Glen Davidson, and me.

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198. Finding a “fit”.

Early high school

With “mates” in every “tribe”.

Dam boys, Mountains boys, Penrith High boys

Footy teammates.

(Girls? Soon!)

And they all take precedence over school.

Hence, academic slide.

I guess I am seeking my place.

Looks like a place

Beyond the focused & studious.

A place dispersed & distracted.

Hedonist perhaps.

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