Archive for September 2008
Prehistoric Posters from Dunedin & Christchurch
Found these on a Christchurch City Council Libraries website of all places . . .
The first is from late 82 or early 83, advertising a gig at the infamous Empire Tavern in Dunedin. This poster was scrapped together from old posters and other art by Stu and wacked out in a night at the notorious Ink Inc. studio at 2/222 High St, Christchurch. Above Ground was the band Stu was in with Bill Direen, Carol Woodward and Maryrose Wilkinson (now M. Crook in The Renderers), while the Gorillas were 16-year-old Stevie’s high-school group whose other half was comix-maestro-to-be Pete Rees. They travelled down from Christchurch for the gig. The Cartilage Family was Peter Gutteridge & Christine Voice’s then-band, locals we’d befriended over the years.
Stevie said to me afterwards, as he sipped his post-set lemonade and we watched Above Ground, “Darn it, but I wish we could find a drummer like that old geezer.” “Aye laddie, he’s no Ringo Starrr, but he just might be that John Lennnon’s love-child.”
Stu in a typically confused pre-AXEMEN state, Christchurch, 1982
The second is maybe months later, from Christchurch, this time promoting an Above Ground gig and the release of their home-made tape GONE AIWA. This is vintage (nay, prehistoric!) Stu. Note particularly the cassette-as-icon, biodiverse animal imagery (2 mammals, 2 birds), totemic nouns (Aztec, Leadbelly) & recycled typography. On view then are 3 key elements of the art/craft livelihood practised by the evolving Homo Axemenus (self-released product + cassette format + grand poster style) in nascent form. [BB, paleoaxeologist]
Escape from the Planet of the Tapes
Here’s a mixed bag of cassette-only goodies . . .
hello (aka “Burn” alt mix)
cold beer (alt mix)
jah & his herb (alt mix)
–undated, probably from Christchurch practises late 1984. Presence of saxophone and graphic equalizer are big time-clues, plus references to beer & god, plus the other side of the tape features the song “the panther of the suburbs” whose lyrics Steve channeled in trance-state following A SCAR IS BORN sessions, mid-84.
–live at the Star & Garter in Christchurch, 4 November 1983. This is around the time of the MICK’S DANCEFLOOR (MIX) sessions, and Mick himself, M. S. Agro, plays bass with us for the first of a whole bunch of great gigs.
–live at Christchurch City Mall, c.1984. Sounds like there’s a clarinet on this too so likely features members of the Axemen marching band who did stuff up and down Colombo Street. While marching. In a band. More from Live at City Mall
fever (cooley-davenport)
–Axmin biggish band again at Whangarei Busker’s Convention, December 1985.
–live at Cashel St practice rooms, early-mid 1986, with vocal overdubs by Steve & his 4-track.
—V—
FREAK OF THE WEEK (from behind)
Axmin in Whangarei 1985
This picture was taken in Whangarei after the Axmin returned from a day trip to Auckland where they’d scooped 1st prize in the inaugural Auckland Busking Competition (judges: Topp Twins).
Axmin Whangarei 1985
At this time the band had expanded from 3 to sometimes over 10 personnel, boasting a brass section and women members (hence the temporary rename to Axmin).
Busker Stevie pioneers a new technique for collecting coins off punters in Whangarei
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE IN 3288 DAYS (Sleek Bott, 1992)
Side A
stop staring at me with your 3rd eye
Side B
all songs ©1992 Brannigan/McCabe
published by Sleek Bott Music
recorded at Frisbee Studios, Auckland
produced by Z. Bob & Axemen
artwork by Stu Kawowski
“Shickered On The Sabbath” live somewhere in 1986
This is from a gig with no location or date. The tape just says AXEMEN “THE 42 STEPS” in Steve’s writing. He overdubbed some vocals on it so it must be after he got his 4-track cassette recorder, early 1986. Awesome drums!
Axemin Big Band Busks “Doc Who” in Whangarei, 1985
This is from a cassette recorded in an arcade in Whangarei… There were tons of us up there for the first national busker’s convention. Stu has a couple great photos from then, hope he’ll post ‘em up! Steve’s on lead vocals and it sounds like maybe 3 or 4 percussionists. Great reverb enhances the faux-tardis effect on this famous tune composed by Ron Grainger. dr. who theme
“Fickle Red Book” live at the Star & Garter, 4 November 1983
This is probably the first ever gig we did with M. S. Agro (“Mick”) on bass. I was still living in Dunedin. I bussed up to Christchurch and arrived at the pub minutes before we went on. Steve and I had square lights gaffer-taped to the top of our heads. I didn’t know half the songs but Steve yelled out the chords, only instead of names like EEG he used numbers like 003 etc. Stu recorded this on his walkman. There’s a version of this on the MICK’S DANCEFLOOR (MIX) album, but that was recorded at Hell Farm–this is the real live deal. We would return to the S&G many times over the next couple years. . . [BB] fickle red book
“The Message” live at Christchurch City Mall c.1984
Just been listening to this old cassette. It’s an ICI C-90 manufactured in Hong Kong. Says on the label, in Steve’s writing, “CITY MALL CONNOISSEURS AVEC AVEC AXEMEN” (though it was in a case with, in Stu’s writing, “PERF. CAFE SUN/MON 6/7 JAN” and “PULSE: SAT 12 JAN 85″ –early trips to Auckland & Wellington I remember well). The first few seconds are indeed the C’n'W-SEWERS, some nice Hamilton brothers pickin’ and playin’, then there’s some technical palaver about jacks going in or out and someone plugging in a wah-wah. Then it goes straight into this song, which is clearly the famous Duke Bootee/Mel Melle composition “The Message.” There’s saxes, so I’m guessing they’re Al Rite and Arthur Sheep. Stu’s whacking out that street beat and I’m the one on the wah-wah. Steve’s playing chords on an unplugged electric guitar. I figure it’s 1984 because it’s Christchurch and I remember we all went to see that movie Beat Street one night and then couldn’t stop playing the great hip-hop licks we kept hearing from that day on. It has a great Egyptian feel to it, too, probably from those jazzniks listening to Sun Ra and Salah Ragab. Good one. Posted by Bob. More from Live at City Mall
MP3: Generations – Little Stevie McCabe (Sleek Bott, 1998)
AK87 – The S–T POP BOYZ (Sleek Bott, 1987)
original Bott 15 cassette cover, 1987
CD reissue, mid-90s
y’ blogging?
Steve: You blogging?
Bob: You asking?
Steve: I’m asking
Bob: I’m blogging!
Y2K – A cautionary tale
Where do I begin?
As a programmer, we are often asked opinions about the Y2K bug. In short, we are more concerned about the bugs in people’s minds than on their computers.
But this is not the answer to this question. People want to know whether the “Y2K is true – forecasts, and next January, defect, it is true, and suddenly change their lifestyles. Even people who are just passing, to follow the news that they can be serious. This is just what to do in their Y2K his life is a big decision, and they want reliable information.
There is no lack of information reliability. Y2K stories are everywhere, and the entire industry, Y2K experts showed that the different scenarios for 2000 AD. They all start from the same place where it is known that the penalty two decimal numbers, observed a 99 question is how it’s done in the real world?
First of all, she pictures the breakdown in a variety of devices – computers for automatic control systems and built and the elements of great importance for action in all kinds of materials. They imagine that these losses could be to promote and consolidate leads to many problems. Imagine the range of results, is a perfect way for the destruction of civilization as we know, almost non-existent problems.
