TAKE ME TO THE TAPES!
Today is the series finale of Get Up Mum – “Burnie Time Park.” It’s still one of my favourite places in the hemisphere. The headquarters of the bond Mum and I keep. When in doubt…ducks.
Here is Uncle Nigel & I avin’ a laff:
Perhaps you’d like to gaze out the window while listening to a selection from The Synthesizer Album?
🔴 She tunes in for a 4:30am repeat I didn’t know about 🔴 She laughed when we laughed at Pop’s polka dot pyjamas 🔴
🥄🥄🥄Mum had a very specific way of stirring her coffee. This is the only time it was captured on tape. Taken from ‘Nan gets back from South-West walk. GOOD’ – January 1993.
I dug my chat with Taylah on Perth’s RTRFM. A dude wrote after “It’s good that you reiterated that schizophrenia is not a full time illness. I remember a Mum who would take me to sporting activities, cook dinner and take us for swimming lessons at the beach.”
Me & Nan & Pop & Jody, Nan & Pop’s, 1992. Transferred from Kodachrome slide. Shot on self timer. Note: fluro green laces in my Lynx.
We’re halfway through the Get Up Mum series, airing weekday mornings on RN’s Life Matters. Now for some half-time entertainment. Wait for ‘the drop’ at 2:12.
And consider this the Tassie version of a super bowl ad.
A Burnie rainbow, seen from Montello Goat Track.
Taken by my good friend Dion.
Ken: Who’s he want to play?
Me: Pearl Jam.
Ken: Who?
Me: Pearl Jam.
Ken: Who?
Me: Pearl…Jam.
Ken: Pearl…Jam. Is it good music or just a bunch of crap?
Nan: Bunch of crap.
Me: Good music! Nigel’ll tell ya.
Nigel: Nah, it’s good music.
Ken: I’m pleased to hear that.
Get Up Mum rolls onto ABC’s RN this week. It’s the sound of the story as well as the spirit. The hiss, the static, the atmosphere of love. Ten episodes air weekdays at 9:20am and are available for high speed dubbing from the Life Matters site. There’s also a hearty feature story on the ABC News page. Think of it as The Bedroom Philosopher’s prequel. The Happiest Boy meets Middle Aged Mum.
Adelaide 729AM, Brisbane 792AM, Burnie 94.1FM, Canberra 846AM, Darwin 657AM, Gold Coast 90.1FM, Hobart 585AM, Melbs 621AM, Newcastle 1512AM, Perth 810AM, Sydney 576AM.
Here is a recent interview with ABC Tassie’s Piia Wirsu. It includes a sneak peak from Episode 6 – “Nan and Jupiter.”
SERVING SUGGESTION: Episodes are ideally heard on an AM radio at the prescribed time. Failing this, you can obtain them from computer where they are best in a beanbag, in the dark, in moderation.
Signed copies of the book available here.
Dig on my mailing list.
Meet your new member for memorabilia. (Courtesy of Fitzroy Writers Festival). I’m pretty delighted to announce that Get Up Mum will be launching as a 10-part series on RNs Life Matters from May 27!
Here’s a recent interview on Triple R’s Backstory. There’s a great moment halfway where the CD doesn’t want to play my tape samples (!) so I’m forced to do some ‘Nanlibbing.’
Meanwhile, Fitzroy Writers Festival is bringing back the Get Up Mum Show & Tell by popular demand. Coolness. Come and hear my new Sharp boombox from close range. Saturday April 6 at 11:30am (Fitzroy Town Hall). It’s free to hangout, with a booking. Prize for best Turtles shirt.
G’day! I’ll be presenting Get Up Mum at the Fitzroy Town Hall (Reading Room) Wednesday Feb 13. It’s free but bookings are recommendude! In other news Sofie Laguna (Miles Franklin winner 2015) gave Get Up Mum a big plug on ABC News Breakfast! Signed copies are still available via my SHOP. In the meantime, enjoy an excerpt from the Melbourne Writers Festival church launch:
