The Vines

Now I'm going to leave you all hanging on the edge of your seats wondering whether I give birth or not and tell you instead about 'The Vines' gig last Friday night.

Firstly, some background. (Would it be an Arizaphale story without background????)

I have always been a bit of a rock chick. Maybe it was the era I grew up in, maybe something in my bones? It certainly wasn't attributable to my parents, bless them, who managed to have children and take life seriously from a traditionally early age during the 60's.

To give credit where it's due, it was probably my mother who initially inspired in me a love of music. She has a glorious voice and performed, as a young woman, with the Adelaide Philharmonic Choir, in such epics as 'The Messiah'. Our home was always filled with music; piano, recorder, reel to reel tape recordings.....not to mention plain old singing in the car and whenever the mood took us.

Of course, my father also loved music; classical was his preference. Coupled with his love of technology and gadgets, music carved a huge footprint in our household, at my father's hand. We started with a 'Dansette' record player, the kind which stacked the records for you and dropped the next one down as required. I remember him buying a 'Lafayette' amp in the US in 1968 and building Waldorf speakers to go with it. Therein ensued a case of 'mine is bigger than yours' as his friends and colleagues visited to inspect the new 'baby'. To showcase its power he would put on something from his 'World Record Collection' (akin to the Time Life stuff you buy through mail order now) like Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by JS himself. Heh heh heh. Good times.

But the most 'hip' my sixties parents ever got was Simon and Garfunkel. Popular music touched my dad in the form of 'She Loves You Yeah, Yeah, Yeah', but those were the only words he ever learned. I also vaguely remember them singing 'They're coming to take me away ha ha', but I'm not sure that counts as a song. (I've just watched that and I still find it funny. Sad really.)

So where my love of rock comes from is hard to say. It certainly surprised and perplexed my parents although they did indulge and let me buy a cheap electric guitar in my teens. Cool parents really. They dropped me off at such concerts as 'Rick Wakeman', 'Status Quo', 'Deep Purple' and later, 'David Bowie', 'Fleetwood Mac' and 'Alice Cooper'.

All this is leading to the fact that I have been raising my daughter on rock and roll. In the womb she was subject to a variety of influences; U2, EMF, Cold Chisel. Growing up we alternated tapes in the car cassette player so that when a friend archly stated 'You can't always get what you want' my five year old child broke into the Rolling Stones chorus. I have video of her 'dancing' to 'Top of the Pops' (the Sunday retro edition :-] )......

She did go through a dubious Shania Twain and Delta Goodrem phase but I blame her father for that.

Recently (and I blame A Free Man) she fancies herself as something of an 'indie' aficionado but even that had not prepared me for the request, at 13, to go with her friend to see 'The Vines'!
*Sheesh* I remember when they first appeared and she was barely sentient at the time! So the obligatory parental questions followed. When? Where? With whom?

It transpired that The Vines, on the comeback trail, were playing a smallish, music pub venue called The Governor Hindmarsh. (The Gov) Never mind that I have attended several gigs there myself, in the not too distant past at that; this is a PUB! and you, Baby Angel, are thirteen years old. Do the words 'under age' mean anything to you??????

"Well," I said, "the obvious answer is that I take you. After all, I am quite interested in The Vines, not in the least because their lead singer has Aspergers Syndrome."
Himself piped up from the other room
"I wouldn't mind seeing The Vines."
And so it was settled.

Now the frenzy of excitement leading up to this event was marvellous to behold. There were haircuts............
New clothes were bought. T shirts were designed and constructed with the help of Himself. I even agreed to go in after school to buy her a pair of fingerless fishnet gloves to wear.
(I ask you! Only $5.00 though. Whateva.) Eventually they begged us to be able to get ready together at Best Friend's house after school and Himself and I could pick them up from there. It's all about the anticipation you know. Remember?

On the Friday night, Himself and I girded our loins and made our way to pick up the girls. I had already warned them that if they came out wearing terrible 'slurry' make-up they would be sent back to remove it before they got in the car; as a result they were restrained in their preparations.
And now, I will have to leave you in suspense because I am, once more, dropping off!!!!!!