Patrick Gibson part two

Back for Part Two....see the previous post for a genuine disclaimer to not being able to present a "definitive" collection...just bits and pieces, bits and pieces.

A few more now from Patrick's solo cassettes, and notably an ocassionally recurring theme of "imaginary religious songs", done in jest, which seems to have started on the Too Seperate split release with ACRA and the song "Church Of England TV". I always thought there was some tie-in with a joke centering around the Systematics guitarist Michael Filewood potentially being related to a "television Christian" on Sydney TV at the time called Trevor Filewood ( who was fond of some unruly facial hair from memory ). Whether this is/was true I never really knew but it was always a good story nonetheless. Patrick Gibson continued this faux religious theme through to the next solo cassette "Two Seperate" with "Put Your Trust in God" ( and later an unreleased track I have but ran out of time to play called 'Holy Trinity" ).

Like the last mix I went "live" again to stop myself dithering and umming and erring about what to play...nothing like being put on the spot to help make a vintage procastrinator like myself make up their mind in a hurry. And hurry is kind of what happened during "Game Of Living" as it's from cassette and about 2/3 of the way through the audio quality started changing noticably and I thought my machine was chewing the tape....had to bail in a hurry to save my precious cassette !! Sorry there is about another 2 minutes of that one. On that song it seems it's one of the very last recorded as The Systematics, released only on the Stall cassette and is kind of a close relative of early Ya Ya Choral anyway.

There's a few other demos supposedly made "after school in Balgowlah in 1979", including a thing about John Robinson from Lost In Space, something I would always feature if I could !! And supposedly an early version of "Mmmm" from Rural, being called "Mmmmm" and possibly even a totally different song. But thought I'd start and finish with the 2 "versions" in palandromic fashion, possibly in weird semi-homage to "Uncle Tom", but he's another whole story in his own right which we won't go into here.

A couple of Scattered Order demos, supposedly recorded early on around the Bent Up/Screaming Tree era. And on Scattered Order it's very wrong, totally wrong of me of not to include something from their Prat Culture album but I have been looking for it all over my house and f**ked if I can find it unfortunately. Thankfully the Eeeleemon Machine included a track from it "Swiss Like Knives and Forks" in one of his mixes the other day, no doubt from the Can't Stop It 2 comp.

Also here today a few more side projects of Patrick Gibson's - "A Volatile t-Shirt" which I understand was him and Mr Tee, as was the 'Pleasant Peasants", and both projects more chances to goof around whilst experimenting in the studio...sounds like a good plan to me.

And finally Famous, a later project, the most obviously "pop" thing Patrick ever did but still sounds great. Again there is great reading on the No Night Sweats site, I know I keep saying that but if you don't know the site - DO. There is also a site run by Michael Tee called "MSquared", again worth visiting if you don't already know about it.


monamour06 - Patrick Gibson part 2

0.00 - 1.53 - Mmmm - Systematics from "Rural" 12" ep
1.53 - 5.28 - Church Of England TV - Patrick Gibson from "Too Seperate" cassette
5.28 - 7.26 - International Voltage - Systematics from "My Life In The Field Of Cows" 7" ep
7.26 - 11.06 - Gallon - Patrick Gibson from "Two Seperate" cassette
11.06 - 14.04 - Motionless - Scattered Order unreleased
14.04 - 18.29 - Game Of Living - Systematics from "Stall" Systematics cassette
18.29 - 21.13 - Gee Lately - Ya Ya Choral from "What's A Quaver" 12" ep
21.13 - 24.43 - My Best Friend - Patrick Gibson from "Too Seperate" cassette
24.43 - 26.23 - Iranian Rockabilly - Pleasant Peasants from "More Songs That Will Never Be Released" cassette
26.23 - 29.23 - The Isrealites - Systematics from "More Songs That Will Never Be Released" cassette
29.23 - 31.20 - 245T - Systematics from "Rural" 12" ep
31.20 - 33.29 - Modra Inara - Patrick Gibson from "Two Seperate" cassette
33.29 - 38.26 - John Robinson - Systematics demo 1979
38.26 - 40.15 - Violent - Scattered Order unreleased
40.15 - 42.42 - I'm Not Whole - Scattered Order from "A Selection" M Squared compilation
42.42 - 44.36 - Suicide Beach - Systematics unreleased demo
44.36 - 48.44 - Making Babies In Heaven - A Volatile T-Shirt from "More Songs That Will Never Be Released"
48.44 - 49.20 - Intro by Peter Doyle - 2JJ 29/04/1980 off air recording
49.20 - 51.16 - Bride of Surface - Systematics demo, recorded off air 2JJ 29/04/1980
51.16 - 52.52 - Fat Cows Go Down An Eatern Beach - Systematics from "My Life In The Field Of Cows"
52.52 - 56.07 - Weetbix in The Beatbox - Famous unreleased
56.07 - 59.07 - Put Your Trust In God - Patrick Gibson from "Two Seperate" cassette
59.07 - 61.37 - Mmmmm - Systematics demo version 1979

link for monamour06 mp3

Patrick Gibson part one

The first thing to note here is this was much harder than I first thought to put together ! Early on in the process I looked at the large pile of material amassed on the floor and realised it would not be possible within the limitations of blogging like this to "definitively" cover all the work produced by Patrick Gibson or the many projects he was involved in ( mostly ) through the M Squared label/studio.

So, thinking of it as having no claims to be being a "definitive" collection, just being some bits and pieces from Patrick Gibson meant less limitations and hence the music came forth....

To make it even easier on myself I decided I would go "live" selecting and recording this podcast on the run, attempting to retain some of the humour that was evident, especially in the Systematics, some of the studio experimentation and also attempting to show the variations in style between the different bands/projects.

Part 2, which is to follow shortly, will be more of the same, and also with that one there's too much music to play and not enough time...

Contained herein on Part 1 is music from ( of course ) the Systematics which was Patrick's "main" "band", which started with himself in his bedroom in Balgowlah in Sydney's northern beaches, which begat the infamous Pulp Baby, later joined by Micheal Filewood ( "on guitar ladies and gentlemen..." ), and Fiona Graham and of course the magical "international drum machine" on the eternal chuggle backing them up. The songs featured from the Stall cassette are from the last ever Systematics gig at the Sydney Trade Union Club on the 1.1.1982. The "Boxed Brownies" track is also another live cassette, and I thought it was important to show the live Systematics sound, as well as the studio efforts.

Scattered Order were originally made up of the M Squared label/studio "founders" Mitch Jones & Micheal Tee ( formerly of The Barons ), first apparentely mucking around using the drummer from The Numbers ( who Mitch used to mix for at live gigs ). After Pulp Baby by The Systematics was released on Doublethink they teamed up with Patrick Gibson and thus MSquared as we came to know it was formed, the label and the studio and Scattered Order was the first colloboration between the three. The two songs featured here are from this early incarnation, at this stage very much a studio band with just the three members, later on adding various members and others coming and going, there's a reasonable mini history lesson on Scattered Order's own website and of course on the No Night Sweats site.

A Cloakroom Assembly ( ACRA ) was a group of floating members of the M Squared family and friends, seemingly a studio based experimenation project. The first full ACRA cassette release was a split thing with a Patrick Gibson solo effort on side one, again more studio experiments from Patrick. ACRA at this stage were Patrick Gibson, Micheal Tee, Fiona Graham, Sean Graham ( possibly Fi's brother ) and 'Simon The Nine' , a mysterious character - either an actaul person ( ?? Simon Leadley ?? ) or a piece of equipment of some sort. I'm still trying to remember/piece together what evolutions ACRA took after this, I have a dim memory that by the time their next full release ( "Trace and Rumble" a split cassette with Shane Fahey of The Makers Of The Dead Travel Fast ) came out it was more or less just Mr Tee accompanied by Pat Malone ( and possibly Pat Gibson...but who can remember !! ).

Ya Ya Choral was formed after the demise of the Systematics with Patrick and Fiona being joined by Michael Tee ( and the drum machine stayed on too ) and had two releases in this guise before Patrick "left" the band and thus they headed in a totally different direction, but that's a story for another day.

And lastly in my all too short and inadequate lesson on the history of Patrick Gibson is No Night Sweats, which was to me a f**king great idea for a band - Patrick teaming up with Phil Turnbull from Voigt/465 and Wild West, whose music I also totally adored. Sadly to my knowledge nothing was ever released from this venture, though recordings were made by Patrick at M Squared.

More to come soon in Part Two....


monamour05 - Patrick Gibson part 1

0.00 - 0.22- Intro from "Stall" Systematics cassette
0.22 - 2.34 - Die For My House - Systematics from "A Selection" M Squared compliation
2.34 - 3.06 - When A Band Of Men - Patrick Gibson from "Two Seperate" cassette
3.06 - 5.16 - When I'm Older - Systematics from "Rural" 12" ep
5.16 - 7.14 - Mass Murder - Scattered Order from "Screaming Tree" 7" ep
7.14 - 9.31 - Bovine - Systematics from "My Life In The Field Of Cows" 7" ep
9.31 - 11.46 - Cloak Tom Click - A Cloakroom Assembly from "Tom Tom Tom" cassette
11.46 - 13.57 - My Friend The Chocolate Cake - Ya Ya Choral from "What's A Quaver" 12" ep
13.57 - 18.41 - ..and People Are Blowing Their Minds - Systematics from "Boxed Brownies" cassette
18.41 - 21.21 - Nights In A Glass - No Night Sweats unreleased
21.21 - 24.35 - Waiting Time - Ya Ya Choral from "Such A Dutchman" 7" ep
24.35 - 26.44 - Bent Up - Scattered Order from "Growing Pains" "M Squared sampler"
26.44 - 28.35 - Numbers in General - Systematics from "Rural" 12" ep
28.35 - 33.36 - Bland A - Patrick Gibson from "Too Seperate" cassette
33.36 - 36.53 - Pulp Baby ( live ) - Systematics from "Stall" Systematics cassette
36.53 - 40.56 - Vanessa Teratology ( live ) - Systematics from "Stall" Systematics cassette

link for monamour05 mp3

Guest programmer - The Eeleemon Machine

Today we are pleased to present some podcasts from a special guest programmer calling themself The Eeleemon Machine, whose true identity so far remains a mystery. He/she somehow discovered this blog and offered to send something soon and low and behold today there are 2 choice podcasts.

He/she is a bit evasive when I asked for a bit more info on themselves, this is the only information I received -

1. Eeelemon Machine *may have* performed live once under the name "Ray Higgs"
2. a song was once contributed to Ernie Sigley "for consideration"
3. most endearing performance was busking using an ironing board and a megaphone

Now I don't know how much of that to believe but I have noticed the name The Eeleemon Machine as a contributor to the Mutant Sounds blog and that the posts he/she provides as always top notch quality so I was convinced whatever was chosen for here would be good.

So here we have monamour03 and monamour04 as programmed by The Eeleemon Machine


monamour03 - eeleemon machine1

She cackles THE MOODISTS Engine Shudder 12" EP Au Go Go
A play for one MAD ROOM
Midnight on balancing day SYSTEMATICS Growing Pains 12" EP M Squared
Bad Timing THE METRONOMES Multiple Choice LP
Lovers of Observatory Time DEAD TRAVEL FAST The Vessels LP M Squared
Knife in the Head LAUGHING CLOWNS 12" EP Prince Melon
Track 4 LAUGHING HANDS Dog Photo LP Adhesive
Point Blank MORPIONS 7" LIttle Bands EP No Label
12 Ways to Go EQUAL LOCAL 12" EP Missing Link
A fact unknown; even to you FRONTIER SCOUTS Au Go Go
Red lock on see steal VOIGT/465 Voices A Drama LP
Q UNCOMFORTABLE BEDZ --
Mechanical Boy BLEEDING ARSEHOLES from No Meat No Beat No Wank No Think
See Saw SoliPsiK 7" M Sqaured


link for monamour03 mp3


monamour04 - eeleemon machine2

Video Space TSK TSK TSK
Paint it Black THE BARONS
Swimming PATRICK GIBSON
Willow Tips NO NIGHT SWEATS
Man O'Action MODELS
Steering Wheel LUCKY DINOSAURS
News CHIT CHAT
Current PEL MEL
Forest or the Trees? WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARIES
Swiss like knives and forks SCATTERED ORDER
Expressive Space TSK TSK TSK
Dangerman PETER LILLIE's GUITAR METHOD


link for monamour04 mp3

Fast Forward cassette magazine 005 + other curios

I am still working on the double Patrick Gibson post, but before that we will have a special guest programmer who is kindly providing us 2 podcasts...the special guest's efforts should be online in the next few days.

Today I was looking for some cassette only material for the Patrick Gibson "special" and going through the many many boxes of cassettes I have ( a great deal of them unlabelled ). I discovered two little curios which I'll get to further down this post, but I also unearthed some editions of a cassette magazine that was released in Australia called Fast Forward.

Fast Forward came out a time that the cassette was seen as an easily accessible form of DIY, more so than pressing a record, and many bands saw it as a means of releasing material. It was also quite new and exciting back then to put stuff out in this fashion, as well as a political statement and a snub to the machinery of the mainstream music business.

Fast Forward was based in Melbourne and focused on Australian independent and alternative music. It seemed to come out on an irregular basis, or to put it another way, I've forgotten exactly how often it came out. But hey that's the ravages of time for you :)

Today we have issue 005 which features music from Dorian Gray ( who were from Melbourne, later to release a single on the Au Go Go records label ), Scattered Order ( at that time made up of the M Squared trio of Patrick Gibson, Michael Tee and Mitch Jones, based in Sydney ), Informatics ( Melbourne ), a US band called Impatient Youth, Equal Local and Dance Set ( more Melbournians ) and Xero ( from Brisbane ).

It also contained a lengthy interview with Neil Spencer, the then editor of NME, but on listening to today he was such a boorish tadger and the interview so tedious I edited it out of today's post. This goes too for a naff comedy spot spoofing the British Royals, not that there's anything wrong with that just it wasn't funny and not worth your time !! Same goes for an ongoing segment called "The Case of The Missing Leave It To Beaver", again "life is too short". I have of course left in all the pertinent music and interviews, even if the Xero interview is the shoddiest recording I have ever heard.

Fast Forward cassette mag 005 - side A

Fast Forward cassette mag 005 - side B


The other two items of interest I came across are both off air radio recordings from 1981 from 2JJJ, in the "pre-national" days, then broadcasting ( mostly to ) Sydney only. The first one I pulled out was an unlabelled green G-Tape, so I immediately knew it must have been from when I was at school and hadn't yet learnt about "tape quality". I hit play and it was an interview with Pel Mel - woohoo !! An interview featuring Tim, Graeme and of course Judy speaking to Virginia Moncrieff. The end seems to be chopped but I'm suspecting back in the day I figured there would be plenty more Pel Mel interviews in my life to record, so, hell why not chop the end off. Pure folly now of course. Featured songs are a small bit of Marked Man by the Limp ( edited severly by me as I recorded on the day...again..why ?? ), No Word From China and Ipaneema Mon Amour ( the song title which I thought I was naming this blog after until I realised I spelt it wrong ). Hardly the world's most indepth chat, but they do explain how they got the name Pel Mel.

The second item sees another appearance by Monkers/Virginia Moncrieff, this team teaming up with Clive Miller to do what was then a regular Fri afternoon short segment called 'Music News". An interesting little snapshot of information about the Australian indie scene of the time. 2 songs are featured in full, one by Belle Du Soir ( 'experimental' offshoot of Sydney band Surfside 6 ) from their ep on M Squared and a demo tape from Melbourne band AEIOU called "Design For Living". I religiously listened to this segment every Fri afternoon and I got a chuckle today hearing that they used as their theme "A Brick Short" by Prod, another M Squared release. I roughly date the broadcast to approximately Sept-Oct 1981.

pel mel interview 1981
"music news with monkers and clive" 1981