tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:22:11 +0000A Diary of The Ulterior wars <p>http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/sejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)Blogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-7696936386947499967Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:01:00 +00002009-10-05T12:24:14.371+11:00FOOTBALLShakespeareMELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVALLYNNE ELLISKALEIDE THEATREYes, I live on. My pale yellow bones still tread the Earth. My time has been fully allotted – an equal split between productive periods, recuperative periods and periods spent in bewilderment and disorientation. The school holidays have been and gone And, of course, there’s been the Grand Final and the nerve-wracking weeks preceding, which consumed and then bitterly spat out all my emotional http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/10/titus-andronicus.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-664359609928970273Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:07:00 +00002009-09-13T11:18:54.191+10:00DUALISMBUSHFIRESRELIGIONCLIMATE CHANGEIGNORANCE. STUPIDITYSometimes, news of the outer world is almost too depressing to bear. And frustrating. Frustrating beyond belief. Sometimes, I think I would rather not know.In the paper there is a photo of an industrious landowner from a bushfire-ravaged region of Victoria. A post-catastrophe ruling has allowed him to scour his property of vegetation. It allows the culling of trees within ten metres of homes and http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/09/in-wake-of-fires-ignorance-triumphs.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-1992165968755600338Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:28:00 +00002009-09-03T21:54:41.329+10:00RELIGIONREASONABLE DOUBTSPODCASTSTHE HISTORY OF ROMEATHEISMdepressionTHE BIBLEGEEKSKEPTOIDCURIOSITYTHE BIBLETRUE BLOODSCEPTICISMSKEPTICS’ GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSEThese days, as I may have previously mentioned, I cannot imagine getting into bed of a night (or an afternoon) without my ipod and the growing store of utterly fascinating wisdom contained within. Constantly, I am discovering new podcasts by brilliant commentators and thinkers. Constantly, I am driven to my books or to the net to research things I’ve never heard of before. The universe is an http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/09/knowledgeporn.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-3036561332840549140Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:37:00 +00002009-09-03T15:20:31.848+10:00ANEXTHE EARS1980sTITUS ANDRONICUSLAST TUESDAY SOCIETYRICHARD LOWENSTEINShakespeareLYNNE ELLISWhat an unusual, extraordinary month. By chance and queer circumstance, it proved to be an authentic festival of the early eighties. Now that the floodtide from the past has ebbed away, I’m shaking my head in astonishment. And to think … that something so wonderful was spawned in an effort to address my little [big] problem and the financial boa constrictor which travels in its wake.It feels a http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/09/underground-rivers.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-837133640938818115Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:43:00 +00002009-08-21T13:16:45.976+10:00TIMETHE EARSMUSICTHE GIGIt was a joy to look back over certain history - rather than forward, in trepidation, with gnawing heart, towards an unknowable future. Every other time I’ve sung on stage, the experience has been weighed down, at least to some extent, by questions that just didn’t need an answer last Sunday.How will the audience respond to our music? Will it please them? Does it please us? Is it time to make http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/proper-motion-of-time.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-2752724598182216375Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:39:00 +00002009-08-19T21:15:41.625+10:00THE EARSDOLORES SAN MIGUELTHE WRECKERYCarbie Warbie took this lovely shot of the end of Sunday's show. That's the beautiful Dolores getting her just desserts.Oh, and we've rabidly accepted The Wreckery's invite to play with them at the front bar at the Espy on August 29. It's free. I can't wait. See you there.http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/just-desserts.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-3562446616043659644Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:11:00 +00002009-08-19T13:47:04.252+10:00BARONESS MICHASEAN KELLYDOLORES SAN MIGUELMICK LEWISTHE GIGCATHY McQUADESTEVE KILBEYSome fabulous shots from Sunday at the Corner by Andrew McDougall. These ones are mainly of me, apparently, with pictures of Sean's Kelly's cameo and sword swallower Baroness Micha at the end. Andrew's Flickr album is here, and includes excellent photos of Hugo Race, Brian Hooper, Steve Kilbey, Nick Barker and all the sainted souls to who I am so thoroughly indebted so for helping me out. Not http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/images-from-sails-of-oblivion-gig.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-4955426357648830276Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:52:00 +00002009-08-21T13:19:07.859+10:00THE GIGI’m not even looking at that post I made on Sunday night. I’ll go from the fact that I thought 2.00am was 2.00pm, that it may be a bit sodden. Forgive me. (I'll sneak back and edit it later.) I spent yesterday in bed and woke up this morning with a damaged wrist and throbbing neck muscles. How did that happen? I had everything else covered. Why didn’t I practice headbanging?There are some photos http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/note.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-3239157328323564344Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:03:00 +00002009-09-02T20:18:59.814+10:00THE EARSMICK LEWISTHE GIG Okay, it’s two pm.Jenny is asleep.Polly is asleep.Our house,In the near-nether regions of the cityis somnolent, it’s true …at peace …Only the clickety-clacks,The clackety-clicks,The whirring,The judderingAnd purrings of my mind,Sustaining …Like a moebius noteFrom the lunatic guitarof my friend and colleague Mick Lewiswho did such a veryverygood job last night indeed.My busy old headWon’t http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/okay-its-two-pm.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-8507241079285404504Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:04:00 +00002009-08-12T11:11:30.209+10:00THE EARSTHE GIGDOGS IN SPACEMy final e-bill for the show. Forward it where you can. The image is borrowed from the cover of the Ears first single Leap For Lunch/The Crater. The model, if my memory serves me correctly, was Tom Rippon, and the photographer was the guy who was portrayed in Dogs in Space as a sarong-wearing Lothario with a penchant for Eno recordshttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/eye-scoop.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-6784173910799333348Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:53:00 +00002009-08-11T11:03:39.324+10:00NOSTALGIA1981MUSICTHE GIGOVALTINEBEARGARDENThings are moving in a satisfactory manner. The casting agent, Victoria Holt, seems very impressed with me. She tells me I have some kind of mystique and has offered to find me more work in the vein of the Ovaltine ad, if I agree to have her as my personal manager. She is drawing up some kind of contract.I’ve been a strikingly efficient being of late. The general lassitude in the group is http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/4-july-1981-saturday.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-3761386413502598404Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:17:00 +00002009-08-10T11:48:53.218+10:00THE EARSMUSICMICK LEWISTHE GIGCARL MANUELLife is spiralling down to the nodus of August sixteen. I’m not nervous, I’m just worried that something will go wrong … But then … the tea-leaves have oriented themselves auspiciously thus far. (I look a bit dangerous in the photo, I know; it's an automatic band-photo expression)I’ve become reacquainted with just how hard grungy rehearsal rooms can be on the voice. One has to sing or else screamhttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/nodus-of-august-sixteen.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-1331938376581364352Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:29:00 +00002009-08-07T10:56:02.785+10:00NOSTALGIATHE EARSThe second showing of Livin' On Dog Food is tonight. I'm going again, not just because there may yet be someone I haven't told about the Ears reunion, but because It was genuinely interesting, and I found myself dwelling on the past in quite a nice way, freed from any lingering pain or grinding embarrassment. Bathing in nostalgia is one of the pleasures of increasing age - that's if you can keephttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-perfect-flesh.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-8273375539833804659Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:38:00 +00002009-08-05T09:51:52.947+10:00ROWLAND HOWARDCHRISTINE HARDINGNURINTHE EARSMUSICDOGS IN SPACEPIERREOLLIE OLSENSince Sunday, I’ve been doing the bare bones, eating, taking the child to school, napping, eating again, putting the child to bed. These days. even a moderate expenditure of social energy impacts on me for many days hence. Unlike, I’m sure, powerful, well-seasoned campaigners like Nurin and Emma de Clario.Seeing Dogs in Space afresh was a surprising pleasure. It was fast moving, it didn’t sag andhttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/dog-related-cinema.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-1466206882388457952Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:46:00 +00002009-08-01T11:25:12.017+10:00FILMEDWARD CLAYTON-JONESTHE AGEDOGS IN SPACEI missed the original première of Dogs in Space. I had seething issues with the film and nothing would have dragged me out in its support. There was an article in The Age the next day titled something like – Dark Premiere for Dark Film – accompanied by a photo of black-clad people mounting the stairs into the cinema. Edward Clayton-Jones of The Wreckery was among them, I remember that, and I alsohttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/08/and-what-shall-i-wear.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-5261306737247482361Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:18:00 +00002009-07-31T13:28:02.588+10:00GLOBAL WARMINGCONSUMERISMSKEPTOIDCARSSCEPTICISMI listen to Brian Dunning’s Skeptoid podcast every week, but sometimes he drives me crazy. The episode entitled ‘SUV phobia’ is a good exampleTo quote:“Let's spend some time on the trendy fad of looking for villains to blame for global warming. My flavour of the week is SUV's, those evil gas guzzling, ozone destroying, unethical, politically incorrect, Nazi family soccer wagons. Only let's not dohttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/sceptic-of-skeptoid.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-1135770263670298986Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:21:00 +00002009-08-11T12:07:28.343+10:00CONSUMERISM1981GUS TILLI’ve got myself the leading part in the Ovaltine (flavoured milk) ad. The payment is $1,000. They’re contracting me for a year, I think – and part of the fee will go as their percentage.I don’t quite understand why I was chosen. Personally, I thought I looked ugly on the video, and I still had a shadow on my face, even though I took great pains in shaving.It has the same air as a Big M http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/june-28-1981-sunday-1145pm.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-8040854120986115725Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:05:00 +00002009-07-28T21:13:56.522+10:00THE EARSMUSICTHE GIGRICHARD LOWENSTEINHere's Richard Lowenstein's video of The Ears' first singlehttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/leap-for-lunch.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-2769234541217569513Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:56:00 +00002009-07-28T11:11:43.318+10:00THE EARSTHE AGE1981THE CHURCHGEORGESCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHYI did rather well at the advertising agency. It feels like I’ll get work of some sort, hopefully lucrative. I might get Martin Kantor to do a folio for me.With the hundred dollars given me by The Ears, I have organised all the finances for the flat. I’m just am waiting for Carol and her gay friends to move out.I have an appalling case of diarrhoea.Been staying at Phillipa W----‘s a great deal. Ihttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/june-18-1981-thursday-1145pm.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-179858300646037971Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:11:00 +00002009-07-25T13:54:00.577+10:00FILMAUSTRALIALast night, I went to the opening of the film festival at the Arts Centre. A huge event, the like of which I haven’t been to in ages. A great many speeches, seen from a great distance – Geoffrey Rush, John Brumby - and the premiere screening of Robert Connolly’s Balibo.The sound unfortunately was terrible, doubly so for me with my blasted out ears, but the film about the five Australian http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/balibo.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-114801656296702120Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:16:00 +00002009-07-25T13:59:48.596+10:00THE EARSTHE GIGI've managed to put an Ears page up on MySpace. It probably doesn't look like much just yet, but there are three songs that can be listened to. Currently seeking fans...There's also an Event page for The Gig, so if you feel like inviting anyone, be my guest.Links are on the righthttp://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/myspace-page-for-ears.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-6808574072946971952Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:36:00 +00002009-07-22T09:49:54.228+10:00ROWLAND HOWARDCHARLES MEOTHE EARSDOLORES SAN MIGUELMICK LEWISRICHARD LOWENSTEINDOGS IN SPACETIM McLAUGHLANRichard Lowenstein has just released the trailer for 'We're Livin' On Dog Food' - his doco about the early eighties scene in Melbourne and, of course, the events surrounding the making of Dogs in Space.It's showing on August 2 at the Melbourne Film Festival. This is its facebook event page and here's the trailer: http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/were-livin-on-dog-food-trailer.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-1811826199056810486Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:34:00 +00002009-07-21T14:38:54.160+10:00THE EARSMUSICTHE GIGApparently, not everybody in the world is on facebook, so I thought I'd post some of the pictures from the 'Sails of Oblivion: The Gig' facebook page here, where the whole world can see them. They're all photos of The Ears from 1979-82. The first is from one of our very first shows before Cathy joined the band.There are more photos on photobucket and flickr, the links to which are in the right http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/ears-photo-album.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-9051593954332118185Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:14:00 +00002009-07-20T16:22:58.625+10:00NATURELIFESCIENCEWhat if current conditions on Earth were perfect for the genesis of life? Not life as we know it, but another kind, a different kind starting anew from the inanimate organic soup - while we happily continue on our way, ignorant of a new challenger rising from beneath. Something based on a triple or quadruple helix perhaps, or on plastic, neon and carbon monoxide. Perhaps something congealing in http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/shadow-biosphere.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367839961931530504.post-1545367322816774564Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:40:00 +00002009-07-19T14:46:25.377+10:00LANGUAGESCEPTICISMThe sceptic movement seems to have gained a great deal of traction from the rise of the podcast. The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe, probably the most popular ‘cast on the theme, is certainly my first choice among postcasts and I'm continually meeting people who concur.The movement has its heartland in the US, that appears obvious, and in the US it is allowable, and indeed correct, to spell http://sailsofoblivion.blogspot.com/2009/07/australian-sceptics-kow-tow-to-usa.htmlsejavka@comcen.com.au (Sam Sejavka)11