Have Gravity Will Threaten

It is intended that this page will comprise the thoughts and memories of people who were engaged in making, producing or encouraging music in both the Northern Tablelands and New England regions of New South Wales during the Australian pub rock era. These contribution might include poetry, lyrics, images and anecdotes.

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I can’t wait to see you in New England
Where the frost is harsh beneath the die-back gums
Yes, when the winter comes I’ll pack these axes and drums
And drive all the way from nowhere to everything

I can’t wait to see you in New England
When our words are icy clouds even at midday
Yes, I’ll be on my way along that old pot-holed highway
All the way from nowhere to everything

Chorus:
When I’m in town again, I’ll catch up with my old friends
And we’ll bore each other stiff about all the people we are with
And ‘how wonderful it all was way back when’
When the middle of nowhere was everything.

Peter Mitchell

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70 Mann St, Armidale (1976)

[left] Andy, Pete, Di and Simon  jamming in the Clays’ garage.               [below left] The acoustics may have been crap but your grog was cold.    [below right] More jamming – with Rod Clay’s Toyota tray top in the background (great for moving band equipment as long it wasn’t raining)

Photos courtesy of Clay Djubal

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 Put the Boy Down

He’s a radical boy, and he’s not gonna conform
When he gets his shit together he says he’ll create a storm
But he’s sitting on his arse, he’s getting nothing done
He’s refusing to work, and he hates his mum

Chorus: We’ve got to put the boy down

He does what he likes ‘cos his aim ain’t to please
He only thinks of himself – he’s a social disease
He’s in a dirty punk band, provocation’s his game
He doesn’t care who he hurts as long as he gets his way

Well his aim is to please no one but himself
So don’t bother waiting for him to conform
We either put up and shut up or do something now
‘Cos pretty soon he’ll be out of control
We’ve got to put the boy down

His behaviour’s offensive
And we’ve had enough
He’s gone to far
And our tempers’ are frayed to the edge
We’ve got to put the boy down

                                                                       Doiran James and Clay Djubal

(For Dave…  with our tongues firmly in our cheeks)

• “Put the Boy Down” (first draft manuscript) [PDF file]

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Some Obscure Tune

Notes keep skipping ’round the room
And mostly you’re not there
A torn note pad holds the meaning
But nothing’s all you’ve got to share

Some obscure tune tries to be it all

Sitting on some getaway
Looking for a crime or two
I could laugh at what you said
But teeth get in the way

I’ve been swinging lose from a social chandelier
While a mirage waves goodbye to me
It would be funny …

Pity pity
She’s so pretty
Mortar sweet and sandstone fine
I had learnt to read her body
I should learnt to love her mind

I wrote this tune some years ago and now I’ve tried to set it free
But the treble clefs are falling and who knows where they land
I’ve been swinging loose from a social chandelier

Pity pity
She’s so damn pretty
Mortar sweet and sandstone fine
She would have laughed at the things I did
But love got in the way

With some obscure tune or two
Could I make you mine… again

                                                                                    Jo-ann Simmons

All contributions are the copyright of the individual authors/contributors. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries can be made through Have Gravity Will Threaten.

Northern Tablelands Music Industry Archive