I'm a Brisbane born and raised baby boomer with an interest in people, friends, family, dogs, gardening, nature, equal rights, music, cinema, video and 3D photography.
Mic Inglis and I were working the bar when the storm hit. I remember seeing a guy wearing a yellow rain coat belting someone in front of the bar then a police horse appeared. That's when we shit ourselves. Police directed us to leave the bar area. We refused, explaining we had a cold room full of alcohol and a till full of takings. I thought all our hard work was heading to the cops Xmas party. Amazingly, they left us alone. I personally witnessed the MP's grabbing people. I gave a statement to the CJC but under a national party government, nothing was ever going to come of that. The market day the following year was at Souths Leagues Club. Police horses were there as well. Here we go again I thought. Luckily it was a great success
Stephen is sharing a gentle joke about the figures of speech which Americans use (and understand), but which would never be heard in Britain (or Australia) - phrases which wouldn't make sense at all outside of the USA. Of course there are a great many equally odd figures of speech which are in common use in both Australia and Britain, and which make no sense at all to Americans. It is interesting to watch some British TV series (for example "Shameless") which have been re-made in America, with the same basic script - but with noticeably different figures of speech.
I believe the humour is in that we (British and Australians) view Americans as tending to be more focused on how they personally feel, rather than on what they know. My interpretation of the actress's statement "I'm not very nourished by this moment" is that she is not happy with what she has been asked to say or do in this scene.
Thanks for posting this. It was so fun to see myself and some very close friends in our early activist days! And it is amazing to see what has changed and what is still very relevant today. Also some cool shots of pre-Big Dig Boston.
Thanks for the feedback Andrew. A couple of years ago I sent the Harvey Milk School copies of my transfers from the original VHS tapes to disc. I hope many future generations benefit from being aware of this slice of history in activism. All of the youth - including yourself - who contributed to the Generation Q episode of The Question Of Equality were very generous, eloquent, brave and inspirational. The whole series stands as a milestone in the genre of LGBT documentary film making. You all deserve to be very proud of your contributions.
I've just noticed that in 2015 someone has set up a RU-vid channel under the name "Pneumatic TV" purely to list all 4 full episodes of "The Question Of Equality" (with Generation Q as episode 4) as transfers from the original VHS tapes. The quality is very good. You can find the playlist by searching RU-vid for "pneumatic tv question of equality playlist"
There is s bit of aura of Jack Benny's TV/film speaking style in this - but of course this is Stan as his usual 100% honest self, chatting to a friend. I think he'd get a kick out of being likened in any way to Jack Benny.
+Nathan Renault Thank you Nathan - I'm quite sure you are right. I found some still images of immature koel which closely match what I was able to see in my video when I ran it in very slow motion. The bird making the mysterious call however, is almost completely black (I saw it partly obscured through binoculars a few days ago) and it's call seems to match the described sound of a Black Butcher Bird - but their range is not supposed to extend anywhere near as far south as Brisbane.
Pro tip: the loudest thing at the vocal mic has to be the voice itself. If it's not, get the on-stage volume down and let the Front-of-house do the work. (Likewise mic'd up congas.) These are all great bands playing really well. Good on ya Brisbane!
+John Malcolm Thank you indeed Malcolm for the kind words and tip. On this night I was also recording using a Sennheiser MKE2002 Dummy Head to cassette located beside the PA desk - but it captured way too much of the imperfect room acoustics. The AIWA Video8 camera's auto-volume controlled mono HiFi track mic coped well with the sound pressure of the operator being so close to the artists - but would have sounded nicer if he was further back (we live and learn). I'm dropping hints to my bandmates and friends from these Bent bands, that a Bent Big Band could get a solid set together to mark the 30th anniversary next year.
probably first alternative brisbane band i ever saw live! (@ a dancing bear fundraiser... newtown bowls club toowoomba). they had a more "swampy" look in the late 80s.
Just had one fly in to my unit in Rhodes, NSW. I'm on the 8th level and I have a vase of scented lilies on the dining room table. The huge moth zipped around the room like a humming bird and then dove straight into a lily. They must have a good sense of smell to find my lilies all the way up here !
And Matt as you are a person of unquestionable niceness, and impeccable taste, I take this compliment in the spirit in which it was given. I was at a party tonight and mentioned you in your role of crowd rouser - at the last ever Gone To China show at the Treasury on 8th Feb '88, when a stranger had called out all night requesting "Ace Of Spades", and when they announced they were about to play their last song he yelled "Are you gonna play Ace Of Spades or what?" and you quickly started a rising chant demanding "WE WANT WHAT!"
John Frame Well John, someone had to save the evening. As I remember it Gone to China could always empty a dance floor, which was a boon for the cleaners, but not so great for the punters. On a side note, you seem to have a talent for joining bands named after people who have left or haven't arrived. Is that a coincidence?
Matt McRobbie Matt we took a near 15 year break with Waiting For Barwick - and we were just one member shorter (Robyn of Lemon Fabs fame is now too busy working and parenting). Still we considered a new name - with "The Relaxatives" and "Relaxettes" being most favoured, but we found those names were already taken in the USA. Another one I liked was "Hipeponymous" - but after a few months we decided that the old name was still the best. Maybe we're just old and lazy.
Is this available on DVD? I remember when I first saw this on KCTS9 in Seattle. It's a great program to watch for anyone who's gay or lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender.
Jason, there is no DVD version available for sale but through Amazon for just $10 (one fifth the original price) you can buy "The Question of Equality - Box Set [VHS] (1995)" consists of 4 very high quality HiFi stereo VHS tapes. VHS tapes can be copied to DVD easily enough either using a cheap self-contained unit or (with copy protected tapes) a "video stabiliser" between the VHS player and DVR. I'd say buy the set of tapes and be happy to watch them on a VHS player - or find a friend who can do the transfer to DVD for you.
I've just noticed that in 2015 someone has set up a RU-vid channel under the name "Pneumatic TV" purely to list all 4 full episodes of "The Question Of Equality" (with Generation Q as episode 4) as transfers from the original VHS tapes. The quality is very good. You can find the playlist by searching RU-vid for "pneumatic tv question of equality playlist"
My name is jeremy Ratliff, and I was involved in this project about twenty years ago. I even appear on the clip towards the end. What I am really looking for is someone who can get me a copy of the whole tape, or provide me information about where it can be downloaded. If you do, please feel free to contact me at jeremy@jeremyratliff.net
Jeremy, I replied to your query a couple of months ago, and today I've repeated the same basic information for Jason (see comment and reply above). All the best - John.
I've just noticed that in 2015 someone has set up a RU-vid channel under the name "Pneumatic TV" purely to list all 4 full episodes of "The Question Of Equality" (with Generation Q as episode 4) as transfers from the original VHS tapes. The quality is very good. You can find the playlist by searching RU-vid for "pneumatic tv question of equality playlist"
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about your grandfather - I will pass them on to my cousins (Jim's children). Jim kept a diary while on the tour of duty in Tobruk, which I was privileged to read and to preserve in digital file format for him to share as a companion to the DVD of this video. His diary includes details of the conditions of hardship, the tragic loss of his comrades, the anticipation of impending death - and of the love for his girlfriend, family and home which kept him going.
Final comment: he was a WO2 when he was wounded, which is why he was given dispensation to marry an officer (my grandmother). I remember asking as a quick up the ladder CPL at 24 years old, Papa, how did you make WO2 at 22? He just said, because nearly everyone else was dead. Hard man.
The night he died (of an angina/heart attack), he'd been out on the town for the annual Rats of Tobruk dinner in Brisbane. At least his last night was with his mates.
You're so lucky to have this. My grandfather was in 2nd/9th Battalion at Tobruk. He was wounded and received hundreds of shrapnel fragments from a German grenade. He also lost an eye. He met my grandmother who was an Army nurse at AGH Cairo when he was evacced. He told me a lot of his tales from Tobruk when we went fishing because I was also a soldier. But sadly he passed in 1995, before the convenience of smart phone cameras etc. good luck to you.
Thank you for the edit in progress for "So It Goes" John - clearly an informed labor of love, and I really do like it. Frank did extremely well manouvering Tony's AIWA Video8, and that camera's mono auto volume controlled mic performed surprisingly well. I was operating a borrowed VHS camera from near the sound desk, but its picture quality was too terrible to keep. You've made it look very convincingly like a multi camera shoot. I'm doing just fine thanks, but already melting in early spring.
I really like how much the TV studio band got into the performance - and that was all their own work, including the superb flute solo. David went in with an arrangement for voice and guitar which left so much space for a band to really enjoy themselves. David used to perform for us in the kitchen when visiting our share house - with a bedside lamp providing the mood lighting. This my favourite of his songs, no doubt written from his own personal experience of struggling to interact with society.
I live south east of Brisbane and had never seen one of these before, thinking you could only find them in Europe or North America. I couldn't believe it when a couple of years ago we were trimming one of our Geisha Girls and this big Hummingbird Moth was going through the flowers of the branches we had cut (dad always trims the trees when they're in flower, it drives mum crazy). This Hummingbird Moth had a dull, pale light green body, rusty coloured wings, and a red and yellow tail.
Sadly none of the four original launch bands are still performing. Gone To China's Glen Dakin and Tony Nolan make fine home made recordings for their own interest. Sun Orange's Tim Pasmore still dabbles in live guitar and vocals (in a band with a much heavier style) and Andy Willmott is a very well credentialed producer and engineer with his Tuxedo Junction Recording Studio located near Stanthorpe. It's great to hear that The Funnadicts played this month - I love their Bent Records single.
yes Paul - the video only gives a glimpse of what the swarm is like (I was standing in the middle of them and they were all around me a metre deep.) Tomorrow I'll try capturing it in 3D (720p HD) and see if that works well for RU-vid. The camera I used for this is only using 640x480 for video.
Mark always takes me to a wonderful place.....memories good, and sad...all places of the heart. Miss his talent. Glad I've got the cd's. best of luck to him.
