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Saturday, August 28, 2004
Transcript of Tony Head's banquet performance
Saturday Q & A transcript
Sunday Q & A transcript
pictures
Tony walked up on stage unannounced and started setting up. There were a number of instruments on the stage since Velvet Chain was performing there in a few hours. George Hertzberg got up on stage for a moment and pretended to play the keyboard. He and Tony chatted for a moment before Tony sat down to start.
Tony: Just talk amongst yourselves. So...um...the brain is kinda spongy, for various reasons. But it's not drug induced, strangely. But I haven't had an awful lot of time to sort of prepare for this and I'm not making excuses, but this time, I have my trusty lyrics. (he holds up a notebook) So if I get stuck, I can always stop and find out what I was supposed to be doing. I'll just tune it (referring to the guitar, which he apparently borrowed from Julie Caitlin Brown. Someone yells out Freebird!) Do what? No, I can't play Freebird. Let's get that one out of the way now! (He starts tuning the guitar) I was just explaining to the people at the table...something that always panics me a little is the fact that I don't know who's heard me play before and the desperation that I've got to sing something new. So if you've heard this stuff before, huh, tough! (laughs and resumes tuning) Cool. Alright, well...um...ahhhh...hello. There's a song by John Martyn, which...uh...is called May You Never. I will give it a go as an easy way...kind of a way of easing things in. I hope. (He strums the guitar for a moment) See, I always get to this point and it's out of tune again. (Does some more tuning) Doesn't sound good... (more tuning. He notices a woman crawling on the floor in front of the stage in order to get a good photograph and starts laughing) Cuz that was cool! Didn't notice a thing. (more tuning) I should explain. This guitar is not used to being in an open tuning so it shifts a little bit, that's all. So if you don't mind this little tuning thing every now and again, we'll be cool. Bear with it and eat your puddin' and shut up. (tunes) Oh fuck it, never mind - oops, sorry.
He finally starts sing the first song: May You Never.
He stumbles over the words at one point, and stops to say "Oh, there'll be plenty of that, I can tell you", before resuming. The audience whoops and cheers when he finishes. (I'm not going to mention this after every song, so just assume audience appreciation after each song)
Tony: Thank you very much. Um...okay...next one. In the relentless pursuit of finding something that you wouldn't have heard...um...a long time ago when I first started playing the guitar, I found this Elton John song called Love Song (someone woos) And um...Woo! And I...(starts laughing) it's alright, the first course had that effect on me too. And um - (notices the people taking photos again) There's a lot of walking on knees and on all fours. It's extraordinary! I didn't know I brought that out in people! (He realizes the implication a few moments later and starts laughing) I can't believe I just said that. So um...so this...so I thought I would have a bash at - oh look. Judge panel! (he waves at four or five women who have set their chairs to the side of the stage and do look very much like a row of judges at a competition) You got little score cards to hold up? (they assure him he's a 10) Excellent. So I just played...I tried it in this open tuning because I'm not going to tune out the open tuning because otherwise we'll be in big troub. And it seemed to fit - so... there ya go.
Love Song
Tony: Thank you. Hello (said to a young boy standing in front of the stage who promptly runs back to his table) Sorry, I spoke to you. "Dad, he spoke to me." (imitating a scared kid) I told you we would be tuning up between each number. We are. So you can all sing "lalalala". (several people do) Or not. So this next one, you will have heard. It's a song off Music for Elevators...um... about my girls. Um...and...uh... it's one of those things when I was away from home and I was in...I can't...Denver or somewhere bizarre. They were having a beerfest. Big ole tent with big ole tankards of beer and everyone talking in a Bavarian accent. (he says this in a bad Bavarian accent). So I ran away from that and I went to a restaurant and...um...in the restaurant, it was fairly bizarre...there was...just alll these kind of reminders about...fathers and their kids. It was literally...the table next to me, there was a huge party and there was this...this father with a tiny baby and he like lifted her up at one point and she was just like beaming away. So...um...when I got over that one, um...there was another kid came in with what turned out to be her sister but looked like her mum...um...ah...and her dad. And they were....basically she was so wiped out that her sister put two chairs together and she fell asleep. So anyway, I was missing home and I was missin' my girls. So I wrote this. (he has to do some more tuning) Oops. That's better. Sorry, wrong chord. (laughs)
Babies (The In Between)
(After he finishes, he picks up the notebook) Riiight. So we're going to try some without the guitar for a moment. (He stands up and looks around for a place to set the guitar) I've got to find some place to put it. There we go. (Sets it down) Sorry, Julie. So...um....first one is....um....oh let's take this off. (referring to the microphone which he takes off the stand and holds) It's a John Hyatt number. Just to be safe, I'm going to have the words in my hand. Um...it's called Have a Little Faith in Me.
Have a Little Faith in Me
All right, um...now we're going to do another one off the backing track. Can't Stand the Rain.
Can't Stand the Rain
Thank you (in a high, chirpy voice) Let me just rearrange my chair. How are we doing? Are we alright? Bored yet? (audience yells "Nooooo." One woman says, "I'll tell you when to stop") Okay. Cool (he picks up the guitar again) Okay, um...this one's a little song called Talk to You. It's also off Music for Elevators. Oh, by the way, sometime after this...what time is Velvet Chain coming on? (he's told 11:30) 11:30? Okay. 11:30, everyone. Velvet Chain is playing here. (he says this part in a southern drawl) That's why all the keyboards are set up and everything, so ya'll hang on here. Cuz they're pretty cool. Okay? Was that good? (this last is to the con people standing to the side) Cool. They are. I saw them in...ah...in....ah...in...oh, somewhere. They were good. Very good. Ah, tuning guitar time again. Ah...this one is sort of about - I don't know if anyone else have ever had a long distance relationship (someone says they have) Yes! She says very definitely. But you come to...the phone is kind of important...and you come to sort of live for the moment when you get to talk to them on the other end and...because like if there's a time difference, it's really screwed up. Because you never know when they're going to be there or when you're going to be in or whatever so...
Talk to You
Ah. Back to the...um...back to the - whoops (the microphone has slipped down) Just lift that up a bit. So yes, this is a song, it's also from Music for Elevators but it's a song by Joss Whedon. No, not that one (referring to the track that has started playing) Track two. That's okay. Uh...yeah, it's called Last Time. In fact, I have the words to this one too. Because, this is the one I was doing on the sound check and I completely forgot everything. At which point, I panicked. It's good having these things (waves the notebook around) Cool.
Last Time
Thank you. Whee. (high chirpy voice again) Okay, this one...this is another one about kind of being away from someone. It's a song by an extremely talented singer/songwriter called Stephen Allen Davis. If you ever come across an album of his, snap it up. Cuz he's been covered by everyone, if you'll excuse the expression. (laughs) It's a term we use in the horseworld. And...um.. (hits the guitar against the stand) Oops, sorry. Sorry, Julie, sorry. Um...but it's a song called Highway. And...um...it's a kinda cool song. Oh, here we go again (needs to do more tuning) It's a great way of heightening the anticipation. And filling the gap while people are putting their plates away. (someone in the audience asks him something) I beg your pardon? Is it Q&A time already? (Someone then asks him another question and he laughs) Who is the best person I kissed? Well, Sarah. Not Sarah Michelle. But my Sarah. (Tunes some more) Okay. No, that's not good. Um...by the way. Can you spread the word that...um...it didn't work out having people come in at the end of it because basically, it's not the end of the meal - well, it probably is the end of the meal now and the organizers said that it just really wouldn't be fair on you guys, having kind of done this whole deal. So could you spread the word that I will do a couple of songs in...um, the question and answer time tomorrow. (audience applause) Well, don't clap! You've already heard them! I'm not going to do anything different! (someone calls you "You're awesome!") Well, thank you. You're pretty cool yourself! (he has been tuning throughout this) Oh, dear. (someone asks him again to do Freebird and he laughs) I don't know Freebird. Oh dear, oh dear. It's still not right. I'm sorry. Talk amongst yourselves. Keep yourselves happy. Play pick-up sticks with your forks. Do funny tricks and things. And you'll only thank me cause if I just start to play and it's really out of tune, it's going to sound like...(several people in the audience shout out "crap?") Crap. You should be very grateful to know that the last song I'm gonna do is with a backing track as well so...so this is the last one of these. (something from the audience) What? You like the tuning up? Okay.
Highway, Highway
Right. Um...this is the last one (disappointed sounds from the audience) and for this, I will need a volunteer. But before you all stick your hands up, or don't, is there anyone who has done Brad in Rocky Horror...in the Picture Show thing? (no one raises their hand) Come on, someone must have (a woman says "Not in public!") Huh? You what? Not in public? (laughs) But do you know Brad in Sweet Transvestite? Do you know the little bit he does? (she sings some of the song) No, not that, you wooly that's me! God! (mock exasperation. finally someone volunteers) Yeah? Come on dude. (the man gets up on stage while the audience applauds) Here you go (hands him a paper with the words written out) That's it, just in case you need it. Would you like to sit on the stool and I'll do the rest of it. (the guy asks how he'll know when to speak) I'll point at you. Can he sing on this mike? Yeah? (the guy clarifies that he doesn't have to sing) Well, no. There's not - it's not so much singing as it is speaking, but it's a very important bit of speaking. Just talk amongst yourselves (to audience) Heeheehee. Usually, people say "Oh, come on! Sing Sweet Transvestite" and it's like "No, because I can't do it." But I'm going to do it. This is track...whatever it is...he knows, he knows. Cool. Go for it.
Sweet Transvestite
Thank you very much. (He bows a few times and leaves the stage to much applause)