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Winter

2011-05-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

OPEN TUNE/SLIDE GUITAR MASTERCLASS

10.30am WED 31ST AUGUST

INTEGRATE 2011 Royal Hall of Industries Moore Park, Sydney

I'll be on the AudioTechnology World stage covering aspects of my personal guitar style and what led me to writing The Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar, how it has impacted upon my songwriting and I'll be sharing some insiders’ tips and insights in to the world of open tune and slide guitar... and playing a few songs as well... FREE ENTRY

Meanwhile B!G (me and John Boy Bliss) have been out playing songs form our new ep UNO, now available for download from CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes etc. Got a few gigs coming up, check dates page for more info. See youse all on the mean streets.... Brendo

Autumn in the Antipodes

2011-03-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

My fellow Australians (and others) hope you had a great summer break, I did, got a tan and all. But have been busy too - have recorded and mixed a new 6 track EP with B!G (me and John Boy Bliss). It's called Uno and will be available as download from iTunes etc real soon, for sale on CD at gigs and mail order (email me at djoldbrendo@mac.com for details).

...according to Brendo *with Jonathan Zwartz & Hamish Stuart playing tracks from my two solo releases plus some new toons from forthcoming album Wine Island plus *with Michael Galeazzi, Bruce Reid & Hamish Stuart playing songs by Karma County - Clovelly RSL May 1st. Check dates page for more info. See youse all on the mean streets.... Brendo

Xmas Beer and more

2010-11-20T01:18:00.000-08:00

Seasons Greetings my fellow Australians (and others)...

Just back from playing some shows in QLD with B!G (me and Reels drum maestro John Boy Bliss) to small but very enthusiastic audiences - thanks to all at Joe's Waterhole, BUD and Beetle Bar. Also good times had at Notes in Sydney and Melbourne at Spensers and Caravan Music Club. We will be back in 2011 for more good rockin', psychedelic, rhythm'n'rhyme times in 2011.

Be sure to update your calendar for a special Xmas Beer show at Annandale Hotel 23rd December - KINGTIDE + DOGTRUMPET + B!G - yep, it's gonna be bigger than Quo Vadis, a Righteous Rockin' Roots Revue to boot youse all into the summer torpor. Also a very rare appearance of the Dead Marines at the Sando 'tween Xmas & NYE and a solo spot at James Valentine's Supper Club in February, check dates page for more info.

Have been working on Lucinda Peters new album over at the home of Australian music, Alberts, and thus far have trapped some lightening in the bottle. Lucinda has been wowing audiences in Japan in November and I'm looking forward to getting back to working with her on some new toons. Have a great break over Xmas and look forward to seeing you out there on the mean streets in AD2011.......... Brendo

Spring in Terra Australis

2010-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

My fellow Australians (and others)... spring is sprung etc and there is much that is new:

A new band B!G, that's me and John Boy Bliss, legendary drummer from Dubbo's greatest export The Reels. We're doing a little east coast tour Oct/Nov so check out dates for more info. New songs, old songs, strange songs get thrown into the sonic blender that brought you the atmos and power of Australian classics like Jimmy Little’s Messenger and ‘Quasimodo’s Dream’. JB also wrote The A to Zen of Lawn Bowls (the definitive text) so, yeah, two weirdo authors in the same band playing mad-arse music. As Roald Dahl famously intoned – “expect the unexpected.”

Speaking of authors my Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar will be released in America through Hal Leonard later this year.... nice one.

First week in Oct I start work on a new project with singer/songwriter Lucinda Peters recording at Alberts' studios, the home of AC/DC, Vanda & Young etc. Meanwhile I'm planning a return solo tour in April 2011 to Italy where there is talk of me producing some young Italian artists - more next post. Tooraloo... Brendo

August

2010-08-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Keepin' busy over here - July 8 launched 'Little School', a song I wrote and produced with Emma Donovan (see pic) for the Indigenous Pre-School Access Project, joined Jimmy Little for a special fundraiser gig in Melbourne July 29 (pictured here with Uncle Jimmy at APRAs where he received the Ted Albert Memorial Award), will be presenting an open tune/slide guitar workshop at Integrate 2010 in Sydney at 2.30PM August 24 on the AT World stage (come and get a signed copy of my Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar). Recently I hooked up with the boy from The Reels, drum maestro John Boy Bliss, to form a new power duo called B!G, check dates page for shows in October in Sydney & Melbourne.

Meanwhile still writing and recording new songs for my new double album (it's a 70s thing) 'Wine Island'. Toodleoo for now....... Brendo

Winter in Sydney

2010-06-15T00:55:00.000-07:00

Hi all, am back in The Antipodes after six weeks in Europe. Had a great time touring around Italy with my old friend and tour manager Daniele 'Chipster' Di Giovanni and new friend and fellow musician Aldo Betto (pictured with me and producer Anna Antonelli at TPN Radio in Pordinone). Had some great gigs up north, thanks to all the wonderful Venetians who came to my shows and welcomed me into their homes for some memorable meals and great wines. Am planning to come back in April 2011. Caught up with Aussie guitar tech legend Col Bloxsom at his new home at Just Music in Berlin, even got to have lunch with him and Chris Abrahams (The Necks) at a Vietnamese restaurant.

While I was away I was confirmed as an APRA Ambassador, a great honour for me as a member of more than 20 years of this august institution. I'll be presenting an Open Tune/Slide Guitar Masterclass at Song Summit Sydney 2010 Sunday June 20 as well as hosting one of the Career Development Workshops for songwriters. 'Til next time..... Brendo

Springtime in Italy

2010-03-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

Buongiorno, am in Frascati staying at my friend Dora's house. Daniele di Giovanni my tour manager/FOH/compadre drove us down last night after my gig at Big Mama in Rome. I ended up playing Curtis Mayfield's 'People Get Ready' with the 7 piece a capella headline act - an unusual and gratifying experience. They cheered me off shouting excitedly to the crowd (in Italian) "it's the first time we've played with an Australian!"

Tonight I play at Cantina Mediterraneo in Frosinone south of Rome then fri night at Matuna in Cerveteri. Sat is May Day, big picnic in Tuscany with Daniele and his lefty mates then maybe a big jam up in the hills at Frankie's Garage where I played last year. Next week I play up north. It's all good, tutti bene.

Have confirmed my presentation of an Open Tune/Slide Guitar Masterclass at Song Summit Sydney 2010 Sunday June 20 as well as hosting one of the Career Development Workshops for songwriters. Before I left Sydney I did a coupla days recording with drum maestro Hamish Stuart for my forthcoming album. What a blast to make music with one of my favourite musicians, hang out and trade a few stories - I'm only in this caper for the yarns ;) There's some gold in there.'Til next time..... Brendo

a new year

2010-01-21T01:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year my friends. Though I tried hard not to do too much over the silly season I got a few things done...

*mixed Dick & Christa Hughes 21^st Century Blues album, a great re-visiting of New Orleans stride piano & vocal by the eminent father and daughter duo

*sang ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ at the launch of Billy Thorpe’s ‘Time On Earth’, a rockin’ biography by good buddy and fab muso Jason Walker

*played a whole lotta guitar and other stuff (double bass!) for Paul Healey's soundtrack of ‘Wicked Man’ a new Aussie telemovie starring Vince Colosimo

*played with The Reels at Sydney Festival Becks Bar

*got to hear original ¼” production master tape of The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ on Don Bartley’s big-arse Duntech speakers at his Benchmark Mastering suite – one of the rare times I would employ that much abused adjective AWESOME! Go Fab Four....

Am heading down to Bermagui for a break first week Feb then will be workshopping some new toons with uber rhythm-meister Hamish Stuart for my next album, working title ‘Wine Island’. Plans are well ahead for another sojourn to Italy & UK in May to do some gigs plus in-store performances to promote The Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar. It will be available in Oz as of Feb. In rock we trust.... djoldbrendo

Silly Season

2009-11-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

Back in Sydney. Had some fun up the coast, a highlight was playing a house concert to 40 people in a 24th floor penthouse overlooking Coolangatta Beach on a balmy friday evening. Just finished recording the beds for a new King Curly album, was good to work with the wistful genius Steve Appel again. I worked on KC's first album Family Man way back in '96.

Last week I received a print sample of the new 3rd edition of 'The Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar' from my publisher Music Sales in London. Looks bloody good, hopefully it will be on sale early 2010. As we all know Melbourne Cup day (first tuesday in November for our non-Australian listeners) heralds the start of the 'silly season' which really doesn't end until Australia Day (26 January). So I will be going with the flow and not doing too much but just enough to pay the rent and keep me amused. See youse all at the beach...... Brendo

Late October

2009-10-19T02:24:00.000-07:00

I be heading up the coast for the last few shows of my Tooraloo & Tender tour - thur 22 at Gold Coast Arts Centre with Paul Greene and 5.30PM sat 24 on the Cock & Bull stage at the Lismore Show. So far, so good, had a great launch with Hamish Stuart on drums, Jonathon Zwartz on bass and Marty Hailey on lap steel/guitar at Vanguard in Sydney - Karma County's Michael Galeazzi jumped up and played some bass on an old KC toon 'Too Many Foxes' with absent friend Stu Eadie funkily represented by a Shuggy Otis drum loop (see pic).

Next month it's back in to the studio (at GPHQ in Redfern and my Bondi basement space) for some new projects - King Curly, Stiff Gins, Don Walker demos and some mixes for Cameron Bruce. And I've started work on some new solo stuff - a double album idea, in a 70s way, one side all bouncy rhythm and nursery rhymes, the other melody and prose - could be a mess, could be gold, but I will amuse myself greatly doing it. 'Til next time ..... Brendo

2009-09-28T03:40:00.000-07:00

Tooraloo & Tender album launch thursday 1st Oct at The Vanguard in Sydney, the only show where you'll be able to see Brendan Gallagher and His Tender Chaps - the legendary engine room of Jonathan Zwartz (bass) and Hamish Stuart (drums) plus good buddy Martin Hailey on lap steel/guitar - Steph Cherote will be playing too. Check dates page for more info.

PLUS there is a competition for me to come and do a solo 'house concert' at your place - friday 9th October in Melbourne, friday 23rd October in Brisbane/Sunshine Coast.

Just email me on my contact page and tell me why you want me to come and play at your place. Too easy... Brendo

September

2009-09-04T02:04:00.000-07:00

Spring is sprung, the grass is riz (avec New Jersey accent)... my new album 'Tooraloo & Tender' is available now on iTunes and will be in all good stores (and some bad ones) throughInertia 12th September. I'll be out and about in September doing some promo:

*tue 8th 12-1pm on Stuart Coupe's 'Tune Up' FBi Radio (94.5 FM Sydney) playing some juicy covers - live songs, Jimmy Little, Karma County, THE MILLIONAIRE$ - it's gonna be cool.

*fri 11th 5-6pm I'll be playing some songs on Richard Glover's 'Thank God It's Friday' program on ABC Radio 702 in Sydney. More to come........

In October I'll be doing an east coast tour starting with a launch thursday 1st at The Vanguard in Sydney, the only show where you'll be able to see Brendan Gallagher and His Tender Chaps - the legendary engine room of Jonathan Zwartz (bass) and Hamish Stuart (drums) plus good buddy Martin Hailey on lap steel/guitar. Check dates page for more info.

PLUS there is a competition for me to come and do a solo 'house concert' at your place - friday 9th October in Melbourne, friday 23rd October in Brisbane/Sunshine Coast.

Just email me on my contact page and tell me why you want me to come and play at your place. Too easy... Brendo

August

2009-08-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

Subdivision, the new Australian feature film by acclaimed director Sue Brooks (Japanese Story) has it's world premiere at the Brisbane Film Festival thursday August 6th. I composed and produced the soundtrack and provided a variety of source music - THE MILLIONAIRE$' "Sentimental Journey" and a new track "Try, Try Again" from my forthcoming solo album Tooraloo & Tender in stores through Inertia and download from iTunes September 12. I also produced a new song called "So Said Muhammad Ali" co-written with and sung by Abbie Cardwell which closes the film - and mixed in Atlanta GA by Nick Didia who mixed Bruce Springsteens' last three albums. Subdivision is in general release through Disney August 20.

Meanwhile I'm helping Don Walker record some demos in my basement in Bondi, recording some new material for fab young singer/songwriter Steph Cherote at GPHQ in Redfern and planning an album tour for October. 'Til next time.... Brendo

2009-07-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

Brendo has finally delivered the soundtrack for Subdivision, the new Australian feature film by acclaimed director Sue Brooks (Japanese Story). Besides composing and producing the score Brendan provided a variety of source music - THE MILLIONAIRE$' "Sentimental Journey", Karma County's "Lifesaver's Love Song" and a new track "Try, Try Again" from the forthcoming solo album Tooraloo And Tender due out in July. He also produced a new song called "So Said Muhammad Ali" co-written and sung by Abbie Cardwell which closes the film - and mixed in Atlanta GA by Nick Didia who mixed Bruce Springsteens' last three albums. Subdivision is in cinemas through Disney August 13.