i come home
the kids got the croup n the flu
they cough n hack n choke n gasp
i go to the wardrobe n take out another mansuit
slip into it and walk abroad
i go down in historys fens and backwaters
i submerged like a crock of dials
i’m a horror to myself
i’m a surprise arent i
i’m a memory of those gone before
i’m a soulscraper blarney-vore
i’m a kinda than before
hey up n hey down
hey presto too
so much afoot
cant keep up
i flail like a schwimmer in the some are heat
i can master with the aid of this skull powdered cord
back in the east
where easter is faster
faster than horses and witches
the long process begins
yet it must be observed diligently
as morning breaks on the lovely leaves
as the pink sun assumes his full majesty
as fast as i can make it all up
trying to stay ahead of a tidal wave of whispers
i type out the morning on my screen
i am compressing the colours and sounds
i am buried in imaginings
this will make you fissures of men
this will come back by itself
this will occur to me from time to time being
the heavy deadwait
the omni-directional hit of disgrace
the harpoons and barbs of now or never
change my past
change my mind
no change given
no quarter neither
i dont know nothing
i donna wanna know nothing
thats something i do know
i know that for sure at least in spades
later
much later
the man in the mansuit shop
is looking over mine
oh boy he says
boy oh boy he says again
he checks the fit
he measures my inside ego
he fiddles with my brains zip
he notes down the colour of my sound
he adjusts the gravity
he increases the poly flesh micro weave
yeah he says
oh he says
h,mmm he says
well i can see the problem he says
is it worth fixing tho he says
could costya a few bob he says
hard to get those spare parts he says
he points to a million tiny holes which perforate the suits soul
oh fuck i say
thats ok i say
just do what ya can i say
he shakes his head
sure if you wanna me to he says
yeah go ahead i says
he gives me a quote on a bitter paper
mansuit fractal elocution $ 365
impositioning the spirit drive $366
triumphing the lower interstices $666
registering the ^^^^ $13954
orgoning the conscious matter 21122012
i said
is this a rip off?
he said
trust me mr kilbey
YOU GOTTA FUCKEN GOOD DEAL!
Blog
mansuit alterations
i come homethe kids got the croup n the fluthey cough n hack n choke n gaspi go to the wardrobe n take out another mansuitslip into it and walk abroad i go down in historys fens and backwatersi submerged like a crock of dialsi’m a horror to myselfi’m a surprise arent ii’m a memory of those gone beforei’m a soulscraper blarney-vorei’m a kinda than beforehey up n hey down hey presto tooso much afootcant keep upi flail like a schwimmer in the some are heati can master with the aid of this skull powdered cordback in the eastwhere easter is fasterfaster than horses and witches the long process beginsyet it must be observed diligentlyas morning breaks on the lovely leavesas the pink sun assumes his full majesty as fast as i can make it all uptrying to stay ahead of a tidal wave of whispersi type out the morning on my screeni am compressing the colours and soundsi am buried in imaginings this will make you fissures of menthis will come back by itselfthis will occur to me from time to time beingthe heavy deadwaitthe omni-directional hit of disgracethe harpoons and barbs of now or neverchange my pastchange my mindno change given no quarter neitheri dont know nothingi donna wanna know nothingthats something i do knowi know that for sure at least in spadeslatermuch laterthe man in the mansuit shopis looking over mineoh boy he saysboy oh boy he says againhe checks the fithe measures my inside egohe fiddles with my brains ziphe notes down the colour of my soundhe adjusts the gravity he increases the poly flesh micro weaveyeah he saysoh he saysh,mmm he sayswell i can see the problem he saysis it worth fixing tho he sayscould costya a few bob he sayshard to get those spare […]
number 3
number 3last nighttriffids final stand for a whilemy voice was shotmy god i hope you dont think i was trying to singh like thatthe usual 4 songsexcept for my voice i was okjumping around more than evertill finally in field of glassi went more gonzo than i thought posswas this what triffids fans wanted?i dunnoi was simply compelled to do itthe musicthe lightsthe occasionthe pounding of life in my heartthe screaming voices of all my distant livesdave mccombs songs reach me and turn me aboutoh dave i hope you heard last night20 years on my sonthose songs aint even looking like running outta mojotheres as much pain n glory n agony n ecstasy as ever beforeyou were perths own dylan cave cohen you were a bit of a geniusand if you were anything like your brothersyou were a fucking nice bloke toodave i love singing yer songsit was a true honour (much rather sing those songs than my own)born sandy d is one of the best records ever by anyonethe triffids are amazingthey encompass so many styles and approachesits hard to step into daves shoes and sing his songsit was hard n demanding worki have learnt so muchit was a privilege to work with cats like harvey n caseyalsy n jill are so lovelygraham lee is a beautiful cat n keeper of the flamerob mccomb is a great musician n genuinely nice bloke mark dawson n jp n julian n james …too coolthe snarski brothers…what great singers ditto mel oyouth group…soon mega stars in spainn ricky who is like a fucking son to mei love all you guysand steve miller the whacky m.c.youre a very funny guygood on ya!gimme more engine shudder pleasetriffids!yeahdish up some more pleasei’m readyanytime you saytill next timea river derchee
number 3
last night
triffids final stand for a while
my voice was shot
my god i hope you dont think i was trying to singh like that
the usual 4 songs
except for my voice i was ok
jumping around more than ever
till finally in field of glass
i went more gonzo than i thought poss
was this what triffids fans wanted?
i dunno
i was simply compelled to do it
the music
the lights
the occasion
the pounding of life in my heart
the screaming voices of all my distant lives
dave mccombs songs reach me and turn me about
oh dave i hope you heard last night
20 years on my son
those songs aint even looking like running outta mojo
theres as much pain n glory n agony n ecstasy as ever before
you were perths own dylan cave cohen
you were a bit of a genius
and if you were anything like your brothers
you were a fucking nice bloke too
dave i love singing yer songs
it was a true honour
(much rather sing those songs than my own)
born sandy d is one of the best records ever by anyone
the triffids are amazing
they encompass so many styles and approaches
its hard to step into daves shoes and sing his songs
it was hard n demanding work
i have learnt so much
it was a privilege to work with cats like harvey n casey
alsy n jill are so lovely
graham lee is a beautiful cat n keeper of the flame
rob mccomb is a great musician n genuinely nice bloke
mark dawson n jp n julian n james …too cool
the snarski brothers…what great singers
ditto mel o
youth group…soon mega stars in spain
n ricky who is like a fucking son to me
i love all you guys
and steve miller the whacky m.c.
youre a very funny guy
good on ya!
gimme more engine shudder please
triffids!
yeah
dish up some more please
i’m ready
anytime you say
till next time
a river derchee
stumped
second nite of triffids in the gardensi sit down by the water listening to the show in the distancea warm balmy nite has come down on perththe water looks like black plastic in a playi walk up eventually to giggo backstagehave some jaeger (just one shot tho)smoke some weedput on the clothespose in the mirror stand on side of stagewatching jill birt sing raining pleasuregee she looks so good up there tonightand the song never fails to send a shiver up my spineeventually steve miller does his introwhich is weird n funny at the same timesome of it even reminded me of this blogwith its references to east and west and parallel universesi go on and the band start up lonely stretchand just a few miles awayi guess is that very landscape of which dave must be singingand i close my eyesand i’m in that bushand its getting darkand the whole night crashes downon me in my carlost and hopeless n helplesswhat was i doing out herebut following themthe man n the woman i will pursue across 3 or 4 songs the triffids n friends rock on around methenwide open roadnot so easy to sing in some waysgotta keep thinkin’ about timingthen stolen propertywith its aching confused recriminationsand its switches of perspectivei love this songi go offstagei walk outta the venueback to the waterlisten to gig in the distancewhite birds wheel in the lightthe water is black n absoluteboats n yachts moored out in the estuarypeople dancin’ n partyin’a strange black stripe in the sky i sit down there till the encorei go backgraham lee says are you ready, steve?lets do it! i saywe go on n do field of glassi turn into the diametric oppositeof almost everything i have been up n till nowi am breaking out of that […]
second nite of triffids in the gardens
i sit down by the water listening to the show in the distance
a warm balmy nite has come down on perth
the water looks like black plastic in a play
i walk up eventually to gig
go backstage
have some jaeger (just one shot tho)
smoke some weed
put on the clothes
pose in the mirror
stand on side of stage
watching jill birt sing raining pleasure
gee she looks so good up there tonight
and the song never fails to send a shiver up my spine
eventually steve miller does his intro
which is weird n funny at the same time
some of it even reminded me of this blog
with its references to east and west and parallel universes
i go on and the band start up lonely stretch
and just a few miles away
i guess is that very landscape of which dave must be singing
and i close my eyes
and i’m in that bush
and its getting dark
and the whole night crashes down
on me in my car
lost and hopeless n helpless
what was i doing out here
but following them
the man n the woman i will pursue across 3 or 4 songs
the triffids n friends rock on around me
then
wide open road
not so easy to sing in some ways
gotta keep thinkin’ about timing
then stolen property
with its aching confused recriminations
and its switches of perspective
i love this song
i go offstage
i walk outta the venue
back to the water
listen to gig in the distance
white birds wheel in the light
the water is black n absolute
boats n yachts moored out in the estuary
people dancin’ n partyin’
a strange black stripe in the sky
i sit down there till the encore
i go back
graham lee says are you ready, steve?
lets do it! i say
we go on n do field of glass
i turn into the diametric opposite
of almost everything i have been up n till now
i am breaking out of that old chrysalis
that was constraining me
which said go onstage and smirk n sing softly
now i’m just gonna do what i want
n not let myself stop me…whatever that means
i throw myself into it
even beating the stage with my hand
i scream n yell n whoop n all that stuff
you probably never thort your humble suave hero would do
anyway
we get a great response
everyone comes up n congratulates me
even the normally taciturn marty casey n mick harvey
say they thought it was good
and cmon
they seen it all by now…
so thats a compliment , right?
after it is over
i go n sit by the water again
being accosted on the way by an english fan
who says in a cockney accent over n over
its just like the doors
its just like the doors!
its just like the fucking doors!!
tonite: last nite for a while
emotional mood swings ahead
hasta la vista
title for the sake of a title
sentence for the sake of a sentencepause for spacespace for the sake of godthe gardens at nighta great crowd has assembledking is white and in the crowdthe lights shinesome contraption describes a great arc against the swarthy nightthe people laugh and drinklovers caress in the shadowsthe shadows in the lovers caress each otherthe trees watch onone day a nymph will show me their soulssome celebration some clamoursome eventsee the people seated waitingmusic beginssongs of a man who died way too soonin some ways died of a broken hearta man who felt everything too muchyou can tell that from those songsyou cant write em like that if you dont feel it that muchout the backthe usual caste of likelieshim from themthose lotthat man who doesnt like methat man who does i wait aroundbecoming slightly inebriated drinking its ok its herbal with lemonadei go on to do my first songthe music pumps me uplook i love to sing these songs oki love these songs to deathand maybe i do over do emthe songs tell me how to singnot vice versaso the songs fill me with bright energyi direct my self towards a silhouettean outline of black i am pushed around by the throbbing bassi am riled up by the vibesi clobbered by the drumsi swayed by the lonesome lonesome steel guitari persuaded by the pianoi shook by the organi cough up the wordsthey fill my head sequentiallyi open my mouth and they come raging outmanifesting themselves in pumps of adrenochromal surgesso i sing i shout i runaboutgot hotter than the heatthe heat the park and other thingswhere do i go onstage?freed up of the responsibilty of an instrumentits easy to get into some dreamy trancelook the conditions were not perfectit should have ben louderthe audience seem a little timidwhateverthats their prerogativethey paid […]
sentence for the sake of a sentence
pause for space
space for the sake of god
the gardens at night
a great crowd has assembled
king is white and in the crowd
the lights shine
some contraption describes a great arc against the swarthy night
the people laugh and drink
lovers caress in the shadows
the shadows in the lovers caress each other
the trees watch on
one day a nymph will show me their souls
some celebration some clamour
some event
see the people seated waiting
music begins
songs of a man who died way too soon
in some ways died of a broken heart
a man who felt everything too much
you can tell that from those songs
you cant write em like that
if you dont feel it that much
out the back
the usual caste of likelies
him from them
those lot
that man who doesnt like me
that man who does
i wait around
becoming slightly inebriated drinking
its ok its herbal with lemonade
i go on to do my first song
the music pumps me up
look i love to sing these songs ok
i love these songs to death
and maybe i do over do em
the songs tell me how to sing
not vice versa
so the songs fill me with bright energy
i direct my self towards a silhouette
an outline of black
i am pushed around by the throbbing bass
i am riled up by the vibes
i clobbered by the drums
i swayed by the lonesome lonesome steel guitar
i persuaded by the piano
i shook by the organ
i cough up the words
they fill my head sequentially
i open my mouth and they come raging out
manifesting themselves in pumps of adrenochromal surges
so i sing i shout i runabout
got hotter than the heat
the heat the park and other things
where do i go onstage?
freed up of the responsibilty of an instrument
its easy to get into some dreamy trance
look the conditions were not perfect
it should have ben louder
the audience seem a little timid
whatever
thats their prerogative
they paid their dinarii
and they have no more obligation than that
still if only they knew how much more they coulda gotten out of us
but nevertheless
it was still very very satisfying
made no mistakes
so make no mistake
i aint a muggles
i aint a beginner
i aint a brawler or a brute
im a man
cant you see what i am?
and i live and die for you
life goes on brah la la how the life goes on
so press yer space face close to mine love
and gimme yer hands
cos yer WUNDERFULL!
and i was dancing when i was 7
danced myself into a song
a song of songs
neil diamond : and when she comes i run just like the wind
cos wild is the wind
and a word on a wing
and the wine dark sea
and amphytrites hands swirl me thru the watery days
cos all my days become nights
and the nights become white
and white contains all colours
even tho ya think thatd be black
and black is black
i want my baby black
and colour me gone
cos i am
gone Gone GONE!
haphazard (lite)
i am hehere i amin the westget hereand we’ll do the reststeve kilbey awoke before dawnand he walked on down the hallhe took another face from the ancient galleryand he walked on down the halli look in the mirrorsee multiple mesi hear my brain at workcalculatingsubtracting its cuti see my eyes watching mei see the night has one thousand eyesi see vishnu has one thousand namesi see there are one thousand ways to diei see the fragile future tottering on an iffy pasti see moths turning into caterpillars i see my ghost that haunts me downi see radha walking away into the jungleoh that sweet gopi lopekrishna waits in the darkness for his lovehe feels the tingle of anticipationhe stands there a blue glow in the night meanwhile in perth at the end of the earthi guess i gotta sing for all i’m worthvoice from another room : not much….yeahi’m a singer…what the fuck does that mean?you tell mecos i dunnoi just ramble on n onlike a rambling rosei just me with my constant fucking dialogue with myselfi sucked off into my brainwith my god given freckles n my wispy haircrammed in here with my thousand other selvesi thrash around like a nasty eeli smoke dope and its money for olde ropei talk about marco bolan and king solomoni revere the great masters and i disdain the vulgar hoi polloii walk thru my kingdom disguised as a medium mani solve disputes and have villains beheadedi go off to jerusalem and i go off to earlwoodi go off to north bondi and i go off to subiacoi sing songsi hammer them hardi climb aboard them like ships and crash down from the masti write the most beautiful songs about ugly thingsi reconcile oppositesthe way other people write shopping listsi move amongst […]
i am he
here i am
in the west
get here
and we’ll do the rest
steve kilbey awoke before dawn
and he walked on down the hall
he took another face from the ancient gallery
and he walked on down the hall
i look in the mirror
see multiple mes
i hear my brain at work
calculating
subtracting its cut
i see my eyes watching me
i see the night has one thousand eyes
i see vishnu has one thousand names
i see there are one thousand ways to die
i see the fragile future tottering on an iffy past
i see moths turning into caterpillars
i see my ghost that haunts me down
i see radha walking away into the jungle
oh that sweet gopi lope
krishna waits in the darkness for his love
he feels the tingle of anticipation
he stands there a blue glow in the night
meanwhile in perth at the end of the earth
i guess i gotta sing for all i’m worth
voice from another room : not much….
yeah
i’m a singer…what the fuck does that mean?
you tell me
cos i dunno
i just ramble on n on
like a rambling rose
i just me with my constant fucking dialogue with myself
i sucked off into my brain
with my god given freckles n my wispy hair
crammed in here with my thousand other selves
i thrash around like a nasty eel
i smoke dope and its money for olde rope
i talk about marco bolan and king solomon
i revere the great masters and i disdain the vulgar hoi polloi
i walk thru my kingdom disguised as a medium man
i solve disputes and have villains beheaded
i go off to jerusalem and i go off to earlwood
i go off to north bondi and i go off to subiaco
i sing songs
i hammer them hard
i climb aboard them like ships
and crash down from the mast
i write the most beautiful songs about ugly things
i reconcile opposites
the way other people write shopping lists
i move amongst humanity practically unnoticed
i gimble and i gyre in the wabe
kiss my asana satan
i am everyman
i am earth
i am virgin
i am mother/father
i am since forever
never was a time you and i did not exist
the fourth of never…and thats a long long time
tonight i will walk on that stage
and out of my throat will fly seven larks
and out of each larks throat will fly seven songs
and from each song
seven notes in an octave
seven stars in seven skies
take the t outta steven n its seven
so i stand in my room in apt 7
and i ask myself seven times who i am
first
my reflection says
you are kilbey
second
you are man
third
you are spirit
fourth
you are almost outta time
fifth
you brought it all on
sixth
you are ordinary
seventh
you must be crazy talking to yourself in a mirror
i touch my reflections skin
i caress my own face
i recoil from my gaze
i touch my scars
i finger my wrinkles
i see death all over me like a monkey
i scratch my head
i hesitantly sing
to see if i still have a voice
my olde dried up dusty words
my ancient song of song of songs
(neil diamond : sing it out sing it strong)
oberon n titania sit in their bower cooing n oohing
poor lonely calypso down by the shore
stupid paris checking into to the sparta hilton
stupid helen running off in the night
stupid olde zeus fucking some swan
stupid olde world going round its stupid olde sun
we killed jesus
we killed king
we killed the baptist
we killed jfk n fucking bobby n marilyn
we killed time
we killed lilith
we killed al crowley
we killed steve kilbey
kill that character off they screamed
i turn to ricky
hes standing up the back playing guitar
boy im really proud of him
hes playing lead hes playing rhythm hes playing drums
hes playing with the triffids
i step up to fucking mike
i inhale deeply
i open my throat
i let the words come
i sing with my body
my mind tees it all up
my hands fly about like small fat birds
my vocal cords vibrate and rub
i enter my trance
i heat up
so hot in here
here in kilbeys body
im steaming up
i erupt in sweat
just like them jazz cats
them olde black jazz cats
sweating up a fucking storm
because of concentration
because they love music
and they love life
and it pours out of every pore
I AM
I AM
I AM!
flight to the west
killer gets up early so he can type type typekiller goes on le balcand has an early morning jazz smokenow here i amgiving you my all and onlymy dear readerswell my plane didnt crashit was late but it did nae crashit was a crowded n unremarkable flighti tried to work on my lappybut the geeza in fronts seat came right backn i couldnt type a word in fuckin’ edgewiseafter a while i skimmed thru the qantas menuand ended up watching a show bout these naughty bloggers in blightythe girl with the one track mind etcall narrated by a scottish git with one of them edinburgh accents that made it sound so urgent and fucking importantlike he was discussing nuclear weapons or climate change or somethin’anyhowthis naughty girl was doing naughty things with naughty menand writing about itit was quite naughty for qantas i guessn featured very naughty naked bosoms (quite gratuitously )and very naughty bits where the ladies read out their blogsiei said to himooooh i wanna @#$%$ your @#$#$&and he said oooh i wanna $%*& yer lovely great &^&*((%and i said oooh you aint half naughty!!etcneverthelessi remained unaroused in my cramped old seatand was gladly glad when ye olde plain hit the groundthe lady picking us up had forgotten where the van was parkedwe sat in the shade of a coolibah treeand waited for her to find iti checked in my aptto find ricky rene maymi has snaffled the best roomwe have a balc over looking the carpark….oooh nicesoon a triffid drops in with some jazzy jazzricky hooks up his computer thru the stereon soon we gotta bitta atmosphere goingwe go over for dinner at a jap placei get served freakin pork dumplingswhich i understand to be tofui take a bite andFUCK THIS BULLSHIT!i spit out this foulnessthis bits […]
killer gets up early so he can type type type
killer goes on le balc
and has an early morning jazz smoke
now here i am
giving you my all and only
my dear readers
well my plane didnt crash
it was late but it did nae crash
it was a crowded n unremarkable flight
i tried to work on my lappy
but the geeza in fronts seat came right back
n i couldnt type a word in fuckin’ edgewise
after a while i skimmed thru the qantas menu
and ended up watching a show bout these naughty bloggers in blighty
the girl with the one track mind etc
all narrated by a scottish git with one of them edinburgh accents
that made it sound so urgent and fucking important
like he was discussing nuclear weapons or climate change or somethin’
anyhow
this naughty girl was doing naughty things with naughty men
and writing about it
it was quite naughty for qantas i guess
n featured very naughty naked bosoms (quite gratuitously )
and very naughty bits where the ladies read out their blogs
ie
i said to him
ooooh i wanna @#$%$ your @#$#$&
and he said oooh i wanna $%*& yer lovely great &^&*((%
and i said oooh you aint half naughty!!
etc
nevertheless
i remained unaroused in my cramped old seat
and was gladly glad when ye olde plain hit the ground
the lady picking us up had forgotten where the van was parked
we sat in the shade of a coolibah tree
and waited for her to find it
i checked in my apt
to find ricky rene maymi has snaffled the best room
we have a balc over looking the carpark….oooh nice
soon a triffid drops in with some jazzy jazz
ricky hooks up his computer thru the stereo
n soon we gotta bitta atmosphere going
we go over for dinner at a jap place
i get served freakin pork dumplings
which i understand to be tofu
i take a bite and
FUCK THIS BULLSHIT!
i spit out this foulness
this bits of dead piggy wig
yeccchhh!
i feel violated but didnt swallow any of that filth
ok
i just fucking carry on
what can ya do?
i drink some sake
the triffids all come out n join us
mick harvey from the bad seeds etc is an interesting n funny bloke
mark snarski tells me he dont wanna sit nexta to me
cos i look too bloody healthy
“this is sposed to be rocknroll” he says
n orders some disgusting smelling sqiddley diddley
n lights up a foul cigarette
if thats fucking rocknroll
then my dick is a kipper
(as my dad used to say)
i get up n leave
me n ricky check out the venue
AND IT IS AN ABSOLUTE TOP SHELF CORKER !!!
(ie for foreign readers the kilbster is well pleased)
its a great big lovely outdoor stage
there are sofas n stools n tables n chairs
it is well civilized
all around looms the botanic gardens
n the suave skyscrapers
and fountains n rivers n trees n affluent people
oooh i like it
like a jehovahs witnesses idea of heaven i seen in their pamphlets
i’m really looking forward to singing my songs there
then back to hotel
an early night
this email connection is costing me 25 bucks a day
so dont say i never buy ya nothing
anyway at 330 in the morning
the fire alarm goes off
ricky cant be bothered getting up
but i wander downstairs
where the whole hotel is lined up
in various states of undress n undies
i see mick harvey standing on the street
looking like an owl whod fallen out of its nest
finally were all let back in
me
n ricky who finally gets up
we sit there at 4 am smoking n talking on the balcony
finally i neeed to release some stress
i yell out at the bastard moon and stars
and all of sleeping perth
FUCK YOU! I”M WORKING FOR GRAHAM LEE!!!!!
a dark day
wake up early kilbeyyoure flying off to perth watonite night offtomorrow rehearsalfri sat sun triffids outdoor perth festivalright now sitting here in n bondisurrounded by rain n darknessit seems a long way offsome planesome airportsome taxisome other roomsomewhere elseif i dont hold my mind downit floats off off n away specially on mornings like thiswhile the rest of the family sleep onthe kids dream dream dreamthe rain goes tap tap tap the wind goes ooooh rattle ooooooh rattlethe cars in the street go whooshthe ringing in my ears goes zzznnnnnnggggmy old heart goes thump thump thump (dont stop yet)my stomach goes groan flying groanthe clock tick tick but never tock my mind goes silentthe constant stream of ideas is turned offi experience the silencemy mind goes blank but what do i think of during the blankness…?small parts of me go on calculating n plotting somewhere in herein my mind bigger than the universein my mind which can imagine infinitelyin my tiny closed grumpy mindso small it cannot admit even one more outside ideamy small mind my big mouth my stupid smirkmy blah blah blahmy bits of blu tacmy bits of papermy meridians of pastel dustmy empty plastic bottlesmy empty cansmy old lolly wrappersmy stupid bag of dopemy nasty olde coffmy constant anxietymy messed up messy mess of a roomoutsidethe city skyline has disappeared into a fogthe clouds swallow up sydneyand franklywho caresthe sharks bitethe crooks crimethe hoods from the hoods in their hoods…no robin hoodsthe tedious lumpen proletariat chasing one thing after another the recession which is king out therethe planet starting to rebelthe morning starting to arrivea soft grey light suffuses my roomsome hoarse crow barks outside my windowmy feet are cold so cold at the end of timei hear noises of humans getting upwinter around the corner nowthe […]
wake up early kilbey
youre flying off to perth wa
tonite night off
tomorrow rehearsal
fri sat sun triffids outdoor perth festival
right now sitting here in n bondi
surrounded by rain n darkness
it seems a long way off
some plane
some airport
some taxi
some other room
somewhere else
if i dont hold my mind down
it floats off
off n away specially on mornings like this
while the rest of the family sleep on
the kids dream dream dream
the rain goes tap tap tap
the wind goes ooooh rattle ooooooh rattle
the cars in the street go whoosh
the ringing in my ears goes zzznnnnnngggg
my old heart goes thump thump thump (dont stop yet)
my stomach goes groan flying groan
the clock tick tick but never tock
my mind goes silent
the constant stream of ideas is turned off
i experience the silence
my mind goes blank
but what do i think of during the blankness…?
small parts of me go on calculating n plotting
somewhere in here
in my mind bigger than the universe
in my mind which can imagine infinitely
in my tiny closed grumpy mind
so small it cannot admit even one more outside idea
my small mind my big mouth my stupid smirk
my blah blah blah
my bits of blu tac
my bits of paper
my meridians of pastel dust
my empty plastic bottles
my empty cans
my old lolly wrappers
my stupid bag of dope
my nasty olde coff
my constant anxiety
my messed up messy mess of a room
outside
the city skyline has disappeared into a fog
the clouds swallow up sydney
and frankly
who cares
the sharks bite
the crooks crime
the hoods from the hoods in their hoods…no robin hoods
the tedious lumpen proletariat chasing one thing after another
the recession which is king out there
the planet starting to rebel
the morning starting to arrive
a soft grey light suffuses my room
some hoarse crow barks outside my window
my feet are cold so cold at the end of time
i hear noises of humans getting up
winter around the corner now
the streets are not inviting
bizness men get up feeling sick drinking cawfee
numbly button up their suits
drive to work
and each gasp on the cig
jangles yer nerves and fouls yer breath
you arrive at yer job
a beencounter in a widget and sprocket company
shuttup kilbey somebody has to count the widgets
ok ok
i just an imagining it after owl
mr widget fidgets at his pesky desk
the quick brown sprocket jumps over the lazy plug
the figures sway back n fourth on his screen
his new cup of cawfee says drinka me
his new cream cheeese bagel says eata me
his next cig says smoka me
he stands in the rain in the big end of town
look i’ll play the part myself
i’m standing there
(looking handsome in my suit, if i may fairly say so)
i’m standing there
you saw me standing there smoking my bagel etc
down in the doorway with the other smokers
if i smoke 20 a day at ten minutes each
why theres 200 mintes gone…just like that
plus walking up n down the stairs
plus the cigs n cawfee make me weee like the billy-o
plus going out to buy more cigs n bagels
its a wonder i been counting any widgets at all
i sit back at my desk
my buddy sends me a message on face book
gee…i read it for a while
until i need another cig
the boss tells me to come in his office
uh oh
we only need to count half as many widgets cos
uh the depress…i mean the recession..
but the govts injecting 3 billion into widgets so
(gee i hope they hit the vein!)
and ah…i need another cawfee n cig now
i need to calm down
half as many widgets as before….hmmmm
can i do that ? i wonder as i loll in the doorway
making insolent faces at the passersbys
and blowing smoke rings into the ether…
illusion shattered
the kids all suddenly get up
last night scarlet and i went outside
ooh what a dark day she said
ha ha
now they tumble out of bed laughing n talking
the woofle clutches a balloon that seems like it may burst anytime
the doodles got their own thing going on
gee i’m lucky i aint that widget guy
(that suit tho…it was quite bee coming)
i just gotta getta onna plane to ye olde perth
at the ends of the earth
4 hours to fly
i wonder if other triffideers from sydney will be on that flight
youth group?
mel o?
anyhow
i’m gonna get my lapp top out n write some stuff i sposed to do
the new church album must be coming down the line soon
youll be glad i aint a widget counter
you be glad i a singer
you be glad i so good wiff words
you be glad i aint gotta suit
you be glad i aint gotta jobbie
you be glad i sing the body alektryk
you be glad i anticipated all your dreams
and put them in these songs
listen to em n weep
weep cos ya love those damned songs so much
weep cos we all gonna die
weep cos the pollens making yer hey fever play up
weep cos kilbey is at the top of his game n climbing
up n up n up
into the sky
the indian rope trick
i pull my ladder up after me
and i ascend into a world of dakinis and angels
up there
i am finally ‘preciated
(present company accepted…i know you depreciate me)
and my every little whim is catered for
trouble is
i am now such an ascetic aesthete
(look those words up if you dont know em)
i am practically whimless….
whimpering…maybe
but whimming……errr….no
there were some important things i needed to say
no
there were some imperfect things
there were some foolish things
these foolish things remind me of you
i take me leaves
n bid you all frond a dew
as i take to the thin air
in a very heavy machine
god i hope i can believe in it
see you in the west
sk
l
the dawn awoke before killer
and it walked on down the halloh jimbo i miss youif i could only be half as dionysian as youbut jesusit killed youso i just content myself painting picturesand writing catchy little songs that the kids’ll lovei slip in arcane references for those in the noi slip in puddles as i rush my girls thru the rainscarlet kilbey comes in n lies down on some pillowsi blasting marquee moon she doesnt wake up till i accidentally kick herim painting a pic of barry obamaim quite taken with his handsome honest good looksi cant believe we got ourselves a decent geezer at the helmwho woulda thunk it?i heard hes gonna invite me to the not so white anymore houseto jam in the ovally officeyeah dream on sailor on the seas of fate i do some long interview with donald on 4ZZZ in brissiewe discussed everything including the dreaded gearand my advice to absolute beginners in show biz(fuck off! its already too crowded) i started swearing towards the endbut i guess they can leave it inweather is strange hererain sun wind rain i say we should drop sharks on the fucking bushfireskill 2 birds with one stoneand afterwards therell be roast flake for the localsactually doing a benny fit for fires on 24th feb in glebieat word in handactually the whole bushfire thing is tragic n numbingit takes a lot to jerk a tear outta my cynical old eyebut this does it everytimeok kilbey just think yourself lucky and such beautiful towns that damned fire took…im not much one for burning whiches at the steakbut i think mr firefuckingbug should feel the heat what an evil nasty creature….n what do ya do with em?meanwhile in sydneyat town hall stationsome nasty doggies bale up our mr rickyand snifter him for druggie wuggiesbut guess […]
and it walked on down the hall
oh jimbo i miss you
if i could only be half as dionysian as you
but jesus
it killed you
so i just content myself painting pictures
and writing catchy little songs that the kids’ll love
i slip in arcane references for those in the no
i slip in puddles as i rush my girls thru the rain
scarlet kilbey comes in n lies down on some pillows
i blasting marquee moon
she doesnt wake up till i accidentally kick her
im painting a pic of barry obama
im quite taken with his handsome honest good looks
i cant believe we got ourselves a decent geezer at the helm
who woulda thunk it?
i heard hes gonna invite me to the not so white anymore house
to jam in the ovally office
yeah dream on sailor on the seas of fate
i do some long interview with donald on 4ZZZ in brissie
we discussed everything including the dreaded gear
and my advice to absolute beginners in show biz
(fuck off! its already too crowded)
i started swearing towards the end
but i guess they can leave it in
weather is strange here
rain sun wind rain
i say we should drop sharks on the fucking bushfires
kill 2 birds with one stone
and afterwards therell be roast flake for the locals
actually doing a benny fit for fires on 24th feb in glebie
at word in hand
actually the whole bushfire thing is tragic n numbing
it takes a lot to jerk a tear outta my cynical old eye
but this does it everytime
ok kilbey just think yourself lucky
and such beautiful towns that damned fire took…
im not much one for burning whiches at the steak
but i think mr firefuckingbug should feel the heat
what an evil nasty creature….n what do ya do with em?
meanwhile in sydney
at town hall station
some nasty doggies bale up our mr ricky
and snifter him for druggie wuggies
but guess what
serenity and poverty
rendered our mr ricky cleaner than clean
and those dopey dawgies schniffed our hero in vain
but nice use of police resources
err hey fellas
(cliche following )
WHY DONTCHA CATCH SOME REAL CRIMINALS?
anyway
our mr ricky will be joining me n others
in perf
oh perf
capital of um west(ern) aust(ralia)
not the one in scotch-land
and its got its twin city freo
which is yonder n very groovy (some say)
when my mum n dad migrated here
when i was a tiny sweet lad
the first place they came to was fremantle
and there was a sign which was advertising
a certain brand of insecticide (flick)
and the sign said
GET A FLICK MAN
but some naughty wag had joined up the L and the I
rendering it somewhat changed
my dad told me later
when he saw that
that he thought he would enjoy australia after all…
*
david neils album is almost wrapped but for one track
and some minor fixes
mutton kennedy sends me some more k/k new stuff
which is very very nice
i have a long talk to miranda kilbey on the phone
ah boys……
shes got one of them boyfriends that cant express his feelings
he dont know what he wants
and shes quite flummoxed
(if a swede can be flummoxed…i know turnips can)
jesus
how can some oaf be treating my daughter like that?
oh true love never runs smooth
i know because i heard gene pitney sing that in 1963
and i aint ever forgotten
the things you hear in a song
stay with ya longer than any other kinda things
fucking hell i got marco bolan going round n round constantly
guy on 4zzz says who would ya have to dinner, any 7 ya like?
i says bolan bowie jesus buddha lennon
he says ya got 2 more
i say
i reckon those guys would be enough
oh yeah i’d have mr ricky there too
for moral support
and make sure buddha washed up his plates afterwards
ok
i got one more pick
and theres no women there yet so
ok its outta dannniii min-ogre and a veronica
gosh its hard to have a dinner party isnt it?
maybe i should invite ann boleyn pre cut
or a sybil from the olde days
or take medusa up to the reptile park
or enter pegasus in the bleedin’ melbourne cup
can you really imagine some weird dead famous types
sitting round at some tossers dinner party
imagine serving jesus some guacamole
(what the hell is this? (in hebrew))
imagine playing buddha the new U2 record
(what a ponce!(in pali))
yeah
i’m just trying to scrape together the price of a sandwhich
and get mahself a cup of cawfee
i’m on a street corner in the snow
i’m in an alley in l.a.
i’m hanging out in badlands nevada
i’m down n out in cork or in boston
i’m at the naughty old mans home in west ur
i’m a foolish git with a dirty laptop
broadcasting n narrowcasting my vile bilge
all over the into-net
i am i am i am
hey its garbage day in n bondi
so it cant be all dull
someone next door has (been) moved out in a hurry
and the entire contents of their place sits in the rain
notice boards with photos
scateboards and boxes of xmas decorations
socks n undies n sad reminders
i wonder what happened
the inevitable pickers pick at it
and soon the discarded memories are blowing round the streets
aint life sad?
it can be
the empiric world
molecules whirlmirrors absorbrivers run and rundawn turns into nightnight turns into midnightthe birds talk among themselvesthe silence listensthe darkness gawksthe wilderness walkson n on into the fieldsthe rain wanders inthe clouds float underneath everythingthe music drifts like perfumethe empiric worldthe meaningless formsthe formless meaningsthe breathtaking minutesthe long long seconds leading up to thisthe warm bed of familythe cold world outside
molecules whirl
mirrors absorb
rivers run and run
dawn turns into night
night turns into midnight
the birds talk among themselves
the silence listens
the darkness gawks
the wilderness walks
on n on into the fields
the rain wanders in
the clouds float underneath everything
the music drifts like perfume
the empiric world
the meaningless forms
the formless meanings
the breathtaking minutes
the long long seconds leading up to this
the warm bed of family
the cold world outside
hey la hey hey lo la
the imaginary reader remains imaginaryyou think you are realbut i assure youyou are merely a part of this fictionyou read voraciouslyyou are fed your reality by the storyyou glued to your screenyour old life was just a dreamyou exist to read this storywhen it ends you will extinguishan actor will go on playing your partthe actor will know what to sayeverything has been taken care ofnow feel free to indulgeplease live my story up to the hilti am youwe are all in this togetheralmost a thousand of usall thinking this togetherall over this imaginary worldin carthagein romein athensin abyssiniain timbuctuin san franin sante fein situin gloria deo excelsisi am everymanyou know it for sure nowand i have led this lifeso that you didnt have toi made the music you needed to hearbut no one else on this whole imaginary world could do iti said those things you needed to hearbut who else could say them?you owe meyou owe me your concentration thenconcentrate nowand we will all be togetherconcentrate with me nowpleasedeep breathsslow inslower outclose your eyesyour third eye will read these wordswe are becoming connectedinterlockedlocked in n locked onlovelock shylock lock stock n crockeryif i say i am standing in a garden in buenos airesthen i am standing in a garden in buenos aireswe are all standing hereinvisible (like)just kilbey and his sisterbut we know everything in their mindsit doesnt matter whether kathy has a brother or notmany people have claimed he doesnt existwe know in our deepest heart that kilbey is realhis voice at some stage has spoken to usas he throws his random fractions of the big picture out therehe has no answers but he has no questionshe just mentions things like a kinda codeand you hear a phraseand you goyes he understandsso all the understanders are gathered […]
the imaginary reader remains imaginary
you think you are real
but i assure you
you are merely a part of this fiction
you read voraciously
you are fed your reality by the story
you glued to your screen
your old life was just a dream
you exist to read this story
when it ends you will extinguish
an actor will go on playing your part
the actor will know what to say
everything has been taken care of
now feel free to indulge
please live my story up to the hilt
i am you
we are all in this together
almost a thousand of us
all thinking this together
all over this imaginary world
in carthage
in rome
in athens
in abyssinia
in timbuctu
in san fran
in sante fe
in situ
in gloria deo excelsis
i am everyman
you know it for sure now
and i have led this life
so that you didnt have to
i made the music you needed to hear
but no one else on this whole imaginary world could do it
i said those things you needed to hear
but who else could say them?
you owe me
you owe me your concentration then
concentrate now
and we will all be together
concentrate with me now
please
deep breaths
slow in
slower out
close your eyes
your third eye will read these words
we are becoming connected
interlocked
locked in n locked on
lovelock shylock lock stock n crockery
if i say i am standing in a garden in buenos aires
then i am standing in a garden in buenos aires
we are all standing here
invisible (like)
just kilbey and his sister
but we know everything in their minds
it doesnt matter whether kathy has a brother or not
many people have claimed he doesnt exist
we know in our deepest heart that kilbey is real
his voice at some stage has spoken to us
as he throws his random fractions of the big picture out there
he has no answers but he has no questions
he just mentions things like a kinda code
and you hear a phrase
and you go
yes he understands
so all the understanders are gathered here
in this garden
you have a right to be here
as much as stevekilbey
only kathy is truly real
only kathy will walk away
and put a small plaster on her finger
which was pricked by a thorn
only kathy will walk away
and cook dinner in her kitchen
while drinking red wine
oh god
we are all so imaginary
think about your solid life
and it evaporates like a mist
like the slight fog in this garden
this rambling garden studded with magic realistic objects
little statues covered in mirrors
ponds with weird fish
an old car redecorated with scenes from myths
you can imagine
yes
you can well imagine
so imagine it well
this garden
a sign says gethsemene
this garden with its wild exotic flowers
this southern hemisphere garden
this magic continent where things are not so ordinary
all the magic has gone out of europe
this is where it all begins
south america
the hairs on my arms raise up n shiver just to say it
south america
where all things are still possible
does kathy like south america
oh yes she says
she turns to face us
oh kathy
you look so tired
framed in your foggy garden
oh how i will long to be there
as i get jostled in a crowd
or line up on a plain taking off
or stand on a corner waiting for some soup
or questioned by the senseless authorities
about where i acquired my genius
oh the garden the garden
the trellises the insects the beautiful weeds
the cracked crazy paving
the walls n fences
the sounds of beyond the garden
the south american sky stretching overhead
saying to me
why dont you come back home?
now here i am
with all my friends
with all my imagineers
all still concentrating
why?
for the hell of it all
because you must want to find something here
here in my sisters garden which has an inclosed spring
my sisters garden with its dappled shadows
we look around
each of us picks up things special to them
a lost heirloom
some words from a loved one
a useful premonition
a new understanding
here here
take them
take them
no i insist
take everything from this garden you can
dont blame me if you cant find it here
look harder search discover
oh kathy can you see em …..my friends my imaginary friends
oh kathy can you …can you
yes my darling i can see them now…small points of energy
they are the readers kathy….the readers..can you credit it?
no ….its quite strange…i must admit…
but kathy what does it all mean…?
mean? mean? magic realists never mean…they imply
and the reader infers?
correct
kathy?
yes
are there any more of those biscuits?
you may have one, steven
only one?
yes because
its the last one…..