McComb-Paterson correspondence

[jimjamtwo]

This is the text of the first postal communication I ever received from David (so far as I am aware). It's from a postcard, but there is no postmark so I can't date it exactly. My guess is that it's from late 1983, although it could be early 1984. It was sent when the Triffids were playing my home town, Brisbane, for, I think, the first time. The picture on the front is a very uninteresting colour photo of Westfield Indooroopilly Shoppingtown. It's the only communication of this nature I received from him.

Dear James,
We've been here for 3 days now (seems like 3 years) filming "Hot Sex In Indooroopilly." Most of the action takes place in the toilets of Indooroopilly Shoppingtown (I thought a religious setting was appropriate to the deep, penetrating thrust of the film) in an elaborate set of bunsen burners, swastikas and singed walrus hair. Tacky. Predictably however, our prima donna Nancy Boy leading actor Alsy "Grecian Column" MacDonald, (A.K.A. Rampant Honcho Plunge-Boy) threw a temper tantrum when the seafood cocktail wasn't warm enough for him to bathe in. Well you know what Swedish stars are like!
Regards,
The Director.

The text is complemented by a cute little drawing of two naked people holding hands walking into the sunset.

[Gazza]

Cross referencing with Adam's wonderful gigography suggests June 1984 as a possible date:

May 30 Brisbane, Exchange Hotel

June 1 Brisbane, Queensland University
June 2 Brisbane, Gold Coast Playroom
June 3 Brisbane, East Leagues Club

[Urpal]

That's great. Is there really a place called Indooroopilly? It sounds almost as incredible as the fantasy movie scenario portrayed

[jimjamtwo]

Cross referencing with Adam's wonderful gigography suggests June 1984 as a possible date:

May 30 Brisbane, Exchange Hotel

June 1 Brisbane, Queensland University
June 2 Brisbane, Gold Coast Playroom
June 3 Brisbane, East Leagues Club

If so, this wouldn't have been my first letter or postcard from Dave. I have several dating from early 1984. Obviously my memory can't help here, and in fact until I read it today I had no recollection of ever receiving it.

[lonesomesquare]

Is there really a place called Indooroopilly?

And if so, is it the place next to Outdooroopilly, Wombatoopilly or Kangaroopilly?

[jimjamtwo]

That's great. Is there really a place called Indooroopilly? It sounds almost as incredible as the fantasy movie scenario portrayed

There is indeed. Indooroopilly is a Brisbane suburb. It's famous for - or, at least, famous in my mind for - its bridge. You can see photos of it here

http://www.ourindooroopilly.com/graphics/bridge.jpg

and here

http://galenfrysinger.us/1/pacific/brisbane11.jpg

In the '60s, you could see that people were living in the bridge because they always seemed to have their washing hanging out. Rather picturesque, really. Recent photos - I mean those on the Net - don't seem to show this, so while it looks like people might still be living on the bridge perhaps they aren't allowed to hang their washing out anymore.

Actually, many Brisbane suburbs have extremely funny names, including Geebung, Pinkenba and Enoggera (not Eggnoggera). Also, one way Brisbanians (like myself) can tell if a person's from Brisbane is if he knows how to pronounce the name of one of these suburbs, Capalaba. Try it, I dare you.

[jimjamtwo]

Postcard, "Greetings from St. Kilda" (four views). Postmarked Perth January 11, 1984.

Dear James - well contrary to the information on the front of this card, I am currently in Adelaide with my parents. The others are also in various states of travel across this fine brown continent. Has anything of import happened in Sydney? Did you go and see Nick Cave at the Musicians Club? We had a great time in Melbourne - strangely enough - with often more than 300 people at each show. It was great not to have to scrimp and save. I ate out and even bought myself a bottle of Jacob's Creek one night. We have been doing an average of 2 interviews per day and so I have been struck by a bad case of interview-itis. I am looking forward to the change of environment, but not to coming to terms with old ghosts + enemies in Perth closets. I hope you are well and still enjoying the finer things in life. love Dave.

[jimjamtwo]

Two-page letter. Postmarked Perth February 19, 1984.

Dear James. In 1/2 hour I turn 22.
Sorry this has taken so long but I have been busy being a general mess. Well at least I am occupied! Playing lots, drinking a bit, immersed in Perth sunshine, + so on + so forth.
At present I am listening to "Self-Portrait" in a beach house 200 km south of Perth - a genuine holiday at last.
For some reason I am writing a hell of a lot of lyrics - they are just pouring out like to much effluent. If you want, tell me + I will send some over to you - or maybe I will just do this regardless.
I am not sure whether I am enjoying life at the moment. I love it here in Perth but as usual I am very confused about what I want.
By the way I am taking good care of the 12 string + it has been a general success here on stage. We are presently doing "Aint No Sunshine When She's Gone" by Bill Withers, a mid 70s soul song you may know.
Last Sunday I bought a Fender Jazzmaster which will entirely replace the Country Gent as my main playing guitar. It is good cos it stays in tune. Unfortunately it doesn't feed back enough.
Sometimes we play to big audiences here (700) and sometimes small ones (180) depending on the venue. etc.
People in Perth tend to worry about us a lot.
...
Yes I am also determined to go overseas in the 2nd half of this year - really either London (if we have a nice record contract) or New York ... just for a holiday.
...
I didn't think I was on the Frontier Scouts single - I am sure I am only on the EP. I didn't think much of my contribution, for what it's worth.
"Everybody's got to Eat" + "Jesus Calling" will definitely be on our new EP.
Decide how you want to be credited for the former.
When's your goddam LP coming out, y'Banana-bending Cane Toad? Remember when the release date was November '83? Anyway I hope you are well + I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you again in order to sit down + pen a few more magnum opuses together, as I am feeling prolific for once.
Nil bastardo conderundondumdundun - Latin for "Don't let the bastards get you down." love Dave.

[Urpal]

Also, one way Brisbanians (like myself) can tell if a person's from Brisbane is if he knows how to pronounce the name of one of these suburbs, Capalaba. Try it, I dare you.

Though I've no doubt it's gonna be wrong, let's start with cap as in a thing you wear on your head, a-la as in singing a note, and ba as emanates from a sheep?

On the other hand you could go for something more like capable?

[jimjamtwo]

let's start with cap as in a thing you wear on your head

Bad start.

[jimjamtwo]

On the other hand you could go for something more like capable?

No.

[jimjamtwo]

Postcard, "St. Kilda, Vic." (View of Fitzroy St at night). Postmarked Adelaide July 5, 1984.

Dear James and Terry
Lovely quiet Sunday afternoon spent on orange bedcovers of orange hotel room. All is going well despite the usual ordeals of getting ripped off by shady promoters, etc. Have you been in to get the tapes made of the country sessions yet? Please send me a cassette in Perth and I will repay you soon. Any more titles/names yet? It can be quite interesting to look through those "Movies On TV" books for titles ... was that a dumb suggestion or what? I think I can improve on this missive in future. love Dave X.

Note: 'country sessions' is a reference to the recordings that were finally released under the title Lawson Square Infirmary.

[jimjamtwo]

Undated letter on Australian Museum (Sydney) letterhead. Date would be last half of 1984.

Dear James,
Here's the lyrics, sorry about the appalling condition they are in. The ones stapled together are my latest batch of unfinished songs. If you can make any effort towards finishing them (see the cryptic little notes on the right-top corner of each page) send me a cassette. Do anything you want.
Mind you, if you come to Perth we can do it here. Write songs I mean. My god I've got a filthy mind.
You will notice I don't have the last verse of "Mother Silhouette" - you can piece that together from the tape.
Also, Megan has lots more potential photos of us that you could ask her for, if she's not too busy. Just make sure the one you pick of me is stunningly attractive. Ah, sarcasm was never my strongest point.
Alsy actually does have one of you at that picnic when I was AWOL in which you do look incredibly handsome, boyish, etc.
Maybe the photos on the back cover should have little frames, like old-fashioned portraits.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Bye for now,
David.
P.S. Crucifixion Speech was better when the drums came in at the start! 

Note: Around this time Dave and I were talking on the phone very regularly, so consequently there weren't many letters. I did end up going to Perth, where I actually got to play with the Triffids on stage for the first and only time. Unfortunately, Dave had me play the piano and I'm a terrible piano player. At one stage, midway through 'Mercy,' the lights went off temporarily and, in the sudden darkness, I couldn't see where E was. All I knew was that I was on C. As a result I had to work my way up from C to find E, semitone by semitone. Of course, the audience could hear all this perfectly well and they looked suitably perplexed. In the car on the way home I was mortified to discover that Dave had recorded the show. Of course, when 'Mercy' came on my fumblings attracted his particular attention. I think we even got to hear it again next day.

I found the photo of me Dave was referring to. Here I am at the Triffids picnic at Observatory Hill, Sydney, probably sometime in 1983. Notice the flagon of wine to my right - a feature of Australian life that has since disappeared! I very much doubt that until about the mid-80s anybody 'on a budget' - whether poets, musos, artists or students - did much socialising in Australia without the omnipresent flagon of cheap wine. The Chinese slippers I'm wearing were fairly common at the time, but I don't think anybody wears them anymore.

[jimjamtwo]

The McComb machine moves on, with the Triffids' arrival in the UK.

Postcard, five views of London (that look like they were taken in about 1971). Postmarked Kensington September 6, 1984.

Dear James - at last we've got a place to live! - 22 Welbeck Court Addison Bridge Place (01 - 603 1694) - Everything is going better and faster than expected. Played last night with the GoB's to good reaction; support Echo + the Bunnymen next month. More importantly, Alsy's cooking is as substantial as ever and Heineken is only 48 p at any deli. OK so it's not heaven but who's taking notes? Written any superlative melodies lately? I'm going slowly but surely. Hope all is good. - David.

[jimjamtwo]

This letter is of interest to those wanting to know more about the background to Born Sandy Devotional:

Two-page letter, handwritten. Postmarked Kensington September 14, 1984. (The omitted passage at the beginning is just about my recent change of address.)

... Things are still going well here, the future looks promising - but we won't really know the complexion of the beast until the LP comes out on Sept 24. (I presume L.S.I. has come out safely. PLEASE make sure someone sends a copy (several?) to us.) The most pressing issue on my mind (and in this letter) is of course this damnable next batch of songs, the next record, whatever form it takes. In those little hurried two-man sessions we had in Perth in my house, a healthy amount of seeds were planted for future songs; or at least cuttings grafted onto new stem-bodies. Most of my waking hours are spent working on this torrid collection.
And though the several thousand miles between us prohibit fluent collaboration, I would still appreciate any further ideas, fragments, strands of tunes, words, titbits you could contribute on paper or cassette tape.
It's still the same basic set of songs I refer to, but I'm prepared to make hefty changes/re-writings. For instance, that one "Tender is The Night" - you had lyrics and a potential song on the same subject matter. How has that been going?
I am in dire confusion about what songs should comprise the next record; whether it should be an orchestral, textural, subdued, intimate, exotically-coloured record of non-RnR instruments and atmospheric endeavors - OR a record to all intents and purposes that takes our "live set" (live sound) as a blueprint and then colours and widens its scope with accessory instruments. In other words, still over a bedrock of guitar, bass, drums of a conventional (but powerful) nature.
I'm sure this all sounds like excessive navel-gazing to you, so take it with a truckload of salt. But you get what I'm driving at? - I would appreciate any advice.
What bloody news of your European sojourn, anyway? When will it take place? Once again I have a stake in this matter. We don't know whether to record in the UK or Sydney (or if in the UK, how much, perhaps just a couple of songs) - at present we simply want to record in Sydney for the reason that you, Graham Lee and Blue will all be there. So will you be in Sydney in Feb/March or will it be love unrequited? (And then of course there's the tour, young man).
I trust your new abode is of luxurious standards (ours is actually very nice, much nicer than anything in Sydney - colour TV, phone, heating, cleaning lady once a week).
I understand implicitly that Europe is a more rarefied, salubrious world than the UK; but I'm no snob and I've found London surprisingly pleasant.
Yours in exile, David
P.S. tell us all the dirty royalty money stories regarding Lawson S.I. and JFK and so on.
P.S. write soon, I can do much better than this.

Note: Blue was the harmonica player in the Sydney band The Lighthouse Keepers.