Thanks so much to Greg Appel for the interview! The Lighthouse Keepers is of course a legendary band from Australia and probably you all know about them. But did you know Greg has just published a book about the band? It is available here. I ordered my copy, and I suggest you do. Because of that and because I like the band I also asked if he’d be up for an interview and he was! Exciting! So here it is… now if I can convince him to do a Widdershins interview next 😀
Oh! and they do have a Facebook page. Become a fan!
++ You have just released a book and a CD, I think many indiepop fans will be interested in it! Can you tell me a bit about them? Where can you buy them? What is included in the book and the CD? And there are different versions, right?
The book is basically a memoir with a focus of the band I wrote songs and played with ‘The Lighthouse Keepers’, we played for a few years in the mid eighties in Australia. Good fun, pretty different from what was around, and in the end I think we just got a bit lazy. But that was the nature of the band. It’s available (Australia and world) at https://www.spontaneousfilms.com.au/books.html
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?
Much of this is in the book, and I will put in a few excerpts. My first instrument was actually the Ukulele. Then….
my mother dates Christmas 1975 as the beginning of the end when my father re-gifted me his barely strummed acoustic guitar, although she played a part, organising guitar lessons at home every Wednesday afternoon with a vaguely sinister-looking man who got around in long socks and shorts. In our middle-class world, all good parents gave their children tennis and music lessons. And so teaching these things became a great job for anyone who was ‘interested’ in the young. My sister doesn’t agree with me about the scale of damage our music teacher, Mr Cranfield, did to our young psyches. He didn’t discriminate between the sexes either. I just knew when he sat next to me, and the creeping hand came out, I felt uncomfortable and moved a bit further down the couch. It was only years later when we talked about it that I realised what was going on. And justice was eventually dealt out to Mr. Cranfield. He apparently ended up in prison, where he died. But that was the start of my relationship with the guitar
++ Had you been in other bands before The Lighthouse Keepers? I read about The Grant Brothers and the Guthugga Pipeline, are there others? How did they sound like? Are there any recordings?
Before Guthugga Pipeline (around 1979), which was a sort of punk band (Half covers/Half originals) and The Grant Brothers – a short lived Canberra band where I wrote most of the songs, I did whacky music tapes with Gavin Butler who was in Guthugga Pipeline with me. They were ‘rock operas’ based on Monty Python type humour with many Australian marsupials and assorted characters. I also made my brothers and sisters join me in a band if that counts.
++ What about the rest of the band members?
Hairy (S O’Neil) from LHK was in both the Grant Brothers and Guthugga Pipeline and continues to play to this day with the Cannanes and about 100 other bands. Juliet was a closet singer guitarist, the eventual drummer played in a Sydney band called ‘the Particles’ which Hairy also played in
++ Where were you from originally? Canberra as Wikipedia has it?
Yes and no. Three members myself, Juliet Ward and Hairy were from Canberra. But we started the band in Sydney where we met ‘Blue’ Dalton and Steven Williams the drummer. Both Sydney residents.
++ How was Sydney at the time of The Lighthouse Keepers? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?
I think this is covered in the book again. But Here
Our inner-city (Sydney) scene was a scene within a scene. It was a small world but bigger than punk in Canberra. It was also quite diverse and punks were a minor part of a kaleidoscope of creatures. Some in paisley shirts, some in cheesecloth, some in leather. Traditional garb like flannelette was popular too. Sydney smelt different. Leaded petrol fumes, wisteria, cigarettes, beer. There seemed to be other young people everywhere and not a lot of effort was required to engage with them. Everyone was your friend. Everyone also seemed to be in a band. You didn’t have to like their band—you probably didn’t—but you’d go and see them anyway. We were also united by an antipathy to whatever what was perceived as mainstream.
++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?
Believe it or not we got together for a talent quest at a tertiary institution I was ‘studying’ at. We won with a barking dog! Blue joined Me, Juliet and Hairy and a guy called Tim Palmer, who became a well known ABC journalist.
++ Were there any lineup changes?
The dog and Tim Palmer left fairly peaceably we recruited Steven Williams on drums after our first recording. The single ‘Gargoyle’.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
Excerpt
Did the Lighthouse Keepers want to be mainstream? I don’t think any of us thought about it that much. But we must have had some aspirations: they grew as our audience grew. I enjoyed writing songs, getting them played and seeing what would happen. In those days, I might write a song before breakfast and then another after it. The morning was always a good time. The late morning—to be exact. You might still have a bit of a hangover, which would loosen up the cogs of creativity. From early on, I made sure they never did become Top 40 songs. I did this by giving each song a title that was totally unrelated to any of the lyrics. This was certain to confuse any potential customers. For example, ‘Ocean Liner’, ‘Love Beacon’, ‘Wilderbeast’ and on and on through my back catalogue. I named the songs like objects or animals.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? Is it true you originally were called the Light-Housekeepers?
No, it was done by committee and endless votes (see book). But I did come up with the name.
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
Quite eclectic everything from the Smiths, to Motown, to 40s American pop, and good Country and Western. Between us the band had all sorts of records. Hairy was a punk/Detroit fan (as well as a lot of UK stuff). I also quite like some of the mainstream acts of the time.
++ Originally, I read, you put some tapes together before the release of “Gargoyle”. How many tapes were they? Were these demo tapes? Or where these sold at gigs? Have the songs included in these tapes been released eventually?
I’m not sure what these were. The Gargoyle recording was a tape, and we did actually record Patsy Clines “I fall to Pieces’ at the same session. Just never put it out.
++ Your first 7″, “Gargoyle”, came out on your own Guthugga Pipeline Records. I can tell where you took the name! But why did you decide to self-release? Was there no interest from labels? And how did you like doing the label stuff, dealing with pressing plants, distributing, etc?
From memory, we didn’t even approach a record company. We just did it. It was cheaper to make our own labels and do hand drawn covers. There were hassles with pressing it, but it sold well for what we had planned. The book has a hand drawn covered edition, to kind of recall the process. It’s been good fun.
++ This 7″ was recorded at Dream Studios for $50! Was this your first experience at a proper recording studios? Or you all had experience? How long did it take to record the 3 songs?
Again in the book, but it was done over a few nights. And we also did the 4th Patsy Cline song
++ “Gargoyle” actually had a promo video. Where was it recorded? And who made it? Yourselves?
his was from my Media course. I could use the equipment and also pass units.
++ Then came “The Exploding Lighthouse Keepers” where you added Steven Williams as a drummer as well as a manager. One thing I have to ask is about the artwork, as the previous release and this one have a very particular look and feel. Who came out with the drawings?
It was inspired by the hand drawn Gargoyle covers, but this time we thought we’d just colour in one drawn version that I did actually. I draw like a 10 year old. Stick figures etc.
++ After these two first releases the album finally came. “Tales of the Unexpected” was released in 1984 on Hot Records. I have to ask then, how did you end up on this label? And how was your relationship with them?
Some people fell out with Hot Records and particularly Martin Jennings. But we just kind of moved on, and started a new band in the end. They were good for us at the time and helped us get to the UK and Europe, which we would never have done without them.
++ You were now labelmates with The Triffids and The Laughing Clowns. Did that help get more attention to the band?
The Triffids were pretty good friends at that time, The Laughing Clowns were idols of some in the band. I think we would have felt good to be on that label. It actually had some great stuff on it in retrospect.
++ How different was recording the album compared to the previous releases? Any anecdotes you remember?
From book
we ended up doing about a week of late-night recording sessions at Paradise Studios, in Kings Cross. This was a big studio for us, but by doing it after hours we could save a lot of money. We were young enough then to do without sleep for a while. It felt like things were starting to happen. Paradise Studios was owned by Billy Field, who had a retro-sounding hit with ‘Bad Habits’. I think he put the money from that into this fairlymodern 24-track studio. He never appeared at the sessions, but the studio always had a faint smell of eighties fairy dust.
++ Then two more 7″s. “Ocean Liner” also got a promo video and you wrote on Youtube that it was a big budget clip. Is that so? How much did it cost to make?
I was joking in that Australian way of saying the opposite to what I meant (which isn’t always that funny). It cost nothing – I did for my Media course. I love those clips. I think they capture the mood.
++ Lastly there was the “Ode to Nothing” 7″, and that was the last ever release, right? You also used the name of this song for a compilation released in 2011, would you say this was one of the most emblematic songs of the band? And how come this was your last release? Was there plans for more?
We didn’t plan it as the last release, but in retrospect it was a good one. It actually sounds well recorded and warm. Not too much Eighties effects that wrecked a lot of records in Australia at the time. (our next band’s album a good example)
++ In 1986 Waterfront Records would release a compilation, then in 1992 Phantom Records would release a much more complete compilation. How did this compilations came together, and I wonder if the Phantom Records one is the most complete one? Is it missing anything?
It was pretty comprehensive. I don’t think ‘I fall to Pieces’ has ever been out. It’s probably lost. Patsy’s version is quite a lot better in memory, but still it wasn’t too bad. Great song.
++ The Phantom compilation has this comic strip on the back cover, who made that? What’s the story of you playing at Central Park for free?
That’s me again with the ten year old styled art. Another joke. I think I’m a frustrated comic on some level. Sorry.
++ Oh! And who is on the front cover photo of the “Imploding” compilation on Waterfront?
Again me. I can’t remember why we decided on that. Juliet was the obvious choice, so we made that one. It was the wrong one. I didn’t really enjoy having huge posters of my head around. But I looked a lot better in those days.
++ Are there any unreleased tracks by the band or has everything being released?
We did record only recently 2 new songs. One ‘Hoogle Waltz’ from the old Lighthouse Keepers set, the other ‘Shadowlands’ from a musical comedy I wrote many years after the band. They’ll be available any day.
++ Oh! And how come Egg Records didn’t release your music when they come back? I mean they did release The Widdershins and included “Springtime” on the “Souvenirs from Egg Record” comp… it would have been very cool!
I not sure why not. Nice they put anything out.
++ I think my favourite song is “Ocean Liner”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
Check the book on that. But it’s definitely one of my favourites too. It’s really a love song, with a slightly dark overtone. Juliet sings it beautifully.
++ If you were to choose your favorite The Lighthouse Keepers song, which one would that be and why?
I’m going for Ocean Liner. It just works well with bands limited skills and creates a mood. I have about 5 I really like. These include Gargoyle, Ode to Nothing, Time of Evil and something else. Some of the material doesn’t do a lot for me now days. But I’m old eh.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
I’m running out of answering energy. But check book, it’s amazing how many. It was a couple of years of 3 or 4 a week? Maybe not always.
++ You even toured the UK, right? Which cities did you play? Did you get a chance to do any touristy stuff on the side or it was all gig after gig after gig?
We played in London, and Leeds Uni. It was a bit of a slog by then. But not that many gigs, more a slog to hang around without much money in a large unfriendly city.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
Europe had the best and worst shows we experienced eg Rotterdam 1985…..
I do remember this Rotterdam show clearly. It was definitely the biggest audience we played to in Europe and was a great success. We’d got lucky in getting Jesus and Mary Chain’s prime slot at the festival. Not a totally compatible band perhaps. So at the start of the show, there was a bit on an exodus of crowd, but also an influx. We went down a treat and everyone was happy. We got to taste a bit of the rock star lifestyle too, backstage. The Triffids were playing this same festival and were already hardened partakers
++ And were there any bad ones?
That would be London on our first show. From book…
20 SEPT 1985 HAMMERSMITH CLARENDON
Nick Mainsbridge, Audio guru, 2017
I hated live mixing and this was a good example of why. It was a Hot Records night in a sort of a cave. There were posters with three bands and twelve bands turned up and then they only played for twenty minutes. They’d spray-painted concrete all along the back of the stage in a curve at the back, which looks okay but if you’re a sound mixer, it’s your worst nightmare, because the sound from the foldback bounces directly off the back wall into the microphone and you have uncontrollable feedback. It was a disaster—I ended up pointing the foldback wedges at the audience and the band couldn’t hear themselves. There were twelve people there or something. It was the worst gig in the world—I felt sorry for the Lighthouse Keepers.
++ When and why did The Lighthouse Keepers stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards? I know of the fantastic The Widdershins…
After the European tour it all seemed a bit much. The usual sort of inter band friction. Myself and Juliet broke up as a couple, which was difficult. But we still kept going musically in the Widdershins.
++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?
Hairy has been the musical of us. Check the ‘family tree’ at the end of book. He’s been in millions of bands. But the Cannanes is his staple. Blue has played on with all sort of bands including the Honeys. Juliet has been a solo artist. I’ve played with my brother in OneHeadJet and also made the musical comedy ‘Van Park’.
++ Has there been any reunion gigs? I believe more than a few, right?
Yes not too many. Just the right amount. May not happen again, Who knows?
++ Did you get much attention from the radio?
Only 2 JJ (ABC as in Austraian Broadcasting Commission the public station) and the alternative stations of each city. Definitely not commercial radio.
++ What about TV?
Again on the ABC a bit.
++ What about the press? Did they give you much attention?
Yes some. Check the book for some press. It definitely helped. Even a little review in NME.
++ What about from fanzines?
David Nichols did a few articles for Distant Violins, and there’s been a few that I can’t recall. There’s one in the appendix of the book.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
I think it would have to be the last show. It was packed. We thought we were stars. Sydney at it’s best.
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
I love putting on shows and they often involve music. I have a lot of camera gear and sound equipment. Some of this is for pleasure – some for work. I guess I surf. Especially since you can’t do much else at the moment
++ Never been to the Sydney or Australia in general! So I will ask for some recommendations. If I was to visit your city what shouldn’t I miss? What are your favourite sights? And any particular food or drinks that you think one shouldn’t miss?
Ha – Ok. Not many can stand the long flight to Australia. And at the moment it’s not even allowed. I live near Sydney but out of the city. Australia has great coast. It’s a pretty good place. Is it boring? Only if you can’t make your own fun. Which is what that band was about. What would I recommend. I just got back from Broken Hill. That’s pretty amazing. Weird, Outback, where strange characters meet. I think they are searching for the real Australia. But something went askew. Lots of movies made out there. Not all of them good. But it’s interesting. Sydney’s beautiful but expensive and different now. Still US dollars go a long way here. I think the wild side of Australia is great, yet we all cling to Cities and the coast. Visitors seem to like the people here. We are very civilised. It’s much more diverse than it used to be. For the better. Food and drink. It’s actually very good. Try a coffee if you’re from the US. Flat Whites – I think they may come from here.
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
If you’re still reading this and interested. Buy the book. It’s graphically amazing for the price. Writing isn’t too bad either. It was fun to put together.
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