MY FOURTH OUTFIT "COLLECTIVE DOGMA", THE HOUSE BAND AT 'THE DOGHOUSE BLUES BAR AND GRILL' . . . . I GUESS EVERY BLOKE WHO'S SPENT MOST OF THEIR LIFE PLAYING MUSIC HAS A FANTASY OF PLAYING IN THEIR OWN GIG . . . . COMING ON AFTER THE MAIN ACT AND THEN JAMMING SOLID INTO THE HAZY HOURS OF THE MORNING . . . . I WAS LIVING THAT DREAM.

HERE WE ARE SOUND-CHECKING FOR THE INDYCAR DRIVERS PARTY IN 1997 . . . . HOOT !!!

 OUR AXEMEISTER GURU, GAVIN HAMILTON, GETTING ACOUSTIC WHILE I GET INTIMATE WITH HIM

MY BEST MATE AND I GOT IT UP AND RUNNING IN APRIL OF '96, DESIGNED IT FROM THE GROUND UP, PURPOSE BUILT FOR LIVE MUSIC, RUN THE P.A AT 120db AND NOT HEAR A FART OUT IN THE STREET, 1000 PUNTER CAPACITY, BLUES, ROCK, FUNK, JAZZ, INDIE, PUNK, ANYTHING BUT DOOF-DOOF AND TOP FORTY . . . . THE LOCALS LOVED IT, WE LOVED IT AND THE LOCAL 1%ers LOVED IT . . . . SOME OF THE LOCALS GOT FREAKED OUT WHEN THEY SAW WE WERE ALLOWING THE BIKERS IN AND STARTED TO STAY AWAY, BUT WE NEVER HAD A DRAMA WITH THEM, THEY WERE STOKED TO HAVE A GIG THEY COULD GO TO AND KEPT THEMSELVES IN CHECK AS I KNEW THE KEY GUYS PREVIOUSLY THROUGH THE MUSIC AND BIKE CAPER, PLUS, THEY ALWAYS SPENT LARGE . . . . WHATEVER, WE LASTED NEARLY THREE YEARS BEFORE BANKRUPTCY FORCED CLOSURE, WE PAYED BACK THE CREDITORS BUT WE WERE FUCKED, SHOULDA BEEN PANDERING TO ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE/PLASTIC TITTY CHICKS AND SELLING SHITTY PILLS AND COKE LIKE THE NIGHTCLUBS IN TOWN WERE, FUCK THAT, WE WERE JUST A BIT AHEAD OF THE BLUES REVIVAL FOR THE TOWN WE WERE IN . . . . BUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WERE ALWAYS GETTING UP AND BLASTING IT OUT IN 'COLLECTIVE DOGMA' FROM 1.00 IN THE MORNING, JAMMING WITH THE LIKES OF LINK WRAY, JOHNNIE JOHNSON, CANNED HEAT, THE DIRTY THREE, VINCE JONES, SKUNKHOUR, BONDI CIGARS AND SO MANY MORE. I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS, SCREW THE NAYSAYERS AND COMFORT BUMS, LIVE YOUR LIVES, HOLD FAST.