BOZ SKAGGS "LOWDOWN" . . . . 1976/77 AND BOZ WAS THE BUZZ, MADE A HELL OF AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE EAGLES, FLEETWOOD MAC AND E.L.O OVERKILL . . . . HAVING STARTED OUT WITH STEVE MILLER, THE BOZ CARVED A NICHE FOR HIMSELF WITH BLUES TINGED FUNK/SOUL LIKE FEW WHITE BOYS HAVE MANAGED . . . . I SAW HIM LIVE IN 1980, IT WAS A SUPERB GIG . . . . 'LOWDOWN' IN BRISBANE TOWN !!!!

AS MUCH AS I WAS INTO, AND COMPLETELY ABSORBED BY, THE WHOLE PUNK THING AT THE TIME, THIS SHIT STILL GOT ME, THE GROOVE, THE FEEL, THE TONE, THE WHOLE FUCKING CAPER . . . . AND IT HAS THE EXACT SAME EFFECT ON ME ALL THESE YEARS LATER, SLICK, WELL PRODUCED, RED HOT TUNES DELIVERED BY A GENUINE AND TALENTED SHOWMAN . . . . GOOD OLD FASHIONED QUALITY, AND THAT STUFF NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE . . . . YOU CAN'T GET YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A CHICK WHILE IN THE BACKGROUND THE MC5 ARE KICKIN OUT THE JAMS . . . . BUT YOU CAN LURVE ALL NIGHT LONG WITH THE LIKES OF BOZ GETTING JIGGY WITH IT ON THE STEREO . . . . THANKYOU AND GOODNIGHT !!

FROM THE 'OLDIES BUT OUTRAGEOUS GOODIES' CATEGORY . . . . PETE STANSFIELD'S [EAT THE RICH UK] LIME GREEN, LONG SPRINGER, T120 CHOP . . . . HE'S PARTED COMPANY WITH THIS DELIGHTFUL JIGGER RECENTLY AND WHOEVER HAS IT IN THEIR POSSESSION . . . . ENJOY IT YOU BASTARD, ONE OF THE CHILLEST TRUMPY'S GOING ROUND . . . . IMMACULATE STYLING AND PERFECT STANCE . . . . AND IT'S GREEN !!!!

Simple story to this one, the more I revisit this magic bit of Meriden powered chopper perfection, the more I reckon that green is going to be the colour of Project Shoveller, not only is the scoot first class, [its very well documented long term history and build details are available on Eat The Rich and in a back issue of GKM] but the colour is fucking wild, sorta lime jelly/gold/candy/flake . . . . I don't know what it is but I've gone from not being a huge fan of green bikes to being tits over arse in love with it, not just any green mind you, only bright, vivid, flakey, candy sexbomb shades need apply . . . . the more I spend time drooling lasciviously at some of the green tanked rides I really dig, the more I'm convinced that I'll be running with the colour that'll be the 'envy' of everyone in my neighbourhood and beyond . . . . ta muchly for the inspiration Mr Stansfield, and your 'offsider', nice ride, fuck-off colour choice !!!!

***** [Big ups to Guy @ 'GKultured' on PooTube for the micro-clip and pretty piccy]

"HERMIT - THE INTERPLANETARY RECLUSE" . . . . ANYONE FOLLOWING EVEN HALF THE BLOGS I'M INTO WILL HAVE READ HERMIT'S WITTY, PITHY AND DOWNRIGHT HILARIOUS COMMENTS . . . . A WHILE BACK I POSTED REGARDING MATT MACHINE'S GUZZI AND RECEIVED A GREAT RELATED YARN FROM THE 'INTERPLANETARY RECLUSE' . . . . NOW I CAN CUT AND PASTE, I'D DIG TO SHARE IT . . . . PLEASE, READ ON.

HERMIT, THANKS FOR BEING ONE OF THE DISCERNING PSYCHOTICS GUILD MATE, AND FOR YOUR INSIGHTFUL AND VALUED CONTRIBUTIONS TO MINE AND MANY OTHERS BLOGS . . . . CHEERS BUDDY, MUCH RESPECT.      [THE S3 PICTURED BELOW IS NOT MATT'S BIKE . . . . BUT IT IS COOL]

THE FOLLOWING TRANSCRIPT IS IN HERMIT'S WORDS VERBATIM . . . .

"My good friend Bruce is a Guzzi freak, he has several in his stable including one with a torque converter style no-shift trans.

I asked him how he got interested in Guzzis, and he said he owed it all to his uncle Wayne. He asked if I wanted to ride over to Wayne's place to see some old Guzzis. I said 'Hell yeah !!'

Uncle Wayne is in his eighties, but still a hardcore badass. He once refused to talk to Bruce for over a year because Bruce lost a hard-to-find spring on a Guzzi carb.

Bruce introduced me, and Wayne grunted something, then looked at my rigid Sportie with disdain.
'He hates Harleys' Bruce informed me.

Wayne had a garage full of Guzzi's in various states of repair, mostly with side hacks because his legs are bad and he can't ride on two wheels anymore.

After a while, Wayne warmed up a little, but it was obvious he would never fully trust a Harley rider, especially one stupid enough to pull an engine from a perfectly good swingarm frame and put it in a rigid.

Wayne finally got a smile on his face when we started talking about his beloved Indian motorcycles. The beer flowed and Wayne's stories about post-war cars and bikes were incredible. Drag racing in the street, hopped up motors, broken bones and brushes with the law. I wish I could have taped the conversation.

Wayne used to run around with Rollie Free, another Indian rider, when Free owned a shop in Indianapolis right after the war.

When Indian went under, Wayne couldn't bring himself to switch to Milwaukee iron so he started riding Guzzis, and still does to this day."

HOWLIN' WOLF - "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" [BRETTMARVINBLUES] . . . . SOME FOLK REQUIRE NO REAL INTRO AT ALL . . . . SUFFICE TO SAY THE ORIGINAL 'WOLFMAN' IS EMBLEMATIC OF A GENERATION OF BLUES PIONEERS WHO BARELY GOT THEIR DUE BEFORE THEY SHUFFLED OFF TO THE BIG GIG IN THE SKY . . . . WITHOUT HOWLIN' WOLF AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES, MODERN MUSIC WOULD BE NOTHIN AT ALL !!!

MY PERSONAL GUIDING LIGHT FOR ALL THINGS BLUES, THE COMPLETE MASTER OF HIS CHOSEN MEDIUM, STILL AS FRESH AND TIMELESS TODAY AS IT WAS SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AGO, A VITAL AND UNDENIABLE CONDUIT FOR ALL WHO CAME AFTER . . . . ALWAYS SEEMED PRETTY FUCKED UP TO ME THAT MEN LIKE HOWLIN' WOLF GOT NO RESPECT OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THE BROADER, WHITE DOMINATED MUSIC COMMUNITY IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY UNTIL IT WAS PRETTY WELL TOO FUCKING LATE . . . . IN FACT, IT WAS THE LIKES OF THE STONES AND THE FAB FOUR WHO FINALLY SHONE THE LONG OVERDUE SPOTLIGHT ON THIS APPALLING STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE SIXTIES . . . . RACISM SUCKS BALLS, THEN, NOW AND FOREVER . . . . HOWL ON MAN !!! RIP.

DOWN HERE IN THE ANTIPODES MOST OF US ARE ROLLIN ON THE OCC TYPE SICKLE PICTURED AT TOP . . . . ALL THE LUXURIES OF HOME AND MORE, LOVELY COLOUR CHOICE AND . . . . NO, FUCK IT, I CAN'T GO ON, EVEN IN SARCASM . . . . ONE FUGLY PIECE OF SHIT . . . . THE RED SHOVEL ON THE OTHER HAND WAS THE LONGTERM PRIDE AND JOY OF MY GOOD MATE GEOFF . . . . CLEAN, HONEST AND LEGIT.

THE ABOVE MONSTROSITY IS APPARENTLY AN AMALGAM OF WHAT THE TRAVELLING IDIOT SHOW THAT

IS OCC THOUGHT A AUSTRALIAN THEMED RIDE SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT . . . . AN EXCEPTIONAL EYESORE EVEN BY THEIR WOEFUL STANDARDS OF NON-DESIGN . . . . EVERYBODY CARRIES A SURFBOARD LASHED TO

THEIR PRIMARY IN OZ, DIDN'T YOU KNOW ???

THE ABOVE, CLASSICALLY RAKED, SIMPLY APPOINTED, BIG INCH SHOVEL WAS A PROJECT OF MUCH PASSION AND COMMITMENT BY A VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE GOING BACK INTO THE NINETIES . . . . PUT TOGETHER BY GEOFF AND THE EVER TALENTED ROSCOE OVER SOME TIME . . . . SCOOPED 1st PRIZE AT THIS SHOW ON THE GOLDY WHEN IT WAS SNAPPED BY THE FELLA FROM 'CHOPPERS AUSTRALIA' BACK IN '05 . . . . AS STATED IN THE INTRO, CLEAN, HONEST AND THOROUGHLY FUCKING LEGIT.

JAMES BROWN "DR FEELGOOD" . . . . THE MOST UNRELENTING, HEAVY HITTIN, BADDEST, SHARPEST, ON THE EDGE, MOTHERFUNKER TRACK OF ALL TIME . . . . SO FAST, SO FURIOUS, SO FUCKING IN THE POCKET . . . . FROM THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE GENRE . . . . THE HARDEST WORKING MAN IN SHOWBIZ . . . . THE GODFATHER OF ALL THINGS FUNKY, BRINGIN THE O.G SHIT FULL-ON . . . . NOW, STEP BACK !!!!

THE ONE AND ONLY JAMES BROWN WITH A SEARINGLY FRANTIC, FUCK-OFF FUNK GEM THAT HAS NEVER BEEN EXCEEDED, NO TIME FOR A BREATH OR QUICK MID SONG RELAX, ONE SPEED ONLY, FLAT OUT . . . . LISTEN TO THE HORN STABS, THE RHYTHM SECTION, THE HYPERDRIVE GUITARS, BROWN'S VOCALS IN CLASSIC 'BROWNSPEAK', IT IS MY MOST LOVED UPTOWN TRACK OF ALL TIME . . . . THE REAL DEAL, EPICALLY DANGEROUS SHIT.

I NEVER REALISED HOW DIFFICULT IT MIGHT BE TO PLAY OR SING THIS HEAVYWEIGHT TUNE UNTIL I WAS IN AN ELEVEN PIECE SOUL/FUNK/R+B OUTFIT IN THE EARLY 90's, IT TOOK ME A WEEK TO DECIPHER ALL WHAT BROTHER JAMES WAS SINGING THEN TWO WEEKS REHEARSAL WITH THE BAND TO NAIL IT, TIMING AND PHRASING WAS A TOTAL MOTHERFUCKER . . . . WITHOUT BRAGGING TOO MUCH, IT WAS WORTH EVERY SECOND OF TRIAL AND TRIBULATION, WE NAILED IT, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF, DOIN IT LIVE ON STAGE WAS SUCH A RUSH, BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE BLAST I STILL GET FROM GETTING DOWN TO THE GENUINE ARTICLE . . . . TAKE IT MISTER BROWN, TURN ME LOOSE . . . . GIVE IT UP . . . . ONE TIME . . . . GIVE IT UP, TWO TIME !!!

GEORGE MICHAEL "OUTSIDE" . . . . SHIT, HERE HE GOES AGAIN POSTING 'HOMO TUNES' . . . . I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A DEFINITE REACTION FROM SOME CREW . . . . I COULDN'T GIVE A RAT'S . . . . FOR A GAY, GREEK BOY FROM LONDON, GEORGIE SURE GETS THE FUNK-SOUL-BROTHER THANG GOIN ON . . . . STICKIN IT IN THE FACES OF THE P.D AND THE ULTRA RIGHT SQUARES . . . . HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD ??

I'm sure everyone can remember when the ex Wham star got knicked doing things rude, crude and lewd in some public dunny in L.A, made an example of in a city that is pretty much renowned for being moderately bereft of morals and social mores . . . . yeah, thought so, some cops who dress remarkably similar to the SS are always likely to have problems with anything related to gays, goodtimes, bikers, non whites, skaters, punks and other potential variations to their myopic norm . . . . a bit like the pot calling the kettle bent . . . . but I digress.

The clip that accompanied this downright wicked piece of funky/soul by the Gay Blade, Mr Michael, was a total pisstake on those who had been casting the boulder sized stones, he stuck it right up their insecure, overly delicate nostrils, fuck you and the square horse you rode in on . . . . it was and is, not unlike the Pet Shop Boys 'West End Girls', an exceptional bit of contemporary song craft, a groove from hell, hooks that don't pull out and lyrical content way more brave and directed than Hank Rollins et al could generally concieve of . . . . all of that shit aside, it's simply a really fucking cool tune, like many others released by him since he discovered there's more to his quiver than piss ordinary pop by the mid nineties . . . . life's pretty straight without twisted.

AHOY THERE LOVEYMUCKER, CHECK THIS OUT . . . . DISREGARD THE FACT IT MIGHTN'T BE TO YOUR PERSONAL TASTE . . . . BUT AS AN OVERALL FRAME LINE CONCEPT FOR A RIGID . . . . I SAW IT AGES AGO IN SEVERAL PLACES AND STILL RECKON IT'S PERTY COOL . . . . COMPACT, TIGHT AND NO UGLY ANGLES AND IT'S A SHOVEL AS WELL . . . . GET BACK TO ME BROTHERMAN, JUST BRAINSTORMING . . . .

ANOTHER COOL THING THAT I'LL NEVER OWN, IN 'SUBLIME', 'GREEN GO' OR ANY OTHER COLOUR CODE FOR THAT MATTER . . . . RAT FINK WAS SUGGESTING IT COULD USE SOME BIGGER RUBBER ON THE ARSE END . . . . I'M OF THE OPINION THAT MR FINK NEEDS HIS EYES CHECKED . . . . HOWEVER, HE DID LIKE THE BIG DODGE'S COLOUR . . . . MUTTERED SOMETHING ABOUT 'GORDON GEKKO . . . . GREEN IS GOOD'

"SWISS FAMILY THUMPER", THE BIG 4 STROKE THAT SAW THE REBIRTH OF THE SUPER SINGLE . . . . THE YAMMY XT, TT AND SR 500's REALLY PROVED JUST HOW TOUGH A FOUR STROKE THUMPER COULD BE . . . . SURE, HONDA HAD HAD A CRACK BUT THESE THINGS WERE THE DUCK'S NUTS AND THE PUBLIC GRABBED EM BY THE BALLS . . . . TOTALLY DESERVING OF THEIR LEGEND STATUS . . . . WHEELIES, FUCK YEAH !!!!

A TRIO OF COOLER, TOUGHER, MORE INFLUENTIAL BIKES YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR, IN 1976 WHEN THE 'C' MODEL XT AND TT 500 CAME ONTO THE SCENE, NOBODY TOOK BIG SINGLE POT FOUR STROKERS SERIOUSLY, UNLESS YOU OWNED A MANX, AJS, BEEZER AND THE LIKE . . . . THEY WERE CONSIGNED TO THE DINOSAUR BIN OF MOTORSICKLE HISTORY, NO-ONE COULD'VE FORSEEN HOW INFLUENTIAL THESE TWO RELEASES FROM THE HOUSE OF THE CROSSED TUNING FORKS WOULD BE . . . . BY THE TIME THE 'SR' ROAD GOING VERSION WITH BIGGER HEAD AND VALVES AND OTHER MODS WAS BROUGHT OUT, THE MOULD WAS CAST AND THE RESURGENCE OF THE 4 STROKE CHOOK CHASER WAS WELL UNDER WAY.

The mere fact these critters are now super sought after 30 plus years later is testament to just how fucking good they were, until they changed the motor format in the early eighties, you couldn't kill the bastards, the only thing that invariably failed were the mufflers when they rotted out with metal worm, but as long as you changed the oil and filter, did your valves, tensioned the cam chain and kept air in the tyres, Bob was your mother's brother . . . . the use of the SR donk in a TT frame with modest head work, biggish, [well, huge] cam, open megaphone, 38mm [?] Mikuni, steering damper, Suzi quad leader front brake, good shocks and slicks was enough to get John Stamnas the lap record for a single 500 at Lakeside back in 1993 or thereabouts, even the KTM's and Husky Super-Retards couldn't get past the old Classic Bike Tune #7, at one point all of us in the shop had a hybrid thumper on the road, it was Yamathumper madness. 

Seriously, without the advent of these killer, one lung, four stroke stump pullers, two strokes would still be the only class in motocross and Poms would be hogging all the glory and fame in the world of big singles, at least now they have to share the spotlight with the ball tearing Yamaha trio of the XT, TT and SR 500.