Lance and Pam sound like beautiful people to have so many of Kenny’s friends rock up saying “Kenny sent me” and they would welcome them into their home
No mobile phones back then to let them know Kenny was sending them another one of his friends.
The story of Billy Lee Long reminds me of about 30 years ago through my work I meet a lovely Chinese man who owned a great Chinese Restaurant. He was like Billy spoke with an Australian accent and then I found out he was born in Australia in 1946 the same year I was born. Hugh your stories are always very interesting to read and they do jolt my memory of lovely times in my past
I ran into a bloke on a tennis court yesterday and he immediately said "Tell 'em Kenny sent you". Maybe that phrase will now enter the English language.
The reason I write about the past Sheryl is to bring people's memories back -- and to show how the world has changed. Some writers claim "I tell it like it is!". I say "I ttell it like it was!"
Yes. I agree that the two people Lance and Pam must have been very kind. It reminds me of Hugh's first radio serial on the ABC Over the Top. How his parents were always taking in old blokes who had nowhere to live...and in Australia we are having to do that again now withe housing shortage and no flats to rent.
Wonderful story Hugh! The illustrations by David Mackintosh are excellent and include that lovely black and white pony-skin bag. Billy Lee Long looking very fit in the photo of him climbing up a steep Hong Kong street.
Another priceless combo of Hughie’s yarns and David Mac’s drawings, bringing back to life that glorious, cringe-making, golf-socks and shorts-wearing decade of the 1960s! Can’t wait for the wireless serial versions because audio books are only any good if the author reads them.
I agree Craig. I'd much rather hear what weight and length the author brings to individual words and sentences -- how it was meant to be. The ABC ued an actor when they broadcast my adaptions of Over the Top with Jim and Spies Like Us and he was excellent. But one day I'm going to read them myself and put them up on substack too!
No need to cringe...what about the early 2000s when all the cool hipsters wore shoes with 6 inch long pointy toes! It didn't last long. Thank goodness.
I never felt supercool in my seven years away from Australia: except when I froze in London. Yes Australia was a conservativebackwater -- but it must have had something going for it because I came home! And if I hadn't I'd never have got to write books about my life -- and this substack page.
That photo of Hugh in his sportscar, I think it's a MG, in the 1960s, with the longish blond hair, is the double of David Hemmings in that fantastic movie from the 1960s, Jane Birkin is in it, and I think a very young Vanessa Redgrave, Blow Up. Swinging London and all that.
A radio serial would be fantastic. Have you got a theme song, like the one for Over the Top? What station will it be on? Can we listen in the car whenever we like? Do we need Bluetooth? Did you know that the ancient Greeks and Romans always read aloud, because then they were breathing with the author, and anyone who read a book silently was considered odd. When is it going to happen?
radio stations and newspapers are old hat! I will be putting my reading of the serial up on substack -- which means anyone in the world with a mobile phone can tune in. At the moment, the only people who can listen to this serial is people in Australian nursing homes where it is being broadcast by satellite via "Silver Memories" an offshoot of 4MBS. Very very interesting abut reading aloud -- one of the things I've always done since I was a cade reporter in 1960 is to read my stories out loud to make sure they made sense. I still do.
When will it be posted on substack? Soon. I've just got to get it organised. So far, I have adapted 100 episodes from the book each 6 or 7 minutes long. (A radio serial requires re-writing because a book has too much detail -- plus I insert things I've thought of since).
Audiobooks are a big growth area in publishing. Simon & Schuster - America’s fourth largest publisher - has just been purchased for US$1.6bn by a company whose publishing strength is audiobooks. Who knows? The local arm of S&S might give an arm - and a leg - for 600 hours of prime Aussie storytelling.
Hugh, we have done a few gigs now - my greatest achievement so far was not killing the rest of the band. However, we have started what is shaping up to be a wildly successful folk music jam - 6pm Monday nights at The Mountain Manor. If you are ever up this way bring whatever it is you play and join us.
The Mountain Manor sound like a great place for a folk music jam Jeanette -- as long as none of the band are disposed of in the meantime! I was a trumpet player in the school cadet band, but that wouldn't be a pass mark I suspect.
Glad to hear you band is "The Tamborines" (good name) are doing well.
The scariest week was when a guy turned up with an amplifier the size of a small car, plus an electric guitar...I wondered just what part of the word "folk" escaped him....luckily he was too drunk to play!
Lance and Pam sound like beautiful people to have so many of Kenny’s friends rock up saying “Kenny sent me” and they would welcome them into their home
No mobile phones back then to let them know Kenny was sending them another one of his friends.
The story of Billy Lee Long reminds me of about 30 years ago through my work I meet a lovely Chinese man who owned a great Chinese Restaurant. He was like Billy spoke with an Australian accent and then I found out he was born in Australia in 1946 the same year I was born. Hugh your stories are always very interesting to read and they do jolt my memory of lovely times in my past
I ran into a bloke on a tennis court yesterday and he immediately said "Tell 'em Kenny sent you". Maybe that phrase will now enter the English language.
The reason I write about the past Sheryl is to bring people's memories back -- and to show how the world has changed. Some writers claim "I tell it like it is!". I say "I ttell it like it was!"
Absolutely, Hugh. Aussies need to remember who they are! And we should celebrate it too.
Yes. I agree that the two people Lance and Pam must have been very kind. It reminds me of Hugh's first radio serial on the ABC Over the Top. How his parents were always taking in old blokes who had nowhere to live...and in Australia we are having to do that again now withe housing shortage and no flats to rent.
Wonderful story Hugh! The illustrations by David Mackintosh are excellent and include that lovely black and white pony-skin bag. Billy Lee Long looking very fit in the photo of him climbing up a steep Hong Kong street.
Another priceless combo of Hughie’s yarns and David Mac’s drawings, bringing back to life that glorious, cringe-making, golf-socks and shorts-wearing decade of the 1960s! Can’t wait for the wireless serial versions because audio books are only any good if the author reads them.
I agree Craig. I'd much rather hear what weight and length the author brings to individual words and sentences -- how it was meant to be. The ABC ued an actor when they broadcast my adaptions of Over the Top with Jim and Spies Like Us and he was excellent. But one day I'm going to read them myself and put them up on substack too!
No need to cringe...what about the early 2000s when all the cool hipsters wore shoes with 6 inch long pointy toes! It didn't last long. Thank goodness.
Hugh became supercool in the mid 1960s - because he left backwater conservative Australia. I was too young and gormless to escape..
I never felt supercool in my seven years away from Australia: except when I froze in London. Yes Australia was a conservativebackwater -- but it must have had something going for it because I came home! And if I hadn't I'd never have got to write books about my life -- and this substack page.
That photo of Hugh in his sportscar, I think it's a MG, in the 1960s, with the longish blond hair, is the double of David Hemmings in that fantastic movie from the 1960s, Jane Birkin is in it, and I think a very young Vanessa Redgrave, Blow Up. Swinging London and all that.
It's a 1954 MGTF and I wish I still had it -- and the hair!
A radio serial would be fantastic. Have you got a theme song, like the one for Over the Top? What station will it be on? Can we listen in the car whenever we like? Do we need Bluetooth? Did you know that the ancient Greeks and Romans always read aloud, because then they were breathing with the author, and anyone who read a book silently was considered odd. When is it going to happen?
radio stations and newspapers are old hat! I will be putting my reading of the serial up on substack -- which means anyone in the world with a mobile phone can tune in. At the moment, the only people who can listen to this serial is people in Australian nursing homes where it is being broadcast by satellite via "Silver Memories" an offshoot of 4MBS. Very very interesting abut reading aloud -- one of the things I've always done since I was a cade reporter in 1960 is to read my stories out loud to make sure they made sense. I still do.
When will it be posted on substack? Soon. I've just got to get it organised. So far, I have adapted 100 episodes from the book each 6 or 7 minutes long. (A radio serial requires re-writing because a book has too much detail -- plus I insert things I've thought of since).
Audiobooks are a big growth area in publishing. Simon & Schuster - America’s fourth largest publisher - has just been purchased for US$1.6bn by a company whose publishing strength is audiobooks. Who knows? The local arm of S&S might give an arm - and a leg - for 600 hours of prime Aussie storytelling.
Always a pleasure to read your stories Hugh - and they are so vividly expressed!
Thank you Jeanette and I hope "The Tamborines" are playing some more great music!
Once we buy enough earplugs for our audience, we'll be right on it!
Hugh, we have done a few gigs now - my greatest achievement so far was not killing the rest of the band. However, we have started what is shaping up to be a wildly successful folk music jam - 6pm Monday nights at The Mountain Manor. If you are ever up this way bring whatever it is you play and join us.
The Mountain Manor sound like a great place for a folk music jam Jeanette -- as long as none of the band are disposed of in the meantime! I was a trumpet player in the school cadet band, but that wouldn't be a pass mark I suspect.
Glad to hear you band is "The Tamborines" (good name) are doing well.
Hugh
The scariest week was when a guy turned up with an amplifier the size of a small car, plus an electric guitar...I wondered just what part of the word "folk" escaped him....luckily he was too drunk to play!
Ah for more Lance and Pam's. Sounds like quite the life those tennis (and squash) maestros lived!
Bloody marvelous!
Another ripping yarn Hugh !
Great story, Hugh!
Great story. Your descriptions are so simple, but paint such a detailed in one's mind. Thank you!
Helen warns me "don't think about how you do it or you might lose it".
I think she's right: she usually is).
You can't say anything nicer to a writer!
By the way, I've just finished Episode 100 of The Great Fletch -- so watch out for it.