Somewhat late in making this announcement!  My latest (6th) album is now available on BandCamp.  Listen for free - buy if you'd like to :)

First Rusty Dusty Brothers release 2020

It's been 44 years since I last played with The Rusty Dusty Brothers, a country-rock band from Sydney. We had good times playing around the city in a range of venues including The Bondi Lifesaver, French's and many others. 

To cut a long story short, a year or so ago, the idea of doing a "reunion album" was raised, and Rainman is the first completed track for that album. 

Interestingly, this ticks off a few RDB "firsts" for me, most notably: my first vocal with the band and; the first song of mine that RDB has played. 

This band is made up of 4/6 of the original personnel in the first two incarnations of the band in the mid to late 70s plus Roger's family (Penny and Jordy) and Mike Watkins from Virginia in the US, with whom I've done quite a bit of online recording over the past 15 years. 

I'm very pleased with how Roger has produced the song, and look forward to being involved with many more.

Personnel:

NEIL PORTER lead vocal. acoustic guitar, bass guitar 

JOE CANNON backing vocals 

JED HUDSON mandolin 

J.D. ILOTT pedal steel 

MIKE WATKINS drums and percussion

PENNY DAVIES backing vocals 

ROGER ILOTT Fender Telecaster, acoustic guitar, backing vocals 

Written by Neil Porter, Produced by Roger Ilott 

Photo by Brian Funnell

© all rights reserved

"Arden Street" by Owl Noble - now available

Here's one I'm proud to be associated with:

Allan Noble is a regular member of the PBGB cooperative, and over the past 18 months or so he's been having some bad luck: losing his unfinshed home to the Tathra bushfires in 2018, and now hopefully coming to the end of a 10 month battle with oesophageal cancer.

We had recorded 10 songs of Al's over the last 12 months, and decided to put them together in an album.  Then, when Al's finances were getting tight, decided to release the album to the world.  With the help of musicians Manny Aigner, Mick Nadin, Louise Nadin, Ken Vatcher, Peter Reid, Steve Faggotter, Graham Brown, John Drews and myself, we are proud to announce that Al's album "Arden Street" is available for a listen and purchase at his "Owl Noble" BandCamp page.

A digital download only costs $10 (or you can volunteer to pay more if you want), and your purchase will make a definite difference to Al and his family - and, you get some well written and performed songs.  Every cent will go directly into Al's bank account.

Thanks!

A little recent history

"The Jenerators" formed in late 2017 with the aim to produce some good RnB music featuring local songstress Jen Halper.  After many rehearsals, 4 drummers and other personnel changes, we played what was reportedly a great set at the 2018 Merimbula Wave Classic in November '18.  Then folded!

Life wasn't meant to include a band along these lines, but it was mostly good fun.  Here are a few pics from the "big night out" featuring Manny Aigner (guitar), Dennis Millsom (Keyboards, Ken Vatcher (drums), Jen Halper (vocals) and me on bass.

There are rumoured to be a vid or two out there of the night, but they haven't surfaced yet.

C'est la vie!

MARASTIQUE - "Just Full And Happy"

In 1972 and 1973 I had the pleasure of playing bass with a bunch of surfer/musicians on the northern beaches of Sydney in the mystical, magical acoustic version of Marastique.  Big on the surfing scene, but never really interested in "pop" recognition, I was really proud to be a part of this unique band of fine musicians and friendly, decent people.

This extract is from the Tracks magazine from July 1972.  Thanks "Gash", wherever you are.

Should be some interesting news on the band front in a month or so

Currently rehearsing with Jen Halper (vocals, harp), Manny Aigner (guitars/vocals), Mark Bichard (drums/vocals) and Dennis Milsom (keyboards/vocals) to add a new band to the local mix in 2018.  Watch this space.

"BiiK"

"BiiK" is a collaboration between Peter Reid (drummer with PBGB) and myself.  The concept and many of the ideas are Pete's - my job was to put them into a workable recording.
  
Pete played all the drum loops in using his Roland e-kit and I played all the bass, guitar and keyboard parts (many of which I turned into loops). 

It's big and it's dirty and was a joy to work on - a classic PBGB Pete'n'Neil collaboration..

It's up on the PBGB BandCamp page HERE.  Give it a listen.

"When Ya Gonna?" - more Shed fun :)

This started out as a PBGB jam in the Shed with John Drews, Peter Reid, Steve Faggotter, Graham Brown and me. I took the rudimentary instrumental tracks and added some words (and some length) in my home studio - et voila!

We had a ball doing this - whenever John drags a Hammond into the Shed it's always a good musical omen.

Steve Faggotter - Telecaster
Neil Porter - Bass, Vocals and Production
John Drews - Hammond organ
Peter Reid - Roland E-Drums,
Graham Brown - percussiony bits and pieces


When Ya Gonna?
©2017 Lyrics: Neil Porter

1

When you gonna
Lift your game
When you gonna
Say my name
When you gonna
Get it right
One day you gonna
See the light

2
When you gonna
Play your part
When you gonna
Break my heart
When you gonna
Walk away
One day you gonna
Up and stray

SOLOS

3
When you gonna
Show a sign
When you gonna
Say you’re mine
When you gonna
Take my hand
One day you gonna
Understand

4
When you gonna
Lift your game
When you gonna
Say my name
When you gonna
Get it right
One day you gonna
See the light

One day you gonna
See the light

One day you gonna
See the light

MARASTIQUE - Surfing World

Here's one from the archive - Surfing World Edition16 #5 article on Marastique.  Some continuity problems, but you'll get the gist.  Must have been early 70s.  Good times!

PBGB On a Roll with "Wood U Like Chips With That?"

PBGB recorded this in 2010. We'd written it for a gig we did for a local conservation group, and played it live once. We forgot about it soon after recording it as we changed personnel and the gig was over. This is the second studio recording we did at the time and features Chris Ralfs on bass, Gus Washbourne on guitar, Peter Reid on drums and me on vocals, guitars, keyboards and production.

I accidentally stumbled across it on an old hard drive and decided to rejuvenate it a bit and set it free. As it turns out, I didn't have to do much to it, just a tweak or two in Ozone 5 really.

I'm really pleased we found this, as it is from a very creative period in the PBGB Shed when we were trying out some pretty "out there" things - definitely the "golden age" of PBGB from my point of view.

Enjoy :)

Wood U Like Chips With That? 

©2010 Peter Reid/Neil Porter 

There’s protest in the forest 

Two different points of view you 

see 

One on the side of nature 

One on the economy 

There are those that see the 

forests 

As revenue, that’s that 

There’s those that see the trees as 

crucial habitat 

Some people protest 

They know just what it’s worth 

They put their bodies on the line 

To save the lungs of the universe 

They know their grandkids 

Need the forests and the trees 

Koalas in the treetops 

Let’s protect the air we breathe 

What do we want? 

When do we want it? 

Hands off our future 

We want it now 

What do we want? When do we 

want it? 

Do it now! 

SOLO x 2 verses (16 bars) 

What do we want? 

When do we want it? 

Hands off our future 

We want it now 

What do we want? When do we 

want it? 

Do it now! 

We can’t all join the protest 

But we can back the people who 

were there 

We can help to pay the fines 

We can show them that we care 

The forests are for everyone 

They belong to us all 

The trees hold our future 

Let’s not see them fall 

There’s protest in the forest 

Two different points of view you 

see 

One on the side of nature 

One on the economy 

There are those that see the 

forests 

As revenue, that’s that 

There’s those that see the trees as 

crucial habitat 

What do we want? 

When do we want it? 

Hands off our future 

We want it now 

What do we want? When do we 

want it? 

Do it now!

Featuring:
Peter Reid on drums
Gus Washbourne on guitar
Chris Ralfs on bass
Neil Porter on vocals, guitar, keyboards