Garry Gray - A Sacred Cowboy

Garry Gray - A Sacred Cowbay (5)
		Garry Gray: A Sacred Cowboy Garry Gray Intro 02 03 04 05
	The interview was carried out over a lengthy period - Grant 2004 7/7/2002 Q: could i side track for a sec and ask you what you think the best phase of the band was in the early years ? From my perspective the Cowboys finest work began when we started recording at Nick Rischbieths studio in 83, 84....interupted for 2 years, then realised with 'Providence' and 'things To Come' .... I'd like you to here one of the '82 live recordings I've just recieved, it doesn't sound at all like 'Providence'... .and it's dirty, but rest assured it sounded great in the room....and it gives a rough idea of where we were....I think you'll find the lyrics interesting, you'll notice that any cover songs we did, I only kept the chorus, I wrote my own lyrics tor them, and the energy of the band....When you decide to ask about the band's music, maybe this could be interesting for you to have...so, send me your address, if you like...now.... 10/7/2002 Hi Grant OK ...before we start, I'll tell you straight that I'm going to revise my "word association" answers, if I have my wires crossed....so be prepared for a possible amendment to that part....otherwise, on with the show...I suppose you now know I have always been at the epicentre of "alternative" music, if not on the 'paying end'....your research will bear/has borne this out.... How much are we in danger of erasing recent history with a glut of ultra modern, internet fueled history ? Well, I can always rely on you to ask a good question... A key criticism of the net is that there is no acedemic certainty about the information that is fired off into cyberspace...so, of course it cannot be the sole form of reference. A lot of people hated the 'Renaissance', way back, and they were merely against greater communication because more people had more access to information and ideas, giving rise to conflicting interests and a shake up of the status quo...so internet history might ultimately fall into 2 categories: 'propaganda/self-adulation' or the 'truth'...But, not everybody has access to the web, so there is possibly a 'money thing' where those with the most cash can be more 'heard' and we 're-generate' the same 'media voices', so pen and paper is far from dead...But, given all that, briefly put as it was, a 'glut of information' on the web, for those who can't communicate through 'the establishment', political, rock, whatever, have a point of access....SO I SEE NO DANGER ! I SEE NEW POSSIBILITIES !....communication via the net might actually help us to put things into perspective, ....but as I said, the net is not enough... I ask this because we have only met thanks to a small tribute to a couple of bands (Sacred Cowboys included) who are in serious danger of having their history erased because they never sold out or held together long enough. We met because of the tribute page you have going, and yes, there is always a danger of being 'erased'. Many people have 'lost out' in "alternative" music because they didn't stay together long enough...but longevity is not an answer, if the solution you're seeking is to be a "billion dollar baby"...that's not what creating something is about....The Cowboys were together, with one or two interuptions from 1982 to 1996, and I'd like to think we'd record together again if the cricumstances allowed it....yes, in 96 there was tension: "why didn't we get some of the "Kwan" ?"(Jerry Maguire...a reference to money)....BUT WE NEVER SOLD OUT !...and in 97, I think it was, Rolling Stone included our 1993 'Black City' compilation in its Top Australian 100 bands of the 20th Century listing...someone remembered...but yes, it's easy to be 'rubbed out'... The Cowboys were always about challenging 'sacred cows', the things that are the safe norms or the popularly accepted truths...this is a recipe for dedicated fans and a hostile establishment...the ultra conservative rock scene 'en tete'....we wanted to make a living from the band, enough to record, live, and go on....keep playing....but I don't like Porsches, I don't buy anything...and we did keep on playing and record, and at a reduced rate, release our songs... A long list of musicians played with the Cowboys over the years because they simply wanted to....why ??? At a Sydney gig, in 89 a sax player walked in off the street and said, "I thought it was the Cowboys", he had his sax with him, during the break we re-jigged the set and Terry showed him some arrangements and he was in (he was great), he gave me a copy of English comedian Tony Hancock's biography after the show...in 94 Spencer P Jones was recording and playing with us...after a gig he said..."wow, I love playing with you guys, everybody loves each other"....why ???.. because we never lost it...we can't...your talking about a group who knew what you were supposed to do to 'make it', and knew how, who wrestled with the question, and ultimately decided to reject it...this ain't the formula, what you're supposed to do... There is a lot more history in our small scene than we rarely ever acknowledge. A.c) There is a lot of history in "our scene"...it wasn't always as small....but I've always said, "If your in a band, and your goal is not to record your music, leave the band, and find people who are serious." It's clear that a lot of bad music has been created and released over the years, under that banner, but at least, you should have "the courage to be wrong", and find out ! And what happens to the Cowboy's history....we have three CDs, "Trouble From Providence", "Black City", and "Things To Come" that can still be found if you look: I saw "Providence" at Virgin in London 2 years ago....but a few studio LPs on vynil , a number of "Live Shows", and studio outakes remain unheard in the 21st Century....I'm currenetly planning an ongoing project with a guy named Mark Woods, who has done a great job archiving and mastering recordings, to re-release Cowboys 'lost wax', along with other recordings that will give anyone interested an insight to a great, creative period in "alternative" music....I even have some "Negatives" and “Reals” stuff that I want to release, in time......I 'm also putting together a Cowboys website...I'd like to have our work under one banner. On and off, I've been writing a kind of auto-biography...it's scope is quite large, but the Cowboys will occupy a sizeable amount of space....it's not a me-me-me kind of thing though...I mean it's, well a docmuent of other things... And your final point, well if people aren't being acknowledged, then 'independant /alternative" radio and TV as I knew it in the 80s and 90s must be dead (see last paragraph, question 1), along with the rock press....so, I hope these guys can take advantage of the net....but it's not enough.....rock is communication, you need to hear it and see it: reading about it is supposed to make you want to see it, but if there's nowhere to play live, there's not much you can do....and your back to the point where I started, where you have to fight to create a scene, and convince promoters you can make them some money...and afer you've done all that, get a recording contract... Word association Clinton Walker wrote a very, very, inadequate history of Ausralian alternative music that I never bothered to read because different people said he left out some of the most important bands, and he didn't do enough research, and didn't include enough music of relevance, and didn't inspire people's curiosity to hear and explore ... on Clint Walker: I wasn't in Oz to see "It's a long way to the top", but I have it on good authority that it was just as inadequate as the "Inner City Sounds" book...rather negligent for someone for someone who was in a position to document the lot, wouldn't you say ?? Stephen Walker The Ghost Who Walks.. , he had a show on RRR, and for many, many, years presented "alternative" music because it was "alternative" music...and giving that essential element to radio....as Lou Reed said, " When Jinny turned on that Rock'n Roll" station, she couldn't believe what she heard at all, not at all...she started dancin' to that fine fine music, her life was saved by rock'nroll'.... Thanks Grant (to be continued)
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The interview was carried out over a lengthy period - Grant 2004

7/7/2002

Q: could i side track for a sec and ask you what you think the best phase of the band was in the early years ?
From my perspective the Cowboys finest work began when we started recording at Nick Rischbieths studio in 83, 84....interupted for 2 years, then realised with 'Providence' and 'things To Come' .... I'd like you to here one of the '82 live recordings I've just recieved, it doesn't sound at all like 'Providence'... .and it's dirty, but rest assured it sounded great in the room....and it gives a rough idea of where we were....I think you'll find the lyrics interesting, you'll notice that any cover songs we did, I only kept the chorus, I wrote my own lyrics tor them, and the energy of the band....When you decide to ask about the band's music, maybe this could be interesting for you to have...so, send me your address, if you like...now....

10/7/2002

Hi Grant

OK ...before we start, I'll tell you straight that I'm going to revise my "word association" answers, if I have my wires crossed....so be prepared for a possible amendment to that part....otherwise, on with the show...I suppose you now know I have always been at the epicentre of "alternative" music, if not on the 'paying end'....your research will bear/has borne this out....

How much are we in danger of erasing recent history with a glut of ultra modern, internet fueled history ?
Well, I can always rely on you to ask a good question... A key criticism of the net is that there is no acedemic certainty about the information that is fired off into cyberspace...so, of course it cannot be the sole form of reference. A lot of people hated the 'Renaissance', way back, and they were merely against greater communication because more people had more access to information and ideas, giving rise to conflicting interests and a shake up of the status quo...so internet history might ultimately fall into 2 categories: 'propaganda/self-adulation' or the 'truth'...But, not everybody has access to the web, so there is possibly a 'money thing' where those with the most cash can be more 'heard' and we 're-generate' the same 'media voices', so pen and paper is far from dead...But, given all that, briefly put as it was, a 'glut of information' on the web, for those who can't communicate through 'the establishment', political, rock, whatever, have a point of access....SO I SEE NO DANGER ! I SEE NEW POSSIBILITIES !....communication via the net might actually help us to put things into perspective, ....but as I said, the net is not enough...

I ask this because we have only met thanks to a small tribute to a couple of bands (Sacred Cowboys included) who are in serious danger of having their history erased because they never sold out or held together long enough.
We met because of the tribute page you have going, and yes, there is always a danger of being 'erased'. Many people have 'lost out' in "alternative" music because they didn't stay together long enough...but longevity is not an answer, if the solution you're seeking is to be a "billion dollar baby"...that's not what creating something is about....The Cowboys were together, with one or two interuptions from 1982 to 1996, and I'd like to think we'd record together again if the cricumstances allowed it....yes, in 96 there was tension: "why didn't we get some of the "Kwan" ?"(Jerry Maguire...a reference to money)....BUT WE NEVER SOLD OUT !...and in 97, I think it was, Rolling Stone included our 1993 'Black City' compilation in its Top Australian 100 bands of the 20th Century listing...someone remembered...but yes, it's easy to be 'rubbed out'...

The Cowboys were always about challenging 'sacred cows', the things that are the safe norms or the popularly accepted truths...this is a recipe for dedicated fans and a hostile establishment...the ultra conservative rock scene 'en tete'....we wanted to make a living from the band, enough to record, live, and go on....keep playing....but I don't like Porsches, I don't buy anything...and we did keep on playing and record, and at a reduced rate, release our songs...

A long list of musicians played with the Cowboys over the years because they simply wanted to....why ??? At a Sydney gig, in 89 a sax player walked in off the street and said, "I thought it was the Cowboys", he had his sax with him, during the break we re-jigged the set and Terry showed him some arrangements and he was in (he was great), he gave me a copy of English comedian Tony Hancock's biography after the show...in 94 Spencer P Jones was recording and playing with us...after a gig he said..."wow, I love playing with you guys, everybody loves each other"....why ???.. because we never lost it...we can't...your talking about a group who knew what you were supposed to do to 'make it', and knew how, who wrestled with the question, and ultimately decided to reject it...this ain't the formula, what you're supposed to do...

There is a lot more history in our small scene than we rarely ever acknowledge.
A.c) There is a lot of history in "our scene"...it wasn't always as small....but I've always said, "If your in a band, and your goal is not to record your music, leave the band, and find people who are serious." It's clear that a lot of bad music has been created and released over the years, under that banner, but at least, you should have "the courage to be wrong", and find out !

And what happens to the Cowboy's history....we have three CDs, "Trouble From Providence", "Black City", and "Things To Come" that can still be found if you look: I saw "Providence" at Virgin in London 2 years ago....but a few studio LPs on vynil , a number of "Live Shows", and studio outakes remain unheard in the 21st Century....I'm currenetly planning an ongoing project with a guy named Mark Woods, who has done a great job archiving and mastering recordings, to re-release Cowboys 'lost wax', along with other recordings that will give anyone interested an insight to a great, creative period in "alternative" music....I even have some "Negatives" and “Reals” stuff that I want to release, in time......I 'm also putting together a Cowboys website...I'd like to have our work under one banner. On and off, I've been writing a kind of auto-biography...it's scope is quite large, but the Cowboys will occupy a sizeable amount of space....it's not a me-me-me kind of thing though...I mean it's, well a docmuent of other things...

And your final point, well if people aren't being acknowledged, then 'independant /alternative" radio and TV as I knew it in the 80s and 90s must be dead (see last paragraph, question 1), along with the rock press....so, I hope these guys can take advantage of the net....but it's not enough.....rock is communication, you need to hear it and see it: reading about it is supposed to make you want to see it, but if there's nowhere to play live, there's not much you can do....and your back to the point where I started, where you have to fight to create a scene, and convince promoters you can make them some money...and afer you've done all that, get a recording contract...

Word association

Clinton Walker
wrote a very, very, inadequate history of Ausralian alternative music that I never bothered to read because different people said he left out some of the most important bands, and he didn't do enough research, and didn't include enough music of relevance, and didn't inspire people's curiosity to hear and explore ... on Clint Walker: I wasn't in Oz to see "It's a long way to the top", but I have it on good authority that it was just as inadequate as the "Inner City Sounds" book...rather negligent for someone for someone who was in a position to document the lot, wouldn't you say ??

Stephen Walker
The Ghost Who Walks.. , he had a show on RRR, and for many, many, years presented "alternative" music because it was "alternative" music...and giving that essential element to radio....as Lou Reed said, " When Jinny turned on that Rock'n Roll" station, she couldn't believe what she heard at all, not at all...she started dancin' to that fine fine music, her life was saved by rock'nroll'....

Thanks Grant

(to be continued)