My better half.
Perko: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Rogers: If it's something to do with getting crazy-eight shickered on cheap whiskey and releasing the comedy album of the year, OH YES INDEEDY MY SIMIAN FRIEND.
I am quite obsessed with Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers' latest 'side project', My Better Half. Less because it's two seminal Australian songwriters pushing their creative boundaries by combining vocal forces for a show of rock n roll strength, and more because it appears fascinatingly like two increasingly intoxicated forty year old men egging each other on in the world's biggest joke.
To me, this is the sanitary-napkin-on-the-head John Lennon years*; The Lost Weekend. When I saw Jessculture last night she told me the entire project could be summed up in nine words: You're-my-besht-mate-no-you're-my-besht-mate. It's fucking spectacular.
My friend Pig tried to convince me that somewhere underneath all the liquored-up posturing lies some great music.
Pig: They do a cover of Tonight's the Night.
Me: By Rod Stewart?
Pig: Yes.
Me: Jesus christ.
Pig: No no, it's really good. Tex sings it in a way that completely highlights the absurdity of the lyrics**.
Me: But why?
Pig: I dunno. Hey, they also do a song called 'Cunnilingus'.
Me: Right.
Pig: It's genius.
Beat.
Pig: Once you've had a couple of listens.
Me: I'll take your word for it.
******************
I'm utterly fascinated by how far they're taking this. Apparently they conducted all their press from a hotel bed drinking champagne, demanding that visiting journalists sit in a spa fully clothed to ask questions. Most journos complied. THE COVER OF THE RECORD LOOKS LIKE THIS, FOR FUCK'S:
I respect them, I really do.
But look at that picture. Look at it closely. They must be taking the piss.
425 days til the next election.
*When Lennon left Yoko for his secretary May Pang and careened around various bars with Harry Nilsson in tow making a spectacular dick of himself. By all accounts he had a marvellous time.
** Which must, in the name of all that is good and holy, be reproduced here:
'Stay away from my window
Stay away from my back door too
Disconnect the telephone line
Relax baby and draw that blind
Kick off your shoes and sit right down
Loosen up that frilly French gown
Let me pour you a good long drink
Oh baby don't you hesitate cause
Tonight's the night
It's gonna be all right
Cause I'm in love with you girl
Ain't nobody gonna stop us now
C'mon angel my hearts on fire
Don't deny your man's desire
You'd be a fool to stop this tide
Spread your wings and let me come inside
Tonight's the night
It's gonna be all right
Cause I'm in love with you girl
Ain't nobody gonna stop us now
Don't say a word my virgin child
Just let your inhibitions run wild
The secret is about to unfold
Upstairs before the night's too old
Tonight's the night
It's gonna be all right
Cause I'm in love with you woman
Ain't nobody gonna stop us now'
Yes, he really says 'spread your wings and let me come inside'.
I need a lie-down.
Comments
Did you see them on dig tv? (do you have digital?) They snogged.
IT JUST DOESN'T STOP.
Did you tape it, anon?
I actually wanted to ask a Friday question about the 'cunnilingus song,' but seems there's no need. Is it possible that Tex Perkins and Isaac Hayes are related, in that they can sing the most trite/absurd/nonsensical shite and still have it send shivers down your spine?
I particularly like the explanation for the origins of cunnilingus: named after his cat, because of the sandpaper like texture of it's tongue.
Can't you just feel the manlove?
oh my god, i'm in the backwoods, i miss everything... please somebody tape them kissing... or youtube... PLEASE...
i dedicate my secondrate quiz to you beautiful lady...
xxx
Dear woman, I believe I may have been quoting the charming Dave the Scot with my nine word summation but I am happy to steal all credit. Deh-ved won't mind a jot.
I also have more post-TnT gig gossip for you but it must wait until dinner.
They SNOGGED??!
Could a witness tell me how it compares to the Trey Parker/Matt Stone pash at the end of BASEketball?
That was so HOTT.
Awww thank you for the credit Jess, I don't mind you appropriating my bon mots.
I am having distinct flashbacks to Nick Cave and Shane MacGowan singing "What a wonderful world" together. Minus the manlove.
P.S. The marvels of YouTube allow you to see that here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zJV4YU36PI
My god was MacGowan plastered in that clip.
Christ, they're brilliant.
I really cannot wait for the Valley Fiesta up here. I will do my best to photograph/film any tender Rock God moments they may share so I might pass such things along to you.
Dig TV archive their stuff. This is the extended interview
I suppose the boys have grown tired of penning great songs and making nothing out of the deal. I mean how good were the two Tex and Dark Horses albums? How many did they sell? five? six?
Like Nikki Gemmell who sacrificed her soul for a sale (remember that anonymous marketing tosh leading up to the release of The Bride Stripped Bare?) the bad boys decided to mock themselves, the public, the record studios by being as crass and as silly as possible to make a quick buck before anyone notices the album sucks. That's the name of the game these days. Blind the public with publicity, sell them dog poo, and be gone before they notice the smell.
Look, we're all going down with the ship, we know it, they know it, we might as well try to be sitting at the Captain's table when it happens... right? right?
I feel sick.
in defence of the rod, most of his songs are lyrically preposterous but it's the saucy delivery that keeps me on side.
i have boundless love for a man in a hot pink satin jumpsuit...
Totally understandable behaviour I think. Tim in particular has nothing left to lose.
I saw their video on the weekend. Their Bed of Manlove is adorned with the same Ikea cushion I have.
PS: John Lennon grew up on MENLOVE Avenue in Liverpool. Spooky!
my mum saw rod play here in adelaide and he kicked a soccer ball into the crowd and it hit her in the face and broke her glasses.
i dont like him
lfg, that story is fucking gold. Did Rod apologise personally for your mother's injury and offer to pay for her spectacles?
i know, my mum has the best celebrity stories.
no, he didnt apologise or offer topay for her glasses. but would you like to know why? because she was too embarrassed to say anything about it.
she could have got new glasses, her photo taken with rod, and then sold her story to womans day, and then i could have been the daughter of the woman who got hit in the face with rod stewarts soccer ball and then got new glasses.
do you know anne wills? shes a semi famous news reader/weather lady/talk show host/etc from adelaide.
my mum used her toilet
yep, my mum stories just keep getting better and better
HEY! You have a friend called Pig?! HA!
That's what my boyfriend calls me.
I got a fright. I thought maybe the word had got out (and then it just did, didn't it?...Oh) and you were talking about ME.
I have a celeb story involving Tim Rogers....
A girl I know casually (a friend's work mate) who is this kinda frumpy, short chick, had a year long affair with Tim! All true..she's my new hero of frump city.
AND she used to kiss a piccie of him at night.
aww.
Better than pashing Dave McCormack. ahem. Ms Fits I would like to rival your band moll status!
Comments are closed.