Taste Test - Mick Thomas

5 September 2012 | 6:00 am | Staff Writer

Mick Thomas tells us some of his favourite things!

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THE FIRST ALBUM I BOUGHT
WITH MY OWN MONEY

That would be Steeleye Span – Parcel Of Rogues. It was first played to me by a teacher at Geelong West Tech around 1974 and I was blown away by the concept of folk music played on electric instruments. Ultimately they didn't turn out to be my favourite folk-rock band of the '70s but it wasn't too big a hop from there to Fairport Convention, and then Richard Thompson, from where I could see The Bushwackers, Planxty and Christy Moore.

THE ALBUM I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW
Jake Thackray – Jake In A Box. I'd actually been playing some of his songs for years after learning them in folk clubs in the '70s without knowing who wrote them and then, when I was in Portland last year, Darren Hanlon and Shelley Short asked me if I'd ever heard of this guy and it was some sort of revelation. It makes me sad that he passed on ten years ago at a pretty low ebb of his career.

MY FAVOURITE PARTY ALBUM
It's hard to go past Tim Armstrong's A Poet's Life for its non-stop danceability. This whole album holds together so well from start to finish and it's just an infectious rocking ska beat all the way through. It also comes with a DVD that has clips for all the tracks, which is pretty reasonable viewing.

MY FAVOURITE COMEDOWN ALBUM
Without a doubt, this would be Al Stewart's Year Of The Cat. By the time the sax solo kicks in on the title track you've forgotten you even have a hangover. Has really stood the test of time, this one.

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THE MOST SURPRISING RECORD
IN MY COLLECTION
I would probably have to say Lemon Jelly. I bought it quite a few years back after hearing their song All The Ducks Are Swimming In The Water [it's actually called Nice Weather For Ducks] on the radio but then got a little obsessed in another song on that album, Ramblin' Man, which was on high rotation for a while there. I must dig that out again…

THE FIRST GIG I EVER ATTENDED
I can just remember a band at the Cement Works Hall (yes, this actually existed in late-'60s Geelong) for my sister's netball club dance but beyond them finishing with Cathy's Clown and playing nice-looking semi-acoustic guitars, I couldn't tell you much more. The first name band I saw was Fats Domino at Festival Hall and it was amazing! They finished with Oh When The Saints and the Fat Man bumped his grand piano across the stage as the band ran riot through the crowd. It was almost too much for a young kid.

THE WEIRDEST GIG EXPERIENCE
I'VE HAD
That would have to be myself and Darren Hanlon going on after Ian Brown of The Stone Roses in Newport, Wales quite a few years back. It was a promo run he was doing at the time and he played two songs to a jam-packed house with a recorded backing and a weird Indian percussionist guy. He then jogged off to his next appearance like he'd run the marathon and we ended playing to half a dozen resentful punks and a girl who threw boiled lollies at us. Rock'n'roll can be a cruel pursuit.

MY BIGGEST NON-MUSICAL INFLUENCE
Possibly my father, who had a pretty pronounced mistrust of the trappings and affectations of rock'n'roll. He also got upset with Kevin Dennis New Faces when people dared do their own compositions: “There are plenty of good songs out there”, he'd groan. “Why do this rubbish?” I suppose it made me think that if I was going to write songs I'd better work pretty hard at it.

THE COOLEST PERSON I'VE
EVER MET
It would have to be the Memphis producer Jim Dickinson. As well as making a ton of great records for other people, he'd played with the Stones and worked with Dylan as well as Ry Cooder. He was also really into poetry and the arts in general (as well as the wrestling) and just had so many great stories to tell. I'm sad I never got to do a second record with him as I think a lot of the wisdom he imparted during the making of The Big Don't Argue [Weddings, Parties, Anything's third studio album] lasted me a lot of years and I am probably overdue for another dose.

THE BIGGEST CELEBRITY
CRUSH I'VE EVER HAD
It's a pretty current one but I'd have to say Jamie Rogers from TAB Sportsbet. Lights up the small screen and makes a dull game come alive, does our Jamie.

IF I COULD HANG OUT IN ANY
TIME AND PLACE IN HISTORY
I would love to have seen Europe before the Second World War. When the Grand Tour still meant something, I suppose.

IF I WASN'T MAKING MUSIC
I'd probably have a few more dollars to my name and a healthier set of vital organs.

Mick Thomas will be playing the following shows:

Friday 28 September - The Palace Theatre, Melbourne VIC