2014 Melbourne Music Tour: On The Bus

You know those TMZ bus tours in LA that promise “inside information and never revealed details about Hollywood celebs” and instruct you to have cameras poised in case of celebrity sightings?

Well, Melbourne's version, boasting the ever-knowledgeable Bruce Milne as tour guide, is nothing like that (although Milne recalls that last year Molly Meldrum was retrieving his mail at the precise time the bus passed his Highett Street home during one tour). This year, The Music Sites Bus Tour is back for a return run, as part of Leaps & Bounds Music Festival, to inform about Yarra City's music history, past and present.

Milne greets today's small crew of willing participants for a 1pm departure from Corner Hotel and immediately imparts his knowledge, telling us that Jack White wrote the Seven Nation Army riff backstage at Corner Hotel and U2 filmed scenes for their Window In The Skies clip inside the bandroom and on the rooftop beer garden. Once on the bus, our driver Chris Kupke (who later shares she was a roadie for The Moomba Victims) heads along Cremorne Street, where Squizzy Taylor used to hang. After glancing up at the Nylex clock, which is referred to in Paul Kelly's song Leaps And Bounds (after which this festival was named), we pass The Cherry Tree Hotel. Milne informs us Taylor robbed the Cherry Tree till back in the day, adding that the best drugs were available around this area. More on The Cherry Tree Hotel, it was inside these walls that Billy Joel was snapped attempting to bust a move on our very own Sophie Lee (who was hosting The Bugs Bunny Show at the time). Milne reckons once Christie Brinkley got wind of the indiscretion, it wasn't long before the pair divorced.

We soak up the energy of various recording stars who have undoubtedly engaged in unmentionable activities here.

We pull up beside Sing Sing Recording Studios in Gordon Street and are granted a tour because there's not too many of us on board. Too many Aussie legends to mention have recorded here (check their website for a comprehensive list) as well as international heavyweights such as Lady Gaga and KISS. As we wander past the myriad gold records hanging on Sing Sing's walls, we soak up the energy of various recording stars that have undoubtedly played pool or darts (as well as engaging in other unmentionable activities) in order to clear their heads mid-recording session. The Seeing Eye dog on our bus tour pauses to sniff out a few suspect areas. Our Sing Sing tour guide, engineer Kaj Dahlstrom, shares that Missy Higgins recently recorded in one of these studios for three weeks, laying down about 15 tracks. He adds that the soundtracks for Red Dog and Bran Neu Dae were mixed in surround sound at Sing Sing. And, Milne contributes that last time he was here they were mixing the INXS: Never Tear Us Apart telemovie.

While loitering in the corridors, Dahlstrom lets slip that The Avalanches are currently mixing their album at Sing Sing and have been for three or four months now, but have today off.

Police bugged the studio... eventually SWAT teams raided, and put an end to, Richmond Recorders.

Back on the bus, we amble past Royal Saxon on Church Street and Milne recalls a Divine press conference was held there (back when it was Tropicana Club). We get off the bus again for a closer look at the building that once was Richmond Recorders, which Painters & Dockers bought into, on Pearson Street. Milne tells us the band were basically kids from the suburbs who had some success and then found themselves in the middle of a true crime novel that they didn't want to be part of due to infamous gangland figure Dennis Allen using the premises for drug dealing purposes. Police bugged the studio and Milne jokes about all the inane conversations about achieving the best possible drum sound they would have tapped into. Eventually SWAT teams raided, and put an end to, Richmond Recorders. Nevertheless, The Go-Betweens, Split Enz (True Colours), The Scientists, Models, Men At Work and Strange Tenants recorded important work within these walls. We decide this site could use a plaque.

Royal Oak , fka Tiger Lounge, was host to Jo Jo Zep  and Rose Tattoo - early incarnations of Models and Boys Next Door got a start here.

Other passing landmarks that are pointed out from the moving vehicle include Molly Meldrum's house (which is mural-less at the moment); 1 Queen Street, Richmond (where TISM formed) and the former Channel 9 building on Bendigo Street (now Studio Nine apartments). TCS Studios was part of this complex and Milne identifies Skyhooks' Living In The '70s as just one of a gazillion classic Aussie albums that was recorded herein. Turning into Bridge Road, Milne points out Royal Oak, which played host to acts such as Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and Rose Tattoo (when it was Tiger Lounge). On Tuesday nights, Milne recalls, punk bands were given opening spots and early versions of Models plus Boys Next Door got their start here. As we cruise up toward the Dogs In Space house at 18 Berry Street, Milne reveals he worked as a music researcher on the Michael Hutchence-starring cult film.

Chugging further up Bridge Road, Milne remembers a time when the options for grabbing a bite to eat after 9pm were limited to a few places in Lygon Street, a petrol station and Hollywood Palace (which was conveniently located near The Old Greek Theatre, where Thomas Dux now stands). A punter on the bus saw Lubricated Goat at The Old Greek Theatre and Milne shares a story he heard about Einstürzende Neubauten stealing a shopping trolley from a nearby supermarket before their gig at said venue. During their soundcheck, Blixa Bargeld was humorously overheard instructing the sound desk: "I need more foldback in the shopping trolley."

Checking out Bakehouse Studios (also SLAM's headquarters) from the Punt Road side, Milne points out some featured photography taken by his brother Peter. One photo captures Rowland S Howard and Nick Cave (among others) taken outside Swinburne College, our tour guide surmises. We're allowed to wander around Bakehouse while final preparations are being made for their first-ever open day this Saturday. The various rehearsal rooms have been transformed by some of Australia's leading contemporary visual artists and artisans. Dirty Three guitarist/painter Mick Turner's room channels what thrillseekers view from the dizzy heights of a rollercoaster, Hotham Street Ladies have created a vista around balustrades made from icing and Mrs Milne, Adele, has designed 'The Milne Room' incorporating The Tote's jukebox together with cassette-inspired artwork adorning the walls. We're told that while Tool rehearsed upstairs, Stonefield were doing same in a downstairs room and complained about the volume. Although artists, instead of the usual musos, bounce off the Bakehouse Studios walls today, Milne reveals that he believes Cut Copy inhabited the main rehearsal room last week. This weekend's open day is also a street party where the likes of Harmony and The Impossible No Goods will take to the stage from 11am and Milne recommends: "Bring a poncho and wrap plastic around the amps."

Remaining bus tours are: 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20 Jul from 1pm. Ticketing details here.