A friend introduced me to Perry Keyes’ “The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw” a few years back. My friends introduce me to a lot of songs, and most of them I probably forget before too long. But this song was different. It was so good that I wondered why we don’t all know it, the way we know “Khe Sanh” and “The Horses”. It’s so good that when you hear it, you wonder why it’s not more well-known. It feels familiar from the first play. Once you do hear it, it’s not easily forgotten. I’m hopeful that a few more people will fall in love with it now that The Whitlams have put their stamp on it.
It’s no accident that this cover has more of a country sound than we’re used to from The Whitlams. It came from an idea hatched by frontman Tim Freedman as he drove between regional stops on his 2021 solo tour. While travelling from Gunnedah to Mudgee, via Black Stump Way, he discovered country radio playing his band’s latest single, “Man About a Dog.”
“I must admit it was a surprise to be played on Kix Country and Triple A Murri Country, but it was very cool,” he said. And it got him thinking. In Mudgee, he called Matt Fell, who produced his solo effort Australian Idle, and said “Put together your dream band. I think I want to make a country album.”
And so, The Whitlams got together with the new Black Stump Band, featuring Rod McCormack (on banjo, papoose, and acoustic guitar), Ollie Thorpe (pedal steel and electric guitar), and Matt Fell on bass. And they made that country album, The Black Stump Sessions, featuring this song.
Sydney photojournalist and director Johnny Barker made the gorgeous black and white video. It features archival footage of Tim’s father, Barrie Freedman, tipping Souths to win that historic rugby league grand final, with captain John Sattler finishing the game despite breaking his jaw. Talk about grit and determination!
The Whitlams, Black Stump Band will play shows all around the eastern states to launch the single later this year.
22 April 2022 – Longyard Hotel, Tamworth
24 April 2022 – Victoria Hotel, Bathurst
28 July 2022 – The Metropolitan Hotel, Mackay
29 Jul 2022 – Mansfield Hotel, Townsville
30 Jul 2022 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
3 August 2022 – Gunnedah Town Hall, Gunnedah
4 August 2022 – Orange Civic Theatre, Orange
5 August 2022 – Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan
6 August 2022 – Bowral Bowling Club, Bowral
7 August 2022 – Tallagandra Hill Winery, Gundaroo
12 August 2022 – Westernport Hotel, San Remo
13 August 2022 – Queenscliff Town Hall, Queenscliff
14 August 2022 – Burrinja Theatre, Upwey
Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity