Tag: RIP

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vale Renee Geyer

What a terrible shock to hear of the passing of Renee Geyer this afternoon. While in the hospital for hip surgery, doctors discovered inoperable lung cancer. She died peacefully with friends and family members around her. She was just 69.

Renee was a true pioneer and an absolute force of nature. Hits like “Heading in the Right Direction” and her incredible cover of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s World,” saw her inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Music Victoria Hall of Fame in 2013. She also received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Women in Music Awards in 2018. My dad likes to tell a story about the time he saw her play Cardiff Workers Club in the ’70s. She wore a sheer see-through top that left nothing to the imagination, flirted outrageously with all the men sitting in the front row, and tore the roof of the place with one hell of a performance. So much confidence, so sure of herself, with charisma and talent to burn.

I saw Renee play countless times over the years and was always so struck by her sensational voice. As this video from Bird’s Basement last year shows, it was so compelling right to the end. We won’t see another like her. She will be so missed.

Image source: Denise O’Hara @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Tribute to Prince

I’ve been a bit quiet over the last few days. Writing about the Australian music scene, listening to local artists, just hasn’t felt right. Because like so many music lovers, I’m grieving the passing of Prince.

When we lost David Bowie earlier this year, I was also shocked, stunned, saddened. I also felt a part of my childhood die. But I rationalised that I write an Australian music blog, and the death of a British artist was outside my scope. I found it much easier to move forward. With the loss of Prince though, I’m struggling in a way that I can’t remember.

I can’t resolve that the talented, breathtaking, unique, funny, sexy man that I saw live only two months ago is gone from us. That was such a special concert, and I knew that at the time, but right now I’m holding the memories of the moments we shared so much closer. I’m also thinking back to the wonderful holiday I had in Brisbane in 2012, seeing the Purple One live for the first time with my best friend Lisa.

It was so good on both of those occasions to be among people who really got Prince. I lived in a family where my dad made fun of him because he didn’t fit his idea of what male sexuality should be. My husband will ordinarily see any concert with me, but he’s always been happy to give Prince gigs a wide berth. To his credit he hasn’t complained once when I’ve been tuned in to Double J’s back-to-back Prince songs this weekend, or on Friday when I was transfixed by MTV Australia’s music videos. And the father who teased me and called Prince names rang me on Friday morning to check I was doing OK.

I think what hurts most is that he wasn’t done. We weren’t done. HitnRun Phase Two is a wonderful album, and there was so much more to follow. Prince was so prolific, yet the quality of the music never faltered. He was always so exciting, so original. When so many artists seem to create music by the numbers, he was special. He made me feel better about being different. He made me feel brave when I was bullied, because he seemed so fierce. When I was taught sexuality should be hidden, should be ashamed of even, his brazen cheek was a delicious counter-balance.

Prince might not be an Australian artist, but he’s touched so many of us here. For that reason, perhaps despite my earlier call, a tribute to everything he did and everything he was deserves a place on Sounds of Oz.

Prince, I love U. I will miss U terribly. Thank U for everything.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Smoky Dawson Dies

There’s sad news today with word that country legend Smoky Dawson has passed away. He was just weeks shy of his 95th birthday.

Smoky’s musical career spanned more than six decades. When he released his last album Homestead of My Dreams in 2005, he officially became the oldest recording artist in the world.

“While his music was tinged with country, he was also a great poet and a very creative man. He encompassed a great sense of Australiana,” his label manager Philip Mortlock told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“He spanned such an extraordinary period, it is such a great loss to lose a man like that. He often said to me, writing a song a day and keeping active was what kept him going.”

Smoky is survived by his 101-year-old wife Dot. He had a great innings, but it’s always a shame to lose a national treasure like Smoky. He will be missed.