The Dead Livers

Barry Coburn (left), the CEO of Atlantic records Nashville Division, receives a copy of the Dead Livers CD "Reaching to the Western Sky" from Dead Livers bass player Michael Schack. This photo was taken in the Nashville offices of Atlantic Records in February 2001.

On September 27th and 28th  1999 four members of the Dead Livers (Marty Atchison, Michael Schack, Richard O'Keefe and John Berto) recorded the basic tracks for eight songs at Peter Bird's "Yelp" studios in Redford St. Warrnambool.The songs were: Dear Oh Dear, Rosemary, What's in it for me?, I feel so lucky, Sunshine, Standing room only, Old man on a barstool, Daydreaming. On 31st of October, pedal steel guitarist Brendan Mitchell added some licks. On the 4th and 20th of November Wendy Goyen,  Hannah Schack and Sophie Barratt added some harmony vocals. On the 5th of November, pianist/keyboardist Chris Shanley added some instrumentation and harmony vocals, together with Duncan McKenzie's harmony vocals on "Dear oh Dear". On 20th November Wendy Goyen, Hannah and Sophie added harmony vocals to "Daydreaming" and Rodger Delfos recorded some guitar pieces.

In Jan. 2018 I was asked (by someone who was an 18 year old punter at Ronnie Wearmouth's Star of the West when the Dead Livers played there in the early '80s) if I remembered an event. He recalled Ronnie producing a number of World War 2 pilot masks and strapping them to the groins of some patrons -- thus allowing the long breathing tube to dangle between their legs. The men so adorned then paraded in front of the band much to the mirth of the rest of the audience. I guess it was an era when things like this were not deemed as offensive as they might be today. I don't recall it but I'm sure it happened.

The incessant ringing of a doorbell finally permeated the disoriented brain of the scantily clad young woman as she stirred from the couch that had been her place of repose since losing consciousness some time in the preceding hours. She negotiated the mine field of bottles, cans, overflowing ash trays,  half empty glasses and prostrate bodies to open the door to a disturbed landlady. The property owner seemed confused when confronted with an unfamiliar face and queried the whereabouts of her legal tennants.  It had been about ten hours since the Dead Livers were  judged winners of a heat in 3UZ's Country Music Battle of the Bands at the Reservoir Hotel, and the band and supporters had retired for celebrations at the bass guitarist's rented Kensington cottage. It was here that one of the guitarists had found himself wrapped around a toilet bowl in the early hours of the morning,  and here that a handful of others  ultimately  sucumbed to the onslaught of dr...