Almanac Music – Stereo Stories: Facebook on my mind

February 26, 2021 by 3 Comments

The recent Facebook changes didn’t just impact the Almanac – partner site Stereo Stories also had to work out a way forward. Site founder Vin Maskell ruminates on an interesting week and a slow return to normality.

In search of The Reverse Torp

August 20, 2020 by 10 Comments

Vin M ponders the past and the future of The Reverse Torp. A real kick? A party trick? A furphy? His quest takes him to Woodville, Norwood, North Melbourne, the MCG, Birregurra…

The fourth jumper

August 10, 2020 by 4 Comments

Vin Maskell’s trio of particularly personal football jumpers is now a quartet, courtesy of a recent gift from a coach.

Almanac poetry: The sweet spot

July 28, 2020 by 2 Comments

Vin M remembers his mum and aunty while having a kick with his cousin.

Three jumpers

June 21, 2020 by 4 Comments

Vin Maskell re-visits, and updates, his football jumper stories, threading through themes of life and remembrance.

The Footy Almanac 2007 Round 6 – Essendon v Hawthorn: The Buddy show slams the hapless Bombers

May 3, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Vin Maskell went to the MCG for some Saturday arvo footy. With the game teetering each way, it was Lance Franklin who put on a heroic performance to push his Hawks to victory.

Almanac Music: Cheap Trick and The Beatles

November 19, 2018 by 4 Comments

What do Cheap Trick and The Beatles have in common? A fair bit, says David Oke.

Meeting Geoff Blethyn

November 16, 2018 by 8 Comments

Sometimes writing takes you to surprising places, and so does a T/shirt! Vin Maskell explains why.

Almanac Music – Stereo Stories: Daryl Braithwaite batting. Rick Kane bowling.

January 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

When Rick Kane was 13 he was part of the Norm O’Neil Cricket Coaching Clinic at the WACA. One Saturday morning training was cut short because a touring pop group had arrived.

The meanings of Making Gravy

December 22, 2017 by Leave a Comment

What does the Paul Kelly song How To Make Gravy mean to you? Cassandra Atkinson thought she knew the song well, until her parents split up.

Jeff Dowsing + teenage mix-tape = Stereo Story

December 16, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Jeff Dowsing’s novel, Undercurrents, includes rules for a teenage boy making a 1980s mixtape for a teenage girl. Compare your guidelines, and your mixtape, to his.

Rick Kane + 1916 Easter Uprising = Stereo Story

December 4, 2017 by Leave a Comment

On a recent visit to Belfast Rick Kane wrestled with his heritage and the Irish troubles. Then, in a lttle bar called Fibber Magee’s, he heard a song that ‘married the personal to the political, the blood of resistance to the marrow of love’.

Almanac Book Review – How the West was One

November 21, 2017 by 2 Comments

Blow-in Vin Maskell (who has only lived in the west since 1986) reviews the wonderful new collection of memoirs about growing up in the Melbourne’s Western Suburbs. How the West was One is a lovable book.

Stereo Stories’ final show for 2017 – this Saturday at Newport Bowls Club

November 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Almanackers Smokie Dawson and Rick Kane will be front and centre at the final Stereo Stories concert for 2017. They’ll be amongst half-a-dozen writers sharing the stage with The Stereo Stories Band next Saturday night at the Newport Bowls Club, Melbourne.

Butler + hitchhiking + Chisel = Stereo Story

November 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment

John Butler can make you laugh and he can make you – if not cry – then ponder the deeper moments. This time it’s via the Cold Chisel song My Turn To Cry.

My life in music in the west by Mark Ferrie

November 16, 2017 by 1 Comment

In this extract from How the West was One, musician Mark Ferrie (Models, RocKwiz Orchestra) pays tribute to his friend, the late, great Ross Hannaford.

John Butler + meeting Richard Thompson = Stereo Story

November 3, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I’ve generally abided that warning about meeting your heroes. But this is Richard Thompson! How often do you get to meet a bona fide legend? A bona fide legend who is signing CDs after his gig…

John Butler + Robert Johnson = Stereo Story

October 26, 2017 by 5 Comments

In this age where there’s supposedly no such thing as bad publicity, where every mundane detail of life can serve as grist to the celebrity mill, the rarest commodity of all is a genuine sense of mystery. Because he was dead long before he was famous, Robert Johnson will never lose his mystery.

Kane, Dawson, Griffiths: Stereo Stories’ final concert for 2017

October 22, 2017 by 1 Comment

Almanackers Rick Kane and Smokie Dawson will be part of the final Stereo Stories concert for 2017, at the Newport Bowls Club on Saturday evening 25 November. They’ll be joined by author Andy Griffiths, writer Rijn Collins, essayist Nick Gadd and The Stereo Stories Band.

Smokie + iPod shuffle = Stereo Story

October 21, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Smokie Dawson wrangles with his iPod shuffle after giving up on streaming and finds that, through some technogical osmosis (personalised algorithms?) your favourite songs always look after you.