October 2010 Archives
"I am 100 percent in favor of the intelligent use of drugs, and 1,000 percent against the thoughtless use of them, whether caffeine or LSD. And drugs are not central to my life."
"If you don't like what you're doing, you can always pick up your needle and move to another groove."
"In the information age, you don't teach philosophy as they did after feudalism. You perform it. If Aristotle were alive today he'd have a talk show."
"There are three side effects of acid: enhanced long-term memory, decreased short-term memory, and I forget the third."
"Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition."
"The universe is an intelligence test"
"Civilization is unbearable, but it is less unbearable at the top."
"My advice to people today is as follows: If you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on, tune in, and drop out."
"We are dealing with the best-educated generation in history. But they've got a brain dressed up with nowhere to go."
"Think for yourself and question authority."
Paul Kelly is Australia's most respected song writer and came into Planet Books to launch his memoir How to Make Gravy . The place quickly filled to the brim with polite and courteous people. And though there was a bit of a scabble to get books from the counter before Paul took to the little stage it was very apparant that a pleasant atmosphere was to remain throughout the evening.
But there was an electricity to this relaxed atmosphere. Paul stepped up and said hello and proceeded to read from his book. That was nice enough, but when he then sang To Her Door the sensation of being somewhere special was thick in the air. You could see the audience found it exhilerating.
Paul Kelly read some more and sang another song before answering questions that varied from if he liked hearing other people sing his songs (he does) and how he found acting in the film One Night The Moon (he enjoyed it).
He then proceeded to sign copies of his book, vinyls, photos, guitars and the like for over two solid hours until every person who was there was satisfied they had met a music legend and a contributor to the identity of Australian culture.
Paul was generous and amiable with a warm handshake. He also likes interesting beers and has a taste for good whiskey.
Thank you, Mr. Kelly, for one of Planet's grooviest nights.
Thanks Sophia & Jen for the pics.
