PROFILES

Nat Carson - profile

The self indulgent nature of these profiles pages usually leads me down some decrepit garden path to where I start banging on about all of the bands I like, and songs that I love that others might not have heard, and why they should drag themselves out to the record store right now and buy a copy of "Great Fire" by XTC.

Instead, my little slice of this website is gonna hark back to the very first chapter in my discovery of pop music. Yep, the following concerts were attended by my mum while she was pregnant... with me.

All of these shows were held at the Perth Entertainment Centre, which was a newly constructed venue when my folks started going to concerts in the late 1970s. The Entertainment Centre even made it into the Guinness Book of Records for being the largest purpose built venue of its type in the world - remember that fact for your next quiz night people.

1. Lou Reed - 7 Nov 1977

This one I might not have made it to, but there's a chance, and it's Lou Reed dammit, so I'm including it here. If I didn't make it, that may have been a good thing. My mum remembers it as "boring", and says that a bunch of people started ripping up seats when Reed refused to play some Velvet Underground song. My dad's memory is that, "he never said a bloody word between songs, the bastard".

2. Fleetwood Mac - 17 Nov 1977

Dude, Fleetwood Mac were so damn hot in 1977. They had just released 'Rumours' which has since gone on to sell over 25 million copies, which is brain explodingly ridiculous but completely in keeping with the excesses of 70s rock that Fleetwood Mac epitomised. It also made the Mac a barrel of cash that they blew in awesome rock style. ie. bags of cocaine. At this concert I probably first began thinking 'Go Your Own Way', 'Rhiannon' and 'The Chain' were great songs, and that 'Songbird' was kinda dull.

3. Electric Light Orchestra - 16 Feb 1978

My dad remembers that there was an extravagant light show at this concert, which makes sense when you consider the name of the band in question. I used to play in a band with some guys that I first met when they were DJing at a bar. Being interested in a song that those DJs and future band members had played, I asked them who the band was... "it's an early Electric Light Orchestra track" came the reply. Coincidence? I highly doubt it. Had probably heard it back in '78.

4. Bob Dylan - 25 March 1978

For a long time now, ever since I was in primary school, I can remember my mum talking about me being at this show. She always credited it as an integral part of my interest in music. Recollections from dad (part. 3): "f-ing brilliant, I think I counted 19 people in his band". Maybe Dylan was trying to show up the Electric Light Orchestra in band size.

From that moment until my birth, there were no more concerts for me or my mum.