Must-reads

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Faine

Ever wondered what a song about Jon Faine - or "Faine-o" as one of my journalism lecturers refers to him - would sound like? Well, now you can know!

[With apologies to David Bowie, Carlos Alomar and John Lennon)

****

Faine, (Faine) makes a man take things over
Faine, (Faine) lets him loose, hard to swallow
Faine, (Faine) puts you there where things are hollow
Faine (Faine)


Faine, it's not your brain, it's just the flame
That burns your change to keep you insane (sane)
Faine (Faine)

Faine, (Faine) what you like is in the limo

Faine, (Faine) what you get is no tomorrow
Faine, (Faine) what you need you have to borrow
Faine (Faine)


Faine, nien! it's mine! is just his line
To bind your time, it drives you to, crime
Faine (Faine)

Could it be the best, could it be? 

Really be, really, babe? 
Could it be, my babe, could it, babe? 
Could it, babe? , could it, babe? 


Is it any wonder I reject you first? 
Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine
Is it any wonder you are too cool to fool
Faine (Faine)


Faine, bully for you, chilly for me
Got to get a rain check on pain (pain)
(Faine)


Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine, Faine Faine
What's your name? 

Jon Faine
[Image from http://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/programs/melbourne_mornings/ ]

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Late mail

So yeah, Episode 5 of our rip-roaring podcast, "The World According to Oscar Wilde" was recorded last week but I haven't got around to plugging it here because of, well, mainly the heat but I've had to deal with a few other things as well.

Anyway, Adam and I dealt with a busy week in state parliaments, with the (apparent) resignation of Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu and maneuvering for the leadership in the Northern Territory, which, a week later, eventuated in the demise of Chief Minister Terry Mills - who was dumped while overseas on government business.

We also looked at 3D printers, which were in the news that week because they were reported to be used to a) replace 75 per cent of a man's skull and b) construct a dress modeled by Dita von Teese at a fashion show. Objectively speaking, of course, it would have been nice to represent Ms von Teese in a visual form, but, alas, what can one do? The main crux of that conversation was that our economy was about to collapse in on itself because of this example of "creative destruction", so stock up your cabin, people!

Adam and I also talked turkey with SEN producer Elias Clure about the weekend in sport.

You can listen to the podcast here. Don't forget to like the Facebook page, with links to the big stories of the week. You can give us feedback, propose topic discussions, or tell me to do things to myself that aren't physically possible, if you're that way inclined.

****

The other big segment of the podcast includes the inaugural edition of our interview spot, called "Chitchat". 

For the first edition of "Chitchat" I spoke to Thanh Trinh, a 19-year-old who is an absolute legend with the piano. I caught up with him to ask him about his love affair with the instrument, and he was very forthcoming in his answers. 

Thanh showing off his magic machine - and his forearms


He is also very humble. Talking about his Grade 8 qualification, he says, “I’d say everybody’s talented in their own right, but with me, I practise and practise, so practice makes perfect – does it not?"

Thanh started at five years of age, thanks to his Mum, and played publicly for the first time at a recital while he was in Grade Five. 

He reveals which composer inspires him, and describes a piece by that composer as "majestic". What is it? Only by listening to the interview, or by asking him yourself, I guess, can you find out the answer.