Windsor Castle, Red Hill, Brisbane, 1994

Band: Spank
Members: Stewart (g), Id (k), Simon (d), Wendy (v), Carl (s)
Band: Rubber Glove
Members: Maddog (v), Ross (b), Carl D (d), Carl (g)

Windsor Castle was Dirt's residence on Windsor Rd, in which he had built a soundproof room.

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Dirt had a revolving door of residents, let alone musos for his room.

Spank was Id and Stewart's band, and their speciality was rock and roll sleaze. It was played to perfection, and every song had character. I was asked to play saxophone, without audition, on one of their recording sessions and the only dictum was to play like the crazy sax on The Stooges 1970. Fortuitous, as thats the only way I knew how to play.

Their songwriting was a mix of Stewart's passion for Detroit and Id's for the psychedelic and twisted. They had previously enlisted Angelo from Sister Christmas in an incarnation called Krank, but he went west, unfettered, they snared the vocal luminary Wendy, from Lovs E Blur.

The energy in the cramped and carpet lined room was tangible and uncomfortable, but of a good kind. Wendy seemed intentionally distant, perhaps as protection from the aggression of the music. I think that drove Stewart and Id into an even greater dissonance. Not that I or anyone could tell where they were going musically, they were a songwriting unit unto themselves, munted. Hearing the completed songs from them such as Song In A Dead Arm was a privilege. Hey, it felt like a privilege at last to play in a band where I didn't have to write.

I played sax with them at the Roxy in the Valley and bass for them at the Normanby Fiveways, which I think was their last. They were an awesome band, and Stewart continues in Kewpie Doll.

As a rule, I won't include cover bands in the blog. But Rubber Glove deserve a mention. They supported Dirt at his CD launch at the Oxford. It was Rubber Bug, without Big D, who was touring as a mixer for Pop Properly at the time, with Carl D on drums, and Rosco on the bass.

It was a one gig event, Carl D wore a shirt made of rubber gloves, Ross dressed as a Mexican (with an impressive sombrero), Maddog, the closet fag, in a dress, and I decided to wear a sleeping bag. I had heard the Butthole Surfers had a guy who played in a mattress. Not wanting to be a rippoff, I chose the bag. Holes at the top for the arms, wormy like feet on the wah-wah, hood over my head. It was hot in the bag, and for the last song I decided it was coming off, only to be met with a chorus of punters imploring me to put it back on.

Galveston, Silvia's Mother, Freedom of Choice, I Didn't Know I Loved You Till I Saw You Rock and Roll (Carl D on vocals, Mad D on drums), I'm Bored, Fly On The Wall.

Dirt was watching and was most distressed when he had to go on, the greatest compliment, he was enjoying himself so much he forgot he was playing next.

I don't think Dirt lives at Windsor Castle anymore. I hope that room downstairs is still getting some good use.