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A NOTE ON THE RECORDINGS
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These songs come from my archive of recordings and particularly from the mid nineteen seventies through to the early nineteen nineties. Some were taped at my annual Larrikin Festival of Music concert series, radio programming, some were from my various book launches and there's some from festival concerts. I have avoided using, although tempting, songs lifted from actual vinyl discs. I have kept these, along with my extensive early ABC recordings, for future releases. David Mulhallen, as producer for the Bush and City compilations, trawled the archives and I was happy for him to do so since he has had a long history with my music. I know David had to snip, seduce and generally 'treat' the tapes to make the programs run and I am eternally grateful for his endeavours. I told him that the songs would need to stand 'warts and all'.
Warren Fahey as a singer. Australian music has been one of the most important elements of my life. As I get ready to hit the 60 mark I acknowledge the people who have allowed me to tape their precious songs and life stories for each and every one of you have given me your gift. An appreciative nod to my fellow folk song collectors, who value the importance of traditional song and its place in our national identity. I also thank the many musicians and fellow singers, especially those who joined me in The Larrikins for some twenty-five years of performing, for their generosity of spirit and, of course, their extraordinary patience and talent. I also thank the stream of ABC Radio producers and managers who allowed me to explore Australian music on the airwaves. David Mulhallen especially for making this hair-brained scheme a reality. Lastly, my long-suffering friends, who know that I need little encouragement to open a bottle, drag out my concertina and start singing. For my part I think, after thirty-something years of singing, I can say I have achieved what I set out to do in the late sixties: I have helped popularise Australian traditional music. I have scripted and performed in hundreds of ABC radio programs, many of them award-winners, written over a dozen books, actively collected and researched Australian folklore, tortured myself with two businesses, toured Australia and the world with The Larrikins who still stand out as major figures in the interpretation of our folk song heritage, made umpteen-dozen records, tape sets and compact discs of Australian musicians and songwriters and I still reckon I've got some mileage left in the reserve tank. |
