04:11:10 :::: radioShirley presents “Lindsay Kemp in Oz!”

Greetings Shirleyphiles and welcome to another 30 minutes or so of low-fi lovliness!

This show deviates somewhat from the usual formula as we bring you all a very special and rather rare audio piece. When the faithful manservant was a wee lad and living in the ’70′s he had a penchant for lining up his little tape deck and taping lots of audio from the television. On this particular occasion it was imperative that he capture the audio from a documentary about one of modern dance theatre’s most brilliant and influential performers, Lindsay Kemp. mr.K, being a huge David Bowie fan at the time knew only too well of the influence mr.Kemp had on his rock star du jour. The grubby and inquisitive teen that he was, was also well versed in the writings of Jean Genet. So it was with a butterfly excitement that the teenager pushed the record button as this documentary began then sat back to have his mind blown away by extraordinary vision, much of it to be forever burned into his brain to this day. If only some vision of this documentary could be traced or we had the technology to data dump from one’s brain ….

This is the audio track from a 1976/77? Australian TV show called “Funky Road” on ABC-TV documenting The Lindsay Kemp Company’s first Australian tour. The piece was directed by the late Stephan MacLean. Stephen MacLean interviews Lindsay Kemp, Jack Birkett (aka The Incredible Orlando) and David Haughton. When Kemp & Co. finally brought “Flowers” to Brisbane, his home town, mr.K practically lived in the theatre where it was performed to catch as many performances that he could and was thrilled to gate crash one of Lindsay Kemp’s classes. He was utterly unprepared for the occasion, intensely naive and nervous and yet after, forever changed. A formative theatrical and learning experience? Without a doubt!

So Shirleyphiles, its with great pleasure that we bring you this little slice of audio wonder which documents one of the most influential theatrical tours to ever visit Australia. Its at once hilarious and illuminating as it sheds some light on the brilliant Lindsay Kemp & his key company members’ process, thoughts about mime and performance in general.

Until next time kids, take care and play fair!
*be smooched*
radioShirl and mr. Kenneth

STREAM ::: Lindsay Kemp in Oz!

DOWNLOAD ::: Lindsay Kemp in Oz!

12:09:10 ::: radioShirley presents “Better The Devil You Know”

Greetings Shirleyphiles and welcome to another 40 minutes or so of low-fi lovliness!

Sometime back I put a call out to Shirleyphiles via facebook for some inspiration regarding future themes and did you all come up with the goods!? Yes you did! Like Old Mr. Grace, you’ve all done very well!

This show is an amalgam of a couple of those ideas which I threw into the cauldron and double bubble toiled and troubled, mr.K conjured a rockin’ outrageous playlist of artists and soundbytes which delve into “the other side”. Trés spooky!

So Shirleyphiles, its time to light a few candles, put the black cat out of harms way, throw some salt over your shoulder, stop pushing that upturned glass around so it spells out the word : F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S. , hold hands with the nearest and dearest and settle into “better the devil you know”.

Oh and like all great gatherings, don’t forget to put on your dancin’ hooves!

Until, next time, take care and play fair!
*be smooched*
radioShirl and mr. Kenneth

STREAM ::: Better the Devil You Know

DOWNLOAD ::: Better the Devil You Know

04:06:10 :::: radioShirley presents “ALIVE!”

Greetings Shirleyphiles and welcome to 60 minutes or so of low-fi lovliness!

Well, in the words of The Divine Miss M herself, Bette Midler who kicks off this show “Oh honey, we spared no expense for you this time. We did it all. We washed. We showered. We shaved. We FPS’d ourselves into a stupor!” And we have! Mr. K and yours truly have had a blast and clapped their paws raw putting together this show. It is a thoroughly live, continuous performance of Royal Command proportions of some of our favourite live moments that could get any aged King or Queen tearing their knickers off and throwing them at the stage. From Bette Midler to Sweet to Noel Coward to Smokey Robinson to Blossom Dearie to Sergio Mendes to Quentin Crisp and many others, there is plenty in this one to send chills and thrills up your spine and back down to the toes of your collective slingbacks!

Mr. K still shivers nostalgically when the needle drops onto track one of Bette Midler’s “Live at Last” album as he recalls the thrill of being party to one of the stage entrances to end all entrances! The palpable excitement of the audience on this particular recording is so well captured that it transports the manservant back to front row centre for Miss. Midler’s first ever Brisbane show back in the 70′s. Sharing this moment with at least two known Shirleyphiles, you know who you are, Mr. K attests that it could’ve been recorded then and there as the audience reaction is just as wild!

That’s what it’s all about though isn’t it? As masterful as studio recordings can be, its the live experience, the hit and miss, the stage chatter and patter, the warts and all wonderland where the excitement and artistry are truly expressed. Mind you, it takes two to tango as they say and without an appreciative audience to feed off, a performance can easily descend into blanc mange … and we’re not talking 80′s hair bands … or are we?

So Shirleyphiles, fire up your Clap-o-Meters, put on your favourite concert merch and settle in for a cavalcade of our faves doing it for you and doing it ALIVE!

Until next time, take care and play fair.
*be smooched*
laShirl and mr. Kenneth

STREAM ::: ALIVE!

DOWNLOAD ::: ALIVE!

08:05:09 :::: radioShirley presents “Animal Crackers!

Greetings Shirleyphiles and welcome to another 40 minutes or so of low-fi lovliness!

Well its getting a little chilly round these parts and when Shirl’s parts get a little chilly, yours truly reaches for her favourite fur coat. Now before you start throwing cream pies and planning how to knee cap me next time we meet in the carpark, the fur in question is 100% endorsed by the late Linda McCartney herself! No, its not woven from Sir Paul’s pubic shedding – heaven forbid – but is a fabulous faux little number which fits me to a tee and fools just about everyone! Even mr.K looked twice when I swished in wearing said fur for the first time. Always the thoughtful one, for the first two weeks he would leave it a bowl of water as it lay languid across the lounge.

That’s more than Heather did for Sir Paul I bet!

So for all the Shirleyphiles feeling the chill, this show is for you! Unhinged as we are, we’ve thrown open the cages with Pavlovian technique and released our animal instincts along with Tom Jones, The Trashmen, Slim Whitman, Mama Cass, Iggy Pop, Dusty Springfield, Mrs Miller, Ivor Cutler, Wire, Nick Cave, The Birthday Party, Rex Harrison, Kate Bush, Benzell Graham, Brigette Bardot, The Nutty Squirrels, Jonathon Richman & The Modern Lovers, Tiny Tim, Ella Mae Morse & The Kinks. How’s that for a musical menagerie!

Until next time listeners, move the cat out of harms way, feed the birds tuppence a bag and give the next furry friend you come across a little scratch behind the ear. You should see mr.K roll over each time I do that to him! It’s positively canine, darlings!

*be smooched*
laShirl and mr. Kenneth

DOWNLOAD & STREAM.mp3 (15mb)

Perhaps you’re looking for some of the past shows? .mp3 versions can be found HERE