And we didnt even get the gear out of the vehicles.

History has been made according to the proprietors of Bellingen’s Cool Creek Cafe. We are officially the first act in 400 or so to get axed from the venue. WHY you ask with incredulity unabated? Because we were LATE.

Now I dont know about you, but being late is part of the cannon when it comes to this business. Sure we all try to be punctual, but there are things like driving rain, recalcitrant Holdens, mobile phones out of range on the Waterfall Way enroute from Tamworth where a distinct lack of towns with public phones prevail and just plain dog-tiredness that is de-rigure for the job at hand. Alas, we were 1 and a bit hours late. Well, didnt that evoke an angry storm from certain quarters. Even studied tacticturn composure offered by Lethal Lee Steel was inadequate to quell the agro display. Without a single opportunity for oppologies, the show was off. The Re-mains aquiesced and one would think that aside from the massive inconvenience of going to Bellingen for nothing, that would have been that. But no - t’was not to be.

Rocky River upped the anti in a prohibited form and the blitzkreig was unleashed. DJ Soft parried in grand style, for a second, as even he realised the dismal truth - not many bookings, slow night in Bello, rainy stay at home and watch telly evening - “I know, let’s call the whole thing off and blame the hippies from up North”. This is something that was obvious to both parties, but to cloak such a fact with a nasty diatribe and a sideways reference to lack of professionalism is a low stoop. Our business is one of getting on with it desipte the adversities. And we do. I hate to think of what would go down if something REALLY BAD happened to the “ladies” at the Cool Creek. I guess that is why Johnny Howard went to such lengths in banning firearms. We cant afford to have such people “on the loose” with guns. No no.

Just think - The Re-mains are the ONLY act to be booted from the Cool Creek. How fucking cool is that?!!

Stay tuned Bellingen. The Re-mains will be back - loud pedal steel and all - at a friendly venue elsewhere in town.
The coalface is far from exhausted in the Bellinger Valley.