That Guy: Comeback gig from band that never left obscurity

Hairy hey-days. Photo / Supplied

Opinion

By the time you read this I will be waking up in a cheap motel, recovering from my comeback reunion gig with my old rock band, Wild Turkey.

This is the band I spent most of the 1990s travelling around Europe with in an attempt to make it big. We came so close.

It is also the band I went to prison with in France prior to getting deported.

But it wasn't just about our memorable live performances. On this seven-year tour we tried in vain to secure a record contract. We had so many standard rejection letters that we took to sending CD cases filled with burger patties instead of CDs. This was the only way we could be sure that when we received another rejection letter they hadn't actually listened to our songs.

The stint in prison and deportation, however, was the last nail in the coffin for a band that was self-destructing faster than a brandy-soaked Christmas cake in a wood chipper.

We played occasionally after this, usually for fictitious charity fundraising events, but have never really played properly together since. Certainly not sober.

This is not to say that there wasn't demand for our unique sound; it is just that the demand never presented itself in the form of enough cash to make it worthwhile.

Anyway, all going to plan, the reunion would have taken place yesterday at the Whangamata Beach Hop.

It is quite difficult writing about an event before it has actually happened.

I can't even give you any details of how the weather was, let alone whether we received a standing ovation or were pelted with semi-frozen poultry products, which occurred at a show in Edinburgh in 1996. I won't go into detail but it wasn't such a bad thing for a band that was living below the line.

This was a turning point in the band's career as the bass player eventually succumbed to salmonella, which meant I had to replace him.

This Beach Hop event, as many of you may know, celebrates the original rock'n' roll era of the 1950s and 60s. People come from all over the country with old cars and motorbikes to take part in this annual nostalgic event.

As far as a comeback gig goes, this one should be ideal for us as we know many old rock'n' roll covers and this has saved us time trying to learn new material or even our old originals, which we have forgotten.

This is not say that the songs were forgettable, it's just that if you haven't played them for more than 10 years you are unlikely to remember the chord changes let alone the clever lyrics. I wrote my classic Two Timing Hussy when I was about 19. Back then the lyrics were fresh on my confused mind, burned into my angst-soaked frontal lobe by first love and puberty gone wrong.

Just to clarify: that's first love gone wrong, not puberty, though I am certain it often did.

The real question from the fans must be: "Will this be the start of something new? Will these powerful personalities be able to work together on a new studio album?"

I don't have all the answers, but these questions will be answered in time. In the short term, the only question I want to know the answer to is whether Matt is going to give me $40 for petrol.