Paul Kelly - Classic or Dud, S&D

There's really no Paul Kelly thread after 10 years of ILM? I love most of his 81-94 work, especially "Gossip", "So Much Water", "Under The Sun" and "Comedy". I lost interest in the mid-90s but just noticed an *8* CD box of solo live material - his songs always sounded better stripped down.

Anyone else a fan?

It's weird how totally huge he is in Australia but almost completely unknown elsewhere even compared to fairly minor cult Aussie bands

I don't think i've ever heard one song by him in fact. Just read the name a lot in a bunch of Aussie music press stuff.

Seen him a few times here in Seattle, and he's a fantastic showman.

Will spend the money eventually on his _How to Make Gravy_ autobiography.

My brother in law is Australian. I asked him about Paul Kelly once and his reply was something like "isn't he the guy where every song is about a school bus full of kids falling into a river?"

Personally, I used to listen the hell out of "Gossip," "Under the Sun," "Comedy" and "So Much Water So Close to Home." Sort of like a less angry, more literary ... Graham Parker? Then I totally lost track. But I hope to see him when he tours the States in a month or so.

Is Paul Kelly the most underrated contemporary songwriter? Possibly. So many incredible songs, a few incredible albums, always worthwhile, sort of the sweet spot between Dylan and Springsteen. Xgau, after paying the tiniest bit of attention over the years, summed it up nicely covering the "hits" collection:

Fifteen quite terrific songs out of 40 don't add up to a full rave for a straight-ahead folk-rocker's 40-track import-only double-CD. But they damn well should have broken him out of Australia.

Because most of those other songs are really good, too. It's just that the best of his stuff is so good it makes the rest pale in comparison. There's a doc about his life and times coming to DVD soon. I saw it on a recent flight to Australia, and boy, it's a keeper. He's a fascinating figure. Many wives, many addictions ...

Did eventually buy that _How to Make Gravy_ tome. Aiming to read it this winter.

^This Winter Coat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcBK9jmvbTU

Absolutely terrific song btw

Man, do I not want to go down the rabbit hole of posting amazing Paul Kelly songs.

This story-song is so good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZrfG9P6_D0

And as far as protest songs go, this is as solid as the best of Dylan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8owYBAkrq8

And the best - only? - song about a cricketer ever made:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeG8hqQw1U8

And, hey, wow! The full, final Paul Kelly/Neil Finn set from the Opera House a bit ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Us3H72U4Q

Still classic.

Because most of those other songs are really good, too.

Pretty much. Xgau's selection of 15 doesn't take in many of what feel like his most beloved tracks domestically; "From St Kilda to King's Cross", "Before Too Long", "Leaps and Bounds", "Randwick Bells", "Careless", etc, also come swiftly to mind.

Wow, look at my history of Paul Kelly ILM boosterism. He's super good. I found the documentary revelatory and see his How to Make Gravy book staring down at me from the bookshelf right now. Such a great lyricist.

Incidentally, "Shane Warne" is also presumably about a cricketer. :)

(Not sure I've heard it; just saw the title on that compilation tracklist.)

New record, _Nature_, out this month. Have an all-region DVD player, so would like to get the CD / DVD package (DVD is 27 song Sydney Opera House performance), but am shopping for a good deal re: S&H. His official site, package is a very reasonable $23 but shipping is FedEx only and $43. Ouch.

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/browse/pop/nature-deluxe-cd-dvd-edition/330741/

Seems to suggest around AUD 8.00 postage to, say, USA. Signed too, apparently.

Went with Sanity.com.au, but thanks! I've used JB in the past. CD/DVD and $9.95 AUD for S&H, total $23 US. The upcoming Midnight Oil CD/DVD set now looks very tempting.

Incidentally, "Shane Warne" is also presumably about a cricketer. :)

Ah, someone who has never been on the Cape of Good Hope!

('Bradman' is probably the better Cricketer song of Paul Kelly's, however.)

Saw Paul Kelly for the first time ever earlier tonight - show was at LPR in NYC and it was awesome.

He hadn't been in the U.S. in over seven years and was supposed to do a bigger tour as an opening act, but the tour was cancelled due to illness so he wound up doing only three U.S. shows this year - as a headliner in L.A. and NYC and a festival appearance in Austin.

I saw him after the show and asked him when he would be back in the U.S. for a full-on tour - it sounds like it'll happen next year so fingers crossed!

And perhaps as a nod to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Kelly introduced the final number of the main set by talking about the failed constitutional referendum to recognize Indigenous Australians which would have given them official representation to Australia's Federal Parliament and executive government. The vote took place one year ago today (October 14, 2023), so it seemed appropriate to respond with "From Little Things Big Things Grow." A personal favorite of mine as well - prior to the show, I looked up his setlist in L.A. and noticed he hadn't played it there, so I was wondering if I'd have to yell it out as a request. New songs sounded great too, will definitely check out the rest of the album.

Also had no idea 'How to Make Gravy' was adapted into a movie!

I admit I've lost track of his career, but boy is he a compelling songwriter and performer. I haven't seen him play in the States since he did the A-Z duo tour with nephew Dan, and that was, wow, 2011?

Dan was there too! He opened with a 45-minute set and mentioned in the A-Z tour (where they had to remember over 100 songs, admittedly tough to pull off). He accompanied Paul on most of his set, usually on electric guitar but also on mandolin.

Great crowd that was very appreciative, a lot of Australians but I want to say half the crowd looked college age (I'm guessing NYU students since LPR is a block away from quite a few dorms).

NPR just closed the news with a brief announcement that it's Gravy Day in Australia.

Regional or no, does this make it one of the very few contemporary holiday standards along with the Mariah Carey?

Fairytale of New York!

Ah, of course! And I guess Last Christmas by Wham!.

Last Christmas was released forty years ago

I was talking about the December 13th 2024 40th anniversary rerelease.

He's touring in Australia and New Zealand right now and I saw some photos posted on his social media accounts - basically 20,000+ arenas, the equivalent to MSG. It's not news that someone can be huge in one country (particularly their home country) and not nearly as much elsewhere like the U.S., but it's still pretty amazing to see compared to the 700 capacity Le Poisson Rouge show I saw last year.

And Lucinda Williams supporting! at least here in Tas. Had I known last week I might have been tempted to go, but I've seen PK once, 20 years ago, and that seemed sufficient.

^ I dig it. I mean, I'm broadly pro-Paul Kelly (I've popped up in this thread before, I notice) without actually investing in any of his output since So Much Water, So Close To Home, as a child. He's good at doing that thing he does and I'm rarely displeased on casual exposure to new wares but yeah, that feels sufficient.

I feel like he's also been a prolific and thoughtful talking head, since the turn of the century, for docs/TV pertaining to music/arts and perhaps selected indigenous issues. So he surely gets more opportunities to transmit "decent enough bloke" vibes than the average songwriter.

I'd have guessed he would have had second billing to Williams in the not too distant past?!? She could only be helping with crowd sizes, you'd think. Certainly recording an official sequel to "Gravy" barely a year after a film adaptation (fercrissakes) further cemented the original song's status as some sort of 'standard' is likely an A+ masterstroke, marketing-wise lol.

Yeah, he’s quietly eased into icon/living treasure status it seems

Kinda feel like he's been playing that role for a couple of decades now, no? Sort of like Neil Finn in New Zealand.

Probably about right.

Conveniently, an additional data point just emerged for anyone plotting his career trajectory: he's getting an episode in this Take 5 series on ABC TV, within the next few weeks. (Basically a Desert Island Discs style thing, featuring Mel C in the first episode this very instant.) Will I tune in to hear Uncle Paul talk about his selections? Probably lol.

^ Not sure there's *that* much demand for it really, but the aforementioned TV program aired. Pretty sure the podcast version is less likely to geo-blocked and, it turns out, tends to be twice as long anyway. (Actually, Jarvis Cocker's and Lorde's episodes were pretty interesting as well, if you happen to dig "desert island discs" type jibber jabber.)

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/paul-kelly-take-5-songs-of-place/105891562