Grasshopper, Abigail and other 1974 TV hits.
September 23rd, 2011
When Tony and Maureen Wheeler set off at the beginning of 1974 for a year to research South East Asia on a Shoestring (which was the inspiration for my book Tell Them to Get Lost) they would have missed watching such classic TV shows as The Ernie Sigley Show, The Box, Happy Days and The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Then again, leaving the country wasn’t a bad idea after all. 1974 saw the premier of quite a few long-standing TV shows including Happy Days (1974–1984), Little House on the Prairie and Molly Meldrum’s Countdown (1974–1987). 1974 also saw the end of… (read more)
Baby you can drive my 1974 car.
September 18th, 2011
When Tony Wheeler set off to research South east Asia on a Shoestring in 1974 (which was the inspiration for my book Tell Them to Get Lost) he owned an old Austin-Healy Sprite (which he picked up for only $350 because it didn’t have second gear). But I bet he daydreamed about having a Ford Gran Torino. Cue Starsky and Hutch opening music. One of my favourite cars of all time was the 1974 Ford Gran Torino (driven by David Starsky). I so wanted that ’striped tomato’ (as Hutch dubbed it). And I so wanted Starsky’s big white woolen jacket… (read more)
Air travel (and mini skirts) in 1974.
September 13th, 2011
When the Wheelers flew to South East Asia to research South east Asia on a Shoestring in 1974 (which was the inspiration for my book Tell Them to Get Lost) they flew TAA and wore bell-bottom jeans and floral shirts. The non-hippies in the 1970s, however, would often dress up in their Sunday best for a flight – men wore suits with ties and women would don their best dresses (even kids wore suits!). Air travel was still a novelty back then and in 1974, only 207 million well-dressed folks took to the skies… (read more)
My Coo Ca Choo and other hits from 1974.
September 11th, 2011
When Tony and Maureen travelled for a year through South East Asia in 1974 (which was the inspiration for my new book Tell Them to get Lost) the only music they would have had the chance to listen to would have been the odd LP playing in a bar or a local radio station. There wasn’t even a Walkman to listen to (the first Walkman didn’t come out till 1979). Mind you, they probably would have been better off not listening to any current music anyway – particularly if they were playing the big hits of 1974. Those hits included the number-one selling song ‘My Coo Ca Choo’ by Alvin Stardust plus… (read more)
McFried Grasshoppers and other photos.
September 8th, 2011
There is a new addition to my website. The Tell Them to Get Lost mini-site is up and running (just click on the book over there in the bottom right hand corner). On the site you will find the blurb for the book, an extract, links to some of the old hotels and restaurants in the book, a link to buy the book or ebook online (feel free use that one as often as you like!) and my photo album page with over 100 photos from my journey following Tony and Maureen Wheeler’s trip around South East Asia using the original 1974 South East Asia on a Shoestring as my only guidebook. Amongst the pics you will find… (read more)
My book launch and key party.
September 3rd, 2011
Okay, I may have looked a little like a pimp, but that’s how the cool dudes dressed in 1974. And that’s how I dressed for the book launch of Tell Them to Get Lost on Thursday night. I did get a few stares walking to Readings Bookshop in St Kilda, because St Kilda is also hooker central and I looked like a pimp (or a cliched 1970s pimp at least). The launch was fab and a good crowd of cool dudes and groovy chicks turned up to watch my very 1970s slide show followed by a key party. The only things missing were devilled sausages… (read more)
Party food, 1974 style.
August 31st, 2011
It’s the book launch of ‘Tell Them to Get Lost’ tomorrow night (which you can order here!), so I thought I’d give you a taste of the food we might eat if we were in 1974. Although you probably wouldn’t want to eat it, because those hip cats in 1974 ate some weird shit. I found some recipe cards from 1974 and looking at the things on offer was enough to turn me off my dinner. Even some of the names would make you reach for a bucket. I mean who would eat something called ‘Fluffy Mackerel Pudding’ or ‘Chilled Celery Log’. Here are some of my favourite recipe cards… (read more)
1974 fashion tips for the cool dudes.
August 28th, 2011
Hey man, it’s only three days until the book launch of ‘Tell Them to Get Lost’, so here are some way-out fashion tips for the cool dudes. You’ll find threads that are, according to a 1974 Myer catalogue, ‘ready to relax and cut to really swing’ and where ‘Shirt plus pant add up to a wonderful east life’. And who wouldn’t look good, and perhaps sweat a little bit, in ‘dashing slacks in crimpolene and hand-washable polyester.’ But before you dress up you’ll need some underwear that combines ‘Comfort AND fashion with heat resistant waist band’… (read more)
1974 fashion tips for the fab chicks.
August 25th, 2011
It’s only one week until the book launch of ‘Tell Them to Get Lost’, so I thought I’d share some 1974 fashion tips on what to wear on the night. I’ve actually got a Myer catalogue (an Australian department store) from 1974 where (according to the copy in the catalogue) caftan comes with ‘flair and a bubbly interest in nylon’ and ’skirts swirl and lurex shimmers’. And, even more impressively, you can look glamorous in ‘voluptuous velvety velour’. I’ll start the fashion tips show with some fab looks for the groovy chicks… (read more)
Tonight we’re going to party like it’s 1974.
August 15th, 2011
Yeah man, all you cool cats are invited along to my far-out 1974 slide show and fab book launch. Get on down to the grooves of David Essex, Paper Lace, Blue Swede and Barry White while eating brightly coloured Cocktail Onions, Pigs in a Blanket and Deviled eggs and downing a few Creme de Menthes and Harvey Wallbangers. BYO joints. And don’t forget your car keys for the bowl.
It’s at Readings Books 112 Acland Street St Kilda starting at 6.30. Can you dig it? It’ll be a real trip, baby… (read more)