Gleny Rae Virus and her Playboys

In Australia at least, country is probably one of the most caricatured genres of music. And while it’s been embraced in stunning fashion by a great number of Indigenous artists, it’s still more commonly associated with white blokes in utes with Keith Urban cranked to deafening. Many might summon up images of boot scooting rednecks who’s thoughts barely extend beyond the stickers on their rear windows. You can almost hear them say “If racism was good enough for Grandaddy, it’s good enough for me.”

Just as well for us, then, that love country music but hate racism that Gleny Rae was picked to participate in SBS’s Go Back To Where You Came From, a 26 days sociological experiment which saw six Australian retrace the footsteps of the 4-5% of asylum seekers that arrive by boat. As well as being a very fine country musician, Gleny Rae started out as the only participant in the program with sympathy towards asylum seekers.

I remember thinking at the time, here is a country musician after my own heart, and fortunately my better half and I got to see her play last Saturday night with her band The Tamworth Playboys at the Thornbury Theatre.

Van Walker greets us at the door. He could have been a wharfie having a smoke before a union branch meeting by his appearance, but if recognition in music was determined by merit everyone would know his name. The night before he’d played a gig at The Retreat with The Swedish Magazines and he was clearly half way through a big weekend.

It’s great to see the Refugee Action Collective stall at the top of the stairs. RAC member Scott Stewart tells me that Glany Rae asked them to come. Amen!

Van and Liz Stringer opened the show, belting out incredible ballads in the massive ballroom. Liz has a voice to die for and outstanding acoustic guitar chops to boot. Most people take in Liz songs with shivers running up their spine, but I notice a few people have tears in their eyes as she sings. In front of the stage was a suitably enormous dance floor. The banter’s playful and relaxed with lots of audience laughter. It turns out that Liz and Van have been treated to Gleny Rae’s hospitality on numerous tours up Newcastle way.

Between sets, Gleny Rae is standing in the foyer, looking great in a beautiful silk printed Chinese and a large red exotic flower in her hair.

I asked her how she got involved with Go Back To Where You Came From. “A Current Affair did a story on the Major of Tamworth rejecting a Government plan to resettle Sudanese families there and they wanted to use a number of mine called Redneck Lovesong. It wasn’t relevant, so I didn’t allow it, but it was mentioned in a Sydney Morning Herald article about the same topic, and that’s where the talent sourcers for Go Back found it. Hundreds of people were interviewed and doubt they’d have me. I expect the be surrounded by right wingers, though.”

The entire show was shot over 26 days with Gleny’s journey finishing in Iraq via Darwin harbour, Malaysia and Jordan. One of the most extraordinary things to see was how much the participants views shifted from being openly hostile to understanding and sympathetic. As the standout refugee supporter, it’s not surprising that she was paired with Darren, the most immovably anti boat arrival participant. It sounds like the production crew related naturally and easily to Gleny Rae’s stance.

“I feel like before I would read the paper and know that something isn’t right about how these things are reported”, she says. “Now I feel like I’ve got a better knowledge of the facts and the scale of the issue and I can talk to people about it.”

Zoe K and the Shadow Katz follow up with a set of excellent soul music with deft playing and roof raising vocals. The whole house is grinning as they finish their set.

Finally it’s Gleny’s turn. She’s perfectly at ease on stage present songs that zip along, sparkling with humour and intelligence. Dougie Bull lays down solid rhythmic upright bass and Roy Payne adds swinging country guitar. When it comes to fiddle playing, Gleny Rae is agile and note perfect and her voice is smooth and jazzy while singing about amusing domestic dilemmas, roo shooting boyfriends, life in the shadow of Mount Chincogan near Mullumbimby where she studied.

She introduces her about Karratha where the miners are so used to drug tests that they find it hard to pee alone and the environment and age old indigenous history are steadibly being picked apart by the rush for money.

Gleny calls up local players like Pete Fidler to add dobro, mandolin and banjo to add to the musical flavours. By this stage dancers and admirers are stomping and sliding around the dancefloor. There would have been roughly 120 people. It would have been great to have a larger crowd, but I guess that’s one of the challenges facing live music. We have lots of outstanding music and venues in Melbourne, but not an enormous number of punters to enjoy the feast.

In any case, it’s wonderful - Les Thomas

In Australia at least, country is probably one of the most caricatured genres of music. And while it’s been embraced in stunning fashion by a great number of Indigenous artists, it’s still more commonly associated with white blokes in utes with Keith Urban cranked to deafening. Many might summon up images of boot scooting rednecks who’s thoughts barely extend beyond the stickers on their rear windows. You can almost hear them say “If racism was good enough for Grandaddy, it’s good enough for me.”

Just as well for us, then, that love country music but hate racism that Gleny Rae was picked to participate in SBS’s Go Back To Where You Came From, a 26 days sociological experiment which saw six Australian retrace the footsteps of the 4-5% of asylum seekers that arrive by boat. As well as being a very fine country musician, Gleny Rae started out as the only participant in the program with sympathy towards asylum seekers.

I remember thinking at the time, here is a country musician after my own heart, and fortunately my better half and I got to see her play last Saturday night with her band The Tamworth Playboys at the Thornbury Theatre.

Van Walker greets us at the door. He could have been a wharfie having a smoke before a union branch meeting by his appearance, but if recognition in music was determined by merit everyone would know his name. The night before he’d played a gig at The Retreat with The Swedish Magazines and he was clearly half way through a big weekend.

It’s great to see the Refugee Action Collective stall at the top of the stairs. RAC member Scott Stewart tells me that Glany Rae asked them to come. Amen!

Van and Liz Stringer opened the show, belting out incredible ballads in the massive ballroom. Liz has a voice to die for and outstanding acoustic guitar chops to boot. Most people take in Liz songs with shivers running up their spine, but I notice a few people have tears in their eyes as she sings. In front of the stage was a suitably enormous dance floor. The banter’s playful and relaxed with lots of audience laughter. It turns out that Liz and Van have been treated to Gleny Rae’s hospitality on numerous tours up Newcastle way.

Between sets, Gleny Rae is standing in the foyer, looking great in a beautiful silk printed Chinese and a large red exotic flower in her hair.

I asked her how she got involved with Go Back To Where You Came From. “A Current Affair did a story on the Major of Tamworth rejecting a Government plan to resettle Sudanese families there and they wanted to use a number of mine called Redneck Lovesong. It wasn’t relevant, so I didn’t allow it, but it was mentioned in a Sydney Morning Herald article about the same topic, and that’s where the talent sourcers for Go Back found it. Hundreds of people were interviewed and doubt they’d have me. I expect the be surrounded by right wingers, though.”

The entire show was shot over 26 days with Gleny’s journey finishing in Iraq via Darwin harbour, Malaysia and Jordan. One of the most extraordinary things to see was how much the participants views shifted from being openly hostile to understanding and sympathetic. As the standout refugee supporter, it’s not surprising that she was paired with Darren, the most immovably anti boat arrival participant. It sounds like the production crew related naturally and easily to Gleny Rae’s stance.

“I feel like before I would read the paper and know that something isn’t right about how these things are reported”, she says. “Now I feel like I’ve got a better knowledge of the facts and the scale of the issue and I can talk to people about it.”

Zoe K and the Shadow Katz follow up with a set of excellent soul music with deft playing and roof raising vocals. The whole house is grinning as they finish their set.

Finally it’s Gleny’s turn. She’s perfectly at ease on stage present songs that zip along, sparkling with humour and intelligence. Dougie Bull lays down solid rhythmic upright bass and Roy Payne adds swinging country guitar. When it comes to fiddle playing, Gleny Rae is agile and note perfect and her voice is smooth and jazzy while singing about amusing domestic dilemmas, roo shooting boyfriends, life in the shadow of Mount Chincogan near Mullumbimby where she studied.

She introduces her about Karratha where the miners are so used to drug tests that they find it hard to pee alone and the environment and age old indigenous history are steadibly being picked apart by the rush for money.

Gleny calls up local players like Pete Fidler to add dobro, mandolin and banjo to add to the musical flavours. By this stage dancers and admirers are stomping and sliding around the dancefloor. There would have been roughly 120 people. It would have been great to have a larger crowd, but I guess that’s one of the challenges facing live music. We have lots of outstanding music and venues in Melbourne, but not an enormous number of punters to enjoy the feast.

In any case, it’s wonderful - Les Thomas

Gleny Rae reminds me of Billy Connelly. The comic is all gags and giggles til you give him a banjo where he morphs into the consummate musician. Gleny Rae is likewise full of heart, humour and chutzpah. A bit naughty but really very nice. She’s also a fine musician. She was the earliest voice of reason on SBS series ‘Go Back To Where You Came From’, is one of The Junes and a former Toe Sucking Cowgirl. On fiddle and accordion, she’s lately stripped back her Playboys line-up to Dougie Bull (double bass) and Roy Payne (guitar and lap steel). With a few choice guests added, Beyond Horizontal flavours Country with bluegrass, rockabilly and a good nip of swing. It’s a welcoming front verandah session where Midwest Dust Bowl meets local red dirt country. In fact, the recording and post-tweaking spanned NSW, Nashville and locations between.

Gleny’s sweet vocals croon and soothe as easily as they tease and challenge. ‘Carrot V Bike’ is as quirky as the title suggests. (But not as suss as you may think!) ‘Redneck Lovesong’ and ‘Carny Wedding’ offer affection, not judgement or mockery. ‘Chincogan’ – with its irresistible rolling rhythm – and ‘Karratha’ get the loving treatment from GRV too. As poignant protagonist on ‘Amnesia’, she laments I can’t remember what I’m drinking to forget. Only two tracks were written by others (including ‘Catching Coconuts’ written and sung by Payne.) Three choice songs are lifted from previous album Highrollin’ and deserve the exposure. Delightful!
- Forte magazine (written by Chris Lambie)

Gleny Rae reminds me of Billy Connelly. The comic is all gags and giggles til you give him a banjo where he morphs into the consummate musician. Gleny Rae is likewise full of heart, humour and chutzpah. A bit naughty but really very nice. She’s also a fine musician. She was the earliest voice of reason on SBS series ‘Go Back To Where You Came From’, is one of The Junes and a former Toe Sucking Cowgirl. On fiddle and accordion, she’s lately stripped back her Playboys line-up to Dougie Bull (double bass) and Roy Payne (guitar and lap steel). With a few choice guests added, Beyond Horizontal flavours Country with bluegrass, rockabilly and a good nip of swing. It’s a welcoming front verandah session where Midwest Dust Bowl meets local red dirt country. In fact, the recording and post-tweaking spanned NSW, Nashville and locations between.

Gleny’s sweet vocals croon and soothe as easily as they tease and challenge. ‘Carrot V Bike’ is as quirky as the title suggests. (But not as suss as you may think!) ‘Redneck Lovesong’ and ‘Carny Wedding’ offer affection, not judgement or mockery. ‘Chincogan’ – with its irresistible rolling rhythm – and ‘Karratha’ get the loving treatment from GRV too. As poignant protagonist on ‘Amnesia’, she laments I can’t remember what I’m drinking to forget. Only two tracks were written by others (including ‘Catching Coconuts’ written and sung by Payne.) Three choice songs are lifted from previous album Highrollin’ and deserve the exposure. Delightful!
- Forte magazine (written by Chris Lambie)

Gleny Rae Virus & Her Tamworth Playboys - Beyond Horizontal (Independent)
Gleny Rae Virus has been a stalwart of the Australian roots/country scene for a number of years, as a member of The Junes, Toe Sucking Cowgirls and now with her very own Tamworth Playboys. Some of you may recognize her from your TV screens as she’s recently appeared on Australian television in the reality documentary “Go Back To Where You Came From” which retraced the journeys of refugees back to their homelands.

I hope new found TV celebrity doesn’t detract from her latest musical project, because on “Beyond Horizontal”, it sounds like Virus and her band are onto something special. They straddle the fine line between rambunctious old fashioned country and cool-as-ice rockabilly in some style, augmenting a roaring, good-time feel with some great songs, that are humourous and touching, and never lack instrumental prowess. In fact, opening track “Hot Ready Or Not” feels like it’s settled into scorching instrumental mode, before a vocal appears some way in. Both ways work, and subsequent highlights are bountiful. “Redneck Lovesong” is a genuine rib tickler and “Karratha” is heartfelt and sad, but leaves space for an occasional rueful smile. I don’t think I can sign off without mentioning the two Playboys: Dougie Bull on double bass and Roy Payne on guitar and lapsteel. Both are wonderful musicians with a real feel for the music they’re playing.
www.glenyrae.com
Rob F.
http://leicesterbangs.blogspot.com
Published 26th September, 2011
- Leicester Bangs Blog

Gleny Rae Virus & Her Tamworth Playboys - Beyond Horizontal (Independent)
Gleny Rae Virus has been a stalwart of the Australian roots/country scene for a number of years, as a member of The Junes, Toe Sucking Cowgirls and now with her very own Tamworth Playboys. Some of you may recognize her from your TV screens as she’s recently appeared on Australian television in the reality documentary “Go Back To Where You Came From” which retraced the journeys of refugees back to their homelands.

I hope new found TV celebrity doesn’t detract from her latest musical project, because on “Beyond Horizontal”, it sounds like Virus and her band are onto something special. They straddle the fine line between rambunctious old fashioned country and cool-as-ice rockabilly in some style, augmenting a roaring, good-time feel with some great songs, that are humourous and touching, and never lack instrumental prowess. In fact, opening track “Hot Ready Or Not” feels like it’s settled into scorching instrumental mode, before a vocal appears some way in. Both ways work, and subsequent highlights are bountiful. “Redneck Lovesong” is a genuine rib tickler and “Karratha” is heartfelt and sad, but leaves space for an occasional rueful smile. I don’t think I can sign off without mentioning the two Playboys: Dougie Bull on double bass and Roy Payne on guitar and lapsteel. Both are wonderful musicians with a real feel for the music they’re playing.
www.glenyrae.com
Rob F.
http://leicesterbangs.blogspot.com
Published 26th September, 2011
- Leicester Bangs Blog