On May 30 Mick Thomas will release First Step in a New Direction, the first EP of seven songs ahead of a new album later in the year.
First Step in a Homeward Direction, is the newest instalment for Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission.
This new EP has songs by Charles Jenkins, Spencer P. Jones & Kim Salmon, Carla Geneve, David Beniuk, Paul Woseen/Screaming Jets as well as a new version of an old song of Mick’s from Weddings Parties Anything’s final album.
The songs are:
First Step in a Homeward Direction:
Scenes from the touring life. The self-doubt, the financial uncertainty, the negative pressure on your relationships. But it’s worth it. It has to be worth it. The moment that you turn for home is everything. It’s the moment that you take your first step in a homeward direction.
Across the Nullarbor: This is a Charles Jenkins song released on his mighty ‘Blue Atlas’ record in 2008. Sung here by Brooke Taylor it’s a masterpiece of lazy phrasing and obtuse lyrics. It’s the only song MIck ever performed with Spencer P. Jones.
‘She had a show on community radio, I tuned in and fell for her even more…..’
Loose Ends:
Continuing on with the Spencer P. Jones theme this is a song Spencer wrote with Kim Salmon for their Runaways album which came out in 2013. Kim claims the record never got much promotion or attention due to other releases they were involved in around the time. A great pity.
They had no way of knowing loose ends would sink their ship, unfinished business had them in its grip….
Walkerville:
This came out on the Weddings final album Riveresque in 1996. This time around we tried to imagine how it might have sounded if it had been on Neil Young’s Harvest album – right between ‘Heart of Gold’ and ‘Old Man’.
I never thought that I’d be finding love down here in South Gippsland – but that is where I found it and for that I must give thanks….
Yesterday’s Clothes:
A Carla Geneve tune that Mick realised the only way he was going to get to hear it live was to do it himself.
All the best songs are sad, I been thinking ‘bout my dog, I been missing my dad….
A Swim in the Ocean:
Introduced at the 2005 Illawarra Folk Festival as his hometown’s “premier singer/songwriter” David Beniuk now lives and works out of Hobart. The spoken word bits at the end of A Swim in the Ocean come directly from the writing of Karen Blixen who is best know as the author of Out of Africa and Babette’s Feast.
Stress strangles the shoulders, I counted half a dozen things that didn’t work out today, tomorrow they’ll be one day more difficult…..
Helping Hand: And to finish the selection one from the sadly departed Paul Woseen – originally performed by the Screaming Jets.
Sometimes, things get a little crazy, sometimes, I am just a little hazy….
And there are tour dates as well:
All shows with special guest Skyscraper Stan (except Banyena)
JUNE
Fri 6 – Mojos Fremantle WA
Sat 7 – Lyric Lane Maylands WA
Fri 13 – Camelot Lounge Marrickville NSW
Sat 14 – Camelot Lounge Marrickville NSW
Fri 20 – Bird’s Basement Melbourne
Sat 21 – Banyena (Wimmera – Vic)
Winter Solstice Ball w/ Brooke Taylor and the PSGQ & Danny Walsh – SOLD OUT ALREADY!
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