TINA
MARTYN BAND: By Steve 'Mac' McLennan Tina Martyn:
Vocals / Guitar Brien McVernon: Guitar / Keyboards / Vocals Matt McColl:
Bass / Vocals Mac: Drums Tina was cute as a
button when I first met her
probably still is. With the unconditional support
of her family (especially mum and gran) Tina had won awards at Tamworth's country
music festival, secured a recording deal and had set about putting together a
band to promote her debut product. The family
had wisely enlisted Brien McVernon, the consummate professional, as Musical Director,
and after signing Matt McColl to the project threw caution to the wind and recruited
me for the drumming gig. Dismissing my out of control substance abuse, and
deteriorating mental state, turned out to be an act of total insanity on Brien's
behalf. However, in the short while my tenure lasted with Tina we had some wonderful
gigs and lots and lots of fun. Did I mention Tina was absolutely gorgeous
?? One highlight for me was stumbling into
a dressing room cubicle at the Janelli Tavern and finding Tina clad in just enough
underwear to maintain a modicum of modesty struggling to slither into a pair of
flesh clinging red leather jeans, aided as always by mum and gran. My offers to
assist were graciously declined. No problem. We did however encounter problems
with record company people and management who felt my interpretation of country
was far too "rock" for comfort. I argued that Tina could easily be the
Australian equivalent of then current country / rock chart topper Shania Twain
but my reasoning fell on deaf ears. On numerous occasions my dear friend Brien
was coerced into telling me to "pull it back a bit". I of course ignored
his pleas.
The end came after a particularly
rowdy night in The Rocks. It was a showcase gig for record company execs and music
industry big-wigs. (Although it turned out to be more a show case for my drug
fuelled madness). Tina was opening for her hero, Keith Urban (and The Ranch).
We blitzed our set and had the place rocking (country-ing ???)
I even noticed
Lyndsay Hammond (hotter than hell Cheetah vocalist) dancing down the front. I'd
seen her gigging in London in the early 80s and just had to say hello. Turns out
Lyndsay was hooked up with someone from Warners, so I got to chat with her and
her partner backstage, while making my way through the entirety of both the Tina
Martyn Band and Keith Urban Band riders and my personal stash of 'Peruvian Marching
Powder'.
I was aware that Tina had a huge crush
on / admiration for Keith Urban so at some stage through the proceeding I took
it upon my self to throw her over my shoulder cave-man style and carry her up
on stage to sing with Keith. Tina was embarrassed but loved it
the crowd
dug it
Keith's band were cool about it
(they didn't yet know I'd drunk
all their grog)
and Keith seemed very happy to be joined onstage by a beautiful,
talented young girl and her wasted drummer. In contast, Tina's record company
execs were very displeased and told Brien that I was certainly not the type of
person they wanted their client associated with. I think the last straw was my
naked dancing in the hallway of the venue as the guests were leaving
.the
unflappable Ms Hammond and her partner didn't seem to mind
they'd seen stranger
sights in band rooms across the globe
but for the record label folks
.their
minds had been made up. I was no longer welcome. I
wish Tina and her family continued success
some of the loveliest ladies I've
ever encountered in a toilet cubicle. Rock on !!! |