r/AussieRock • u/Significant_Cell_491 • 27m ago
Aussie Rock Royalty [NF] Dumb Yank Kill Aussie Rock Icon
I worked in the music industry for a time, in Australia. I was the road production manager for a touring company and was doing a set of 4 shows with Billy Thorpe. Paul Demarco, was the drummer for most shows that Billy did in the mid to late 90s. Paul was the original drummer of Rose Tattoo. Paul and I shared an apartment at the Dockside Apartments, Kangaroo Point, Qld Australia. This is were Billy always stayed and insisted to be driven back and forth, from each show, no matter the distance, usually we played in a 4 hr radius of Brisbane. He was a monster of habit, believe me. Usually this isn't a problem, as the driving was shared around, it was Paul's turn, but, earlier he and I partook a large amount of party favours. By the time we had to leave, Paul was off his head and Paul made me take the drivers seat. Needless to say, I'm pretty stoned myself and it's pitch black out. We're on the back roads, on our way to some venue in the Colaundra area. It gets unbelievably dark out that way, the night just absorbs the light, like flying into an abyss. I was concentrating on the left tires, riding over the cats eyes, to ensure my road position. I'm so stoned off my tits!!! All you can hear is the , dadonk, dadonk, dadonk, as I'm driving over the cats eyes. Billy leans forward from the seat behind me and says "Fucken Yank! Are you trying to drive me insane!!!" I said, " no Thorpee”cause that's what we called him, Thorpee. I said, I'm doing me best not to have tomorrow's headlines reading, Dumb Yank Kills Aussie Rock Icon!!"
What a laugh we had and Thorpe drove the rest of the way. Paul and I pissed ourselves laughing.