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Sean M Whelan



Last Updated: 11/24/2009

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Status: Single
City: Melbourne
State: Victoria
Country: AU
Signup Date: 12/15/2003

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Sunday, February 24, 2008 

Category: Art and Photography
Last Wednesday Babble hosted the third volume in the Liner Notes series. Liner Notes is a series of readings I founded which are spoken word tributes to iconic albums of our time.
It began in 2006 for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the first volume of Liner Notes was in tribute to David Bowie's Hunky Dory album.
Then in 2007, again for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Velvet Underground's 'Banana Album' was given the Liner Notes treatment.
The nights have been so successful I've decided to run them more often than just once a year for Fringe.
The concept is simple, match a writer to each track on the album and ask the writer to respond in any way they like.
Mostly the responses are in a poetic form, but there's also monologues and comedic approaches.
I'm pleased to say that this last volume of Liner Notes was the best ever!
The quality of work was astounding. Not just from the writers but also from the house band for the night, The Heavy Cases. Their unique takes on Madonna classics were brilliant.
The host of the evening, Michael Nolan, was in excellent form and educated us about Madonna in ways I didn't think were possible.
In the past Liner Notes have always been one night only, but Vol 3 was such a great success that I am thinking seriously of a return performance of this one sometime in the near future.
In the meantime we do have another Liner Notes booked for early May.
Which album?
Well, I have a few in mind, but I'm keeping it under wraps... for now.

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Our host - Michael 'Material Boy' Nolan


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Phil Norton - Material Girl

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alicia sometimes - Angel

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Chloe Jackson - Like A Virgin

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Ben Pobjie - Over and Over

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Sean M Whelan - Love Don't Live Here Anymore

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The Heavy Cases rip it up.

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Steve Smart - Get Into The Groove

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Emilie Zoey Baker - Dress You Up

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Dan Lee - Shoo-Bee-Doo

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Pretender - David Prater

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Terry Jaensch - Stay




8:14 AM
 
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kriston

 
Had great time, excellent words from all, even got to shake my thang to some cool old school grooves, thanks for a great night guys. Cheers K
 
Posted by kriston on Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 1:57 PM
[Reply to this] 
Sean M Whelan

 
Hey Kris, thanks for coming along my friend! Was a pleasure to shake it with you after the proceedings too. Just like old skool Babble! We're bringing it back!
 
Posted by Sean M Whelan on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 6:40 AM
[Reply to this] 
Bette O'Callaghan

 
Sounds fantastic.... I was with you on all of the previous artists chosen for a night...but Madonna?

The band, however, looked fab.

Any video?
 
Posted by Bette O'Callaghan on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 1:36 AM
[Reply to this] 
Sean M Whelan

 
Hi there Bette, I've been told a documentary film maker shot some of the show (without my permission mind you) so I'm going to try and track down some of that.
Why Madonna?
Well the thing with Liner Notes is that I'm not particularly interested in whether the chosen albums are 'good' or 'bad' (who gets to decide that anyway) as the nights are really about the writing.
What I'm interested in are iconic albums, albums that had some kind of presence in people's lives, negatively or positively.
The writers responded so well to this challenge. I think that maybe the perceived lack of depth in Madonna's material meant that the writers didn't feel intimidated at all, and maybe felt more freedom in their approach than you would if you to respond to a Leonard Cohen song for example.
I think I'm going to post my poem on this blog soon, just for a short while.
 
Posted by Sean M Whelan on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 6:39 AM
[Reply to this] 
Wednesday F Kennedy

 
I can't stand madonna..exercise in emptiness..
but i'd probably turn up for the eye candy
what a good looking bunch of people
you melbourne boys are stylin and Mz EZB is a doll!
xxx
 
Posted by Wednesday F Kennedy on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 6:28 AM
[Reply to this] 
Sean M Whelan

 
And exercises in emptiness are partly what the writers explored. Which is fantastic. The last thing I want at Liner Notes evenings are 'fan' poems. Writers kissing the ass in poetry form of their favourite recording artist would be a total snooze fest. That is not what the night is about.
You'd be wonderful at a Liner Notes evening, regardless of the album. What people don't realise is that as a writer invited to perform at Liner Notes your job isn't any easier (or harder) if the chosen album is something you love. At the end of the day I'm only asking the writers to respond to a feeling.
Maybe I should bring it to Sydney sometime. Or even better, New York! Now that would be fun.
 
Posted by Sean M Whelan on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 6:48 AM
[Reply to this] 
emilie zoey baker

 
what great photos, what a great night, lets do it again! Over and Over.
 
Posted by emilie zoey baker on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - 12:02 AM
[Reply to this] 
Ben Pobjie

 
I vote for the soundtrack to Aladdin...

And yeah, the Liner Notes Roadshow, that'd be awesome.

I look quite emotional there, don't I?
 
Posted by Ben Pobjie on Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 12:45 PM
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