G'day Folks,

Where to begin... I suppose I should start by apologising for not writing for so long. I've been a bit...distracted. I warn you that this edition of the Local Rag may be a little depressing, but...what can I say? I've always shared the good times with you so I suppose the codicil to that is that you have to put up with the bad ones too.

For those of you without email addresses, it is my saddest of tasks to tell you that my eldest brother, Ron, so much a part of my professional and personal life for as long as I can remember, passed away in October. He was 55 years old. After all the positive signs of remission he had exhibited over the past year, he finally lost his battle with Lymphoma on the 18th of October 2003.

When I say with Lymphoma... that's not quite true. As is usual, but not often publicly stated by the medical profession, he fell victim to the treatment not the disease.

The Radio and Chemotherapy he was given controlled the cancer but destroyed his immune system, the transplant he consequently required as a result of such invasive treatment failed and he succumbed to a form of fungal pnuemonia which was clearly resistant to all known drugs. If I sound depressed and angry... I am... It has confirmed everything I have ever suspected about conventional cancer treatment.

Having said that though, it would be churlish of me to fail to recognise the incredible dedication and commitment of the doctors and nurses who cared for him and the sincere belief that they seem to hold in the efficacy of the conventional approaches. I have rarely seen such dedication and sympathy. Their consideration for our family was exemplary both as professionals and as people. In their compassionate care of QE4, Ron's last days were spent surrounded by love, music and a little 'smuggled' Guinness. As usual my other brothers, were fantastic. Danny, Steve and Geoff were all towers of strength in their own ways.

For the thousands of Rest Hotelers from the early years, many of whom I know carry a special place in their hearts for Ron, a whole new section has now been added to the website dealing with his history at http://patdrummond.net/Ron/Ron.html with eulogies and some great photos sent in from fans. If you have any contributions to add please send them to us.

I have so many memories of my brother that I could share with you but strangely enough in all those years he spent with me, on stage and in the crew, what I remember most of all about him was the strength of his hands... and the fact that he was often there at the side of the stage just before I went on.

On the nights, when a crowd or a management was really rough he'd say "Eyes and Teeth, Mate, Eyes and Teeth" It's an old show biz maxim for putting on a brave face , getting on with it and toughing it out.

I'm proud to tell you that he faced his death with that same sort of courage.When I was getting a bit emotional one night towards the end he began making some sort of movement with his hand at the side of his oxygen mask.

Obtuse as ever, I didn't get it.

After a while, I could see he was getting a bit frustrated so, with what was a quite an effort for him, he pulled the mask off to one side and said, "Eyes and Teeth, Mate, Eyes and Teeth"

The celebration of Ron's life at Holy Innocents Croydon, where we all grew up, was wonderfully well attended. It was a great comfort to Clair, and his young children, Amanda and Tim. My thanks go to all of you who sent tributes and messages of condolence.

On August 7th we will be organising a fundraiser for Ron's family and the Leukemia Foundation who did so much to support him and his family during the last year; It will be at The Harp Hotel 900 Princes Hwy, Tempe.

Tickets are $30 each. I know that's hefty but we need to raise some real money towards this cause. You can book by phoning Carol or I on 4788 1157 or email patdrum@lisp.com.au.

The night will also feature some auctions of Ronaldo memorabilia. If you come to no other show this year, please come to this one. You can always buy a ticket as a donation even if you can't attend.

My apologies go to all of you without access to the Internet, that I have left it so long to inform you of Ron's death. To tell the truth, for a long time I found it difficult to motivate myself to do much at all.

The whole thing sent me into a bit of an emotional tailspin and despite my determination to remain positive and Ron's exhortations 'to get on with it' I spent most of the last part of 2003 and the early part of 2004 moping about the place and not gigging much. Well, not by my standards, anyway.

The Christmas Harbour Cruise was a much needed high spot and a bit of a gathering of ex-Rest Hotelers and Ron's family and friends.

I did spend a lot of time in January and February completing the long awaited double album. More about that in the new Album Department below.

The end of January saw me dragged out of the house for The Tamworth Festival and I must say The Naked Poets was exactly what I needed. Great crowds, lots of laughter and good support from close friends.

By March I found I was beginning to 'climb back on the bike'.

A recent trip through Victoria to Apollo Bay with Karen and Acoustic Shock was also a great experience and the year ahead has an enormous amount of work to be attended to.

Road trips to Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and for the first time across the Nullabor to Southern Western Australia dot the gig guide between here and December. Three new albums, including a double set of my own and a new Naked Poets offering are immediate priorities and upteen new releases by other artists through our label Shoestring will all need my attention in the near future.

In support of the double set and The new Naked Poets album I will be touring at a blistering pace from July till early November. Please come and support the shows when I am close to your town.

Finally!!!! the new albums Dept.

The new double set called 'The Chess Set' comprises two very different albums are now ready for release. Dependent on Sony's manufacturing schedule, details about the venue for the launch will be provided here soon. Watch this space

Disc one; 'The Descent of Age' features a completely new set of the gathered journalistic songs which have defined my work over the last ten years. The stories look at individual lives of real Australians and seek to grapple with the lessons they may hold for each of us. For those who have been at the shows as these songs have grown in public, the CD includes a strong emphasis on the songs that investigate the challenges of growing older and the acceptance and accomodation that the process often requires. They include -:

1- The Trolley Song
2- The Lovin' of Bush
3- Eighteen wheels
4- The Circle of The Bells
5- A River Too Wild
6- Turning 40 into 24
7 -The Light
8- Coming Home
9 - Blame it On The Baby Boomers
10- Neither should I
11- Hard Times for Heroes
12- Wildflowers
13 -Goodbye my Restless Child and the Poem
14- Wilpena Dawn

The second album in the set, 'The Age of Dissent' is perhaps it's antithesis. Far from 'Local Rag' type stories The songs deal with the stuff of The National Editorials. This CD is almost entirely concerned with the macro issues which have beset our nation in the last five years and it features many of the overtly political songs which have forced their way into the show over the last 12 months.

The tone of these songs is far more clarion in their refusal to accept some of the injustices and inequities that I feel have been insidious in their erosion of our freedoms and liberties and national reputation during recent times.

Recorded and produced by my second son, Peter, the approach to both albums is very acoustic Country/Folk and is reminiscent of the classic Singer/Songwriter of the 70's. Homage is paid to the many songwriters that formed my style in the Opening Track "The Keepers of The Flame" a sort of 'American Pie " for folkies. See how many of the 47 song and artist references you can identify.

Among the the other tracks which have proved somewhat controversial at the shows in the last two years are.

1-Keepers of the Flame
2-Who Is That Refugee?
3-Exiles on the Glory Road
4-Until It's happening to you (The Bombing Of Bagdad)
5-What Goes Around Comes Around
6-The Cod That Ate The Moon
7-Who Are These People
8-The Quality of Light
9-Marylin Monroe was a size 14
10-Namatjira.
11- Trust of Strangers
12-Money to be made and The Poem
13- Roses Lagoon at Dawn

The Naked Poets keep going from strength To strength and as you can see by the gig guide appearances all over Australia are scheduled throughout the coming year. The new NP album will be released at the end of May.

Carol, Josie and I have settled into the new house and Livi and Meghan are comfortably ensconced in Leura. Heaps of new photos are going up here at the site over the next few weeks so drop in from Time to time and have a look.

Matt and Naomi are expecting again in September (our 6th grandchild) and Karen annd I are 'running off' again to Melbourne in July after her and Marty's big Birthday Bash

See you all at agig again soon.

All The Best

Pat