Hard Boys ... a psychodrama for radio
Produced by Blue Trumpet for Radio 2RRR, Hard Boys, a psychodrama for radio, is a uniquely Australian story in 10 parts. Starring Johnny Boxer of the long-running Australian TV show, Fat Pizza, he brings the same uniquely Australian voice to this production.
Episode 9: Soul of the Universe
“It was night time and we’re in town. Everything’s cool. We were in Warren’s utility, the whole five of us. We’re driving down the straight and we spotted the Sheriff. We sensed something and started to run for it. He was obviously looking for us. Course he’d had a gut full of us by this time. He had his possie with him. One of the rare times he had the numbers to back him up on the spot. So he chased us down the road and the cunt’s going to catch us. So we’re heading full tilt towards the miners’ camp.”
The music...
Featuring Australian music of the 1960s and early ‘70s in order of play...
Hi Honey Ho by Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool were an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan (bass, vocals), Ross Hannaford (lead guitar, bass, vocals), Ross Wilson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica) and Gary Young (drums, vocals). Their debut single 'Eagle Rock' was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks. An edited version of the song 'Hi Honey Ho', their third single, written by Wilson, was released in December and reached #16.
The Wild One by Johnny O'Keefe & The Dee Jays
John Michael O'Keefe was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Often referred to by his initials 'J.O.K.' or by his nickname 'The Wild One', O'Keefe was the first Australian rock n' roll performer to tour the United States, and the first Australian artist to make the local Top 40 charts. He had twenty-nine Top 40 hits in Australia between 1958 and 1973. Co-written by Johnny, this 1958 release of the 'Wild One' was was released in the U.K. and the U.S. as well as locally. It was revived in 1986 and recorded by Iggy Pop as Real Wild Child. A cover by Christopher Otcasek was used on the soundtrack for the movie Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. It was also recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis, Everlife, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Glamour Camp, Marshall Crenshaw, Brian Setzer, and Wakefield and Jet.
The poem...
Dear Universe
Like fading rainbows in the never-ending distance
A lost space of time
Falling arches of my mind
Thoughts of faith and believing it all
What a loss. What a fool.
Like a divine warmth of speech disappearing in the core of time
Closing my brain to it all
I can’t do it
No doors to shut
Just a see-through wall with no doors to open and nothing to do
Just watch and see it happen
She has it set against me, doesn’t she?
Venus, I mean
A goddess of love she is not!
Why do you hold her, Universe?
Has she given you love?
Drop her from the sky
Teach her a lesson!
Do we finally enter space?
Can we see out but not get out?
Like I am
Like where I am
A fear of disorder, torment, desolation
Just waiting for my mind to fall off
It’s a fading light in you, dear Universe
Is it all over now?
Am I over yet?
Past point of all return?
Yours faithfully
No man
From no-man’s land
Credits...
Produced by Blue Trumpet Productions for Radio 2RRR
Written and realized by James Benn
With Johnny Boxer in the title role
Original story and poetry by Greg Young
Original tunes by James Benn, performed by Johnny Boxer, James Benn, and Terry Darmody
Voices in order of appearance…
- Chris Virtue
- James Benn
- Johnny Boxer
- Gas Wylde
- Sue Liolio
Introductions and credits by Amie Maguire
