In the Brisbane of the early eighties there was a war raging which would affect forever the lives of this citys youth.
You can see them today, wandering from cafe to bar desperately searching for explanations. They sit a little too close, ask a few too many questions. They wear the pained expression of confusion seen elsewhere only on the faces of those who didnt vote for a redhead.
The members of the generation who reached their musical puberty in their early eighties would be scarred by a custodial battle waged for their aesthetic souls.
On one side there was the AM radio monolith and on the other, a raggedy band of import record shops, public radio and the ABC Rock Arena. In between there were ravenous kids feeding on scraps of trash and treasure.
The kids grew up wild. Untamed and unrestricted by notions of credibility or cool. For a time it was thought that this dysfunction would cause them to remain naive and they would never be able to raise a Brisbane sound of their own.
In just sixteen minutes that myth was dispelled. There was a light and it was Websters new EP Walk It Like Ya Talk It.
The light turned out to be a small fire, started when I spilled my beer on the CD player as I danced around the lounge room, but no matter.
The pop preachers of Webster are four eclectic horsemen of revelation otherwise known as Sog (hummin & strummin), Ricky (beats & hummin), Paul (high notes), and Stevie (low notes).
A compendium of collective memories and selective hindsight, the six tracks on this mini-marvel find the balance, and Cheap Trick bunk down comfortably with Elvis Costello in the house that The Replacements built.
Musing over a few (okay many) cleansing ales at their local bowling alley Sog and Paul summed up their effortson the difficult third EP thus: It wasnt difficult at all.
We seem to have achieved some sort of unity between us so it was really easy. Wed play something once and wed say Great, thats it, enthused Paul, Were really happy with it. Its the best weve done so far.
Of course wed say that. Its not like wed say the last one was better, or its not as good as the first one, Sog wrote back.
Oh, did I mention the bit about my fearless leader giving me a dud recorder and how I had to ask the lads to write down all their responses? Write it like ya talk it.
The EP had been on high rotation in my house for days and I still found it completely attractive (I do not however expect my elderly neighbours to be at any gigs soon). I asked the boys what muse had inspired such appeal.
Paul revealed the first of many secrets.
Well, Mainline was written while lapping the man in Bathurst. The concept developed whilst waiting for a kebab at Micks. Good kebabs.
Sog handed me a note under the table. J.55 is Blonde On Blonde, Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands... Visions of Johanna... Woody Guthrie... Dustbowl... Brian Wilson... Wouldnt It Be Nice?
I smiled knowingly, I was totally bemused but felt it must be true.
Dodging darts Paul scrawled on a blackboard, Magic 2 Minutes is a song specifically designed for AM radio. We needed to keep the tune under two minutes. Unfortunately for me this meant that I had to restrict the guitar solo to four bars rather than my preferred 32.
Walk It Like Ya Talk It makes you wish there was a better word than pop: sweet earnest harmonies and, on Dig it Marie, the tingliest Ahhhs since the Dream Police lived inside of your head. Tunes with one foot in angst and the other tripping over itself on the dance floor.
But theres more to it than that. Walk It Like Ya Talk It isnt just a better mousetrap, its a whole new rodent and a welcome infestation. Or as Sog and Paul put it, Its something even Morecombe and Wise could be proud of.
Webster have absorbed and acknowledged, paid their respects and their dues. Their heritage is proudly displayed on there for sure, but the music isnt obsessed by the past. Webster just seem to be tellin it like it is.
Lines from the last track, Ginger Freewheel explain the achievement of balance perfectly "Seems so wonderful you want to keep it all... put it all together and put it all out for the show".
So for scoop number one. Though unconfirmed as we go to print, there are rumours that the band will be joined on the Capitol stage by one of this countrys genuine, bona fide rock legends.
After defeating him in a bidding war at a recent auction of luxury Gold Coast canal properties, Webster struck a deal with the man that will see him performing back up vocals and simple percussion with the boys.
When I ironed the note written in lemon juice from Sog, it said, To be polite, we cant disclose too much until the lawyers finish drawing up the conracts but I will say three things... T, M and G.
Later, when the paper cooled I read it the right way round. You are sitting too close. Do not make contact. I will count to three and then I will seek police assistance. 1... 2... 3.
Looking back, I believe this message would explain much more clearly that random religious persecution why I woke up in the watchhouse.
And heres another scoop. In conjunction with a large carbonated beverage manufacturer, Websters next project is a US tour with a difference. Across America kids will be sending in the barcodes from the EP and the winners will have the pleasure of Webster playing at their Prom.
Oh hang on, the pages are drying. That was actually Sog writing that he was going to the bar and Paul asking him for another beer and me asking Paul to dance. Write it like ya talk it indeed.
(RAVE Issue #28 May 7th - May 13th 1997)