Happy Katemas from Wollongong - the story!

[Stephen Nicholson <stephen@cc.uow.edu.au>]

Time for this years KaTemas tag-team e-mail!
 
KaTemas in Oz
=============
 
Graham here: Well after all the hectic events leading up to 
today, I suppose it's good just to settle back and enjoy 
KaTemas 93. Todays been a strange day of clear blue skys and 
calm breezes to driving rain squalls and back again! People 
have been arriving here for the last few hours. The music is 
playing [though it's NOT KaTe music at the moment >:-( ] and 
food is being scoffed...
 
Hola, KaTey peoples! I am me here, me being Scunge (whom most 
of you don't know or won't remember). I am one of the 
scoffers of food that Graham mentioned. Is good KaTemas, but 
now I go, si? Moral: don't tag-team type unless you know what 
you're going to say.
 
Graham here (again): Looks like we got a goodly amount of 
people again this year! :-) It's a pity that some of the 
other Gaffens from around Australia couldn't make. Oh well.. 
next year for sure! I'm off for more food! Later!! :-)
 
G'day all, this is Stephen, your host and food provider
for this fine evening here in Wollongong - the only Katemas
(as far as we're aware) in Australia. Well, after a few beers
and a lot of food the party seems to be going well. Soon 
I'll light the fireplace and move away the coffee table for
the mad KaTe dancers. Anyway ... more later.
 
"Hi!" from Fantastic Joerg and Fabulous Wendy (you may have 
heard of us (but I doubt it--Bennett)).  We're guests at 
Stephen's party, and as you might have guessed Conal is also 
here! What's more, Conal is still standing up. Wendy is not!  
She is sitting, just like Joerg.  Bennett, Vicki, and Wendy 
made Devon Rolls (with spilt red wine).  Enjoy...
 
Bonjour, This is Jean-Luc. This is my 2nd Katemas Party. This 
year we are innovating with your psychedelic video. Tu es 
aussi jolie regarder qu couter. Joyeux anniversaire et 
on se revoit l'anne prochaine.
 
Merci bien Jean-Luc.  Hey KaTefans (and KaTe herself, if she 
reads this which is really only just wishful thinking...), it 
is Uncle Bennett here (you MAY have heard of me...)  As 
Steeleye Span burst forth from Stephen's (very sad little) 
stereo, I burst forth in search of more red wine.  Since 
Joerg won't let me tickle him, I will tell you all of my 
life...or at least the KaTe-related bits.  I think I'll have 
to buy the KT box set just so I can understand everyone else 
when they sing along to all the stuff... But at the moment I 
can definitely encourage everyone to purchase a set of 
bongos.  I was playing them earlier (to the Shamen's "En-
Tact" album) and I can't remember when I was last so in touch 
with the primal man inside me... (P.S. Conal is still here.)  
(And so are stupendous Joerg and sublime Wendy... )  Well, I 
seem to have to typed the longest paragraph now... (P.S. 
Henry has made Bock beer, which I have never heard of... if 
anyone else can tell me about it, send it to 
mcelwee@cc.uow.edu.au...thanx.)  Don't worry, Victoria (no, 
not THAT Vicki) will be here soon, and she has nothing down 
her pants this year...
 
(What's your favourite piece of clothing?  I wonder what 
KaTe's favourite piece of clothing is... mine may be my 
multicoloured shirt, but Wendy and Joerg (the adjective-
defying ones) both have groovy boots, which I don't have.  
But it's OK, I will be purchasing new footwear soon.  Any 
recommendations?  Send 'em to mcelwee@cc.uow.edu.au.)  Wendy 
and Joerg said I have to tell you how many CDs I have... but 
y'know, that's private.
 
Awesome Uncle Bennett has been summoned by Victoria, so he 
has left the Amazing Joerg and Superb Wendy, who have not 
been summoned :-( ... Awesome Bennett is back!
 
...And I'm back (and front) to say that Victoria (not Vicki 
of Chris 'n' Vicki, but another Vicki) has said hello, and 
she sends love to KTfans everywhere, and she'd love to "say" 
this in person, but she's sitting on a mintie.  No!  
A`parmesan.  No, I mean a papasan perhaps... a big comfy 
chair (or so big-booted Wendy says, and so does chic, dapper 
Joerg).
 
This is Wendy (who is tired). Bennett has a headache from all 
the red wine I have been drinking. Joerg needs beer. Wendy 
has fallen asleep, and Bennett is lying down, in a sort of 
foetal position, and saying "this is nice, uhmmmm, this IS 
nice". They are singing Happy Rhodes songs next door. "That's 
nice too"--Bennett. "He's scary"--Wonderous Wendy.
 
Hello this is Jonathan.  Like Jean luc this is my second 
KaTemas.  
 
And now for something truly inspiring... Rebecca says "can KT 
give me a  job in her band?"  She'll do anything, she'll play 
the guitar (by ear!!!), make tea, ANYTHING!
 
IT'S ALL TOO MUCH!!!
 
(In a good way.)
 
Graham back: Well things have been going great-guns here! 
We've played heaps of KaTe songs (CD/tapes/Videos) as well 
I've thrown in some Happy Rhodes (yes Vicki you can be glad 
that I'm spreading the word whenever I can!!) 8-) Some 
Lorenna McKinnet (sp?) and what-ever else came to mind. At 
the moment we've got The Pogues blasting away and people are 
sing (yelling!?) very badly to it. That's ok because we have 
sung (yelled!!) very badly to everything else here all night! 
:-) I think there must be something very deeply satisfying 
about beating drums/bongos/bodhrans to manic music, don't 
you? :-) Oh well NEXT!! ...
 
Next is Jonathan.  Under the Ivy is one of my favourite 
songs that Kate has ever done.  Graham is showing us the most 
amazing Kate paraphenalia (sp?) - Demo singles of Babooshka, 
posters, Kate Bush convention stuff, interviews on disc etc.  
This woman is truly the most incredible songwriter and singer 
of our time, all this and the woman smokes as well!!!  Take 
me to "East Wickham Farm".
 
Adam and Emma are just made for each other, they play the 
tambours together listening to the Jig of Life.  It is just 
beautiful.  Like gifted craftsmanship they carve a rthym from 
the music together.  Shit! i feel like doogie Howser!!!!!
 
Fucking hysterical "stuff"......stoned.... and Graham has 
just joined us ... everyone else is too far gone .... just 
Graham and I here sitting here listening to the beautiful 
music ... almost ethereal music of Enya herself ,,,  what 
could be better? We all sit here wearing Kate Bush badges?  
MY badge has just fallen off ,, please wait while I reaffix 
it ... ... ... there done ... And therre around seven to 
eight of us left  ... just lying around on the vinyl and 
polyester lounge suites ... with the sounds of Enya and Kate 
Bush resoundingthrough our bodies ... the ethereal ... 
Clannad playing noe ... the music changes too quicly for us 
to realise ... 
 
Everyone is wishing each other Hapy Katemas  ... like it is 
such a special occassion ... hoing now ,,, bye ...Z
 
------
 
Well, here we are again heading towards the end of another 
Katemas. Graham has just found the bag of party tricks and 
popped streamers all over us. Strange coloured streamers are 
littering my floor as we speak. And noisy ear deafening 
bangs. Wait! Happy Birthday to Kate has just been sung as the 
Katemas Cake has just been rediscovered in the frigid depths 
of my freezer (scary!). It escaped alive!
 
Oh no! not the sparklers. I knew I should never have trusted 
Gra with fireworks. Victoria just wandered in and said hi. 
Conal just wandered in and tried to sparkle his electric 
flames all over the keyboard - aarrgghh!
 
As Bodhran and penny whistle being inexepertly played 
serenade a bit of Clannad after much heavy work tonight 
"enhancing" the Kate songs, the Katemas Cake is cut.
 
I have had a wonderful time tonight with the finest of 
friends, lovely food and a great worthwhile mess to clean up 
tomorrow (and hangover to nurse too I suspect). The music - 
of course - has been exemplery (I'm to pissed to spell 
that!).
 
Any way, I'd better go and rescue the survivors from singing 
too many more verses of the "Love Boat".
 
And to all a good night.
 
-- Stephen Nicholson
-- Gilmore Street
-- West Wollongong
-- New South Wales
-- Australia
-- 1:58 AM, 1st of August, 1993.
-- Happy Katemas.

-------------

Finally downloaded at exactly 3:00 Am after a quick cleanup.
'night all.

Gra says 'night too - no bed bugs bighting an' all that!