The launch of its new CD represents the end of an 18 year recording drought for country outfit The Dead Livers. Legends of the 1980s alternate country music scene in inner-suburban Melbourne, the Dead Livers recently released its fourth recording and second CD, title Reaching to the Western Sky. The release, recorded locally at Peter Bird's Yelp studio, represents the first major recording project in 18 years for the band which first formed in 1978, and includes original songs by Marty Atchison and Warrnambool's Michael Schack. Schack said original songs on the album drew inspiration from the Western District of Victoria. In the 1980s, the band established an ongoing relationship with south-west Victoria after playing at Port Fairy's Star of the West Hotel when it was operated by former Collingwood footballer Ronnie Wearmouth. Schack said a track on the album, title "Star of the West", was written about their experiences after performing for five nights at the pub between Christmas and New Year in the early 1980s. Old man on a barstool was also written by Schack, who used to live in Glenthompson, after a conversation with long-term Glenthompson resident David Black in the bar of the town's Macs Hotel. "I went back there a couple of years ago and met this person who I hadn't seen for some time - he was still sitting in the same place after all these years", Schack said.
The Dead Livers latest recording came about when Marty Atchison moved to Portland last year, Michael Schack was living in Warrnambool and the opportunity to record in the region presented itself. The other band members - Richard O'Keefe, John Berto, Brendan Mitchell, Rodger Delfos and Chris Shanley, formerly of Killarney - travelled to Warrnambool for the recording process, which was completed over a two-month period.
The Dead Livers achieved national notoriety in 1980 when Willie Nelson played their recording of "I'd love to have a joint with Willie" through his sound system as a warm-up to his Australian concerts. "That particular song was a parody of the Slim Dusty song "I'd love to have a beer with Duncan". It was released on to a cassette and Willie Nelson chose to play it over the PA before the concert started", Schack said. He said the song caused a media frenzy, making headlines in the Melbourne Times and being banned by some radio stations because of its references to drug use.
The Dead Livers went on to perform with Tom T. Hall, Charley Pride, The Amazing Rhythm Aces and Leon Russell, as well as several successful appearances at Tamworth, and mini-tours of southern Queensland, central NSW and Sydney.
Schack said the band's latest release had already received interest from Tamworth. Depending on the popularity and demand, it could spell a resurgence for the group which these days only performed together on special occasions.
The Dead Livers CD, "Reaching to the Western Sky" will be launched at the Bush Inn in Hawksburn on Saturday. The group will also play with "Lost in Suburbia" at the Hotel Warrnambool on Sunday August 20.
Footnote: For copies of Cd send email to mschack15@gmail.com
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