“60 Years On…” 08-14-25 playlist Hr.2
*Kieran McCarthy – I Think About You
*Kieran McCarthy – Cruising
*Kieran McCarthy – Missing You
Paul Kelly – God’s Hotel
Chris Buskey and The High Lonesome Plains – Willow Street Green
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Ride My Llama
Vic Chesnutt – Threads
Dan Bern – Wasteland
Sea Level – That’s Your Secret
Tuff Darts – All For The Love Of Rock And Roll
Derek & The Dominos – Layla
* IMC ‘Zine #61s Apr. ’04 Feature CD: Kieran McCarthy – “Mr. Monsoon”
26.90 years ago on Sept. 1, 1998 I founded IndepenDisc Music Club.
To Celebrate, during hour #2, we will revisit all the IndepenDisc Monthly Feature CDs/Artists from 1998 – 2013.
Issue #61s Apr. Supplement ‘04
Kieran McCarthy – Mr. Monsoon
During the summer of ’78 I worked a night job. It was from 6:00PM until 1:00AM, and I would get home and be asleep by 2:00AM, grab 5 ½ hrs of z’s to get up at 7:30, shower, and be at the convenience store by 8:00. A sub (grinder, hero, hoagie – depending on where you’re from), a 6-pack of miller beer and a bag of ice later, I’d be on the beach until 4:30. Home for dinner and back in work by 6:00PM – I did this kicking back, beach scene the whole summer, and damn – It was the best summer!
I’ve written about Kieran McCarthy here before; it was May of 2000 and his CD, Precious Ground, was the IndepenDisc Feature in Issue #18. At that time it was already four years old, having been released in 1996, but it didn’t matter. I wrote this: “Kieran McCarthy is a free spirit whose love of the Whitsunday Islands (just off the coast of Airlie Beach), in Australia, exceeds that of most anything. The beautiful coastal beaches, the ocean breeze, a sailboat, some liquid refreshments, and music are the order of the day as Kieran welcomes us to his world and his lifestyle.”
It was the best summer.
Funny thing, this “Global” village we live in, even as we get instant gratification, some things still take time (like a fine wine, or good cheese). It’s four years later and I’ve just received Kieran’s 2000 release (yes, the irony is that in 2000 we were discussing the ’96 release), Mr. Monsoon, and it doesn’t matter – music is like that wine and cheese, sometimes age perfects it, especially when it’s something new to your ears yet familiar to your heart.
Kieran is an elite artist who essentially captures the frame of mind from which he creates his art from. That is the wise sage of the beach culture whose oneness with nature and the elements of general good in the world and the hearts of man combines with the Buffet/Dylan/Springsteen styles (this is what Dylan would sound like if he lived like Buffet and hung out with Bruce) to produce a refreshing bounce through life that’s as uplifting as a summer day on the surf and sand.
It was the best summer.
While Precious Ground accented the history and beauty of the land downunder with side tales of romance,
Mr. Monsoon centers on the tales of romance (I Think About You, Missing You, Two Girlfriends, Mandalay Moon, I Love You), with some fun (Backpacker, Cruising, I’m Free) and social commentary (The Dealer, Freefall, Payday Again) mixed in to bring us another jaunt of Australian wisdom with our favorite beach wandering, folk-rocking, troubadour.
Maybe life wraps you up so much that you haven’t had the time to think about past summers and/or the beach, let alone plan and execute an excursion, be it a day or week, for some sun and fun, but after spending a little time with Mr. Monsoon in the player and hearing Kieran’s proclamations of general bliss, you’ll feel compelled to embrace the beauty of the music and the culture of the lifestyle.
“I’m cruising, yes I’m cruising / Me and Mr. Monsoon, we’re off to the other side / We’re cruising, yes we’re cruising / And kissing all those too hard things goodbye.”
It was the best summer!
And as Kieran McCarthy says all the way from the Whitsunday Islands, just off the coast of Airlie Beach in Queensland, Australia: “Never let a day go by.”
– G.Gone
