'Music and Friends' a music evening in St John's NL.

A community in Newfoundland comes together to help one of its own.

'Magical' fundraiser held for music mainstay Gord O'Brien by CBC Canada published 4 November 2014

A who's-who of Newfoundland and Labrador's traditional music scene turned out Sunday night for a man whose store helped launch their careers.

About a thousand people crowded into the ballroom of Delta Hotel in downtown St. John's for the event, which raised money for Gord O'Brien, the proprietor of O'Brien's Music Store.

The small but venerable Water Street business closed last month due to bankruptcy.

"Last night was just magical," said Shanneyganock's Mark Hiscock, who helped organize the benefit to help cover some of O'Brien's bills.

Emceed by Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle, the concert featured Ron Hynes, the Masterless Men, the Navigators, Ray Walsh and numerous other performers, with the concert closing with songwriter Bud Davidge leading the crowd in a singalong of Music and Friends — the title of which was borrowed for the concert itself — and The Mummer's Song.

"The roof went off the building," Hiscock told the St. John's Morning Show Monday morning as he described the finale.

O'Brien did not attend the event, which also included a silent auction.

'Everybody donated everything'

Organizers are not releasing totals, on request of the O'Brien family.

"We made sure that every cent possible went into Gordon's pocket," Hiscock said. "This show cost us less than $1,000 — everybody donated everything."

Angela O'Brien said the outpouring of support for her father has meant a great deal to the family.

"It's absolutely amazing and incredible and heartwarming to see everything come together and see all the people come out for it," she said.

"Words can't express how much love we feel from the music community. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."


While the store will remain closed, O'Brien plans to continue the instrument repair part of his business, albeit from his home.

(from the Twitter page of Iceberg Quest Tours 2 November 2014 No copyright infringement intended)

 

Where I Belong by Alan Doyle...Interviews and book reviews...

This post is a collection of my favourite Alan Doyle interviews, newspaper articles and book reviews from the book tour to promote “Where I Belong”. There have been plenty of interviews on radio and television, newspaper articles, writer’s festival appearances, meet and greets in book stores, fan stories and photographs. My favourites have been professional interviews either on the radio or in the newspapers where he has spoken for himself and/or with his family and are included here. These are from the east coast Canadian section of the tour.

“When the job came for the some dude to sing in a band like Great Big Sea, it turned out I was ready…you know…all the other stuff I loved doing and worked hard doing…it turned out that I was the right guy for the job, one of the right guys for the job… and I had no control over the opportunity that came my way and when it came I was ready…that was luck…” Alan Doyle to Shelagh Rojers at the Writers of Woody Point Festival.

My favourite interview is the Alan Doyle and Shelagh Rojers radio interview from the Writers of Woody Point Newfoundland. This was Alan’s first appearance as an author in his home province of Newfoundland. Alan provides a beautiful description of Petty Harbour and some of the changes that have occurred there since he was a child. He talks affectionately and with humour about friendships, first kisses, Catholic and non-Catholic girlfriends, the characters of Petty Harbour, working in the fishing industry and his early years in Great Big Sea. The interview was a long wait for fans between the actual event and the airing on radio but well worth it. This interview is available as a mp3 podcast from TheNextChapter website.

(From cbc.ca Canada.No copyright infringement intended.)

Adam Walsh @adamfwalsh @alanthomasdoyle “Mom; When he quit his job to go with the band I thought “Oh my god” #doyleAM

Another favourite was the radio interview on the SJ Morning Show on CBC Radio, St Johns which also featured his family including his mum Jean, dad Tom and his sister Kim on the 10 October 2014. As I live overseas I couldn’t find the links to access the interview, however, the radio station provided one of the most brilliant social media Twitter feeds with comments and photographs as the interview occurred. There were lots of laughs and love as the family shared stories from their days in Petty Harbour, raising children and growing up. There was Jean Doyle’s famous home-made bread and preserves.

(From @sjmorning Twitter #AM Doyle tweets. No copyright infringement intended.)

There was the professionally filmed interview between Alan Doyle and a well-respected Canadian journalist Peter Howell. The interview was conducted in front of a packed house at the Toronto Library on the day the book was released October 14 2014 and was exceptionally good. The interview is approximately an hour and twenty minutes long and is available on the Toronto Library official YouTube site soon after the launch. 

“Usually the smell of something roasting in our oven started in the late afternoon. By five, we’d all be salivating at the thought of that roast and the gravy Mom would make from it to pour over boiled potatoes and some canned peas or corn”. Alan Doyle in the Globe and Mail.

Throughout Alan Doyle’s book tour there have been a number of newspaper reviews and articles. There was an article in a national Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail titled “A hot, buttered slice of fond memories from Alan Doyle” published on 27 October, 2014. The review was a section of the book about food and meal times, his mother and a wonderful conversation between a son and his mother about making bread. There is a lovely black and white photograph of Mrs Doyle in her kitchen in St John’s cooking. The article has been copied with permission from the publishers.

 

 

(from www.theworldofgord.com at the Toronto library. No copyright infringement intended.)

“I miss how busy Petty Harbour and other fishing towns like it were in the later ’70 and early ’80s. With fishing boats coming and going, processing plants running two shifts, six days a week, trucks humming in and out of town, the place was bustling. I loved the energy of so many people in a tiny place all working on the same thing”. Alan Doyle, National Post, The Afterword Reading Society: Where I Belong by Alan Doyle. 29 October 2014

In the Canadian National Post Alan Doyle answered questions submitted by the readers about growing up in Petty Harbour, how being a child is different today than it was back then, his music idols, what to do if you find yourself in Newfoundland and future projects including acting and music. When asked about providing advice Alan suggested young people should figure life out for themselves. However, he also said young people should be ”good” and “be ready…you’ll love yourself if you are”. Great advice.

 

Meet and greet at Chapters book store in Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada on 21 October 2014

(I didn’t watch any bootlegged videos. Alan Doyle has stated he is making an audio book. In my opinion bootlegged recorded read passages without permission from the book tours are in direct competition to this. They also may breach the copyright  act. ‘Where I Belong’ is copyright to Skinner’s Hill Music. The copyright notice on page 6 and states “All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication, reproduced, transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system without the prior written consent of the publisher-or reprographic copying, licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency – is an infringement of the copyright law.”).

‘Everything is better with girls man’ Sean McCann Photo Essay….

I would like to pay tribute in this post to the many fans who have been sharing their wonderful photographs and bootlegged videos from Sean McCann’s recent solo tour across Canada. Fans came from around Canada, America and England to enjoy some old favourites and some new music from Sean McCann. There is some uniquely special about this man, his guitar and music in small intimate venues and these photographs and bootlegged videos reflect this perfectly.

There were three favourite videos from a wonderful collection brilliantly recorded by long term Great Big Sea fan Helen Gilbert. The first is Spirit in the Sky. Sean is on stage with some friends including Great Big Sea member Murray Foster. Sean invited some members of the audience up onto the stage to sing this song with them. What a thrill it must have been for Helen (who also performs in a musical group) and her friend to be on stage with their music heroes? Yes everything is better with girls.





 

(This photograph was taken by one of their friends Freda. No copyright infringement intended)

Another favourite is Sean’s beautiful solo version of the Great Big Sea’s Turn. The audience provided backup vocals spectacularly and Sean lets them run away with the song at the end. As Sean informs us it is the first time a member of Great Big Sea has performed this solo in over ten years. Well done Sean McCann.  

The third favourite video is the title song from his new album ‘Help Your Self’. Sean asks members of the audience to come up on stage and do a group version of the title song from his album.

Definitely another thrill for all those fans that went to the show and a thrill for those of us fans visiting afterwards on YouTube.  If you are a Sean McCann and Great Big Sea fan these are a must view. 

The videos were done with approval and retweeted by Sean McCann on his Twitter site and available on Helen Gilbert’s YouTube account.

I have included some spectacular photographs taken from Helen Gilbert’s Twitter and Flickr album. The photographs need no explanation as they speak for themselves about Sean McCann, his love of music and performing these days.

Thankyou for sharing your wonderfully, talented work and enjoyment of all things Sean McCann and Great Big Sea with us. No copyright infringement intended.  

Helen Gilbert (From Twitter. No copyright infringement intended)





Helen Gilbert (From Twitter. No copyright infringement intended)

Book Review...Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

This is my first attempt to write a book review…Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

I was like a child again on the night before Christmas waiting for Santa to arrive with a special present. It was quiet in the house and I was snug in my bed. Something woke me up and I checked my phone. Santa (Google Play) has come early and delivered Alan Doyle’s book Where I Belong in digital form. I would have preferred the book, but considering I live about as far away as one can get from Newfoundland, the words and pictures had arrived over the Internet and on my phone and I could at last read them. I was thrilled. Nothing ever came early for me in this fandom.

For weeks now the publishers and the fandom has been talking about this book. I had been selective about what I read and reviewed. I didn’t want others words and ideas in my headspace when I read this book. During the waiting time I had read a range of digital books about Newfoundland including The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, A Whale For The Killing by Farley Mowat, and an interesting book called Making Witches, Newfoundland Traditions of Spells and Counterspells by Barbara Rieti. These books help set the scene for life in small rural communities in Newfoundland as I have no real experience myself. An outsider's perspective of small traditional communities of Newfoundland.  

Then there were my own outsider experiences of being in Newfoundland and visiting the fishing village of Petty Harbour. I spent a couple of hours there last year with some Canadians who had made Newfoundland their home and a Newfoundlander. The memories came flooding back. The visit helped set the scene for the book and I am there with Alan Doyle, walking the wharves and streets, seeing the homes set on the hills, the churches and other buildings including the general store, watching the fisherman do their work, looking at the fishing boats in the harbour and walking the bridge that divided the town and the river that went under it. It is the physical environment of Petty Harbour which is what most tourists see and Great Big Sea fans see when they make the pilgrimage.

What most tourists don’t get to know about is the most important part of this town, its people and their cultural and social traditions and history. About a chapter into the book and I have a lot of my questions answered. There is the theme of insiders and outsiders whether it’s on social media, within Canada itself, Newfoundland, St John’s or a rural fishing village. Who is a Canadian and who isn’t? Who belongs to Newfoundland and who doesn’t? Who belongs to Petty Harbour and who doesn’t? Belonging is one of the biggest questions and most interesting subjects about Newfoundland. Alan Doyle explains that point very early on and very well. Yes, it is a complicated question that varies from individual to individual. It is about being born into that community, into Newfoundland, and where one lives but also about feelings and acceptance by both outsiders and insiders. A sense of belonging in this part of the world is I think unconscious but fluid and constantly changing as one goes about their daily life.

Religion is another one of the fascinating themes of Newfoundland. Alan Doyle writes about this at length. On one hand religion unites people within a small community like Petty Harbour, determines where one lives, goes to school, works and interacts with as well as what one believes in during his childhood. No matter what challenges arise and there are plenty in rural Newfoundland including the weather and the economic hardships, the people still remain very much divided along those lines but united in their love of Newfoundland. I will let you read the book to see what I am talking about for this small fishing village and from the words of Alan Doyle himself. Religion obviously had an impact on his life even at a very young age, more than helping him to get a job as a teacher, he completed a minor in religious studies at university. His mother's advice of being good is something we can all practice and aspire too, even when we fall off the horse. And regardless of what our belief system is or where we live.

One of the great joys of reading this book is how Alan describes growing up and being part of a loving and caring family. To me one of the great thrills of life is its ordinariness. Ordinary people going about their ordinary lives no matter where they life. Alan remembers, writes and talks about daily life and the season's rhythms with love, laughter and fondness. He shares stories about his mother's cooking, food, sharing a bedroom with his brother and a bathroom with his sisters, playing with friends, working hard during summer, music and girls from both sides of the bridge. He doesn't forget the lessons often challenging he has learnt along the way for example, how to deal with tough guys.

There are many things I was surprised about and really like in this book. For example, the way Alan wrote the dialogue and his discussion on religion. In a post published this week on his webpage Alan wrote about how difficult it was to write dialogue. Newfoundlanders do speak their own form of unique English but, it is English and not some quaint version created by foreign writers in fiction and non fiction. The description of unique words at the end described one of the Newfoundland words I have never really understood, the word b'y.

When I started to read the book I wanted to find out about his life in music and Great Big Sea. However, the part I loved the most was the chapter about the role religion played in his life, his family, community life and his music and song writing. The interviews I have managed to hear seem to focus on cod fishing and music and skirt around the issue of faith which for some interviewers seems difficult to talk about. He wrote about his religious experiences in an interesting, honest and accessible way for those who are not practicing. Religious experiences are really diverse within the family and community of Petty Harbour. Religion encouraged Alan to ask as many questions as it answers. (I come from a never practicing Anglican background. I have only been to a church service once, although I go to church at Easter and Christmas, an Anglican one to say thank you to the powers that be or God if you prefer for keeping me and my family safe).

One of the things I love about reading a book about someone else’s childhood and teenage years is the ability to make us drift back to our own. We revisit the good and the not so good and identify what was different and similar from when we were growing up. Music is one of things that we seem to be able to share across continents and cultures. I was interested to read Alan Doyle (and Bob Hallett’s in his book Writing Out The Notes) interests in music during their teenage years. While there was a local and traditional Newfoundland music happening many international acts including AC/DC and the Little River Band influenced them. They had their origins in urban Australia. When I was a teenager we would hear about Australian bands making it in America and we really didn’t think much about it. Until I read Alan and Bob’s books recently I didn’t realise just how huge these bands really were to find their way into the lives of teenagers in Newfoundland and Petty Harbour, Canada without the publicity machines of today.

For those of you who follow Russell Crowe, Scott Grimes and Alan Doyle on Twitter you would have heard Scott Grimes referred to affectionately as a Nitzy Pumpkin. I won’t spoil the story for you by telling you what a Nitzy Pumpkin means as it is explained beautifully in the book. So you will have to read Where I Belong to find out.

Finally, I love this segment I read in the book and reprinted in a national Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail called “A hot, buttered slice of fond memories from Alan Doyle” about the conversation between a mother and a grown son about how to make home-made bread that was a staple at so many meals the family had together. There is a lovely black and white picture of Mrs Doyle making bread in her kitchen in St Johns.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

From Where I Belong by Alan Doyle with Jean Doyle.

How to make my mother’s bread

Alan Doyle: How do you make a loaf of bread, Mom?
Jean Doyle: Alan, honey, I don’t know how to make a loaf of bread. I only knows how to make eight.
Alan: Mom, I’m trying to put your recipe in my book. Can you help me out? What ingredients do you use?
Jean: I use a bag of flour.
Alan: A whole bag?
Jean: A seven-pound bag. And about a cup of butter. And some salt in the palm of my hand.
Alan: Some salt in the palm of your hand?
Jean: Yes. Just some salt in the palm of my hand. I mix it all up, dry.
Alan: In a bowl?
Jean: In the pan I’m making the bread in. Then, I make like a hole in the centre of the flour, the flour and the butter and the salt that I just mixed up. In the hole there, I put in two tablespoons of dry yeast and two tablespoons of sugar.
Alan: Sugar?
Jean: Got to have the sugar for the yeast to rise.
Alan: I didn’t know.
Jean: And then, what I do is use the whisk and just pour in the water.
Alan: How much water?
Jean: I don’t know. It’s about … I’d say probably seven or eight cups. And you got to get the feel of it. I pour in the water and I whisk it. And then when it gets too heavy for the whisk, I get my hands in there. I whack it.
Alan: You whack it.
Jean: Yes. And I knead it, until I gets it right nice and doughy. And then I make it into a ball in my pan and put some butter on it and cover it over and let it rise until it’s double what I had when I started. And then I knead it down again – well, I do, but some people don’t knead it down a second time. After, when it rises up again, I put the dough in the pans. This batch will make eight loaves.
Alan: How long do you cook it for?
Jean: I cook it at 415 degrees for 30 minutes. And take it out and then I brushes it with a bit of butter. And yummy.
Alan: You make it sound so easy.
Jean: Oh, it is.


Excerpted from Where I Belong: From Small Town to Great Big Sea, by Alan Doyle. Copyright ©2014 Skinner’s Hill Music Ltd. Published by Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited, a Penguin Random House Company. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved. Excerpted from Where I Belong: From Small Town to Great Big Sea, by Alan Doyle. Copyright ©2014 Skinner’s Hill Music Ltd. Published by Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited, a Penguin Random House Company. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.

A response to ‘the love of Bunnies’…. Russell the fan…

Congratulations to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and their fans for winning the National Rugby League Grand Final in Australia. A dream come true for not only Russell Crowe but for the team, management and the thousands of loyal fans.

Recently I found this really interesting article in the New Zealand Herald about Russell Crowe’s love of the Bunnies. I agree with the writer in that his role in the club and his love of the Bunnies had in bringing about this premiership can’t go unrecognised.

The Rabbitohs are an Australian sporting club with Australian cultural and social traditions that extend beyond all the decisions being made by the shareholders and managers of the club. They are an extension of the Australian community, its love of sport and its values both the good and the not so good. An Australian sporting club cannot exist without its membership who buy tickets and sit on seats every week at games and who cheer the team on whether they win or lose no matter how money the club has or who owns it.  

The New Zealand Herald journalist writes about the role of the members in the early years of the club “A model was devised, says Pappas, that gave club members the last say about club heritage values, "the colours, the name, where we play, whether we merge or not. That was a credit to Russell because he didn't see it as a private placing or in fact as even something to make money out of. That wasn't the aim."

While Russell Crowe's love of the Bunnies can not be disputed, he is also a wheeler and dealer playing with the big boys and girls of business and celebrity doing deals for what he considers in the best interests of the club. When he announced the signing of the Star Casino as a major sponsor of the South Sydney Rabbitohs I had my doubts. A working class club with working class people and a casino just didn’t sit right.

When Russell (and Peter Homes A Court) took over the Rabbithos they declared they would eliminate poker machines from their leagues club to make it more family friendly. The proposal vote was defeated and they accepted sponsorship from online gambling (Livingston 2014).

When Russell Crowe announced the decision on Twitter there was a debate about the morals and ethics of a gambling establishment sponsoring sporting teams like the Rabbitohs. A lot of the fans went along with his decision because well, he was Russell Crowe. Russell Crowe dismissed the doubters and objectors and justified his decision by reminding them about Star Casino’s responsible gambling policy. Then there were the big occasions in which Russell Crowe attended events and promoted the casino.

By May 2013, the Sydney Morning Herald reported the Star Casino would withdraw their sponsorship at the end of season. Russell Crowe claimed he had held up his end of the deal. Their logo had been on the big names of American television. Russell Crowe was quick to announce a new sponsor James Packer’s Crown Casino. This week the media are speculating that James Packer will buy Peter Homes A Court’s share in the Rabbitohs.

Russell Crowe was involved with James Packer before the cancellation of the Star casino sponsorship. James Packer who is interested in producing movies was an executive producer on Russell Crowe’s movie Winter’s Tale in 2013. According to Nash Information Services Winter’s Tale grossed over $22 million worldwide and a further $4 million in DVD sales. 

When the Crown Casino announced its sponsorship deal with the Rabbitohs it made plenty of promises to the Rabbitohs and the community. But a casino is a casino, and James Packer has the money he has because someone lost somewhere along the line. The original idea of removing the pokies from the leagues club and making the Rabbitohs a family friendly club has been lost a long time ago. (Although Russell Crowe has denied he owns the leagues club). Livingston (2014) in his article ‘Rabbitohs go for the punt’ discusses the history of the Rabbitohs involvement in gambling and gambling within the larger context of Australian sport and the impact on the community. Gambling sponsorship in Australian sport is a complicated business. Gambling is once again validated and considered normal behaviour by further sponsorship and investment from a casino.    

The New Zealand Herald (2014) journalist continues and states Russell has a “soft spot for the All Blacks” but he is Aussie Russell. Is he really ‘Aussie’ Russell? Russell picks and uses ordinary Australian traits for his own purpose. For example, maintain true to the working class values of the club, the underdog tag and every Australian can pick themselves up by the bootlaces when they are down and do great things. Yes, Australians do that. He expects loyalty and gives loyalty. Yes, Australians stand by their mates.

But what about the Australian value of having a say? The Daily Telegraph (2014) recently reported after the grand final game Russell Crowe called the general manager of the Crown Casino a pelican and he should start looking for another job. Russell then deleted the tweet. The Crown Casino manager should be able to have their say and support whatever sporting team they want. Employees should be able to have a different opinion than those of their employers and be able to express it. Sport in Australia is the great equaliser and what unites them. And to deny that expression is well is unAustralian.

I hope in all reality the average member of the Rabbitohs does have a say in the club and Russell genuinely listens.

The journalist continues “Crowe had to overcome the view among members that the wealthy boys were taking their club away (he and Holmes a Court appoint four of seven board seats)”. It seems this has gone full circle with the inclusion of James Packer along for the ride. I doubt James Packer invests his money in any venture that doesn’t make a profit. At some time he will want a return. He will be looking somewhere for it and I can only imagine where that will be.

References

Benns.M. (2014). Russell Crowe slams Crowne Casino boss over support for Bulldogs in NRL grand final against Rabbitoh. Daily Telegraph. 6 October 2014.

Chammas, M. (2013) Packer pouncies with $3 million Rabbitohs sponsorship deal. Sydney Morning Herald 14 May 2013.

Livingston, C. (2014). Rabbitohs go for punt. Opinion. The Drum. Abc.net.au 10 October 2014

Taylor, P.(2014). For love of Bunnies. New Zealand Herald. 4 October 2014

‘For love of Bunnies’ by Phil Taylor New Zealand Herald 4 October 2014.

Russell Crowe embraces the Rabbitohs' Issac Luke after the first preliminary final. Luke has been suspended and won't play in the grand final.

He's played a gladiator and a maths genius and a whistleblower but Russell Crowe always was a Souths' tragic.

Wealthy men buy sports clubs for vanity or anticipated profit. For Crowe, the available evidence suggests he did it for love.

Should therefore, the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club, better known as the South Sydney Rabbitohs, confirm their firm favouritism tomorrow and win the NRL premiership, Crowe will surely deserve to relish that greatest and simplest pleasure of the diehard fan - vindication.

His is the club the authorities didn't want, the club they now cannot get enough of. And Crowe is as important as anyone in bringing them to this day.

The A$3 million that Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes a Court paid for a 75 per cent stake in the club in 2006 is considered pivotal. Crowe's association with the team goes back to his primary school years in the district.

The club born to represent the labouring class in the city's south has won the premiership 20 times but not since 1971. The powers that be gave up on them in 1999, Souths the only club culled for the next season's 14-side format. No matter that Souths won the first ever game in Australia, played in 1908.

Souths fought their way back through the courts, led by corporate lawyer and current chairman Nick Pappas. Vital though that was, it did not guarantee survival. The club was skint.

The rebirth of the Rabbitohs began on 7 June, 2006, through a new partnership between Russell Crowe, Peter Holmes a Court and the 8000 Members of the Club. "We knew that in the absence of a leagues club to back us ... , we needed private investment because the years out of the competition had caused such deep damage to the club. We started with no players, with no administration, with no infrastructure," Pappas told the Herald. "After the euphoria passed of being back in, the reality set in which was that we had to run a business and we had no corporate connections and we had no business connections."

A revolution was required at the club that traditionally had no love of the rich and famous. Club patriarch George Piggins walked when the club voted in Crowe and Holmes a Court. It appears he has relented, this week saying he will break his eight-year absence to cheer the club tomorrow.

"It was pretty personal, the fight with Russell and Holmes a Court ... at some point it went too far.

"I would shake hands, you grow up. I'm 70, you have to realise it is a game."

Crowe felt the love from Penrith Panthers' general manager Phil Gould, who played one season for Souths. Crowe had "stood the test of time", wrote Gould.

"I don't know Russell Crowe, but ... I stand and applaud him for his efforts. I thank him on behalf of rugby league for what he has done with the South Sydney Club."

Pappas has watched many games with Crowe and can vouch for his passion. "He's a fan. He's excited. He's talking about what this is going to mean for his sons. He's talking about the memories that are flooding back, about as a young boy going to watch the Rabbitohs with his dad. It's the same passion that we all feel. It's that father-son bond, footy seems to be that father-son dynamic, that is passed down and is treasured.

"At the games he is just another supporter and that's how he wants to be. He has enough lustre from Hollywood and those other things he does. He doesn't need South Sydney for that.

"As I understand it, his father had a workshop in Botany, which is in the South Sydney district, in the working class heartland. [Crowe's bond] was forged quite young."

Pappas says Crowe's personal influence on the club dates well before he became a major owner. "He was side by side with us when we were marching in the streets and fighting in the courts. He bought the bell [the original timekeeper's bell rung at the 1908 game, for A$42,000 in 1999 from its owner and donated it back to the club]. The bell is going to be rung again on Sunday. He wasn't just someone who came along as a sort of opportunistic investor. He's someone who has worn the red and green proudly. There was only one sporting organisation that he wanted to be associated with."

Crowe had to overcome the view among members that the wealthy boys were taking their club away (he and Holmes a Court appoint four of seven board seats). A model was devised, says Pappas, that gave club members the last say about club heritage values, "the colours, the name, where we play, whether we merge or not. That was a credit to Russell because he didn't see it as a private placing or in fact as even something to make money out of. That wasn't the aim."

Crowe may have been born in Wellington but his marrow is in the working class of Sydney's south.

The actor brought his star power to bear. Oprah, Ronaldo and Tom Cruise attended matches or were photographed sporting Rabbitohs hats, while Crowe spread the word via chat kings such as Jay Leno.

"Russell never misses a chance to spread the Rabbitohs message," Pappas recently said, of his own appearance in Crowe's directorial debut, The Water Diviner.

The film traces the journey of an Aussie father searching for his sons after the battles of Gallipoli, and in Alfred Hitchcock style, Crowe slipped the Souths chairman into an Istanbul market scene where Pappas appears as a Fez-wearing rabbit vendor, holding a cage of bunnies and crying in Turkish: "Rabbits for sale!"

Crowe has had a direct role in acquiring star players, none more than Englishman Sam Burgess.

"We already knew about these four Burgess brothers (now all with Souths) who were on the rise in English football but it was pretty convenient that Russell happened to be shooting a film in England at the time."

Crowe's wooing included having Sam Burgess and his mother, Julie, visit his trailer on the set of Robin Hood.

CROWE WAS seven years old and living in Sydney when Souths last won the grand final. He has a soft spot for the All Blacks but Crowe is Aussie Russell. Even with Black Caps legends Marty and Jeff for cousins, he couldn't go past the Australian cricket team he grew up with. He felt more Australian than Kiwi, he has said, because he'd spent his formative primary school years there. "I got to Australia when I was four, then went back to New Zealand as a teenager [for several years], but that's a big whack of your life."

His father, Alex, who was from Canterbury, and mother Jocelyn, were living in Wellington when Russell was born. They moved back from Australia after a decade, settling in Mt Roskill. Crowe has said he was caned at Auckland Grammar for not knowing the words of the national anthem. "I thought that was extremely unreasonable. I'd been back in the country about two months."

He gigged as a cabaret rocker named Russ Le Roq and ran a nightclub named The Venue before returning to Sydney in his early 20s with $300 in his pocket, determined to do better than what he termed his "also ran, also starred" phase. "In New Zealand I was considered an arrogant outsider. I thought I was just excited," he said in a 1988 Herald interview.

Now one of the best of his generation of actors and on the brink of becoming the toast of Sydney's sports community, might Crowe see his job as done and sell his shares as he hinted at doing a couple of years ago to "simplify" life after he split with Danielle Spencer?

"I don't think so," says Pappas. "He doesn't need to put his hand in his pocket [anymore]. The business now comfortably runs itself. The sky's the limit because we reached that stage without a premiership. You can't say forever, but I think this is a long term proposition for Russell. It's just the beginning of the ride."

Crowe's first love

South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
Formed: 1908
Known as: Rabbitohs, Bunnies
Colours: Red and green
Culled from the national competition: 1999
Re-instated: 2002
Revitalised: 2006 via partnership between Russell Crowe, Peter Holmes a Court and the 8000 club members.
Last won the premiership: 1971
In the grand final: Tomorrow against the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Alan Doyle and let’s make a video…So Let's Go...

I just could not resist writing this post as I just love a good old selfie and their story that goes along with them. 

Recently Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes and Jessica Macallen filmed a video in Los Angles for Alan Doyle’s soon to be released song So Let’s Go. The video was made by Margaret Malandrucco who made Russell Crowe and Alan Doyle’s video for the song Testify.

Their adventures were shared on Twitter and other social media for the fans. Here is a small collection of some of the best of their tweets and photographs.

(All pictures are from the official Twitter sites of Alan Doyle and Scott Grimes. No copyright infringement intended for the pictures or words)

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Early rise. Bolting to LA and @scottgrimes and @jesmacalan for a few days to get out pictures take #soletsgo 1 October 2014.

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Good Morning LA. Slept like a baby in your arms last night. Looking forward to a great day with @scottgrimes @jesmacallan @mmfoto_margaret 2 October 2014.

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle What could possibly go wrong? @scottgrimes 2 October 2014.

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle That’s a wrap on day 1 of  So Let’s Go video shoot. I’ve been up for 24 hours straight. Sleepy now. Back at in tomorrow. 2 October 2014.

Jes Macallan@jesmacallan @alanthomasdoyle @scottgrimes tuckin in for my beauty rest…you beasts. 2 October 2014

Scott Grimes@scottgrimes These two dudes yesterday are about to hang out with a girl today!! @alanthomasdoyle @jesmacallen 3 October 2014.

Scott Grimes@scottgrimes #soletsgo @alanthomasdoyle @jemacallen 3 October 2014

 

Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Yes B’y. @jesmacallan @scottgrimes #soletsgo 3 October 2014

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Dawn Venice Beach. Friggin’ Cool 3 October 2014

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Dawn video shoot in Venice Beach. Morning photo shoot in Koreatown. Back to Santa Monica Pier at dusk with @scottgrimes @jesmacallan Yeha 4 October 2014

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle That’s a wrap for Sloan and Bobby and me and soletsgo vid. Thanks @scottgrimes @jesmacallen 4 October 2014

Catching up with old ‘friends’ on Republic of Doyle....

From Allan Hawco on Twitter “Our decision to end Republic of Doyle on season 6 was tough, but I think you’ll love that we’re going out with a bang”. #october8finalseason 29 May 2014

A couple of weeks ago Republic of Doyle filmed its last episodes on the streets of St John’s, Newfoundland. CBC Canada and the producers decided to make this series their last. After the announcement made on social media and in the news media, there were congratulations all round for the show and its cast and of course the contribution it has made to the Newfoundland community and arts. The show has contributed too many fans including myself visiting the glorious island of Newfoundland.

The fans will miss Jake, Leslie, the Doyle family, the crazy bunch of characters and of course the amazing city of St John’s. The first episode of the final season airs on CBC Canada on the October 15 2014. On the same night in Toronto there is a fan event for all those fans interested in celebrating the show they love. There is also some more good news, the producers and cast plan to make a movie. So it will not be the last we see of Jake Doyle riding around in the GTO around the streets of St John’s. Republic of Doyle on the big screen, I can’t wait to see that.

After the announcement of the decision not to renew the show I went looking for all that had been said about the final days of filming.

In an article and video posted on CBC News “That's a wrap: Republic of Doyle ends shooting of final season” on September 2014 Allan Hawco explained his decision not to continue with show. "We wanted to make sure we were loyal to our fans, and we had an opportunity to deliver on our promises. I feel if we kept going, I don't know if I'd be able to promise that. At a certain point you kind of run out of the magic. I didn't want to be the last guy hanging out at the party that everybody wants to go home." Being a fan of many television shows I have seen popular shows run themselves into the ground when their time was over. The cast and crew tired and the writers running out of material. The decision was a brave one indeed but one that was done for the right reasons.

There is a wonderful video attached to the article which all Republic of Doyle fans should see. Allan apologies for blocking traffic in downtown St John’s for six years, and describes how many people he will miss once the show finished. He then talks about making the show and the projects he has planned. Exciting stuff.

Allan Hawco and the GTO talking about the end of Republic of Doyle (CBC.ca no copyright infringement intended).

That's a wrap: Republic of Doyle ends shooting of final season from CBC News September 2014,

The tires on Jake Doyle's GTO will screech for the last time on Wednesday, as shooting for the final season of the hit series Republic of Doyle will come to an end.

The Gemini-nominated show debuted in January 2010, and on Oct. 15, the sixth season will premiere on CBC Television.

Republic of Doyle star and co-creator Allan Hawco, who has played Doyle, took a few minutes from taping on the southside of St. John's on Tuesday, to speak with the CBC's Zach Goudie.

Hawco said there's been a large level of nostalgia as the crew wraps up the show"

And, a certain level of an emotional connection to this family of people that we've been working with for six years. Being able to work and live in my favourite city in the world, with my favourite people, it's going to be a hard separation. I think it's going to be emotional for everybody and I'm not looking forward to that," Hawco said.

Hawco said it was a hard decision to have season six as the final instalment of the show.

"Well, you've got to think all the jobs that are in play, the amount of marriages, babies that have been born, houses that have been bought. This is people's livelihood," said Hawco.  

"You can't make that decision lightly, and that was one of the biggest things that was making us hesitate in terms of ending the show. Creatively it was the right decision, but I am going to miss it. I'm going to miss shooting in this amazing city and being able to showcase it. Fundamentally I'm going to miss playing Jake Doyle."

Large team behind the scenes

Unlike seeing show regular characters Jake, Des, Tinny, Rose, Malachy and Leslie on-screen, there is an army of support — 150 people who work full-time — behind the scenes.  

The St. John's Morning Show spoke to several of the folks who work on every episode.

Gina-Rae Anderson, who has worked in the props department, was studying film in Halifax four years ago. 

"I just knew that when I came back to Newfoundland that I just couldn't see myself doing anything else but working on the show, and somehow it all worked out. And now I'm doing my dream job," Anderson said.  

"I love coming into work and there's so many people, so many friendships have evolved over the past few years. It truly really, really feels like a family. I just love everybody ... going to miss them so much. It's life changing. The show for me was actually life changing. It pretty much developed my career."

Jess Anderson is the digital unit manager with the show, and prior to working on Republic of Doyle, didn't have any television experience. 

"Over the past four years, I think I've learned a lot. We're here for about 12 hours a day, so you get to see kind of everything from you know, how the cameras work, to who does what in the crew. And then where I'm working around, I get to see the show come full circle with editing and post and see how it's all done," Anderson said.

"I've been getting kind of a bittersweet vibe on set. Everyone's in really good spirits, it almost feels like the last day of high school. So we all know that we're graduating tomorrow and we all know that we will see each other again, but we don't know when or where or how. So it's definitely bittersweet." 

The right decision

Hawco said while it was a tough decision to end the series, it was the right one.

 "Because, every year we were at the hands of fate. We just didn't know if we were going to be ordered every year, and we wanted to make sure we had control over how we went out," said Hawco.

"We wanted to make sure we were loyal to our fans, and we had an opportunity to deliver on our promises. I feel if we kept going, I don't know if I'd be able to promise that. At a certain point you kind of run out of the magic. I didn't want to be the last guy hanging out at the party that everybody wants to go home."

After Wednesday's wrap, the crew will conclude editing and post-production.

When asked what would happen to the blue GTO once Republic of Doyle ended, Hawco told CBC, "nothing."

"We're going to make a movie ... so, stay tuned."