Featuring
our first 2004 update of news from the well meaning world of
Ross Ryan and the commerce fixated institution that is
Coathanger Productions.
Dateline: February 2004 - Tianjin China
OK, I admit it. It's a compromise.. but at least it got me off that wretched Easter Island. So 'ni hao' and late seasonal greetings. May you and your ancestors be enjoying a wide open highway.
As part of Coathanger's recent globalisation strategy, I have been posted to a place called Tianjin to establish a Ryan presence in mainland China. As it was explained to me, Coathanger management added up the figures and matched the percentage of projected sales for Ross Ryan product in Australia against the population of China. Suddenly they realised the potential for literally hundreds of new customers.
First impressions are that the shopping here is a tad dull and local fashions leave much to be desired. Having said that, they do have a rather bold - but at the same time coy - surgical mask-looking fashion accessory which I'm noticing more and more people adopting. But generally, it's all rather Asian, the locals are friendly, the challenge is vast and food, especially poultry, is quite cheap, .
But frankly, Prague it ain't.
'One Person Queue' - the launching process has begun!
We kind of figure that an album that takes decades to deliver, deserves to be launched repeatedly for at least a couple of years. So in this spirit we have so far staged two launches in Melbourne as well as one in Brisbane with dates in South Australia and Canberra close to being confirmed. Included in all this are 'Idol & Idle' dates with Mark Holden (see below) as well as rumours of a NSW tour with Doug Ashdown.
Check out our photo gallery for highlights of the 1PQ Palace Hotel launch.
Speaking of which, on the Spectrum site, Mike Rudd had pix and a review online the day after the Palace gig (show off) .You might also, for reference, like to observe Mr Rudd's humour with his "review" of 1PQ.
In the meantime there are a couple of February gigs. Firstly the Albert Park Yacht Club Launch on infamous Valentine's Day (Feb 14) and then on Feb 27th, Ross returns to Geelong with an appearance at Cafe Phill's at Barwon Heads for the Geelong Folk Club Launch.
See
our Gig Guide for full
details.
Late
November saw the highly successful public debut, in Bairnsdale
Victoria, of the freeform experience that is 'Idol & Idle'.
Because we know that Mark never visits this site it's possible for us to speak
freely here.
Mark is a complex guy. Far too complex to be understood by watching the fishbowl that we call television. Hence Mark's role as a judge on 'Australian Idol' overplayed the 'dork' side of Mark's personality and conversely underplayed all of his positive qualities which I'm sure should be somewhere here in my notes.
But all slander aside - the two nights at Larrikin's Cafe in Bairnsdale were a roaring success. For a start, the hospitality shown by Larrikin's owners Ian and Susan Lockwood made the 'I&I' entourage feel right at home. And there was even a local angle! Bairnsdale's own Alexis Naylor - a finalist from 'Oz Idol' - caught up with Mark and much to the audiences' delight, joined the guys onstage for both nights. And as for Ross and Mark - the chemistry that exists between these two unlikely friends made for a genre of entertainment that will not be soon forgotten by the people of Bairnsdale.
Hopefully
within the next few weeks we'll have more details as to where this mercurial
duo will next suddenly appear.
Stay tuned!
Those
of you who have enjoyed the experience of doing business with Coathanger's
merchandising division will be thrilled to learn that one
of our more patient customers - New Zealander, Doug Coutts
- has turned his infamous experiences into at least enough money to pay for
the CD he stoically awaited for about 8 months.
Doug already
enjoys a heady status within die-hard Ryan circles to the extent that
'The Doug Coutts
Story' - our online version of Doug's journey - has become
a legendary lesson in perseverance and humour. 
Thus we - and by this I mean I - have great pleasure in announcing that the ever resourceful Mr Coutts has turned the other cheek into a radio play entitled 'Ross Ryan, Connie & Me'. And get this. He sold it to New Zealand's national broadcaster in a country where only about 3 people (including Doug) have even heard of Ross. Is this guy awesome or what?
In the radio program, the characters of Doug and Connie are played by professional actors whilst Doug provides the running commentary. The show also includes a number of rare RR recordings - some of them challenging in a sort of copyright sense.
We hope to soon have broadcasting details available for those two other NZ fans and are also exploring ways to make this historic and extremely flattering program available to a worldwide listening audience. Love and kisses Doug Baby!.
Looting fears as floods take out G.I. Recorders
Described
as the worst flooding in more than a century - or at least since December
- Melbourne was hit in the early hours of January 30 by a storm which has
effectively closed down Ross's studio, G.I. Recorders.
Studio
staff are presently assessing the damage as they tediously continue with
clean up operations and security precautions. 
Although widespread media reports of gangs of looters ransacking the Glen Iris area have since proved to be unfounded, police are randomly arresting and strip searching anyone who they suspect may be responsible for what 'State of Emergency' officials are referring to as potential "whatever the opposite of arson is" violators.
Ross, still resting at the Sonja McMahon Clinic, was unavailable for comment.
Well I think I've managed to cover most things that have occurred since last we spoke. I've got a motivational acupuncture appointment in an hour's time followed by my first Tai-Dye Chi lesson so I'll sign off for now.
Next month I'll bring you up to speed on the progress I've hopefully made in introducing Ross's music to the people of China as well as further tour dates as 1PQ Launch 2004 continues its juggernaut across Australia.Cheers
Connie Person
Asian Liaison Manager
Coathanger China
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