Morning of The Earth

This year’s Bluesfest features a very special Thursday even ing event: a presentation of Morning Of The Earth, the film, accompanied by live music by original shapeshifters and culture shaper, Brian Cadd, with homage to the legacy of this seminal piece of film making with contemporary musicians Lior, Old Man River and Mike Rudd. The film and the soundtrack is as ageless as Brian Cadd, the enigmatic and charming keystone of the project, produced by his partner, a powerhouse in her own right. Amanda Pelman is a theatrical and special events producer who can sniff out a good show, she’s the woman behind the Priscilla stage show.


But before we move on to this remarkable show, let’s pause for a minute to reflect on the wild and exciting life of Brian Cadd, a man who describes himself as being ‘in the right place at the right time’ …all of the time. If I was a wanna be muso, I’d just hang out with Brian, he’s luckier than a rabbit’s foot!


At the end of the 60s Brian moved to London. ‘We were at the Easybeat’s Earl Court apartment this one night, in various states of combustion, and there was a knock at the door and Cream’s road manager was standing there with a reel to reel of the yet to be released music from Big Pink, the band was called The Band. He played the album. And we sat there playing it over and over until 1pm the next day. It was an absolute epiphany. I learnt the power of telling real stories in songs. Up to then, pop songs had been more like nursery rhymes.’


Brian moved to the States in 1974 and lived there for the next two decades.
Arriving in LA in the early 70s opened a whole new door for Brian. It was probably one of the most musically fertile places on the planet.
‘We would hang out with people like Jackson Browne, Lynda Ronstadt and The Eagles. All of those people were accessible then. You could walk into a studio at Sunset Sound and walk in on someone recording. You just don’t do that kind of thing anymore.’


Brian developed a sixth sense for riding the wave. Like a seasoned surfer he intuitively climbed on board in those fragile moments before something major happened, but just at the right time to enjoy a wild ride. He moved to Nashville at the end of the 80s just before it became the nucleus of country music.


‘It also happened when I arrived in London and lived in the Kings Road. Not long after I arrived we all walked up and down and they had just opened the Chelsea Drug Store. The Stones had released Can’t Always get what you Want and in the song they sing ‘I went down to the Chelsea Drug Store to see what I cold find’ – I walked in to the drugstore and I’m not kidding, Mick Jagger walked out – the album was even playing.’


So what inspired Brian to instigate the return of Morning of The Earth?
Amanda, his producer partner is quick to answer. ‘I always wanted him to do more of it in his set. At one gig in Melbourne, one punter said, I don’t care what you do just do Morning of the Earth. People really went for it.’


At their shows at The State Theatre in Sydney, the aud ience reached fever pitch.
Expect the same at Bluesfest when a recut version (now including some contemporary footage by David Rastovich) of Albe Falzon’s film is screen ed as part of a theatrical performance of Morning of The Earth, featuring original and new performers in a spectacular two and a half hour show.


For more information check: www.bluesfest.com.au