Not usually my style on here, but here goes. Been going through a tricky patch of late – just the slings and arrows, complex life stuff, but no threats or dangers – and have spent much of this late Winter morning (Sydney-time) pondering about gratitude. I’ve been feeling like I’ve had my head up my own arse for the last while and am trying to mindful of the good things and to actually express them, to notice lifes rich pageant in a way that’s more positive and outward rather than being caught up in my own processes, which are becoming so well trodden I fear I’m becoming a kind of meta-consciousness, reflecting on my reflections ad infinitum ad nauseam.
So, sitting on the lounge, my wife at work, the kids, 7 and 2, and I watching Play School which this year clocks up 50 years. As part of it, one of the old presenters of this much-loved kids TV show, John, comes on to reprise one of his songs from my own childhood. Instant tears of recognition, sadness and joy.
Anyway, as I’m sure you know, @Mousey on this here blog plays piano on the Play School (hope that’s something you’re Ok with people knowing in terms of online aliases and such; if not sling me a message and I’ll happily delete) and, while I’m sure my own childhood watching of the show was before his time, I just wanted to say thank you to him for all the happiness he brings to my kids and to me. A small thing, a couple of kids watching Tv on a saturday morning, but to pursue a life of making children happy through music, if that doesn’t deserve gratitude then I don’t know what does. Thank you.
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.

Mousey’s Play School gig is common knowledge and I’m sure he will be delighted to read your words
Good on you for saying it.
I didn’t know about Mousey’s Play School involvement, but I’m mightily impressed.
A full-on Zappa fan at the very heart of our nation’s leading educational television show. Now that’s what I call subversion.
Nice post.
I didn’t know about Mousey either, though I did know that Burt Kocain – formerly of this parish – ‘was’ Bungle on Rainbow.
Mods please delete badartdog’s comment for reasons of privacy.
Good upsie for Mousey, though but. I think Playschool was after my time, but music from kids’ TV never leaves you. The Tales From The Riverbank, Robinson Crusoe, Captain Pugwash … never quite deleted from my memory even after seeing Blonde On Blonde do Whole Lotta Love on Tiswas.
Pedantry corner: it was Tales OF the Riverbank, cuh!
Zippy, surely?
Did someone call?
Aussie show – did it reach the UK ?
Was this it?
More like this
Nice!
Gosh, um, thanks @DanP – bloody hell I’m fully outed now aren’t I? Not that I mind really especially when someone says such nice words about wot one does in one’s day job.
Playing piano on PlaySchool is about the best gig any freelance musician could wish for, and every year when I get a new contract (and this year is the 16th) I breathe a sigh of relief. Also this year has been the 50th anniversary of the show in Australia, and while there were a lot of celeb-led TV spots acknowledging this, it was disappointing that there weren’t any live concerts (as happened for the 40th anniversary when we did a couple of months touring the country and playing live in remote areas). So when I saw what was being planned, or not planned, I hived off to Europe in between shows and visited my children and went to Zappanale, being a lifelong FZ fan as @Johnny Concheroo refers to.
Anyway um, yeah, but no, but – thanks again…
Genuine apologies if you’re in any way uncomfortable with the ‘outing’. (Coulda been worse though: I didn’t even start on how much the kids love J****** C*****!)
Ah yes the wonderful Johnny Conch – er, no, Justine. Yes kids love her. She’s a pretty special person. Love working with her on PS and on the albums.
If anyone here has read this far and is wondering wtf we’re talking about, here’s PS presenter Justine Clarke with a song I wrote that’s kind of a hit for the under-fives here in Australia –
And here in NZ, Mousey. Also “I Love to Sing”.
My god. That “I like to sing” DVD was the most played piece of media in my house for several years. I used to play along with the title song on my Rickenbacker. The hard part with kids’ music is creating something that won’t send the parents insane on the billionth consecutive listen, which that album accomplishes. Except for “Hop Hippity Hop”, which remains the reason I will kill you if we ever meet face-to-face.
This must make Mousey the Antipodean Jonathan Cohen.
(A reference sure to inspire knowing nods amongst those of a certain age, and genuine confusion in all others)
The UK variant ceased in 1988 – Hambel, Humpty and Big & Little Ted have not worked since.
That show contained it’s share of musical people with the aforementioned Cohen, Derek Griffiths never more than 10 steps from a guitar, and Rick Jones who was in Pub Rock band Meal Ticket
Err so it wasn’t common knowledge – was sure El Mouso had referenced this activity previously.