ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

anyone listening Monday 31/1 right now

Jack Thompson on the ABC radio with Australian Poetry. " The Man From Ironbark' in Conversations.

Then interview on poetry... His and his favourites.

Hmmmm Haven't seen him on the financial Members list!

... he sometimes reads his 'favorites' WITHOUT glasses too ...

Hit the nail on the head there Neil.

Jack Thompson's company was financial with the ABPA a couple of years ago. God only knows if he ever saw a copy of the magazines that were sent to him.
I can say this however, that he has paid more in advertising than any other bush poet for the sales of his product (over $200.00, and always in advance), so I guess he's got us in mind some of the time.

Joe

good morning Joe,

I was merely presenting information for fellow members and not expecting to be jumped on. I was not offering any comment on his work. Thanks for your information.

Oops Sorry, Zondrae.
I wasn't having a shot at you.

I should have added a quote from Keats, who had never seen Thompson on a financial members list.
I ask Keats has he ever seen the financial members list?
For privacy sake, the list is not available to other than the executive of the ABPA.

Joe

No, I was simply making a point about the likes of Thompson and Crocker jumping on the Bush Poetry bandwagon to furter their financial and celebrity status. This, I am afraid, is pretty much the general opinion of most poets and poetry fans I have spoken to. They do not write, memorise, promote opportunities to other up and coming poets, organise workshops, festivals or poet's breakfasts, etc etc etc.
I didn't mean to jump on you. This is just a very sore point with a lot of us. I mean why not get Jack Drake on the TV and radio doing the classics. Good Lord, he won Album of the year with his classics album and does all of the above as well.
Frank, you know I have never seen nor wanted tp see the financial members list. I just knew for a fact that he wasn't a member as I asked him. He admitted that until it came to advertising (through his agent) he had no knowledge of the existance of the ABPA. As for him pulling $200 out of his kick for advertising, it was purely for his own benefit, and no one else's. Hell, I had to pay $40 to advertise last years Queensland Championships which was benefitting our own members!!!! So this does not defend him at all.

Just clearing up why some of us bite at the mention of these artists trying to look like they have dedicated their lives to promoting Australian Bush Poetry and no offence meant to yourselves Zondrae and Frank.

Ok I wasn't going to buy into this one but in the end I can't help myself.

Keats asks why not get Jack Drake on the radio to talk about bush poetry. Well sadly probably because Joe Public has never heard of Jack Drake but has heard of Jack Thompson. Love him or hate him, he is a celebrity and having a celebrity pushing your cause gets more attention. No doubt Jack Drake is a celebrity among bush poets, but we want our membership to grow and just preaching to the converted won't do it.

Also I seriously doubt that promoting poetry adds much to any celebrity's financial and celebrity status, especially if it's true that most poets and poetry fans are against their participation. Poets I can understand, but poetry fans? Then who is buying the albums?

Ok, off my soapbox now.

So do we get Jimmy Barnes on air to speak about Australian Country Music to the uninitiated because he is a big name? Will that attract the rock fans to country music?