“You went there for the people and went there for the bands” The Sandringham Hotel – 1980 to 1998 Brendan Paul Smyly Doctor of Philosophy University of Western Sydney August 2010 2 Acknowledgements I offer thanks to my supervisors, principally Dr Diana Blom whose knowledge, good advise and enthusiasm for a broad array of topics was invaluable for the length of this study. To Dr Greg Noble, a serendipitous choice who provided great counsel at the oddest hours and introduced me to whole vistas of academic view, thank you. Also to Professor Michael Atherton who offered unwavering support (along with some choice gigs) over the years of my engagement with UWS, many thanks. I offer very special thanks to all my colleagues from the Music Department at UWS. Ian Stevenson and Dr Sally Macarthur, thank you for your faith and support. To John Encarnacao, who was also an interviewee for the project, your advice and enthusiasm for the project has been invaluable and saw me through some difficult months, as has your friendship, thank you. To Mitchell Hart, your knowledge and willingness to help with myriad tasks whenever asked is greatly appreciated. My time as a student in this department will be fondly remembered due to you people being there. Many thanks to the administrative staff of the School of Communication Arts, particularly Robin Mercer for candidature funding and travel advice, and Tracy Mills at the Office of Research Service for your prompt and valuable help. Above all, I wish to thank Darinca Blajic. Thank you for your unfailing love, support and wonderful food. I sincerely thank and dedicate this project to all the participants in this study whose enthusiasm for the place, its people and music made the whole thing meaningful. 3 Declaration I certify that the work in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as part of the requirements for a degree except as fully acknowledged in the text I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help I have received in my research work and preparation of the thesis itself has been acknowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis. Candidate Signature: 4 Table of Contents “You went there for the people and went there for the bands” ................... 1 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 2 Declaration ................................................................................................................................. 3 Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 4 List of Figures ............................................................................................................................ 7 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter One Methodology and Literature Review ...................................................................... 17 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Method ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 Participants ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Interviews ............................................................................................................................................... 21 Analysis ................................................................................................................................................... 24 Triangulation ........................................................................................................................................ 26 My Role as Insider Researcher ...................................................................................................... 27 Ethics ........................................................................................................................................................ 30 Literature Review .................................................................................................................. 31 Music and Place: Ways of Looking ............................................................................................... 31 Local Music and its Place ................................................................................................................. 40 Participant Voices ............................................................................................................................... 43 Looking from Inside ........................................................................................................................... 51 Insiders and Rock Music .................................................................................................................. 56 Scenes ....................................................................................................................................................... 58 Drinking and Drugs ............................................................................................................................ 61 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 66 Chapter Two Community – “but it was a different feeling and any pub you went to you never had that feeling” ................................................................................................ 68 Ritual and communitas ...................................................................................................................... 68 Re‐making Place .................................................................................................................................. 70 Management for Community ......................................................................................................... 75 5 Dancing around the Fire ................................................................................................................... 77 Diversity in Community ................................................................................................................... 81 Diversity in Style .................................................................................................................................. 87 Music as Community Connection ................................................................................................. 92 Community and Gentrification ................................................................................................... 100 “The Sando was my Lounge Room” .......................................................................................... 104 Size and Space .................................................................................................................................... 109 Conflict within the Community .................................................................................................. 112 Community Knowledge ................................................................................................................. 117 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 118 Chapter Three The Stage at the Sando – “Yeah but then you made it, that little turf that we’d created” ................................................................................................................ 121 Position ................................................................................................................................................. 122 Building and Un‐building .............................................................................................................. 142 Materials and Meaning ................................................................................................................... 156 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 163 Chapter Four Songs of the Sando – “Go there purely for music, I’m not a pub person” .. 166 Asking Songwriters ......................................................................................................................... 168 ‘Closing Time’ – B. Campbell ........................................................................................................ 175 In Space or Place? ............................................................................................................................. 181 The Ballad of Lester Walker – The Whitlams ....................................................................... 188 Railhead – Crow ................................................................................................................................ 192 Ring of Fire – Magic Lunchbox ..................................................................................................