Gertrude and Me

Growing up in Glebe in the 50s and 60s, guitarist Tony Burkys romps through his life on the road with the Original Battersea Heroes, Uncle Bobs Band, Captain Matchbox and Lonnie Lee and the Leemen. Great fun, all colour book, with lots of great reminders of great songs of the 60s and 70s. As Toby Creswell says: "Gertrude and Me beautifully captures the beginnings of alternative culture in Australia in both Sydney and Melbourne. It was a critical time of adventure and romance that is too little documented. Tony does a wonderful job rendering the highs and lows. This is also a musicians book. Its the story of discovering jazz and navigating the jazz and blues scene in Sydney. To describe Tony as self-effacing is an understatement. Reading between the lines however you will hear a man who melded rock music with the swing of the Quintette du Hot Club de France in spellbinding performances and so of course, this book swings."