Tulip Tribute
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday April 27, 1989
A dinner suit patterned with vintage Australian beer label designs. A blue gingham shirt. One of those extravagant kipper ties that insurance salespeople wore in the seventies. And to bottom it all off, a pair of silver jogging shoes with inbuilt calculator to measure how far you've run.
Isn't this what every megastar should be wearing in the late eighties?
Martin Sharp sincerely believes that Tiny Tim, the man wearing the clothes that even Brian Bury wouldn't be seen dead in, is a true genius, the Beethoven of the baby boomer generation. To convince the world, Sharp has spent the past decade splicing together Street Of Dreams, his film tribute to the man and the myth.
Sharp considers this his greatest work of art, one which germinated back in the sixties. "I'd heard of Tiny Tim but I'd never heard him sing," says Sharp, "and then I saw him at the Albert Hall in London in '68. That's when I was completely bowled over by him and became a fan."
"What a fan," laughs Tiny Tim, who claims he is not embarrassed by Sharp's apparent obsession with his life.
"No, I'm not, I'm really thrilled," says Tim. "I myself don't know what it is, but I'm very happy that someone listens to the songs, that someone has the time to take these songs down on tape - no-one else is doing it - and also some of the adventures I've had, and some of my philosophies of life and women and romance." Genius is a matter of opinion, encyclopaedia is a matter of fact. Tiny Tim may well know more tunes than any man alive. He's too modest to say exactly how many, but if it was in the Top 10 since Edison invented the grooved cylinder, chances are Tiny Tim can strum it and croon it. George Formby? Certainly, Sir, says Tiny Tim, and swings immediately into Fanlight Fanny.
Martin Sharp's movie has itself achieved the status of myth, mainly because it seemed forever to be a work in progress. Late last year, a final version emerged and was shown overseas. Sharp feels it needs another nip and tuck before it's finally shown in Australia. Later this year, he suggests. Perhaps
"I think I've got the form there now," says Sharp. "It's just a matter of making what's between the beginning and the end flow a bit better." A feature of Street of Dreams is Tim's marathon singing performance at Luna Park in 1979, but the star of the movie suggests that the director change the emphasis.
"I came to the conclusion last night of suggesting to Mr Sharp (Tiny always refers to his mentor formally), that the film should be based more on Luna Park," he says after first asking Mr Sharp's permission to comment.
And another tip.
"More concentration should be held on the nude scenes," he suggests. "The viewers of the movie house - the public - seem to be more interested in more of that instead of having it flash away too quick, so the nude scenes should last longer and be heavier." This, too, is a matter of opinion.
Meanwhile, the subject of all the celluloid is currently appearing live in the flesh (but not nude) in Sydney, doing the RSL circuit and late shows at Klub Kakadu tonight and tomorrow.
"Whatever is Top 10, that is what I do" is Tiny Tim's motto.
Once a clean-living young man who didn't smoke, drink or get down and boogie, the 58-year-old Tiny Tim is a born again brat packer with a fondness for a Toohey's Old or two. Appropriately, his new single is a cover of Highway To Hell, Acca Dacca's anthem to teen anarchy. The idea seems about as likely as Bon Scott recording Tiptoe Through The Tulips, but on this record Tiny swaps his familiar falsetto for a neanderthal growl, and forgoes his uke for the backing of a real metal band.
"You're a brave man," said Tiny to Regular Records boss, Martin Fabinyi, when they signed on the dotted line. "I think this is the first time a heavy metal song has ever been recorded by anyone over 55." And certainly by anyone wearing a calculator on his shoe.
Tiny Tim opens at Klub Kakadu tonight. Singing as no-one else can, he plans to bring the evening to its musical climax with a rendition of his latest disco release, Do You Think I'm Sexy. Kakadu is offering five double passes to tonight's performance. Call 3314001 between midday and 1pm today.
© 1989 Sydney Morning Herald