After many trials and tribulations, Dual Plover Recordings has the esteemed pleasure of announcing to the world that A Kombi's debut masterpiece Music to Drive-by is now available to you, the consumer. This highly anticipated release is to our knowledge the first album entirely composed and performed by a van or any other motor vehicle. But please don't get us wrong, this is not some tokenistic offering against inanimatism. We truly believe in A Kombi's work, it just so happens that it is an object, a van to be more precise. But you need not to take our word for it; one listen and you too will be ranking A Kombi with your favourite human types of the musical variety. Music to Drive-by was originally recorded at picturesque Waverley Cemetery in September 1994 but due to financial reasons hasn't seen the light of day until now.
Regretfully A Kombi itself did not live long enough to witness this momentous occasion, sadly passing on in April 1996, en route to Queensland. I only knew A Kombi in the last four years of its twenty one year lifespan, but in that time we became very close. At first it told me nothing of how it longed for the stage, probably thinking that I, like most humans, would only humour it about the chances of it making any impact in this human dominated music industry. The idea that performance is for humans, not Volkswagens, must have sat uncomfortably wherever cars keep thoughts. It took disaster before it could confide to me its love for performing music. While recovering in South Grafton after a harrowing rolling on the face of Mount Tambourine A Kombi sang to me for the very first time. No words can describe the beauty in her song that day but one thing I can tell you is that I knew a star was born.
Soon after A Kombi and I set upon our infamous Drive-by recitals at bus stops and traffic islands up and down the east coast of Australia. A Kombi's greatest moment came when it first graced the stage at Sydney's Vulcan Hotel; well, not exactly the stage but parked on the footpath just outside the stage door where she played her first and only live performance. In time the fame began to drain A Kombi - not even professional appearances drag racing with the Popemobile could kept her spirits up. A sickness that would eventually lead to death was beginning to take hold. Now not a day goes by withoutmy mind taking a moment to ponder the loss of such a great talent so early in its career, but at least we have these recordings, so now and forever we can always... ...well at least we have them.
