Advance Australia Fair: Jack Gordon's Revolution

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I've been reading these forums for quite a while, and thought I'd finally start a timeline. Despite the presumptions that the username makes, I'm actually an Australian with a fair understanding of politics. Hopefully the content is good and the butterflies are justifiable. For this timeline there is one major POD, and also a couple of relatively insignificant POD's which slightly change the OTL world gradually over many years.


POD #1 - John Gordon
This POD will be a fictitious character who changes the OTL political landscape of Australia. Born 1956, in Queensland. His political views and his influence will be discussed and posted later. Obviously there will be very few changes to Australia until he gets much older.

POD #2 - Peter Allen plays the 1974 Sunbury Music Festival
Instead of rejecting the invitation, Australian musician Peter Allen plays in Melbourne. His relationship with Liza Manelli is breaking up and he is becoming more open with his homosexuality. Also playing the Sunbury Festival is Queen, their frontman and Allen quickly forming a friendship that would last a lifetime.

Due to both of these POD's occurring long before when the timeline will focus, the new 'OTL' will have within itself many more butterflies.

I will update this timeline in (for the most part) chronological order. Happy to take criticism and answer questions, PM me if you want to ask anything.

Cheers!
 
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I for one am a little worried the seeming union of Australia, the US, UK and China. They will have a strangelhold on good coal, various metals, day time & early evening soap operas and probably some other, less important things.

I look forward to hearing more about the counter bloc of New Zealand, Taiwan, India, France, Russia and Fiji
 
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"In my two decades at the helm of the International Olympic Committee, my proudest moment was the opening ceremony of the '92 games... Being in my hometown Barcelona made it seem more personal, more human... During the ceremony, one moment sticks to my mind: Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé performing the song Barcelona. That performance will stay with me forever." (Printed 2002)

Juan Antonio Samaranch (IOC President 1980-2001)




THE 1974 SUNBURY FESTIVAL

Held over the Australia Day long, the Sunbury Rock Festival site was located on farmland on the outskirts of Sunbury between there and Digger’s Rest. Australian musician Peter Allen was approached to attend, but he was undecided. His soon to be released album - Continental American - needed a good pitch to the Australian people, whom already loved the singer from New South Wales.

Peter knew his previous songs such as Tenterfield Saddler were successful with the sort of people that would attend Sunbury, but there were other issues that were effecting him. His marriage with Liza Manelli was deteriorating for a number of reasons, and needed to get away from America and her for awhile - back to his roots. So, he accepted the offer to perform at the festival. The festival line-up included:

Blackfeather
Francis Butler's 69-ers
Skyhooks
The Dingoes
Kush
Buster Brown
Chain
Madder Lake
MacKenzie Theory
Ayers Rock
Sid Rumpo
Ross Ryan
Peter Allen
Daddy Cool
Queen (UK)

The most notorious incident of the festival involved British band Queen, who had been brought out especially to perform there and played on the Saturday. They ultimately got into brutal fist fight with Australian rock band Madder Lake.

"The issue revolved around Queen refusing to go on at their allotted time because the light wasn't right - I remember it was sundown, so whoever went on stage wouldn't get the full benefit of their light show. It came down to a battle between management, which then spilled into a fracas between the roadies of the respective bands, as each crew jostled to set gear up."

Peter Allen (Queen and King)

According to one source, there was some incitement from the announcer, who came on just after Queen had performed and asked the crowd: "D'you want anymore from these pommie bastards or do ya want an Aussie rock band?" Queen quit the stage to boos and calls of `go back to Pommyland, ya pooftahs!' but Freddie Mercury bravely responded by prophetically declaring "When we come back to Australia, Queen will be the biggest band in the world!" - and when they returned in 1976 they were indeed the hottest acts on the planet. Sunbury Festival Archives.

Peter Allen felt compelled to apologize to the British band, who were noticeably angered by the Australian crowd. Allen had watched their performance and was intrigued by the energy and vocals of their front man, Fred Mercury. That night, the two sat at the hotel bar in Sunbury and discussed their gripes with the world. 'Freddie' lamented about going halfway around the world to be booed. Peter revealed his failing marriage and how he and Liza Manelli weren't compatible.

As the booze at the rural hotel flowed, and the two talked more candidly. Soon enough secrets were blurted out and realisations were made, and that night Peter realised why his marriage had never worked out.


 
Looking forward to seeing where you take this in the New Year.

Thanks mate, I will take it nice and slowly for now - maybe 2012 will see more updates and more activity!

I for one am a little worried the seeming union of Australia, the US, UK and China. They will have a strangelhold on good coal, various metals, day time & early evening soap operas and probably some other, less important things.

I look forward to hearing more about the counter bloc of New Zealand, Taiwan, India, France, Russia and Fiji

Alas, there won't be any ASB-ridden multinational Alliances! I chose those flags because of their respective influence on Australian economics and even culture. The foregrounded Eureka Flag is supposed to show both revolution and more independent policy.

Although 'revolution' in this context isn't in the Marie Antoinette/Muammar Gaddafi vein, rather a revolution of progressive ideas and a new Australia. WIll reveal all soon though.
 
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