Meanwhile, as promised last month, the full reviews of two excellent DVDs. If you were nice and not naughty, Santa may have popped them in your stocking. If not, don't miss these titles, where classic Australian Country music meets digital technology...

The Very Best Of SLIM DUSTY The Video Collection You would imagine that releasing over 100 albums would be enough of an achievement. No way. SLIM DUSTY has notched up another milestone as the first Australian artist to have his music commercially released on every major modern music format. We are talking about everything from 78s to CDs (including 8-track Cartridge on the way - ask your parents) and from Film to DVD. The Very Best Of SLIM DUSTY - The Video Collection features a collection of classic Slim songs. The DVD version also includes the award winning film clip for Looking Forward, Looking Back and the recent video of ANNE KIRKPATRICK singing Travellin' Still...Always Will, complete with archival footage and photographs. The DVD also features an up to date and complete discography of Slim's albums. All your favourites are here, including Pub With No Beer with GORDON PARSONS, Plains Of Peppimenarti with the wonderful Aboriginal children singing along and Charleville with composer DON WALKER popping up to add duet vocals. Slim provides several introductions himself, adding background information about some of the songs. The settings range from intimate studios to huge concerts to the old campfire. JOY McKEAN features on several songs, as do various incarnations of the Travelling Country Band. Ultimately this is a great testament to the enduring music of SLIM DUSTY and a brilliant career that has spanned from wire recorders to digital sound. TRACK LISTING: Looking Forward Looking Back G'day G'day I'm Going Back Again To Yarrawonga When The Rain Tumbles Down In July Walk A Country Mile Plains Of Peppimenarti Ringer From The Top End Cattle Camp Crooner Duncan Pub with No Beer The Flood of '95 Charleville Camooweal Indian Pacific Mechanised Swaggie Lights on the Hill Biggest Disappointment Do You Think That I Do Not Know Old Time Country Halls Leave Him In The Longyard We've Done Us Proud Waltzing Matilda Fiddler Man Travellin' Still...Always Will EMI Australia 4921509 (76 mins plus extras)

JOHN WILLIAMSON GUNYAH - I'll Sing you the Outback The one-hour JOHN WILLIAMSON television special I'LL SING YOU THE OUTBACK was recorded at Springbrook in the Hinterland above the Gold Coast in Queensland, in March 2002. It makes a welcome reappearance on this DVD, that will delight JW fans around the world. Many of the characters on the Gunyah album were invited to a special barbeque. Intertwined with unique performances of those songs are charming interludes such as John's good mate, Mick Martin, unveiling his most unusual rotisserie made from old chains, bicycle wheels and a car windscreen motor. Also included are dairy farmers from the Numinbah Valley (Butter Outta Grass), Darcy Gallop from Cook Town (Cape York Peninsula, Granny's Little Gunyah and Frangipani Bay) and John's brother Will who is a Ned Kelly fanatic (The Devil's Boots). Will is also involved in a very moving section of the program where he discusses with John the death of their brother, Robin from cancer at the age of 47 (Salisbury Street). There are also two songs included that were not aired in the original broadcast of the special. As a bonus, the DVD adds another 30 minute special, the JW episode of TRUE STORIES, filmed in Alice Springs in May 1999. TRUE STORIES was one of the best documentary series made in recent times and featured candid interview footage, artfully edited to tell the stories without any interruptions by announcers. The yarns are told by the people involved, who include JW himself, manager Phil Matthews, Mr Hoedown - John Minson, John Laws, Warren H. Williams and Pixie. In all, this DVD has great music, stunning visual clarity and scenic backdrops, and wonderful personalities. TRACK LISTING: Gunyah - I'll Sing You The Outback Sing You the Outback Mountain Hideaway Frangipani Bay Granny's Little Gunyah Cape York Peninsula Big Brother, Little Brother Butter Outa Grass A Mighty Big River The Devils Boots Buried In Her Bedclothes Around Jindabyne You Are My Foundation The Kiwi and the Emu Sail the Nullarbor Mechanised Swaggie Old Man Emu Salisbury Street Featured songs in TRUE STORIES include: This Is Australia Calling, Mallee Boy, Galleries of Pink Galahs, Old Man Emu, A Bushman Can't Survive, Tropical Fever, Boogie With M' Baby, Cootamundra Wattle, A Thousand Feet and Raining On The Rock (with Warren H. Williams), Little Piss Piddle, Woman On The Land, Vegie Bill and True Blue. EMI Australia 7243 4 90236 9 7 (87 mins)

© 2003 Bob Howe Productions - ShowNet