The Codgers playing outside the IGA supermarket in Mullumbimby. Photo supplied.
Brian Mollet
Norman Appel is celebrated as the piano tuner to the stars bit most locals know him as the keyboard player for the ubiquitous Mullumbimby busking band ‘The Codgers’, who ply the worlds second oldest trade outside the IGA supermarket each Saturday.
Norman’s Saturday session took on a discordant tune this week when an opportunistic thief stole his much loved Hammond 44 key melodica, nicknamed ‘Loretta’.
‘I was packing my keyboard into the case and turned my back for a few seconds, and when I turned around it was gone,’ said Norman.
Loretta has a red and black gig case and a distinctive scratch on the corner of the body and is easily identified. Anyone who finds her in whatever circumstances can return her to Norman via The Echo office in Village Way, Mullumbimby on a no questions asked basis.
Although upset by Loretta’s disappearance, Norman’s determination to bring music to the masses is undimmed.
‘We’ll be back next Saturday,’ he said.
Out on the streets of Mullum, young codger Norman Appel applies his his fingers to the keyboard for the Mullumbimby band ‘The Codgers” as they peel off the notes out in front of Dennet’s supermarket.