In Russell Guy’s wacked out adventure, What’s Rangoon to You is Grafton to Me, ABC news anchor and legend, James Dibble, guides us on a wild ride from Brisbane to Sydney with stopovers in ‘Rangoon.’ Described variously as a portal into the absurd, a state of mind or an attitude, Rangoon means many things to many people. For Double J’s Mike Williams, Rangoon became an obsession.

Mike had always wondered if the surreal grit and wonder of Rangoon still existed, and ultimately there was only one way to find out: he’d have to retrace the adventure and drive from Sydney to Brisbane, back through time. Thirty-seven years after the original production, that’s exactly what happened. This is the story of Mike’s journey to find Rangoon. Among other scenarios, you’ll hear him talk to trees, shout at his GPS, and ponder whale blubber, and you’ll eavesdrop on his run in with the police and an excessive evening with the pizza delivery guy.

In the words of Russell Guy: “There are a lot of answers to question.” Suffice it to say, Mike almost went mad in the process of trying.

The program was made for ABC Radio’s Tony Barrell Fellowship, which honours the curious spirit of one of the ABC’s greatest program makers. Tony also worked for Double Jay and RN and, unsurprisingly, originally commissioned Rangoon for radio.

A Kangaroo has Three Ears is an homage to Rangoon, inspired by, and with deep respect for the original production, Tony Barrell and all Australian creative audio pioneers.

First simulcast on Double J and ABC RN’s Soundproof in September, 2015.