Fields Of Hay - Guitar and Backing Vocal
How Do Thousands? Writer, vocals and acoustic guitar Include Me - Writer, vocals and acoustic guitar
Love and Laughter - Writer , Vocal and Acoustic Guitar
Man In The Mirror - Writer , Vocal and Acoustic Guitar
So Good To See You - Writer, Vocal, Guitar
Let’s introduce Brett by using his own words...............
“Ma
read music n played piano perfect. Her n the ol man had great voices n
sung all the time, when they weren’t bluein. At parties etc, never
professionally, tho they coulda. I grew up in a musical house at my
grans in Melbourne. Was surrounded by many muso relies n friends. I'd
sing m tits off with them as a preteen. At boarding school in Mentone in
1970, my olds were living back in Eden n ma won on the pokies n bought
me a guitar. I taught myself with sheet music n songs off the charts n
accompanied m vocals. I was twelve. Learned my chops until m last year
of highschool back in Eden, when, in November '75 I began regular solo
gigs for the Eden Fisho's. I was still seventeen n being paid $10/ hr 4
hrs a night. Wages were about $1.80/hr then so it was real good money.
Sometimes five nights a week at Xmas time. I was permanent barman too. I
supported Winifred Atwell, solo, at her concert at the Fisho's, early
'76.
Secured
a regular (4 nights a week) gig at The Private Bin in Canberra n worked
there six months. Disco's fired up n all us muso's got the bullet, so I
headed down t Edentown n started playin in bands n doin my solo thing
again. Formed Noah's Ark Band around '78 with Chris Ralfs n four others,
n had a repertoire of 50% originals. That band evolved into The Killers
of Eden, which lasted until NYE 1980. Always been writing songs since I
started, but only gettin good at em the last 20 years. K.O.E. which is
what we called ourselves, consisted of six musos who could all play n
sing solo!! Our vocal harmonies sent shivers down our own backs n apart
from one of us, all survived entirely off our music. Too proud for the
dole, then. We all went tuna fishing a day or two after NYE. 1980 n
didn’t reform for 14 years. Celebrating our reunion with our album
'Under Eden Skies", (a song of mine.) We sold 200 copies in the first
fortnight after the launch n during the 4 week, 16 gig tour, of Xmas
'95, n another 800 over the next few years n still selling them. We had
almost finished our second album n had another shitfight n split up
again. I tried n tried to get us all together, time n time again, we
were all close too, but things got in the way n then cancer took two of
em, my two closest n longest friends, Nick Timms and Brenton McLeod,
within 18months. I moved in with him n stayed with Brenton until his
dying whilst holding my hand, when I visited him in Sale hospital, March
7 2012.
My
influences were of course the Stones n Beatles, Dylan, Neal young,
Jackson Browne, etc but Nick and Brenton influenced me more, especially
the open chords n melodies of Brenton, who was no way near the guitarist
Nick was. These two were the big brothers I never had. Our harmonics
came natural to us, easily. We'd played together for years. I kept
tellin em both that I'd be dead before we get our albums done, tryin t
expedite things. They scoffed at that n then both carked it. Thus my
eagerness t complete 5 albums of song, before I join em.
Until
I found The PBGB Shed and you guys came into my life I thought my songs
would be lost n noone gave a fuck. I've had some pretty down and out
times, but now I'm writing heaps, with even another albums worth. If it
were possible I’d be at The Shed everyday. Thank you for adopting me
into the fold n respecting my craft, it's done nothing short of
prolonging and enriching my life, during a very difficult time. You give
me hope n I'm believing again.”
No comments:
Post a Comment