8 minute read
THE PRODUCER
BEHIND THE CONSOLE
Renowned producer Peter Solley returned to Melbourne to produce the latest Black Sorrows album.
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Peter Solley is a renowned producer, one time member of Procol Harum, TV jingle writer and hugely successful gelato maker! He also played with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, Los Bravos, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Terry Reid. Then he went on to produce and his international production credits include Motorhead, Ted Nugent and Peter Frampton while his Australian credits include Don’t Throw Stones for The Sports and Screaming Targets, Hats Off Step Lively and Cha for Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons. Solley returned to Australia to produce the new Black Sorrows album St Georges Road and Brian Wise caught up with him while he was here.
What brings you back to Melbourne? It must be Joe Camilleri.
Well, I first worked with him in about 1980, I think was probably the first and the last was probably ‘84, something like that. Then in 2019 I did myself a little trip, kind of round the world trip, just for fun. I went to Europe and then I went to Vietnam, did some teaching in Vietnam at a music school. Then I came to Australia, hooked up with Joe, and he was like, ‘Hey, why don’t you do my next record?’ It’s going to be his 50th record, and it’s like full circle. The original producer that made him famous, so to speak, and then his 50th record. We’re both getting up there. I thought it’d be nice. Solley’s first notable production was Mickey Jupp because Procol Harum’s manager was working with Jupp and asked Solley to help produce a couple of tracks. “That was probably my first serious production, trying to make a record. And that did quite well. It wasn’t a smash, but it did quite well. We went into the Pink Floyd studio. We did it in about three weeks, a month, mixed and everything and it came out pretty good. It was all right. It did well, out of all the Stiff records at that time. After I’d finished it, Dave asked me to remix, or redo a few of the records that other people were doing for him at that time. So, I worked with Rachel Sweet, redid her record. And from that Michael Gudinski from Australia was in England looking for a distributor for his Mushroom label, talking to Dave Robinson. Michael said, ‘I’d love to get an English producer come out and work with some of my bands.’ Dave called me up. To cut a long story short, I said, ‘Sure, I’ll come over.’ “So, I came over, did The Sports. I recorded it here, at Armstrong’s, which is no longer here, I understand. Took it back, mixed it in England, and it was a smash. While I was here, [Michael Gudinski] took me to see Joe. Would you like to work with him? I said, ‘Yeah, that’ll be good.’ So, I think after The Sports, chronologically, I think what happened was I did The Romantics. Huge hit. [‘What I Like About You’]. That was kind of by chance. Then after that I think I came back and did Joe, the first Joe album.
44 You did three albums with him, back in those days too, starting with Screaming Targets.
With Joe, I hit it off on a personal level straight away. He’s just a lovely man, he’s just outgoing, he’s flippant. One-on-one we just... we were like brothers from another mother from the word go. So, that was different in that sense. We had a great relationship, we hung out together. I understood what he was doing from the beginning. I totally got it, and I took what he was doing, and I just took it to a place where it was more accessible for the world. And it was monster hit, their first one, ‘Hit and Run’. That was just me really pulling it from R&B, good R&B, into a more cohesive pop thing. But it was not difficult, it was fun, it seemed very natural. All the stuff I did with Joe, and even this thing here, it’s just it seems very natural.
So, it’s over 30 years since the Cha album came out and now, you’re back working with him again.
It’s weird, but it doesn’t seem like a year has passed. Honestly, it’s just like just picking it up. It feels exactly the same as it did then. It’s extraordinary. I can’t explain it. We have a personal chemistry. It’s the best chemistry. Honestly, after 30 years, or whatever, it just feels the same as it did then. It’s easy. I can tell him what I think. I don’t have to worry about hurting his feelings, vice versa. It’s a grown-up relationship, but it always was. It’s the same as it was back then. It’s amazing.
It might seem unusual that someone like Joe, with his wealth of experience, might call you back to do it. He obviously values your opinion and your input very highly to do that.
He says I’m the only person who’s ever made him better than he is, or better than what he can do. That’s what he says, and it’s probably true. I make him better than he is. How do I do it? I’m not quite sure, but the way I work, I bring out the best in him, and I elevate him, and I elevate the other people around. I think as a producer that’s my best quality. I can elevate the level of the drama to the writer, to the singer, whatever it might be. I think that’s what I do, and he sees that.
MATT GLASS
Crackling with wit and infectious melody - Melbourne’s smouldering, cool, inner-urban contemporary folk savant, Matt Glass is a craftsman: writer, performer, multiinstrumentalist, and producer. Sparkling with hooky exuberance in his new EP, Slow Fireworks, a mission statement of Glass’s inner-city, pop-folk sensibility, his songs are unique in their impressionistic style - warm-hearted and infectiously catchy snapshots of time, place, and feeling. Glass explores the complex landscape of contemporary relationships - writing from personal experiences as a father, son, lover and friend. Often brutally honest, non-romanticised little fragments of modern Melbourne life, Glass draws in the listener with strong urban-Australian, chill-folk mastery. Matt was the winner of the Roddy Read Songwriting competition at the Maldon Folk Festival and the winner of the online busking competition at Snowy Mountains Music Festival.
mattglass.com.au
250mm
LOOCH LEWIS FREE DIRT (SINGLE) FROM THE FORTHCOMING EP “WHISKY HELPS THE SUN GO DOWN” Nebraska Records / MGM
Following on from the critical success of his first EP ‘Apathy & Empathy’ in 2019, Sydney based solo artist ‘Looch Lewis’ releases his new single ‘Free Dirt’ through Nebraska Records / MGM. The single is a cover of the ‘Died Pretty’ classic tune, written by Brett Myers and features an all-star recording band including Peta Caswell (vocals), Matt Galvin (guitar) and Drizabone D (Bass, Vocals). The tune also features the amazing piano work of Jadey O’Regan who has paid homage to the incredible original piano track performed by Cold Chisel legend Don Walker, whilst adding her own inimitable flourishes. ‘Free Dirt’ is the first single from the forthcoming RP ‘Whisky Helps The Sun Go Down’ which is slated for release in Dec 2021.
facebook.com/Loochiboy/
ELLA POWELL
Rising Pop Country artist Ella Powell has had a great amount of success in her early years. After taking out People’s Choice Award at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2019, it was clear Ella had a promising future in the music industry. Ella’s powerhouse vocals and emotive lyrics has created her pure, unique sound which resonate with a wide variety of audiences. Last year, her sold-out single launch concert followed by the release of her debut single saw a large amount of success, being streamed in numerous countries and radio stations nationwide. Ella’s new single ‘Somebody’ is an energetic and uplifting song, encapsulating the story of being proud of where you are in the present and rising in the face of adversity. It can be found on all streaming platforms along with the music video. With more music on the way, Ella Powell is one to keep an eye on.
facebook.com/ellapowellmusic
125mm
SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE SONGS
of all time interpreted brilliantly by some of your favourite musicians
140.5mm 286mm 5mm
THIS TEMPLATE IS 1:1 SCALE IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT INFO SHOULD MUST BE INSIDE EMAIL: PRINT@IMPLANT.COM.AU - FINAL ART MUST HAVE 3MM BLEED PH: 1300 79 78 78 - FINAL ART MUST BE CMYK AND 300 DPI - PLEASE OUTLINE ALL FONTS - SAVE ART AS PRINT READY PDF (Acrobat 6.0 (PDF 1.5) or higher)
Across the Universe (Lennon/McCartney) Adrian Whitehead
Spirit In The Sky (N.Greenbaum) Billy Miller
Grandma’s Hands (B.Withers) Rebecca Barnard DO NOT INCLUDE THE TEMPLATE OR Lovin’ Cup (Jagger/Richards) Nick Barker ANY OTHER NON-PRINT INFO IN THE Rose Tattoo FINAL PRINT READY PDF ART FILE.(C.Wilson) Liz Stringer
Faded Valentine (J.T. Earle) Rebecca Barnard
Beware OF Darkness (G.Harrison) Shane O’Mara Isn’t It A Pity (G.Harrison) Billy Miller Ohio (N.Young) Andrew Tanner Coming Down Again (Jagger/Richards) Nick Barker Blood In My Eyes (B.Dylan) Liz Stringer
Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (B.Dylan) Andrew Tanner That’s The Way (R.Plant/J.P.Page) Jaqueline Tonks
I’m In The Mood (J.L.Hooker) Rebecca Barnard Who Listens To The Radio (S.Cummings/A.Pendlebury) Rebecca Barnard PRODUCED BY SHANE O’MARA
With backing musicians and vocalists including:
Shane O’Mara, Billy Miller, Rebecca Barnard, Harry O’Mara,
Rick Plant, Howard Cairns, Ash Davies, Adrian Whitehead, Stu Thomas, Leroy Cope and Ben Wiesner.
