As soon as I heard Elli Schoen's Mumma I was entranced. The song is underpinned by a beautiful ethereal guitar sound with Elli's powerfully emotive vocal a counterpoint to that sound. The song moves between that gentle guitar rhythm and a more punching arrangement of guitars and drums that creates a stunning immediacy. It's the kind of juxtaposition between light and shade / … [Read more...]
Bringing It All Back Home – Bob Dylan
Discovering Dylan is like being handed the keys to the universe. Once that light goes on suddenly the world seems vastly different than it did before. I have friends who’ll recite Dylan in any situation given half a chance, so it’s not unusual to hear one of them break into Shelter From The Storm at a dinner party for instance. For all the justifiable attention the … [Read more...]
Louie Shelton – Podcast (Part 2)
Louie Shelton is an incredibly gifted and accomplished guitarist, a man in demand as both a session musician and producer who first made his name back in the 60’s as a member of the top flight LA session players known as the Wrecking Crew. In Part 1 of our Sound Distractions podcast Louie talked about his early influences, including Elvis Presley, who he met after the King … [Read more...]
Louie Shelton – Podcast (Part 1)
Louie Shelton has played on some of the biggest hit records over the last 50 years, but chances are you've never heard of him. He was a member of an elite group of LA session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew and they were the guns for hire when you wanted a hit. Louie Shelton's own personal hit list reads like the roll of honour in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame: Marvin Gaye, … [Read more...]
Gossip – Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly’s formative years fall into three distinct periods – growing up in a large Catholic family in Adelaide as an inquisitive and thoughtful kid mad on sport; moving to Melbourne to pursue a career in music and having a brief dalliance in the world of pop (including an appearance on Countdown with the Dots); before finally finding wide recognition and success after moving … [Read more...]