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GEORGIA ON MY MIND
Georgia Fields is growing up. The wildly talented chanteuse
is getting set to make her second album. "My first record
was only two years ago, but looking back I feel like I was
such a baby," she smiles. "I'm at least a toddler now."
She's excited about following her self-titled debut. "Everything
feels very pregnant with possibilities. The canvas is primed
and white, all the paints are laid out, the coffee is hot
… I just can't wait to make a big mess and throw the colours
around." Expect some changes. "I'm very eager to explore
some new stories and some new sounds. I've been reading
about myths and archetypes. I've been talking to the Moon
a lot. I've been playing my Omnichord and listening to Bowie."
Georgia calls her new sound "disco pagan" - "dirt, glitter,
sex and sky. Still very much a pop record, but slightly
unhinged. Like me, I guess."
Before bunkering down in the studio, Georgia is doing one
more gig, next Monday - her first at the Famous Spiegeltent.
"This gig will be a virginal Spiegeltent performance for
me," she says. "I'm very much looking forward to drawing
back those red curtains and straddling their grand piano.
I've heard rumours that the Spiegeltent stage has a miraculous
kind of energy." Georgia laughs when Howzat! asks how many
people will be on stage. "Ah, my reputation for enormous
productions precedes me." She had 15 people on stage for
her album launch, but just six musicians will be present
on Monday, including "The Two Daves" rhythm section - Dave
Rogers on bass and Dave Kleynjans on drums.
Promoting her debut album had plenty of highlights, including
singing with the legendary Normie "No Added Hormones" Rowe
on RocKwiz. "Normie is just that - a legend," Georgia says.
"I must admit I didn't know much of his music before we
met, and I don't think he knew much about me." They spoke
on the phone, to decide on a duet (The Beatles' All I've
Got To Do). "I asked him what key was best for him and he
casually remarked, 'Oh, I can sing in any key.' My eyebrows
did a little jump and I thought, 'Uh huh'. But when we started
singing together, my lord … he is absolutely incredible!
That man really could sing in any key, even the key of H.
His charm and natural charisma were so unpretentiously intoxicating
that my boyfriend didn't want to leave me alone with him.
I have immense respect for Normie. I think he lives not
far from my mum in Queensland, so I must look him up next
time I visit."
Georgia revealed on RocKwiz that the first record she bought
was Leonardo's Bride's Even When I'm Sleeping. It was also
the first song Georgia sang live - at an open mic when she
was 13. "It's one of my favourite songs of all time," she
says. Georgia was "totally star-struck" when she supported
Abby Dobson a few years ago. "Her voice cuts right to my
heart. We've met a few times now, but every time I see her
I become this babbling teenage mess and look like the biggest
dork in the universe. Abby, if you're reading this, I love
you!"
LITTLE BIG MAN
His name might have been Little, but he lived a big life.
Howzat! was lucky enough to interview Jimmy Little when
he appeared on Olivia Newton-John's duets album, 2. A true
gentleman, he had amazing grace, as well as a soothing,
soulful voice. His final words in the 2003 documentary Jimmy
Little's Gentle Journey were: "I'm just a travelling minstrel
man who doesn't want to stop." Sadly, the show is over -
Jimmy died last week at the age of 75. But his legend lives
on.
JIM & TIM
James Reyne is not a big co-writer. He once had a session
with Desmond Child, the American hit-maker who co-wrote
a stack of hits, including I Was Made For Lovin' You, Livin'
On A Prayer, Dude (Looks Like A Lady) and Livin' La Vida
Loca. Steve Tyler calls him "a fucking genius"; James calls
him "the king of the key change". But the session was not
successful. "I'd make a suggestion and Desmond would say,
'I don't think so.' I really struggle with co-writing. I
can't say, 'That's a shithouse idea' unless I'm working
with a good friend." James also finds the cliché-ridden
co-writing sessions frustrating. "Someone will come in and
say, 'How about Stuck On The Edge Of The Night or On The
Outside Looking In?' and I'll be like, 'I don't think so.'"
James' new album, Thirteen (out now on Hammerhead Records)
features 11 tracks: he wrote six on his own, two with producer
Scott Kingman, and three with Tim Henwood (The Androids,
Rogue Traders, The Superjesus). Tim was just 18 when he
first played with James. Recently they talked about starting
a rootsy/Americana band. They also floated the idea of resurrecting
the Company of Strangers, a collaborative project that had
a hit album 20 years ago (featuring Channel Seven newsreader
Peter Mitchell). They then planned to make a "Jim & Tim"
record, but Tim got sidetracked with a gig in the Rock of
Ages band, so a few of the songs ended up on Thirteen, including
the classic pop/rock tune Whatcha Gonna Do About It?
WANTED: ONE BIG BAND
With Jet, Powderfinger, Silverchair and Short Stack all
exiting the scene, who wants to stand up and claim the Oz
rock throne? Could it be Stonefield? The sisters are set
for a huge year, starting with shows at the Northcote Social
Club on April 24 and 25.
CHART WATCH
Timomatic scores his second Top 10 hit, jumping from 16
to eight.
If Looks Could Kill TIMOMATIC (number eight)
Into The Flame EP MATT CORBY (14)
Boys Like You 360 & GOSSLING (17)
Set It Off TIMOMATIC (23)
Music Won't Break Your Heart STAN WALKER (25)
100% No Modern Talking EP KNIFE PARTY (34)
I Love It HILLTOP HOODS & SIA (40)
The Sia best-of arrives at 30.
Drinking From The Sun HILLTOP HOODS (number three)
Falling & Flying 360 (13)
Best Of SIA (30, debut)
Moonfire BOY & BEAR (34)
Vows KIMBRA (35)
Making Mirrors GOTYE (38)
All For You COLD CHISEL (39)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Seven Years GEORGIA FIELDS
Whatcha Gonna Do About It? JAMES REYNE
The Preacher JULITHA RYAN
Bad Reality STONEFIELD
Love Is Mighty Close To You JIMMY LITTLE
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