You Can Put Your Shoes Under my Bed this post came out of a conversation about Paul Kelly the other night with a good friend of mine who ive been on the road with, so thought id share.. Kings Cross, Sydney. I was 16, “trying to make it pay” One guitar, a handful of songs and poems in a book that was held together with a piece of string. Iguana Bar, 1997. The red-light district, intimidated but excited me by what seemed like the edge of the Earth, a brand new perspective from Adelaide suburbia from where i spent my first 15 years. I was a regular at open mic nights, playing my heart out to strangers that became my closet confidants. Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills on a Tuesday, A bloke called Denis Albury had a night full of poets and bohemians that crawled out of their caves and gave their soul to the night, every night. I was an amateur then, learning from the real story tellers of the streets. LA BAR, Darlinghurst in Surry Hills on a Thursday opening up for the regular caberat Drag shows, the manager at the time wanted to hear my songs and so he gave me the gig. I returned a few years later playing their regular acoustic shows, that’s where i met Andrew Farris from INXS and we wrote a few songs together on his big white piano in his mansion near the ocean north of Sydney, this was just after Michael had passed. I was the first ever performer to play and open the Vanguard in Newtown. Besides my boy being born and my wedding day, When Don Walker introduced me to Paul Kelly a few years back by saying, “Wes is a really great songwriter, one of my favourites to work with” would have to be one of the best moments in my life because you try and make it pay for years and then when your idols pat you on the back, it’s just a great feeling. The ONE album that speaks to me and represents something about me other than my own music is POST by Paul Kelly. And the song you can put your shoes under my bed” is what sums up that time for me. All i wanted was someone to save me by saying those exact words. I needed a home and somewhere i could hang my hat. Whatever the genre of music it has to speak to your heart. It has to hit your every cell and tell your story, thats why music is the universal language, it can be so healing when you get it right as a songwriter. That’s what music is about. No bullshit, just purity of heart and soul. When you write a song it comes from your perspective and when you are honest you are writing many peoples stories, just like my experience with this song by Paul. It hits every part of you, no matter what genre, it’s the musicology that effects you, it can bring back smells, tastes, unlocks memories that were lost. Music is magic. When talking to Don about this record once, he told me Paul was living on his couch when writing this album, just when i thought i couldnt relate to this record more.. Thankyou Paul! https://youtube/watch?v=wSiMs6T-VxY
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 23:33:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015