After nearly 15 years away from the recording studio, former politician and Midnight Oil frontman, Peter Garrett will return to the Australian music landscape with his forthcoming solo album, ‘A Version Of Now’, backed by an Australian tour.
The solo album came about somewhat as a 'surprise' when Peter was penning his memoir last year. "I set aside about a year and a half to try and get the memoir completely knocked off.
“About halfway, I’d finish the day around early or mid-afternoon, and find that there were bits of notes and words and ideas that started to pop into my head; and it was almost like a by-product of getting the bigger, formal writing piece out of the way and then have some creative writing emerge as well, and then just grab it and run with it. Which is pretty much what I did,” Peter says.
“It’s music, music, music, pretty much from here on in.”
In contrast to when Peter was writing for Midnight Oil, this time around with ‘A Version Of Now’, he was responsible for the entire writing process. “It was kind of interesting for me, and a little bit mute to say, ‘well, I’m responsible for the music as well as the words and the arrangements and the keys and all that stuff that goes with it’. But I really enjoyed it,” he says.
“I was lucky that I managed to be able to involve other people who I think made fantastic contributions to the way ‘A Version Of Now’ ended up… Even though it was my thing, I love the fact that everybody sort of got it and understood it and went with it, so we were able to create something that had a bit of spark in it.”
Joining him on the album were his daughters – Emily, May and Grace – who sang and played on some of the key tracks. “It was really up to them whether they wanted to jump in and be a part of it. Obviously I’m ridiculously proud as an old man, as a dad, that they would do it,” he says.
With adult lives of their own, Peter wasn’t sure if he and his daughters would be able to coordinate their schedules in order to get together and record. “They don’t live at home anymore so it was an interesting question as to whether we’d get together enough to actually [do it], but luckily it kind of happened over Christmas when everyone came home.
“The Garrett’s do like to sing and once they heard the songs they liked the idea of singing as well, and I really liked the idea of having them. It was basically a matter of trying to book some time when everyone was available to do the sessions.”
The creative process of ‘A Version Of Now’ was also captured in a documentary set to air on MAX. “When you’re in the studio and you’ve got cameras around you, after a while you forget they’re there because you’re just listening to the playbacks and the tapes and sitting around getting stuff done. So it was an interesting exercise.
“I’ve had a quick look at it and it’s funny because there’s stuff in there that I don’t even remember happening… It’s capturing the moment, if nothing else,” Peter says.
Peter will be backed by The Alter Egos on tour, the band consisting of a combination of the artists who played on ‘A Version Of Now’: Martin Rotsey (Midnight Oil) on guitar; Mark Wilson (Jet) on bass; and Peter Luscombe ('Rockwiz', Paul Kelly, Black Sorrows) on drums, as well as Rosa Morgan (Red Ghost) who will be stepping in for The Jezabels’ Heather Shannon on keyboard. “I really just said to people, ‘are you up for it?’ And do you want to come out and do something which is going to be intimate.
“It’s going to be connecting the people, singing the songs, telling the stories and really continuing to spark things along a little bit with what really has been a by-surprise piece of work. And we’re able to share it with people now,” Peter explains.
“[‘A Version Of Now’ is] really just an edge of your seat exercise of grabbing songs and jumping into the studio and jumping out the other end and then taking it out and sharing it with people; what more could I ask for at this stage in life?”
After such a long time away from the stage, Peter describes himself as a kid in a sandpit so excited by what is yet to come. “There’s certainly plenty more I want to do; there’s no question about that.”
And nerves don’t seem to be a problem when asked about being back on stage. “My take on performance generally, is that it’s best not to think about it or to meditate on it and just see what unfolds. It really depends on the night and the moment.”
Once the tour wraps up, Peter has plans to continue working with people in remote Australia and playing a few shows here and there before re-grouping with Midnight Oil later in the year. “It’s music, music, music, pretty much from here on in.”
'A Version Of Now' is released 15 July.
Peter Garrett Tour Dates
Thu 21 Jul - Artbar (Perth)Fri 22 Jul - Settlers Tavern (Margaret River)
Sat 23 Jul - Queens Park Theatre (Geraldton)
Fri 29 Jul - The Tivoli Theatre (Brisbane)
Sat 30 Jul – Solbar (Maroochydore)
Sat 6 Aug - The Gov (Adelaide)
Sun 7 Aug - Darwin Festival
Thu 11 Aug - The Factory Theatre (Sydney)
Fri 12 Aug - Belmont 16s (Newcastle)
Sat 13 Aug - University of Wollongong
Sun 14 Aug - The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre
Wed 17 Aug - Athenaeum Theatre (Melbourne)
