Hailing from Port Macquarie, Marcus Blacke’s Facebook page lists his music as ‘gothic folk’.
With influences including: Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Nick Drake, we thought it time to meet Mr Marcus Blacke.
Who is Marcus Blacke... Five years after a monumental day of chain smoking and creative synthesis, I released my first record called ‘Butterfly Black’’ I have a new one now called ‘Temazepain Lullaby Aubergine Place’.
I sound like... I'm not really sure this new record especially just sounds like me.
My first gig was... An open mic night.
In the studio I usually... Tell heaps of politically incorrect dirty jokes with my good pal Govinda —engineer/ producer/ genius.
If I could tour with anyone... Townes Van Zandt.
Townes Van ZandtSocial media is... I don't know, I don't really get it yet. I swear I had this same interview question another time; I still don't understand this question.
My favourite app at the moment is... I don't really have time for heaps of apps, I'm to busy writing most of the time.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time... I don't know, I don't really get that embarassed. I was running for a bus once and tripped over a trash can — that was pretty weird.
Life on the road can be... It's pretty shit really. I like my house, my cat, my girlfriend, my home studio; I’m mostly a bit of a home body. Playing solo is lonely; it doesn't pay extremely well and well yeah. Lucky I love making music.
If you'll have me on your bill, all I ask is that the rider contains... Extra money. I don't really get drunk at all any more. In fact alcoholism just isn't fun. I don't want to end up one of those old roaming alcoholics with blood shot eyes and glowing red skin wandering alleyways moving from cardboard box to cardboard box pissing my pants.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in, was... I played at The Northern in Newcastle not long ago and this old drunk guy kept farting right near the stage, and it just kept wafting and lingering around me. It was absolutely shit.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... I don't really want to be famous or have anything to do with fame, I just want people to enjoy the art I make. A good doctor doesn't need a spokesperson; people just know he's a good doctor, so they go there.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... Einstein, Roberto Garcia Lorca and Leonard Cohen. A genius poet, a genius physicist and a genius poet/ songwriter; they all seem humble as well. I think they realise we are all just fumbling idiots in motion. It would just make for a great conversation I think.
Leonard CohenIf we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? Bacon something. Bacon solves everything.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... A nice chianti with a few years on it like a 2009 or something or a Boloro.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Almost ten years ago.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Moping. It's the worst. It's just depressing. You carry around this stick with dirty hair attached to it and wet it, then flop it around the floor and it squelches. Then there's a bucket of water you carry around with you that always splashes dirty, fucking water all over your feet and legs, then your cat walks straight over the spot you just did, so you fix it by re-doing it then you forgot your keys on the bench past everything you just moped, so you have to re-mop after walking dirty, fucking footprints over the whole floor.
Marcus Blacke plays The Bearded Lady on Sunday 7th September. He also has a national tour throughout October.
