I began my music career in Australia busking in Sydney before eventually gigging in pubs and venues. Your classic Rock N Roll apprenticeship.
Then I stepped up to Festivals and Venues in Australia and eventually Europe, touring and performing in support of many artists including Archie Roach, Neil Murray (Warumpi Band), Dave Steel, Ralph McTell, Andy Irvine, Ben E King and many more.
My first album Since Then (1995) was produced by Dave Steel and released on the indie Stuntpram label in Sydney. It received great reviews around the world and sold out 2 pressings. I almost signed to Cooking Vinyl in the UK but they landed Bolliy Bragg so their singer-songwriter roster was full. Back in Australia, the ABC set up a songwriter label and were interested. I sang some songs in their boardroom and was offered a deal for another album on the spot. Then communications dried up and I figured the best way to do this was to do it myself and set up Jimaru Records, my own label. Dave produced the follow-up album The Miracle Bell (1997) and we released it with Mushroom distributing. I’d been keeping up a correspondence with International Best Selling Author Paulo Coehlo and asked for a quote for the liner notes and he gave a lovely dedication. Then the album was repackaged and released via Roundtower Records in Europe in 1999. The label folded a month afterwards ( a coincidence I swear!)
I’d already moved back to Ireland and spent the next few years focussing on family and work. Then in 2007, I started working with Producer Dónal Lunny on my next album The Blue Black Waves which was released in 2010 on Jimaru Records again.
During lockdown in 2020, I had time on my hands and started writing new songs & revisiting the back catalogue. Some of the songs on The Blue Black Waves wouldn’t leave me alone and I decided to revisit them with the benefit of age and experience and fresh ears and eyes.
So a new project was born, and I reached out to renowned producer David Bridie, sending him the original files and asking him to reimagine the song Pemulwuy. Then 25 years after first approaching him I contacted Australian based Songwriter & Producer Mick Thomas to do the same with 2 other songs. The songs were released as an EP “From Some Remove”.
What about the new songs? Dave McCune (engineer, drums, and most instruments), Alan Cullen (bass), and I have been busy working away and recording those, so a busy year lies ahead.
Cheers
Peter