By Abbey Cannan
Damien Leith has made an indelible imprint on the Aussie music scene since winning Australian Idol in 2006, and on Friday 4 August he’ll be bringing his star quality to Noosa.
Noosa Today had the chance to catch up with Damien to find out his thoughts on dodgy record deals, his son Jagger getting into the music business, and what you can expect from his up-coming concert, In Good Company, with Darren Coggan.
Q: How did you and Darren first meet and why did you decide to put the Good Company concert together?
A: “Darren and I have known each other for years mainly through performing at similar events. One day we were chatting and discussed the idea of doing a show together. We both love the Beatles so we decided to do a show celebrating the songs of Lennon and McCartney. Fast forward a few years and we’ve decided to expand on that show with ’In good Company’ – we still perform Beatles classics but now we include songs from the rest of our careers. This show has everything from Roy Orbison to Elivis, John Denver to Cat Stevens, original material and of course great Beatles songs.“
Q: What can the Noosa crowd expect from the show?
A: “They can expect a night of massive hit songs – it really is a best of show, celebrating some of the greatest musicians of our life time. It’s the ultimate sing-a-long.“
Q: You became a household name when you won Aussie idol in 2006 and you’ve succeeded in multiple fields since. From songwriting, producing, writing and working on tv and radio – What would you say is your favourite line of work?
A: “I love being on stage – there’s really nothing quite like the feeling you get when you know what you’re doing is reaching someone. Music and entertaining has a magical ability of taking people on a journey, allowing them to escape their daily lives for a short while.“
Q: In a recent ABC radio show you said you’ve moved house way too often – 13 times in the last 20 years! Why have you moved so much and do you plan on moving again any time soon?
A: “I blame my parents (in a good way ha) because as a kid through my dad’s work we travelled all over the world. I loved it and it turns out that my wife, Eileen, loves it to. As a result, moving has become our thing. We love to experience new places, people, cultures – it’s exciting. We have no move planned in the future as the kids are getting very close to finishing school but that hasn’t stopped us planning big holidays.“
Q: Have you been to Noosa before and if so what are you looking forward to coming back to see?
A: “I have played in Noosa many times over the years and it’s always fabulous to return. The Noosa audience knows how to have a good time so it’s always a joy playing there.“
Q: You’ve recently spoken about the dodgy record deal you signed at the start of your career. What are your thoughts on the success of Taylor Swift re-recording her album and do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists starting out in the industry?
A: “I think it’s fabulous what Taylor has achieved and I think the story surrounding her decision has propelled her further into mega stardom. She was in a powerful position to re-record which sadly not everyone can do but it’s still inspiring and a reminder to artists to fight for what is truly yours. The music business is not for the faint hearted and my advice to up and coming stars – seek out industry professionals that you admire and ask them for guidance. It’s great to have a mentor. For younger artists, keep on writing and discovering what makes you unique as ultimately thats what makes one artist stand out over another.“
Q: Australian Idol was iconic but do you think they took advantage of artists or was it a fair outcome with exposure?
A: “Back when I was on Australian Idol, the exposure we got was incredible, millions of people tuned in every week. I don’t think Idol ever tried to take advantage of us, we were given a launchpad and after that it was up to us what happened next. As mentioned before, it’s a tough business so there’s never any guarantees no matter how much exposure you get. Nowadays I think the reality shows are still trying to achieve the same goal of discovering new talent but it’s an uphill battle when competing with the streaming platforms. The formats have changed too, I think there’s far too much emphasis on the judges and I’m not convinced that the contestants are getting enough say about choosing their own songs. How about a few original songs!“
Q: Your son Jagger has recently released a new song ‘One Step’. You must be proud. How do you think your career has influenced him?
A: “I am super proud, it’s so great to see. It’s funny, I’m not sure that my career has influenced him as much as the fact that he was just born with music running through his veins. When someone has a passion for the arts, whatever genre, there’s nothing that can stop them from chasing their dreams and Jagger definitely has that drive.“
Q: Should we separate art from the artist?
A: “It’s a very interesting question. I’ve heard it so often that, for instance, songwriters can’t explain the moment they came up with a particular song, it’s as though the song just happened. For those artists, the art they’ve created is so separate to who they are as people. Like comedians who can entertain thousands of people but off stage are introverted and extremely serious. I think perhaps it’s a case by case scenario and it’s also a personal preference – I think at the end of the day, when it comes to art, we can’t tell someone what they can and can’t like, they have to dedcide for themselves.“
Grab a last-minute ticket to see Darren Coggan and Damien Leith’s In Good Company concert (subject to availability) for Friday 4 August at The J Theatre, Noosa.
Book tickets online at thej.com.au or call 07 5329 6560.
For more information visit damienleith.com
