By Hollie Harris
An Aussie music legend hits The V Room at Villa Noosa tomorrow night.
Born in Fall River Massachusetts, the youngest of seven from a sax playing electronics technician father and a mother in nursing, Mark Lizotte aka DIESEL grew up in Australia and in the U.S. He formed the band ‘Johnny Diesel & The Injectors’ in 1986 from remnants of a previous band before embarking on a solo career in 1991.
In 2017 Diesel will celebrate 30 years “off the bus” landing in Sydney in 1987 after a 3-day bus journey across Australia, launching into 9 shows per week – the rest is history.
With over thirty five singles, sixteen albums, 6 ARIA awards and record sales edging 1 million, DIESEL is a journeyman of music.
With blues music in his DNA, an influence largely from his Father’s record collection, DIESEL has blended styles to come up with a truly unique sound, punctuated with his distinct guitar playing and vocals.
2017 marked 30 years since Diesel literally stepped off the bus after making the Nullarbor crossing from Perth with his band Johnny Diesel And the Injectors, a “hobby” band made up of remnants of an imploded previous band.
Arriving with just $95 between them meant that 9 shows a week ensued for many months. By ’88, after playing everywhere and supporting everyone (including a fortuitous slot with Jimmy Barnes on his Freight Train Heart tour) they were poised to impact with their debut eponymously titled album. Impact they did, winning ARIA’s for Best New Talent and Highest Selling Album. The very same album went on to become the highest selling Australian debut album of all time.
Now, due to overwhelming demand, new solo shows have been added to the ’30 Year Thang’ tour along with a string of other performances planned for 2018!
After circling the country with his band in 2017, Diesel will be heading out in solo mode this year, allowing him to roam even further into the “nooks and crevices” of his back catalogue as he trawls through the Highways and back roads that have made him the journeyman of music he is today.
So, what better way to celebrate than with a night that combines a 25th Anniversary commemoration of Diesel’s breakthrough #1 solo album “Hepfidelity”, with hits from a 30 year career to date.
Hepfidelity – Through The X-ray will see Diesel retracing tracks from the album that established him as a solo artist and musical traveller.
Diesel Rewound is where we get to ‘rewind’ through the hits of a 15-album career, that has produced 35+ singles.
If you haven’t already got your tickets for $39.80, grab them quickly from www.villanoosa.com.au and have a great night out in Noosa. Doors open at 8pm and don’t forget you can grab the shuttle bus Pick Up
from TSG Tobacco Coolum Bus Stop Time: 6:45pm or Eumundi Train Station Carpark Time: 7:15pm (Drop off options at the end of the night from Villa Noosa Hotel will be to the same places) for around $11 pre booked online. Over 18’s event.
So “get on the bus” and celebrate Diesel’s 30 year thang!