Who Weekly's Most Beautiful - ONLINE INTERVIEW
Apr 10, 2007 11:00:28 GMT 10
Post by dededom on Apr 10, 2007 11:00:28 GMT 10
Most Beautiful People: Damien Leith
Damien Leith is the most versatile Australian Idol yet. He's a gifted singer, family man and aspiring author
Apr. 05, 2007
BY KARINA MACHADO
So what have you been up to lately, have you been writing songs for the new album?
Writing for the album, working on the book, and doing the tour right now. So I've been doing those three things over the last while and they're all kind of falling into place, the album's sounding brilliant, I don't mind blowing my own trumpet right now, it's sounding really good, it's what I hoped it would be because there’s an awful lot of me in it, which is great, for me, but the songs are good.
How would you describe the music?
I don't know how to describe it actually... we're whittled down from about 80 songs to 30 songs and now we're going to whittle down again and the whole thing is about you know, how much of a rock element we're going to give it, how much of an intimate element we're going to give it and that's the kind of thing. The overall sound is pretty stripped back, that's probably the main thing, it's stripped back, focus on the vocals, focus on the lyrics, it's a real live sort of sound, not a fabricated sound.
Tell us about the book
The book's out in October. I've signed with Harper Collins. The book came about way before Idol, way way before. I've written it, I'm not trying to write more, I'm just editing.
Do you have a title yet?
My title's crap, I'm trying to come up with something really cool!
And you’ve been writing with Alex Lloyd?
Yeah, we did quite a few songs together, they were really good. I like what we came up with. Whether they make it onto the album is all going to be down to the overall style at the end. The songs are great, we really hit it off very well.
I guess it's good, going from singing someone's songs to working with them as well...
It's crazy! I think I was a little bit star-struck to start off with, but then after a few hours we just got stuck into it and became pretty good mates after that.
What do you find relaxing about the whole writing process, book and songs?
For me, I've got a really overactive head and I really need to distract myself an awful lot, and that's where the writing and the singing comes into it. I don't generally sit and watch TV for very long, I'll get up and walk and want to do something, I'm the sort of person that needs to be on the go, and writing has been great for that.
This is for our Beautiful People issue, so what do you think is beautiful about music?
Music can touch anyone, across all the styles and all the genres, it can bring back memories, it can bring people back any sort of moment, it can cheer people up, bring them down, whatever they want. That's what I think is beautiful about music, it's all emotional, light or heavy, it's all emotional.
And what do you think is beautiful about the opposite sex?
The fact that the opposite sex is opposite, I find that beautiful, it's just that whole balance. I guess the best example is [Damien’s wife] Eileen... we meet in between and we've got a nice balance, it's a beautiful sort of thing, and in her case it's gentle nature and just a better way of thinking.
When do you feel at your best?
I feel at my best when I'm being the best that I can be, if I'm singing, if I'm with [Damien's 19-month-old son] Jarvis, Eileen, and I'm just doing the best I can, the best Dad I can be, the best husband, and things are just on an even keel. It's not financial, not getting on stage and getting a big clap, none of that would make me feel at my best. Generally it's what people closest to me think, if I'm thinking that they're happy with me, then I feel like I'm at my best.
What would Eileen say is one of the beautiful things about you?
Everything [laughing]. She wouldn't be able to stop, she'd have a list. I don’t know, I suppose I'm a very open person and I suppose that she probably thinks that’s quite nice, I've got no idea!
Does she know you’re on the Beautiful People list?
Yeah, she does.
What did she think?
She thought it was fantastic, I mean what a lovely, lovely thing, what a beautiful thing.
How comfortable are you with the whole styling and makeup thing?
You know I'm much more comfortable with it, but it's still not really me, I'm not really into that sort of thing, I'd still walk out the front door kind of scruffy and Eileen will say 'You can’t go out like that!' If we go places now, people quite often come up and take photographs and you think 'I wish I hadn’t worn that,' so it's become a lot more part of life, but it's still not something I spend a huge amount of time on.
Do you have a bit of a beauty regime?
No, not at all, no, I need to get one, everyone keeps telling me I need to exfoliate and things like that, so I'm going to have to get some idea.
How would you describe your dress style?
Generally, I like to be as loose as possible, it's changing, it's an evolving style. I used to be into baggier clothes, now I'm looking for tighter clothes. It was a lot looser and a lot scruffier before, now it's not as much, now I think I've got a bit neater, but I don't think its anything out of the ordinary.
Do you have an exercise regime?
No. Every now and then I [think] 'better do some press ups, or something.' I have an exercise bike, but I never use it, I need to again, it's on the list, this list is getting bigger and bigger.
Have you got any tips on how to look your best?
You're talking to the wrong person there! I don't know, whenever I do look the best, I think it's a result of my taking a bit of time and picking through all the clothes I've got, so I think the tip is, don't rush it.
Damien Leith is the most versatile Australian Idol yet. He's a gifted singer, family man and aspiring author
Apr. 05, 2007
BY KARINA MACHADO
So what have you been up to lately, have you been writing songs for the new album?
Writing for the album, working on the book, and doing the tour right now. So I've been doing those three things over the last while and they're all kind of falling into place, the album's sounding brilliant, I don't mind blowing my own trumpet right now, it's sounding really good, it's what I hoped it would be because there’s an awful lot of me in it, which is great, for me, but the songs are good.
How would you describe the music?
I don't know how to describe it actually... we're whittled down from about 80 songs to 30 songs and now we're going to whittle down again and the whole thing is about you know, how much of a rock element we're going to give it, how much of an intimate element we're going to give it and that's the kind of thing. The overall sound is pretty stripped back, that's probably the main thing, it's stripped back, focus on the vocals, focus on the lyrics, it's a real live sort of sound, not a fabricated sound.
Tell us about the book
The book's out in October. I've signed with Harper Collins. The book came about way before Idol, way way before. I've written it, I'm not trying to write more, I'm just editing.
Do you have a title yet?
My title's crap, I'm trying to come up with something really cool!
And you’ve been writing with Alex Lloyd?
Yeah, we did quite a few songs together, they were really good. I like what we came up with. Whether they make it onto the album is all going to be down to the overall style at the end. The songs are great, we really hit it off very well.
I guess it's good, going from singing someone's songs to working with them as well...
It's crazy! I think I was a little bit star-struck to start off with, but then after a few hours we just got stuck into it and became pretty good mates after that.
What do you find relaxing about the whole writing process, book and songs?
For me, I've got a really overactive head and I really need to distract myself an awful lot, and that's where the writing and the singing comes into it. I don't generally sit and watch TV for very long, I'll get up and walk and want to do something, I'm the sort of person that needs to be on the go, and writing has been great for that.
This is for our Beautiful People issue, so what do you think is beautiful about music?
Music can touch anyone, across all the styles and all the genres, it can bring back memories, it can bring people back any sort of moment, it can cheer people up, bring them down, whatever they want. That's what I think is beautiful about music, it's all emotional, light or heavy, it's all emotional.
And what do you think is beautiful about the opposite sex?
The fact that the opposite sex is opposite, I find that beautiful, it's just that whole balance. I guess the best example is [Damien’s wife] Eileen... we meet in between and we've got a nice balance, it's a beautiful sort of thing, and in her case it's gentle nature and just a better way of thinking.
When do you feel at your best?
I feel at my best when I'm being the best that I can be, if I'm singing, if I'm with [Damien's 19-month-old son] Jarvis, Eileen, and I'm just doing the best I can, the best Dad I can be, the best husband, and things are just on an even keel. It's not financial, not getting on stage and getting a big clap, none of that would make me feel at my best. Generally it's what people closest to me think, if I'm thinking that they're happy with me, then I feel like I'm at my best.
What would Eileen say is one of the beautiful things about you?
Everything [laughing]. She wouldn't be able to stop, she'd have a list. I don’t know, I suppose I'm a very open person and I suppose that she probably thinks that’s quite nice, I've got no idea!
Does she know you’re on the Beautiful People list?
Yeah, she does.
What did she think?
She thought it was fantastic, I mean what a lovely, lovely thing, what a beautiful thing.
How comfortable are you with the whole styling and makeup thing?
You know I'm much more comfortable with it, but it's still not really me, I'm not really into that sort of thing, I'd still walk out the front door kind of scruffy and Eileen will say 'You can’t go out like that!' If we go places now, people quite often come up and take photographs and you think 'I wish I hadn’t worn that,' so it's become a lot more part of life, but it's still not something I spend a huge amount of time on.
Do you have a bit of a beauty regime?
No, not at all, no, I need to get one, everyone keeps telling me I need to exfoliate and things like that, so I'm going to have to get some idea.
How would you describe your dress style?
Generally, I like to be as loose as possible, it's changing, it's an evolving style. I used to be into baggier clothes, now I'm looking for tighter clothes. It was a lot looser and a lot scruffier before, now it's not as much, now I think I've got a bit neater, but I don't think its anything out of the ordinary.
Do you have an exercise regime?
No. Every now and then I [think] 'better do some press ups, or something.' I have an exercise bike, but I never use it, I need to again, it's on the list, this list is getting bigger and bigger.
Have you got any tips on how to look your best?
You're talking to the wrong person there! I don't know, whenever I do look the best, I think it's a result of my taking a bit of time and picking through all the clothes I've got, so I think the tip is, don't rush it.
I love his interviews. Him and his press-ups! 
Someone should interview Eileen about him some time in the future - I'm sure we would all enjoy that. 
's:
aka @just_Leithal on Twitter 
