4/7/12 WEST AUSTRALIAN
Jul 4, 2012 15:42:09 GMT 10
Post by thebraff (Braffy) on Jul 4, 2012 15:42:09 GMT 10
au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/entertainment/14131141/new-album-follows-tribute-hit/
New album follows tribute hit
Damien Leith seems magically able to find more hours in the day than most people. He's a husband, dad to three young kids, recording artist, performer, chemist, author, TV show dancer and home renovator. When the Dublin-born musician wasn't spending nights in a converted cubbyhouse working on his third novel, he found time to record his sixth album, Now & Then.
The album is a curious mix of covers and six original songs. The covers pay homage to the Traveling Wilburys and the originals include a remake of Beautiful, which has been picked up for an advertising campaign by Estee Lauder. The song, written with Alex Lloyd, originally appeared on his 2007 debut, Where We Land.
Now & Then follows last year's release of Roy - A Tribute to Roy Orbison, which was a surprise hit selling close to 100,000 copies. The success partly inspired the new album, as Orbison was in the Traveling Wilburys supergroup alongside Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.
"I was genuinely shocked about the success of Roy," Leith says. "It sounded great but the gamble was equally great. With this album, it's all the stuff I love and the songs I have found inspiring.
"With the Petty and Dylan songs I had to really think about them and how to do them. They are both gritty singers with a rasp and that rock edge. I needed to keep some of them in it but have some of me in there as well."
He wanted to do justice to each classic, including I Won't Back Down, (I've Got My Mind) Set On You, Here Comes the Sun and End of the Line, while stamping them with his own musical character.
"I had to, otherwise what's the point in doing it? It's still a risk and I just hoped for the best but the vibe on how to approach each one was really clear."
Due for release next year, Leith's third novel is a comedy, the idea for which apparently took forever to come up with.
"I did some other things but this idea felt good," he says. "The others all felt like they were going to be such a big job to write and I had little inspiration for them but this one is coming along nicely and flowing easily."
Now & Then is out now. Damien Leith plays the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on September 7 and the Astor Theatre on September 8. Tickets from the venues.
thank you.
wow with the regional tour and his new novel next year's already looking busy 
He musn't believe in sleep. 
