Heroes of the Big Day Out

Wed 7th Jan, 2009 in Features

In the lead-up to the Big Day Out, FasterLouder has been talking to all the bands about the music and people that inspire them to do what they do. In our first edition Mike Patton revealed his undying love for feces-smearing punk legend GG Alin whilst Alana from The Grates exposed her affection for fellow bandmate Ben.

In this week’s column we speak to Al Barr from the Dropkick Murphys about his Joe Strummer pre-show ritual, Adam Spark from Birds Of Tokyo about is penchant for Motown and Pete Williamson from Mammal about all things Blues.

AL BARR – DROPKICK MURPHYS

I’d have to say Joe Strummer. There’s a lot though, I’m a huge Tom Waits fan a big Steve Earl fan, I love Billy Bragg. There’s a lot of singer/songwriters that I’m really into but I’d say you know…if I had to pick just one it’d have to be Joe Strummer for sure. I watch The Future Is Unwritten every time before I go on tour; it’s a ritual of mine. So I’ll be flying into the first show in New Zealand and I’ll be watching the Future Is Unwritten on my computer.

ADAM SPARK – BIRDS OF TOKYO

To be perfectly honest, I don’t really have a ‘musical hero’ so to speak. I mean, it’s changed. The one person who I have always had an interest in is Rick Rubin. He’s a producer, absolutely legendary in the US, and he’s worked with the likes of Johnny Cash and Slayer. I met him once. Well, stood next to him when I was in LA. It was the closest I ever came to being a fan boy. His work is amazing, and he has such good instincts as to what works. His body of work has been so successful and its really inspirational.

Musically though, I guess you could always say Motown. Motown and Rick Rubin!

PETE WILLIAMSON – MAMMAL

I am constantly influenced by the Blues and especially Blues guitar players. The soul and emotion sometimes gets lost in modern music and by listening to early Blues records like John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, BB King etc it reminds me to always play with passion and purpose! A key highlight in my career was meeting Tony Joe White and watching him play as it opened my eyes to the variations in the Blues with his swamp influenced style.

I will always remember the day I heard the Jimi Hendrix record Band Of Gypsys, in my opinion it is the most modern Blues sound I have heard.

Stay tuned to FL for our weekly – œHeroes Of The Big Day Out’ column.