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Andrew Worboys - The interview, in September 2008
Andrew, can you tell us something about your
childhood, how you were raised? Your life in Australia, how can we
picture the journey for "Andrew Worboys" the musician, producer and
songwriter?
I was brought up on a farm. I had to help round up sheep on my motor
bike. I really didn’t like all the responsibilities that came with farm
life. All I wanted to do was play the piano and write songs. I was an
outcast at school, was friends with all the freaks and geeks. I put
together vocal groups and taught them my music. Every lunch time I’d be
in the music room singing and playing the piano. I was also very
inspired by the theatre and participated in all the shows, sometimes
doing backstage work and eventually working my way up to musical
director.
Andrew, you're so versatile, you’ve worked as a Musical Director,
you’re a singer, shot music videos, wrote film music (for example, as a
composer for the film - The Suspect (1998)), and produce and arrange
commercial jingles for radio and Japanese and Chinese Pop artists. This
is a wide scope, how do you see your role in society, how well known are
you and what do you still hope to achieve?
I love working creatively with other people. Teaching groups of people,
in the theatre for example, is one of my favourite things. I like to
share my creative knowledge and as my interests are wide and varied I
enjoy sitting with others who are interested in learning something new.
One of the things I want to achieve is to write a stage musical. I love
the immediacy of the theatre. As far as being well known, I guess I am
well known in the Australian Theatre circles.
A part of your life is dedicated to painting, how did this come about
and where do you get your inspiration from? Does music inspire you paint
or does painting inspire you to make music or is it meditative balance
in these fast moving times?
The meditative balance is everything in painting. That’s what drew me
to painting with oils. My partner’s family live in Bali and that’s where
I took up painting. We stay there every year for about a month, every
year we try something a little different. Last year it was painting. And
I loved it.
In 2006 you accompanied Marty Hayley with Jimmy Somerville on his "Evolve
Tour" in Australia.
How did this collaboration come about? Did you know Jimmy already? Or
did Jimmy find you? Can you tell us something about Marty Hayley?
The producer of Jimmy’s “Evolve Tour” was after a local piano player. He
happened to ask a friend of mine if she knew of anyone and she suggested
me. I of course knew of Jimmy and had been a fan for years, so the
chance of working with him was something incredibly special.
Have you spent a lot of time with each other, or is it limited to a
professional
relationship only ?
Marty Hailey is a close friend of mine whom I have worked with on many
occasions. We’ve been on tour together and his energy and creative vibe
are amazing. He’s one of the best people to work with because he loves
trying new things and at the same time his playing is sensitive and
original.
How would you describe Jimmy Somerville, why did you enter this
musical relationship? Did this collaboration enrich you , have you
learned anything, or was it just a job, as with any musical partner?
Jimmy was immediately charming and made us all feel very relaxed. From
the moment we started rehearsing together it was all about the music,
not about any one person. The whole process was very enriching; there
was definitely a feeling that we clicked which made it a very exciting
and special time.
You told me how great Jimmy’s new album "SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER" has
turned out, how would you describe it? How much of a role did you play
in the album?
The new album is very stripped back; we used only a few instruments.
Jimmy was very keen to record some of his favourite songs but wanted to
give them a twist and present them in a new way. Jimmy came to my house
in the forest for a week where he searched the internet for the songs he
loved. Then we work shopped them around the piano, with Marty and his
guitar. I then charted a collection of the songs and we went into a
studio in the mountains surrounded by bush.
Jimmy had the album mixed in London but wasn’t happy with it. He asked
me and my mate Rob Taylor to mix the album here on the Central Coast of
NSW. That’s the album he’s releasing next year.
As a highlight of your work you have donated a remix of "Motherless
Child" as a bonus track for the new album, which I believe will please
all of Jimmy Somerville’s friends and fans. It is an old reminder of
Jimmy’s earlier “live concert times". Had you heard Jimmy sing the song
in a capella previously? How will the song be interpreted? What can we
expect? And why is it a remix, has it been produced by another artist?
Jimmy sang Motherless child, a capella, as his third encore in Sydney,
the first night of the Evolve Tour. With Jimmy’s permission I recorded
the sound off the sound desk. That’s the version I remixed. The ac
apella might appear on the album with the remix. My remix is quite
underground, a bit tribal with a splash of electro.
Can you tell us why the album has been postponed until 2009? Are you
still working on it? Are there more songs to come? Or what are the
reasons for this?
There are so many things to consider when a new album is to be released.
The album has been mastered for some time now it is true, but rest
assured I think it is surely some of Jimmy’s finest work. Fans will not
be disappointed.
You also like to stir up a controversy, I only have to mention "The
Glam Reaper", but most important is that everyone is talking about safer
sex. This is also Jimmy’s goal and a part of his responsibility as a gay
star! Do you see similarities between you and Jimmy, do you have the
same opinions or are your views fundamentally different?
Yes, I do like a bit of a controversy but only because it gets people
talking. The safe sex issue is probably more important now than ever
before. The gay community can get incredibly complacent, even to the
point of arrogance. We like to party hard and indulge in copious amounts
of drug taking. Well there’s a responsibility that comes with that. We
have worked so hard over the years to gain acceptance, and then to
increase awareness, we must not allow complacency to creep in and return
to the dark ages where unsafe sex was the normal thing. So perhaps Jimmy
and I do share many of the same opinions.
Is there anything else you experienced with Jimmy you would like to
tell us or that need to be told?
Jimmy was a delight to work with and maybe that’s the most wonderful
thing; there was a sense that we were all working together not just
working for Jimmy. He really loves music and loves singing and above all
he loves the process of creating music with others. He’s incredibly
giving.
Thank you very much, Torsten from Berlin, Germany
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