There’s no doubt Donny Benet is a convivial character. Since emerging with the Italo-disco celebrationDon’t Hold Backin 2011, Benet has established himself as an ambassador of good times. But given his allegiance to sounds of the late ’70s and early ’80s, the linchpin of Sydney’s post-disco revival has always seemed slightly anachronistic.
Last month Benet returned with his third full-length, Weekend At Donny’s, which is firmly rooted in the present context. No, this doesn’t mean Benet has abandoned his beloved disco-funk influences. Rather, the record features vocal performances and co-writing input from six of Benet’s distinguished contemporaries: Kirin J Callinan, Jack Ladder, Elana Stone, Geoffrey O’Connor, Spod and The Preatures’ Isabella Manfredi.
“I wanted to do this as a bit of a snapshot of Sydney – and in the case of Geoff, Melbourne – artists during this time,” he says. “It’s a Donny album but it’s not a Donny album. It was just really nice to get together with these people and write some music.”
Inviting six distinct personalities to separately contribute to a record could quite easily have resulted in a disjointed collection of tunes. But Weekend At Donny’s maintains a consistent aesthetic that’s sure to bring joy to Benet’s disco-loving fan base.
“I recorded everything and played all the instruments,” he says, “so that’s probably why it has some similarities from track to track. As far as the writing, it was all a real 50/50 contribution. I think they were trying to let loose and write a Donny song. Without sounding too cheesy, it was just a whole bunch of fun.”
Weekend At Donny’s isn’t the first time that Benet has opened his arms to a bunch of esteemed guests. The record harnesses the spirit of uninhibited fun that defined a series of club gigs put on by the mustachioed bandleader and friends back in early 2013.
“We decided to play some covers but we were just being a bit silly so I got Spod to cover some Gloria Estefan; Tim [Rogers, AKA Jack Ladder] covered some Tina Turner and Kim Carnes,” Benet says of the shows. “So it was a bit of tongue-in-cheek to begin with. It was just such fun to play with those guys in that kind of environment, so [the album] just stemmed out of that.”
Accordingly, Weekend At Donny’s directs you to let your hair down, grab hold of a margarita and let your worries slip away. Additionally – as you might expect from a record brewed up with a number of canny collaborators – Weekend At Donny’s also features first-rate songwriting.
“We definitely didn’t go into it with a throwaway attitude – ‘Oh, let’s just write a really silly song,’” Benet says. “At the end of the day, with any music you release under your name, the responsibility goes back on you. You’re not going to put something out you’re not happy with artistically. We were just having fun with the songs, but we still wrote the shit out of the songs.”
Before we get carried away with notions of earnest artistry, the dapper showman makes it clear that broadcasting positivity remains his number one priority.
“With playing Donny stuff, I’ll only ever play music that I enjoy performing and that I’d enjoy to listen to. I’ve got a pretty good sense of humour. The last few shows we did in Sydney, the stage was invaded by young women. And that’s cool. It’s escapism for me, it’s escapism for them. For me personally, the last thing I’d want to do is sit there with my arms folded, nodding my head, stroking my beard.”
Weekend At Donny’s out now through Rice Is Nice/Inertia. Catch Donny Benet atBrighton Up Bar onFriday October 10 and Saturday October 11, tickets online.
