1.Growing Up
I was surrounded by music as a child – Mum played the spoons in a George Formby tribute act and Dad was a bass drum virtuoso for The Salvation Army. I think I get my showmanship from her and my lifelong commitment to a strong first and third beat from him.
2. Inspirations
I spent many happy hours in my bedroom with all the greats – Max Bygraves, Tiny Tim… probably my favourite was Mad Manuel and His Music Of The Mountains. I had the pan pipes and everything. There was a real opening at the time in Australia for a pan pipe player – literally no-one was doing it. But then I discovered ska.
3.Your Band
It’s a phenomenal lineup of rugged individuals. Pete Wilson on vocals (and an avid trainspotter), guitarist Andy Mifsud (runs a herd of beef cattle), Tony Donoghue on bass (Lego fanatic), Mike Quigley on drums (closet Phil Collins fan), Scott Kelly on sax (spends all his spare time watching reruns of Ally McBeal) and Danny Carmichael on trombone (carries the camera and logbook for Pete). Cracking fellas but not so much fun at parties, which is probably why we don’t get invited to many, come to think of it.
4.The Music You Make
We do a bit of everything for our warm-ups – we’re working through the Glenn Medeiros songbook at the moment – but out there live it’s ska, ska and more ska. The secret for us is giving an Australian flavour to the ’80s Brit 2 Tone influence.
5.Music, Right Here, Right Now
Since we started in 1998 it’s seriously getting harder for bands to find venues for music. This combined with lockout laws has changed the whole nature of the scene. But you can still find brilliant bands and venues if you look hard enough. Speaking of which, did I mention Backy Skank are playing the Sydney Rock ‘N’ Roll & Alternative Market on June 5 at Manning Bar?
Sydney Rock ‘N’ Roll & Alternative MarkethappensSunday June 5 atManning Bar, where you can catchBacky Skank, Pat Capocci, Hank’s Jalopy Demons, Narelle Evans and The Jetbacks and more.
