Let it never be said that Marcia Hines is any kind of slouch when it comes to work ethic.
After nearly 50 years of performing, the acclaimed showstopper has no intention of slowing down. Even when presented with some sort of downtime – as she has right now, between seasons of the acclaimed jukebox musical/circus extravaganza Velvet – Hines is hard at work on yet another show. Intended as a revue of the disco era, Disco Inferno reflects on Hines’ 2006 covers album Discotheque, as well as the sharp-dressed glamour that went along with those classics.
“After I made Discotheque, which went really well, we saw this space to do a disco show,” says Hines. “My clever manager suggested that we turn it into a show, and so we’re in rehearsals right now making it shiny and fun. We’ve got good costumes, too – nothing ridiculous, mind you – and I’ve got three good-looking boys backing me up, dancing and singing with me. It’s great, especially because discotheque is not dead. It’s still going strong.”
Hines’ musical career has predominantly seen her performing other people’s songs – long before the covers of Discotheque and Velvet, her biggest commercial hits in the ’70s were versions of tracks like James Taylor’s ‘Fire And Rain’ and Dusty Springfield’s ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’. When queried on what makes a great cover, Hines says it’s all about an artist’s individual perspective.
“It comes down to your ability to interpret songs for yourself,” she explains. “I don’t even think it has to be emotional – it’s about what you bring to the table. It’s about the sincerity or the fun that you find in the song. I couldn’t tell you what these musicians were thinking when they were writing or singing these songs – I would honestly have no idea. What I can tell you, however, is my own experience with these songs and what I’m thinking of when I listen to them. That’s what comes through when I’m singing, and I hope that’s what the audience connects with as well.”
Velvet has been the central focus of Hines’ workload for the better part of two years now. Across hundreds of shows, Hines and co. have performed all around the country and even made the trip to Edinburgh for its world-famous fringe festival. As the show carries on for its next run – a whopping 40 weeks – one has to wonder if the fatigue has managed to set in. Not the case, says Hines.
“To be a performer, you have to find the energy and the sincerity to get up onstage every night. For me, the interesting thing about it is the fact that it’s never the same audience. You’re never getting the exact same reaction, and I think that keeps us all fresh. It’s all about the camaraderie, too – especially in a show like Velvet. We all get along beautifully. We’re all kindred spirits, and that’s what you get to see.”
After a few years of relative inactivity, Hines’ career was boosted once again back in the early 2000s when she appeared on the judging panel for Australian Idol. Even several years after the show was taken off air, its alumni still linger within the cultural lexicon – indie-leaning Matt Corby and Lisa Mitchell both made comebacks this year, for instance, while internet culture has given initial runner-up Shannon Noll a huge career boost.
“We felt like we were the frontier runners – even though, to be completely honest with you, we really had no idea what we were doing when it started out,” Hines recalls. “We couldn’t have ever guessed what a big deal the show was going to be for so many people. We were coming from a great place, I believe. I think that if you do something from your heart, then people will respond to that. That’s why I feel like it’s stood the test of time, as have so many people from the show. I’m even working now with people that auditioned but didn’t get through – that’s how far it reaches.”
As if her current schedule weren’t hectic enough, Hines was also recently announced as one of the artists performing on the 2017 Cruise N Groove – a luxury cruise that will journey from Sydney through to New Caledonia and Vanuatu with a mix of disco and pop artists such as KC and The Sunshine Band, Paul Young and Go West. “I can’t believe it – I mean, Boney M.? Are you kidding me?” laughs Hines. “I’ve done a few cruises like this before, and they were just the bomb. It is going to be so much fun – it’s such a party, even though it’s the most grown-up party you could think of. I couldn’t believe how much fun everyone was having on the last cruise that I did – no doubt it will be the exact same this time around.”
So, here stands Marcia Hines – as prolific and illustrious an artist now than she ever has been. She is staring down the barrel of months and months of performing to audiences all across Australia. Still, will she let the pressure get to her? Not a chance. “You don’t think about it, darlin’!” she says. “That’s the trick!”
Cruise N Groove 2017, with Marcia Hines, KC and The Sunshine Band, Boney M., Paul Young, Go West and more,departs Sydney Harbour on theRadiance Of The Seas, Monday October 23 and sails until Tuesday October 31, 2017. Marcia also appears as part of Disco Inferno, Bankstown Sports, Saturday December 31.
