Category: Pete Murray

PETE MURRAY: New Single, Album & 33 Date National Tour

Byron Bay singer-songwriter and one of Australia’s most loved musicians, Pete Murray has today released his new single, Take Me Down (out now), alongside the announcement of his sixth studio album, Camacho – thumbnail_Pete Murray general use low resavailable June 2. With over one million album sales to his name, the quiet achiever of Australian music will showcase new tracks and old favourites on an epic 33-date national Camacho Tour that will kickstart in Lismore on July 12 and finish up in Darwin on September 9.

Beat-driven and anthemic, Take Me Down cleverly reveals a new direction for Pete, yet still manages to feel like a catch up with an old friend – his smooth, familiar voice both warm and inviting. “Take me down is about a beautiful relationship with an unknown future,” insights Pete. “It’s about not knowing how much time is left and being in the moment. It’s emotive, moody, sexual and vulnerable.”

Determined to shake things up and find a fresh sound for the album, Pete explored different writing and recording techniques. “My main goal was to work with loops and beats and to have a cool, phat drum sound,” says Pete. He collaborated with hip hop producer Trials (AB Original) to achieve the drum sounds he was looking for, and saddled up with an array of well-known industry talent to get the Camacho show on the road. “There was only one guy that I was interested in mixing this album and that was Eric J Dubowsky. He was starting to do a lot of phat, warm sounds and I really wanted this flavour of mixing on my album.” Also in the assemblage was Aussie producer Tony Buchen (Montaigne, The Preatures, Bob Evans), Sydney-based producer One Above aka Andrew Burford (Hilltop Hoods, Drapht, Allday), and ARIA winning producer Jon Hume (Matt Corby, Lisa Mitchell). Continue reading PETE MURRAY: New Single, Album & 33 Date National Tour

Special Interview: Pete Murray

theaussieword.com goes one on one in an exclusive special interview with the great Pete Murray!

What had you first interested in music? I first picked up the guitar at 22 – a friend that I was living with came into the room and said he’d always wanted to play guitar and I though that sounded pretty cool so I went and got a few lessons (he didn’t though!). I mucked around with that for a long time before I actually took music seriously.

What motivates or influences your quest to make great music? Firstly I love writing music and playing to people who enjoy my music. I’ve always wanted a lifestyle where I could travel the world and play music… who wouldn’t want that as their job?!

Tell us about your upcoming tour. It’s massive! I’m excited because it’s my first solo tour in this country so it will be very different to what I’ve done before. I want people to ask questions and request songs and really feel like they’re part of the show.

Success, what is the secret to it and what has been your biggest career highlight so far? With success there’s a lot of hard work involved – nothing comes easily. It’s hard to pick one highlight but I remember the first time that I played a show and everyone sang all the lyrics to all of the songs back to me. I’ll never forget that – that would be my highlight.

What are some of your biggest goals you still hope to accomplish as an artist? I’m getting my first release in Nth America this year and I’m really excited about that. I’ve always felt that my music was really suited to that part of the world so I still have goals over there that I’m going after.

Which other musicians do you find inspiring?  There’s lots of great songwriters that I really like – probably moreso the greats from the 60s and 70s like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. I’m inspired by singer-songwriters more than any other style of music.
What can you tell us about recording your latest album? What makes this album interesting is that it’s got some amazing artists involved including Bernard Fanning, Katie Noonan, Ash Grunwald, Busby Marou and Natalie Pa’apa’a. It has a great surfy Byron laid back feel to it. We recorded most of it in a great old studio called Music Farm, which is where band likes Midnight Oil and Cold Chisel recorded back in the 80s.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?  The good thing about social media is that it puts me in direct contact with my fans. Fans always know what’s happening in my world and it’s easy for them to stay in touch. The main vibe of this album was that we took it down the path of social media – I wasn’t looking for commercial success I just wanted people to hear the album and enjoy it, and social media has played, and is still playing, a big role in spreading the word.
Thank you for the interview! What can you leave fans of theaussieword.com with here today?  I hope everyone enjoys the album and if you’re coming to a show get some questions ready for me!

Pete Murray’s ‘The Byron Sessions’

Pete Murray heads back to his roots with The Byron Sessions… 

 

Ten years ago an artist burst onto the scene with a soulful, heartfelt acoustic offering called Feeler which captured the mood of an Australian generation. That artist was Pete Murray who has gone on to sell over a million albums and become one of the country’s most celebrated songwriters.

To mark ten years, Pete has gone back to his roots, creating a new record from the heart, a reimagining of his hit album Blue Sky Blue created at home in Byron Bay.

Since Pete Murray moved to Byron Bay eight years ago, a string of musicians have also relocated to this artistic seaside hub, creating a true community which has become a must-schedule pit stop along the touring circuit. The lure of sun, surf, and the best chai tea in the country is too hard to resist and some of Pete’s mates took the opportunity to lend a hand on the new album.

The album is a breath of fresh air in an industry hung up on production, marketing and gimmicks, a gift to both fans who have stuck by Pete over a decade of hits and a reintroduction to admirers of the breezy, carefree, yet elegant style of Feeler.

The title track “Blue Sky Blue” features up-and-comer Fantine (and a bridge written by Blue King Brown’s Natalie Pa’apa’a), creating a true Byron soundscape while “Hurricane Coming” borrows the talents of Ash Grunwald on slide guitar. 


Last year’s most played track on Australian radio “Free” gets the Byron treatment, turning an already-great tune into an acoustic jam party classic with mates Busby Marou lending a hand. With other guests including Bernard Fanning, Darren Middleton (Powderfinger), Katie Noonan, and Scott Owen (The Living End), Blue Sky Blue: The Byron Sessions has achieved its aim of reflecting the real Pete Murray: a true biographical statement embracing his community and friends today in the same way that Feeler reflected his life ten years before. 

For the first time in nearly a decade, Pete Murray is touring the country for some up-close-and-personal shows – partly solo and partly stripped back acoustic with some muso mates.

“The Byron Sessions is about community, from the original idea jamming at home with mates, right through to its realization as an album, so it makes sense to get out there and see the people that have really supported me over the years, no matter what corner of Australia they’re from,” said Pete Murray. “It’s about celebrating the last decade coming full circle and sharing it with a community of people around the country who have all had their own journeys and life experiences at the same time.”

Aussie Pete Murray Returns

Pete Murray – So Beautiful (2004)
It’s taken almost 3 years, but Aussie Pete Murray is returning with his fifth studio album. Titled Blue Sky Blue, Pete well known for his 2003 big seller album Feeler, returns with a ten track disc due to hit shelves on September 2nd. iTunes, JB HiFi and Sanity are taking pre-orders for the new CD. Welcome back Pete!