CREATIVE CUTS - The road is open wide

By Damien McGuin

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A good song creates a doorway or a window through which I can walk or peer. The best ones do it in the first few bars, musically, or lyrically, or both. They pique your interest early. Make you want to get on the bus.

I only had a few days to get to know Love Songs, the new album from one of songwriting’s true greats, Don Walker, before we spoke - but the sheer quality and craftsmanship of these tales of love, regret and gentle acceptance, made it an easy task.

I had ummed and ahhed about whether I should wear my Cold Chisel T-shirt for the interview, which I freely admitted to Don. He laughed and said, “I wasn’t going to say anything”. I explained I had come to the conclusion that it would be more economical for the purposes of the interview. A picture is worth the thousand words that would otherwise be spent blabbering about my love of Cold Chisel and their iconic songs. You know the ones.

With this new album, I get the overall sense of quiet joy at (despite the pain) having had the privilege of life’s experiences, the opportunity to make mistakes, and to move on without bitterness.

Don agreed. “There’s a certain settlement in your heart, the blessings last a lot longer than the grievance. But I can only speak for myself!” he replied with a wry smile.

As I listen to Love Songs, I’m climbing aboard a Greyhound Bus in the middle of nowhere, taking a seat next to someone I’ve never met and listening , really listening to their story.

So much more rewarding than a screen. So much more important.

“I think for longevity in music, people like stories,” shared Don.

Love Songs weaves its way through traditional country styles and ‘south of the border’ Latin feels. Don Walker and his talented band seem to know exactly where they’re going and what they want to do, backed with the smooth vocals of The Harmonettes. I’m pretty sure Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Marty Robbins would be comfortable on this bus.

“Yes, a lot of that country comes in,” agreed Don. “Country music is so lyrically driven, often packing the story into such a few syllables.

“The guys I record with in my band, Michael Vidale, our bass player, played with everybody from Slim Dusty to Pete Wells, and Garrett Costigan’s pedal steel leans the songs towards country. 

“Roy Payne played guitar on two of these songs before he sadly passed away in 2022. His guitar-playing partner, Glen Hannah, who passed in 2019, played a lot of country, and Roy and I discussed at length, how can we reconstitute this band without Glen?

“Roy said, ‘I really think I can take a Luther Perkins (the guitarist from Johnny Cash’s band, The Tennessee Three) approach to some songs, if you don’t mind me giving that a try’. So that’s what we agreed with some songs, that’s the angle that’s going to get it happening.”

Shannon Bourne provides guitars across the rest of the album, and drummer Hamish Stuart drives it all home, along with additional talented musicians bringing horns, mandolin and vocals to different songs.

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And if I ever dream that’s my bonus in the night,

And if I dream of you then I know that you’re alright’

I’m reticent to pick a favourite, because the whole album is a master-class in songwriting, however Luck keeps me coming back for the smile it brings. (Roy Payne plays guitar on this one.)

The space and journey rolling by, all invoked by the masterful example of musical and poetic engineering. The lyrics and phrasing driving the rhythm, with the beautifully measured instruments doing just enough to colour it; without overpowering the story.

I mentioned the charming It will always be you, which has a different feel. “That’s like an old Broadway ballad, a jazz ballad,” explained Don, “quite a challenge to sing, but I got that one down for the album!

“If you put down a song that’s just guitar and voice, or just piano and voice, that sets people free to hear it,” said Don. “If it works in that sparse way, then it’s probably going to work as a jazz song, or a country song, or a rock’n’roll song.”

It was special for me to interview Don Walker - a real gentleman, who was generous and down-to-earth in his conversation. We meandered through many topics, from Kings Cross, to Darwin (“Towns of last resort, you’re on the run from a past, where do you run to? Darwin.”) to Singapore.

We touched base regarding the trials and tribulations of the Brisbane Broncos, a passion we both share; mused on musical appropriation, and last but not least, his upcoming gig at The Imperial Hotel, Eumundi, on October 30, a venue he has enjoyed performing at a few times now, and he’s looking forward to heading back.

“It’s a great venue, we usually play there on a Friday night, and then, of course, there’s the markets on the Saturday morning, so it’s a good trip up there.”

I agree with Don, and I’m looking forward to his Eumundi gig, where I get to hear this exceptional album live. I’ll be the one wearing the Cold Chisel T-shirt.

You can order the Love Songs album and buy gig tickets via donwalker.com.au.