Why Molly was hell to work with
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Hands on … Colleen Hewett and Russell Morris get close and personal with their friend and producer Molly Meldrum. Picture: Tim Carrafa
Source: News Corp Australia
WHEN Colleen Hewett calls herself a “dinosaur” her lifelong friend and fellow musician Russell Morris takes is quick to correct her.
“We’re not dinosaurs,” Morris clarifies. “The music business is the only business where people say ‘Ageing rock dinosaur Mick Jagger’. You don’t see ‘Ageing actor Sean Connery’ or ‘Ageing old fool Karl Lagerfeld’. People are only ageist when it come to musicians. It doesn’t happen in any other career. The Stones get it, AC/DC get it.”
Morris, 66, and Hewett, 65, are breaking new ground for Australian musicians usually lumped in the ‘heritage’ category and expected to release sedate covers albums or stick to the oldies circuit.
Morris’ Sharkmouth, a blues album written about Australian historical figures, gave him his first Top 10 album and ARIA award two years ago. He promptly followed it up with last year’s Van Diemen’s Land (No. 4 on the ARIA chart) and will record the final album in the trilogy next month.
Hewett, whose career includes stints in The Boy From Oz as well as a string of records, is at No. 1 on the iTunes blues chart this week with Black & White, her first album in 14 years. It’s also become her first appearance on the ARIA chart in 18 years.
Music history … Molly Meldrum says Russell Morris and Colleen Hewett are two of his favourite singers in Australia. Picture: Tim Carrafa
Source: News Corp Australia
Both artists have one man in common: they call him Ian Meldrum, with Australian knowing him best as Molly. Meldrum spotted the talent in a young Morris and launched his solo career by finding and producing The Real Thing, the biggest selling Australian single of 1969. He produced Hewett’s Day By Day in 1971, giving her a national No. 1 and setting up a credible career focused on vocals and songs. Both songs changed dramatically from their original incarnations as Meldrum made his vision come to life.
“Russell and Colleen are two of my favourite singers in Australia,” Meldrum says. “I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved. Colleen’s new blues album is amazing. Their careers are astonishing.”
Both of them have their own war stories of Ian Meldrum: producer.
“Ian can be a nightmare in the studio,” Morris says. “During The Real Thing he just kept saying ‘You’re not singing it right! You have to sing it differently!’ But he couldn’t tell you how he wanted it. After a while he went in and sang it how he wanted it, and he can’t sing at all so it was hilarious. I went in after and sang it like that but they’d forgotten to wipe Ian’s voice. So his vocals are still on the track under my voice in the second verse. There’s not a lot of melody in it.
Old school … Colleen Hewett has survived in a volatile music and acting industry.
Source: News Corp Australia
“Another time we were recording and again he was yelling ‘No! Do it again!’ and I ended up running into the recording booth and slamming his head on the console. It could be volatile!”
“And we were straight back then, not on the spliff or anything naughty,” Hewett adds.
“I can guarantee I was never straight,” Meldrum jokes.
It may be decades since they’ve worked with Meldrum, but the memories retain intact.
“Molly was always late, so it was frustrating but exciting,” Hewett says. “He did punch my manager at one point. And I learnt how to swear from Ian. But I’ve never had an experience like it again, he was more director than producer. And I’ve done a lot of recording since Day By Day. When I was able to compare it, I was craving for that madman behind the glass.”
Morris says that when he saw US producer Phil Spector work he had flashbacks to being in the studio with Meldrum.
“Ian’s hero was Phil Spector and in LA I saw Spector sweep into a studio, just like Ian would, with this storm following him, but he had an invisible dog lead. At least Ian’s never shot anyone. I was disappointed Ian didn’t do more record production, he would have been a world force.”
Hewett is excited about the new phase in her career and finding new fans, with live shows planned for later in the year to showcase Black & White.
Summer of ‘69 … Russell Morris at the peak of The Real Thing’s success.
Source: Supplied
“They’re not nice, little songs,” she says. “It’s not Wind Beneath My Wings or Dreaming My Dreams With You. I have nothing to prove now. I’m not holding back. I’m a little old lady, and little old ladies get to a point when they just want to say what they’re thinking. That’s why the album is called Black & White. Be direct. Who needs the grey?”
And like Morris, she sees no reason to stop doing her job.
“We’re only doing what we were born to do,” she says. “If we can still do it, why not do it? I’m not embarrassed. I’ll front up anywhere. Give me any stage, any age audience, I know I’ll deliver. That’s all I do. That’s my job, that’s Russell’s job. And we love it. Not in a corny vaudeville way, it’s an internal thing. It’s a gift, and I want to give it for as long as I can.”
Black & White (Bilarm Music) is out now. Russell Morris plays C.ex Coffs Harbour Sunday June 7, RACV Healesville Country Club in Victoria on June 13 and Terrey Hills Tavern Sydney July 31.
