Jon Stevens has always been a man who looks forwards rather than dwelling on the past but with a career filled with so many highlights it’s hard to leave so many anthemic songs locked away in the cupboard for too long. From Noiseworks and INXS through to being part of the record-shattering arena production of Jesus Christ Superstar back in the 90’s to having a highly successful solo career that has spawned ten albums, Jon has felt the time is right for a trip down memory lane once more. After the huge success of appearances at The Red Hot Summer shows as well as his ‘Hits Tour’ in 2018, Jon is bringing shows to some WA regional towns in the month of August before unleashing ‘The Noiseworks & INXS Collection’ Tour on the rest of the country shortly afterwards.
Having had the pleasure of seeing ‘The Hits’ set last year at The Palms at Crown in Melbourne, The Rockpit can report it is certainly a show not to be missed. We caught up with Jon while he was enjoying a few rare weeks off, before he heads back into the studio to rehearse for another lengthy stint on the road and discussed his excitement at visiting the WA rural towns on the forthcoming tour, as well as some in-depth chats about song writing, how his 2015 album ‘Woman’ saved his life, when The Cure came to visit his Mum and how he almost became Van Halen’s front man.
Sean: Hey Jon, great to talk to you again. The calm before the storm I believe, as you’re having a short well-earned break before getting back out on the road.
Jon: Hey Sean, likewise. Yeah, I have a couple of weeks off before we start rehearsals and get back into it for the rest of the year pretty much as you can see for the tour dates.
Sean: Here in WA we get the pleasure of some regional dates…
Jon: Yeah, I’ve been hounding my agent to get me back out to the WA regional areas because it’s been a long time since I’ve played anywhere other than Karratha really. To get back out to Onslow, Geraldton, Esperance… just different places. It just such a great part of the world so really excited to get back out there and get out on the road out in the desert. There’s nothing like it.
Sean: I just wish I had a few weeks annual leave left because I’d have loved to follow this tour around and visit some of these venues. I’m sure each and every show will have something a bit different & a bit special.
Jon: Definitely. Depending on the town, every night has something different in those kinds of places.
Sean: Well, I’ve grabbed a couple of tickets for The Astor Theatre on 18th August and then I’ll be catching you for the last of the WA dates at The Ravenswood on Saturday 24th August. Having seen you at The Palms at The Crown Casino in Melbourne last year I’m excited to see the show stripped back and a bit more up-close & personal, especially at The Ravenswood. It’s going to feel like we are almost up on stage with you guys [laughs]
Jon: [laughs] Yeah, some of those smaller pub-like gigs are going to feel real intimate. We’ll be in your face and sweating all over the audience [laughs]. I love those types of shows – it just gets wild, you know. They are just going to be big sing-a-long nights. The gig you saw last year in Melbourne was all stage & lights and the whole thing, whereas we’ll be getting down & dirty at some of these gigs. The Astor will be real cool though. It’s such a good joint.
Sean: The Palms set was Noiseworks, INXS & a couple of the big hits from Jesus Christ Superstar, so what are we getting here in WA?
Jon: It will pretty much be the same sort of thing. Last year we did ‘The Hits’ Tour and pretty much went all round Australia except for WA. We are about to embark on the new tour which will be ‘The Noiseworks & INXS Collection’ and that will travel round all the places that have already had ‘The Hits’ shows so we wanted the WA crowd to hear a bit of everything so we will be doing ‘The Hits’ show over there for you guys.
Sean: I went to The Palms looking forward to certain songs that I knew you were going to perform but then was totally blown away that night with the version of ‘RIP (Millie)’ you sung. Jon, it was outstanding and was a real goose bumps moment for me.
Jon: Thank you Sean. I don’t know if we’ve played it since then either – it’s not a song I play often. It depends on the environment and it just felt right that night. With the pub rock stuff it’s difficult to play something so personal…
Sean: It’s about your mum isn’t it?
Jon: Yeah it is, sadly she died from cancer. It’s a song that resonates with a lot of people. I get asked to play it all the time – I didn’t play it for years because it was just too emotionally charged. I’m able to get through it nowadays when I do play it but I just pick the right moments, you know.
Sean: I’m hoping The Astor will be the right environment for that song because it phenomenal live. There are plenty of shows after WA with ‘The Noiseworks & INXS Collection’ taking you literally everywhere, so if fans want to check out your website www.jonstevens.com and find all the dates & ticket links there. We then get you back in December with John Farnham, Vanessa Amorosi & Southern Sons at ‘Live at The Vines’ out at Sandalford Estate in the Swan Valley but once again you’ve just had another successful run on two legs of The Red Hot Summer. They are incredible.
Jon: They are. I think I did twenty shows in all this year on The Red Hot run. I had a forty-five minute set each afternoon, in front of between five & ten thousand people and every time we just play the hits they go absolutely nuts. So that’s why we are taking the next tour out with more of that. Probably the catalyst for doing ‘The Noiseworks & INXS Collection’ is Andrew Farris. When he came to the gig in Newcastle in October last year, prior to doing the ‘Hay Mate’ farmers festival he said to me after, “Jon you need to do more INXS songs in your set – you’re the only one who can do these songs justice. Please, please, please play more in your set.” That was pretty nice for him to say that, you know. So that’s what we are going for the rest of this year and then next year we’ll do something a little different.
Sean: I managed to get to Series One of Red Hot Summer with Jimmy Barnes, Joan Jett & Diesel amongst others and I’m going to politely use the word ‘experienced’ rather than ‘veteran’ [laughs] when I say this. The experienced artists like yourself, Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham, The Angels and the like are putting in such high-quality, high-energy performances night after night and I firmly believe that is why music in general in Australia is at such a high level & standard right now – the younger artists have to bring their A-games each and every show because you guys area still nailing it.
Jon: Thanks for the compliment mate. Yeah I think it’s because we all still hit that stage at one hundred miles per hour every time we step out on to it. Believe me when I say I still stand in awe of those guys too, don’t you worry about that [laughs]. When I see Farnham standing up there doing what he does at seventy years of age, it just blows me away. Jimmy is the same – he’s amazing. At the end of the day it’s all about the energy and sharing that with the audience. How do you learn that as a young musician? It’s like training for warfare – you’re there every night and you just have to go for it. You can’t half-arse anything.
Sean: I remember when we caught up after The Palms gig and you referred to your voice as ‘like an old piece of leather that gets tougher & stronger each and every year’. I think I referenced that in my review of the show by saying ‘if that’s the case then make me the finest pair of shoes from that leather’ [laughs]
Jon: Ah, thanks pal. [laughs] You’re too kind but it’s definitely true. I have mates who say to me “How do you do that night after night?” All I can ever say is that it is like leather – it’s worn in. If I have a few weeks off, I spend the first three days in rehearsal just wrecking my voice… I’ll sing for hours, sometimes eight hours straight. Then suddenly it will just all fall back into place – the more you lubricate it, get the muscles working again and as long as I get some sleep then I’m ok [laughs].
Sean: There are some big powerful songs in this set too. I know we haven’t spoken since last year but I have to congratulate you on the incredible success of ‘Rain Down on Me’ and all proceeds it raised that went towards helping the farmers who were faced with the heart-breaking drought.
Jon: It was really incredible to be involved in that situation and to help other people. I think I said to you before, to be able to help in any shape or form as a musician & song writer is kind of what we should do without thinking, you know. It’s about directing eyeballs & ears towards a cause that needs everyone’s attention and that’s what music does – it brings people together. I was chuffed to be a part of that. Sadly, in 1994 I did the same thing and nothing has changed – I was thinking, “why haven’t they got their shit together yet?” I’m talking about the government – it’s not like it hasn’t been on the table for a long time. The bureaucrats keep pushing it under that table. With the worst drought ever on record is still in effect and hopefully they finally think about doing something for the future – let’s see where we are in the next ten or twenty years.
Sean: Not only did the song do so much good it also transferred wonderfully into the live set…
Jon: Thank you. It’s the only new one in there and it gets received really well which is always great.
Sean: I don’t want to open old wounds but was wondering if you didn’t mind talking about your 2015 album ‘Woman’. During our last chat we were talking ‘off the record’ at the time and it was an album you recommended for me to listen to, bearing in mind the troubled times you were having when you wrote it. Well, I have been and I have to say there are some incredibly powerful & emotional songs on there. I don’t want to delve into it too much on a personal level…
Jon: …It’s a personal album [laughs]
Sean: [laughs] Yes good point, I should have said delve into the specifics. But to be at such a low point in your life and to produce this most incredible body of work just amazes me.
Jon: Thank you. You know, they say music is a healer. It’s a saviour to me… I was actually scheduled to be going into the studio the day everything went pear-shaped for me. I still went into the studio but I just didn’t leave… I stayed there for three months… and I really mean it when I say “I did not leave”. I stayed in there and got really fucked up but luckily for me music saved me in that situation. At that time, my friends & family were extremely worried about me when I was in that real dark place but it’s really amazing how you transform if you can just stick with it… it’s impossible to stay in the positive when you are in that dark place but you have to realise that somewhere along the way a light will shine and you just have to try to pull yourself towards that light – fortunately for me I was eventually able to do that. That album was me pouring my heart out at that moment – I always pour my heart out anyway. That record is a journey and I’m so glad I did it.
Sean: I totally get that. What is incredible is that part of your life in now documented forever in the form of ‘Woman’.
Jon: Yes it is. But I also hope it shows to anyone else in that situation that you have to hang in there… Hang in there because there is a light at the end of the tunnel – no matter how small that light may look from where you are. Things do change no matter how dark a place you are in… it really does change eventually.
Sean: And as you say, the power of music can be such an amazing tool. It certainly has helped me over the years and in fact I have a playlist that I put on if I feel any dark clouds approaching… and ‘RIP (Millie)’ has been a welcomed addition to that list.
Jon: Thanks mate. That’s good to hear.
Sean: I know in the past we spoke about the musical chapters in your life with Noiseworks, INXS, The Dead Daises and your solo career but taking you back to your childhood, where did music first come into your life? I know you were in your first band in school…
Jon: Yeah, twelve years old when I was in my first band.
Sean: I remember you said that you came from a large family, so what was the type of music being played in your house when you were growing up?
Jon: Yes, the youngest of eleven children. Mate, there was everything being played in our house. I’m a ‘61 baby so when I was about six I remember hearing ‘Penny Lane’ by The Beatles and I remember us all jumping around like crazy… the piccolo trumpet was one of the things I loved about that whole sound, especially when it was incorporated with that happy-bouncy beat. I grew up with Mum & Dad and ten brothers & sisters who all loved music so I heard everything from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Tom Jones… you name it, I heard it… Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, James Brown… it was just non-stop.
Sean: Such an incredible songbook full of inspirations to choose from…
Jon: I’ll never forget 1979… The Cure – Robert Smith and the whole band flew into Wellington, New Zealand and came to my mum’s house.
Sean: No way!
Jon: [laughs] Yeah, they did. Their manager at the time, a guy called Chris Parry was from the same town as where I’m from and he grew up in our house… he was like the sixth son in our family. Chris used to play drums in my eldest brother’s band and they used to rehearse on our front lawn [laughs]. He started a company called Fiction Records with bands like The Jam & The Cure. He would always pop round and he loved my Mum and was always telling the guys in The Cure about her so when they arrived in New Zealand they came over to the house and spent all night… and I mean all night… until daylight, drinking [laughs]. They were just starting their first ever tour of New Zealand.
Sean: [laughs] It’s always amazing to hear stories like that – that’s pretty cool. I have a couple of reader’s questions if that’s good with you. The first one is from Karl who is from here in Perth and he asks, “Was there any Van Halen inspiration when you wrote ‘Hot Chilli Woman’ and if so, are you a fan of their work?”
Jon: Was there Van Halen inspiration? No, but a funny story about Van Halen while we are on the subject. I almost joined that band – I made it to the shortlist of the final two… it was between me & Gary Cherone (Extreme) and they went with Gary. That’s a little-known true story right there [laughs]. But back to the question in hand – ‘Hot Chilli Woman’ was the only song I didn’t write. It was written by Steve (Balbi) & Justin (Stanley) and was written for the ‘Love Verses Money’ album back in 1991. The record label got on to us and said we needed some hit songs and that they wanted us to write with some other people – they felt maybe we should go and work with some international songwriters at the time like Desmond Child, who was writing songs for acts like KISS, Alice Cooper & Bon Jovi… So, Stuart (Fraser) and I were tasked with going overseas to America to work with all these different songwriters, which was a real bummer for us because our mates in the band were back home writing songs and bummed that we were gone. Our manager at the time was saying the same thing as the record company in that we needed a couple of hits – so the guys wrote ‘Hot Chilli Woman’ which started out at a country music style piss-take really, until Stuart & I got hold of it.
We came back from the US, we all compared songs. We had this & that and played around with stuff… ‘Hot Chilli Woman’ is actually me doing my take on Little Richard. As I said, it was a country sort of song… John sings slowly in a country style southern US accent “Hot Chilli Woman, Won’t you burn for meeeee”… [laughs] It just wasn’t right so I started whooping & hollering like Little Richard and that’s what we recorded & what you hear. The song was produced by Randy Jackson, who also produced ‘RIP (Millie)’ and a couple of other tracks for us. He’s the guy that ended up on American Idol some years later – Randy is a fantastic fella. We brought him out to Australia back then – he’s a wonderful producer & musician and we worked together on that Noiseworks album and then fast forward ten or so years and he is one of the biggest stars in America. I called him up after he was first on Idol and I was like “Randy, this is unbelievable!” [laughs].
Sean: [laughs] That’s another pretty cool in-sight, so thanks to Karl there. Rick Storm from Eden Beach asks, “You always seem to be working, either on tour or recording new material but when you do get some rare time off, are you able to shut down from music or are you one of these artists who constantly has new tunes popping in to your head?”
Jon: When I get off the road I do try to kind of avoid it. I’ve got kids & grandkids and I get plugged back into life and catch upon everything. I’ve always got guitars sitting around – they might sit there for days or weeks doing nothing but then I might just pick it up randomly & play when I get a moment. Generally, if something new comes out I try to capture it immediately but if I have to sit there and labour over something I usually don’t bother. Music is kind of instinctual – if I feel something at home, I’ll pick up the guitar and play it because I get a melody running round my head that keeps interfering with what I’m doing – so that’s kind of how I write. Other than that, there are times in between touring when I spend time in the studio, just purge all the ideas and get them recorded in some form. The more you do this, the quicker you get at self-editing, so I don’t procrastinate too much on things that become hard work. If they are hard work then they haven’t been born yet. It’s an interesting process – there’s no real rhyme or reason. People ask me how I write songs… I don’t really know in all honesty. It’s like pulling shit out of the ether – like creating something out of nothing. It’s a weird thing is creativity… you can’t mould it. You’ve got to let it flow through you and capture it because it is like trying to capture lightning in a bottle.
Sean: I was listening to some of the Noiseworks tracks that you re-recorded acoustically and they are just so completely different in that form – ‘Take Me Back’ is a great example because as the Noiseworks classic that it is where it stands tall as an Australian anthem, it’s when it’s stripped back to the acoustic version you really get a sense of why you wrote it and the sadness in losing someone close is so much more apparent – its stunning.
Jon: Thanks Sean, I’m glad you get it. I write everything on acoustic and that’s how all those songs came about – Just a group of guys sitting around playing acoustic guitars. I think when they survive in that format… when they live & breathe in that format then everything else around it is just embellishment.
Sean: Rick’s readers question leads me on nicely to ask have you managed to write new material and if so is there anything for us to look forward to in that respect as a follow up to ‘Starlight’?
Jon: Yeah, I have been. I was actually in the studio in February and put down around eighteen song ideas. I haven’t been able to get into the studio since then but I’ve been jotting down some lyrics and zeroing in on the ones I think have potential. I’m at the tinkering stage at the moment… collecting as I like to call it [laughs]. When it gets time to make the record I’ll just bang it out. I don’t like taking too much time doing stuff… like I said earlier I’m more instinctual and in the moment.
Sean: You’ve worked & collaborated with some fantastic artists – Dave Stewart, Ringo Starr, Vanessa Amorosi, Slash… the list goes on but if the moment we finished this call, your phone was to ring and the name on the screen was of an artist you haven’t yet collaborated with, who would make you sit up and go “now they’d be cool to record something with”?
Jon: You mean someone now, or in the past?
Sean: I know if it was someone not around anymore I’m guessing you’d say John Lennon because I know you’re a fan.
Jon: Yeah for sure. But McCartney is still around so I’d love to do something with him. This may surprise you but I really dig Dr Dre and also Pharrell. Ed Sheeran is an amazing songwriter too.
Sean: The doco on Dr Dre & Jimmy Iovine (The Defiant Ones) on Netflix was incredible – loved it.
Jon: Yeah, it was awesome. I do love collaborating and like you say I have worked with a few different people… a lot of different people actually. I just keep trying to make music and get to meet people along the way.
Sean: It’s been wonderful to talk to you again. I know Mark, here at The Rockpit was gutted to miss out on this one because he loves chatting to you [laughs]. We wish you all the best for both tours and I can’t stress enough to everyone to grab tickets for these shows on both of these tours because what I saw last year in Melbourne was pretty special.
Jon: Thanks Sean, great to talk to you again and make sure you come and say hi after the show at The Astor.
Sean: Thanks Jon, safe travels.
Jon: Cheers mate.
TOUR DATES
Saturday 3rd August 2019
Gateway Hotel, CORIO VIC
www.thegatewayhotel.com.au
Thursday 8th August 2019
Honeysuckle Hotel, NEWCASTLE NSW
www.honeysucklehotel.com.au
Friday 9th August 2019
The Ettamogah, KELLYVILLE RIDGE NSW
www.ettamogahhotel.com.au
Saturday 10th August 2019
Gymea Hotel, GYMEA NSW
www.gymeahotel.com.au
Thursday 15th August 2019
Queens Park Theatre, GERALDTON WA
www.qpt.cgg.wa.gov.au
*** The Hits Tour ***
Saturday 17th August 2019
Passion Of The Pilbara, ONSLOW WA
www.ashburton.wa.gov.au/community/onslow/community-event/394/
*** The Hits Tour ***
Sunday 18th August 2019
Astor Theatre, PERTH WA
www.astortheatreperth.com.au | Ticketek 13 28 49
*** The Hits Tour ***
Tuesday 20th August 2019
Albany Entertainment Centre, ALBANY WA
www.ptt.wa.gov.au
*** The Hits Tour ***
Wednesday 21st August 2019
Esperance Civic Centre, ESPERANCE WA
www.esperance.wa.gov.au
*** The Hits Tour ***
Thursday 22nd August 2019
Albion Hotel, KALGOORLIE WA
www.albionshamrock.com.au
*** The Hits Tour ***
Friday 23rd August 2019
Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, BUNBURY WA
www.bunburyentertainment.com
*** The Hits Tour ***
Saturday 24th August 2019
Ravenswood Hotel, RAVENSWOOD WA
www.ravenswoodhotel.com.au
*** The Hits Tour ***
Friday 30th August 2019
Miami Marketta, MIAMI QLD
www.miamiarketta.com
Saturday 31st August 2019
Kingscliff Beach Hotel, KINGSCLIFF NSW
www.kingscliffbeachhotel.com.au
Sunday 1st September 2019
The Hoey Moey, COFFS HARBOUR NSW
www.hoeymoey.com.au
Thursday 5th September 2019
Tanks Arts Centre, CAIRNS QLD
www.tanksartscentre.com
Friday 6th September 2019
Dalrymple Hotel, TOWNSVILLE QLD
www.dalrymplehotel.com.au
Saturday 7th September 2019
4U2 Concert, MORANBAH QLD
www.hornerygroup.com.au/4uloc-and-4u2-concert/4u2-concert/
Thursday 12th September 2019
Macquarie Inn, DUBBO NSW
www.macquarieinn.com.au
Friday 13th September 2019
Blue Cattle Dog Hotel, ST CLAIR NSW
www.bluecattledoghotel.com.au
Sunday 15th September 2019
Belmont 16s Sailing Club, BELMONT NSW
www.16s.com.au
Thursday 19th September 2019
Bay Central Tavern, PIALBA QLD
www.baycentraltavern.com.au
Friday 20th September 2019
Harvey Road Tavern, CLINTON QLD
www.harveyroadtavern.com.au
Saturday 21st September 2019
Great Western Hotel, ROCKHAMPTON QLD
www.greatwesternhotel.com.au
Friday 4th October 2019
The Triffid, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD
www.thetriffid.com.au
Saturday 5th October 2019
The V Room, Villa Noosa, NOOSA QLD
www.villanoosa.com.au
Sunday 6th October 2019
Redland Bay Hotel, REDLAND BAY QLD
www.redlandbayhotel.com.au
Friday 11th October 2019
Commercial Hotel, SOUTH MORANG VIC
www.commercialsouthmorang.com.au
Saturday 12th October 2019
Village Green Hotel, MULGRAVE VIC
www.thevillagegreen.com.au
Sunday 13th October 2019
Memo Music Hall, ST KILDA VIC
www.memomusichall.com.au
Friday 18th October 2019
Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre, WANGARATTA VIC
www.wangarattapac.com.au
Saturday 19th October 2019
On The Wing EagleHawk Community Festival, BENDIGO VIC
www.onthewingfestival.com
Thursday 19th December 2019
West Gippsland Arts Centre, WARRAGUL VIC
www.wgac.com.au
Friday 20th December 2019
The Palms at Crown, MELBOURNE VIC
www.crownmelbourne.com.au | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Saturday 21st December 2019
Frankston Arts Centre, FRANKSTON VIC
www.artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au
For more information, please visit www.jonstevens.com
