Feature | Feel the Noise | JULY 09

Proving he’s still got it, Aussie rocker and Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens thrilled fans with a rock-solid performance in Dubai. We chatted to the former INXS lead singer on his first trip to the Gulf.

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Feature | Feel the Noise | JULY 09

How has the music industry changed over the years?It’s changed immensely. There are a lot more artists and

technology’s completely changed. A lot of artists are marketing exercises as opposed to substantial artists. In saying that, there are also some great artists that come out of that. There’s so much more for everybody now and entertainment has taken on a different level. I’m traditionally old school I suppose, I play guitar and sing a few songs. A lot of artists do karaoke nowadays. I went to see Nelly and 50 Cent and it was just a guy on a turntable at the Acer Arena with 20,000 people going nuts, I just didn’t get it.

any concerts you’ve been to that stood out?I went to see Kings of Leon recently in Sydney and they’re a real band and play their own instruments. I enjoyed that. I saw Britney Spears once in Phoenix, Arizona, I was playing there with INXS and we had a night off. Her show was completely mimed and I was just flabbergasted, but I guess it’s about whatever works.

What’s the most memorable concert you’ve played at?Vina del Mar in Chile with INXS. It was televised live to about 180 million people around South America and that was pretty out there. They just love their music down there, they’re very passionate and very vocal, different kind of crowds to what we’re used to at home. It really depends on the atmosphere. I’m pretty low-key, I go and have as good a time as I possibly can and hopefully that translates to the audience.

You’ve worked with Slash from Guns N’ roses?I worked with Slash for about a year, writing songs and just hanging out, I was living in LA at the time. He’s a very nice fellow, a very shy man. We had a great time together. What you see is what you get, he walks around the house in his leather pants with his shirt off, bare foot, Jagermeister on tap. He had a couple of bars in his house, it was good, very rock and roll.

Do you still keep in contact with members from Noiseworks?We’re playing next week in Queensland actually, we’re doing five shows up there. We did some shows last year and the beginning of this year, it was great fun playing with those boys again.

What was it like touring on the road with Noiseworks?Back in the day, when we first started it was like five brothers on the road, running amuck, pillaging everywhere. When we split up in 1992 we were kind of burned out, we’d had a gutful. We’d toured around the world and it just wasn’t fun anymore, people had drug habits and it got all weird. When we got back together again after so many years and played the songs again it was like ‘wow’. It’s amazing actually.

How has everybody’s lives changed, are they more settled down?Everyone’s still involved in music and we’re a much better band nowadays than we were back then, much better. We’re all older and wiser and more adept at what we do. We’re easier with it, there’s not so much angst, it’s more controlled and enjoyable. We enjoy playing with each other and enjoy the music.

You wrote the official opening song “Carry the Flame” for the Sydney 2000 Olympics?Yes. In 1998 I did an album in LA with a fellow called Randy Jackson, who’s since gone on to become a megastar and American Idol judge. He’s an old friend and a good man. One of the songs I’d written was called “Carry the Flame”, somebody had heard it and it was a love song, but they asked if I could rewrite it to fit that particular event. It worked out well, I got to run with the Olympic torch which I have hanging on my wall. To me that was pretty funny, something you never actually dream of doing.

Jon Stevens and band perform at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Events Arena on May 28, 2009.

Jon Stevens

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How did performing on stage in Jesus Chris Superstar compare to performing as a band?It was good because it allowed me to not be me, which was a first. In theatre you have to be on your mark at every certain time and projecting and present, it was really full on, but I really enjoyed it and thrived under that discipline. I really took it on and made a point of really trying to be good at it.

Who were your musical inspirations growing up?I come from a family of 11 children, so I heard every type of music growing up. From Otis Redding to Ray Charles to Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Then the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and The Who. It was a very eclectic musical upbringing. We were a very musical family, in New Zealand we would all sit around playing guitars and singing songs. I’ve lived in Australia since 1981 so I consider myself to be a Mozzie, a Maori-Aussie.

Is there a song that people request to hear the most?I get asked to sing “RIP Nellie” a lot which is about my mother who died of cancer. I don’t sing it that often because some days I can and some days I can’t. So I get that all the time, it’s probably because I don’t play it that much.

Do you have a favourite australian artist at the moment?I love The Presets, I’m really digging their sound and what they’re doing. I saw them live at the Sound Relief concert and they were awesome. It was just the drummer and him but it worked, they utilise the technology very well. I also love Jet, they have great pop songs with an edge.

Can you tell us about your involvement with the Oz rock Café here in Dubai?We’ve done one in Hong Kong and there is talk of bringing one out here in October with a bunch of different artists. This was just a little appetiser to me coming back with some Oz Rock legends. I’ll come back for sure, I’m always up for an adventure.

anything you want to leave our readers with?It’s f**king hot. How do you cope?

Jon Stevens and band perform at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Events Arena on May 28, 2009.