American Music Industry Interview 2000

Q. How long have you been playing the saxophone?

A. I started playing when I was nine year old. That was nearly eight years ago. 

Q. Do you play other instruments?

A. Playing up to three hours a day only gives me time to be good at one instrument. Next year I will add the soprano sax and tenor sax to my shows. Currently I only play the Alto when I perform. 

Q. How many hours a day do you practice?

A. I practice between one and three hours a day depending on school, sports, social commitments singing and acting.

Q. When you take a day off, what do you do?

A. Go surfing

Q. What is the most difficult thing about playing your instrument?

A. Playing in the altissimo register… which is higher in pitch than the written range.

Q. What are you working on right now?

A. Songs for my next album which will be an 'original' album that I am recording next year. 

Q. What is it like to win a competition?

A. It's nice, but more importantly... Do people enjoy your music. I have won many music awards and contests the most exciting was being named the Young Achiever of the Year for our region of Australia. Also being invited by the Jordanian Government to perform at Petra; and coming second in the San Sebastian International Music Festival. 

Q. Do you play sports? If so, what?

A. My main sport is surfing. I have surfed all around the world, due to the fact that my mum and dad both surf and growing up they often picked different parts of the world to holiday in where they could surf. 

Q. Do you play video games?

A. Who doesn't? 

Q. Do you have brothers, sisters, dogs, cats, fish, etc?

A. I have the best bro. His name is Zac... although his nick-name is Zacman. I got to name him as well... so his full name is just 'Zac'! 

Q. What would you like to be doing in 1 year from now?

A. It would be great if one year from now I was signed to an international music label. I feel I have the talent and personality to succeed as an international artist. I have also been taking acting lessons for the last four years and have secured a few roles including the lead child role in a bushranger movie which unfortunately only made it to the 'pilot' stage. It would be nice to have the opportunity to be considered for the lead in another movie. I really believe that I can deliver what the producers are looking for. 

Q. What are you going to do this summer?

A. Playing lots of music, surfing, hopefully going out with a nice girl or two, although I don't currently have a girlfriend. 

Q. How many songs do you know how to play from memory 10,20, 30, 40, 50, 60+?

A. Currently about forty to fifty, but I am always learning new songs and dropping others. I read and play music in any key, do not find it hard to commit songs to memory. The real enjoyment for me is what you can do with the notes once you learn them. 

Q. In order to be a better player, what do you have to work on?

A. Improvisation, jamming and playing competently in the altissimo register. 

Q. What do people like about you?

A. Ah... Well, I love performing and entertaining. Last night, I was playing in a beautiful restaurant in Kauai and one man referring to me said to my dad... "Well, at least there's hope for the future", while another man called me the son they never had. And all they did was see me perform! 

Q. What do you do when you get frustrated or upset?

A. Sometimes I pray. Sometimes I just put it aside and get on with business. I'm not normally frustrated or upset.

Q. Do you ever get nervous playing in front of people? If so, what do you do to over come it?

A. Not normally. Occasionally, if I haven't performed for a long time, before I get up on stage I become a little nervous... but not normally. When I am nervous I find that the second I get up on that stage it goes, and I can just have fun. Also another trick to not being nervous is to be prepared! 

Q. What is a good thing about being your age?

A. Well, being my age in Australia means I can drive...although that hasn't really helped me on this trip as most of the world drive on the wrong side of the road! 

Q. What is the perfect age?

A. I would have to say 17 as you can drive on your own, you're not 18 yet which means you don't have to be an adult yet... and you can just have fun! (Hopefully, but we'll soon see! I'm 17 in three month's so I'll tell you if it's any different). 

Q. Do you like to travel? Where have you been? Where would you like to go?

A. I love travelling. We've spent this whole year travelling and playing music and our whole family has had an absolute ball! On this trip, we've seen a lot of the world!! So far on this trip we've been throughout Asia, Arabia, and Europe, Mexico, America, Hawaii and some Pacific Islands. I would also like to go trekking and white water rafting in Nepal, I'd like to go to South Africa surfing, and to New Zealand snowboarding. 

Q. What question do you get asked over and over?

A. How old am I? How long have I been playing the sax? Am I a fan of Kenny G's? And finally, "Would you like to marry my daughter?" Actually, I've only been asked that last question a few times!! 

Q. Do performers need a trademark or something to make them stand out from the pack?

A. In most cases yes. But a trademark can be anything from Elvis's "Thank-you-very-much" to they way you comb your hair, to the way you dress, to your particular 'sound', or a combination of the above. 

Q. How is your singing voice?

A. I'm working on it. We'll put a vocal track on this next album. 

Q. George Lucas says the most favourite thing he likes to do is procrastinate. What do you do when you procrastinate?

A. I don't actually know what procrastinate means exactly. I'll have to think about it. 

Q. Do you listen to classical music?

A. No. 

Q. Tell us a couple of jokes.

A. My favourite Joke is about two vomits. Unfortunately I told that joke one afternoon in a club and a little later on someone was sick due to the food and vomited! When I had finished the show the management came and ever so politely asked me to not tell any 'vomit' jokes where food is being served! Anyway here goes... There were these two vomits walking down the street.... as they turned a corner, one of the vomits started to cry and get really emotional. The other vomit said to his friend... "Why are you crying?"... to which the first vomit replied.... "this... this... this was the street I was brought up in"! 

Q. What is your analysis of the music industry where artists traditionally pocket 5% and everybody else splits the rest? 

A. I think when you start out in this industry you have to be very careful. But I also realize that the music industry is a business and like any business, it is full of risks. Everyone needs to benefit from their efforts... especially those that put up the money to promote an artist. Nevertheless, I feel it would be more equitable if the artist were to receive 15% to 20% since not every artist is going to sell millions of cds.

Q. Tell us about making your CD's. How did it come together?

A. We have already released two CD's and next year will be recording my third. The first CD "Time Flys" was when I was thirteen and included two originals, one of which (the title song) I co-wrote. This CD was mainly love songs and ballads. The second CD "Soar" was recorded while I was still fifteen. It has a smooth Jazz feel but also includes some ballads and originals. Next year when I record my next CD I will be seventeen. We are even thinking at this stage of including some reggae, and working with steel drum sounds. Up to now my dad has acted as the Executive Producer, although like everyone, we hope to secure a major international label in due course. I have a team of great professional musicians that support me in Australia, and along with my music tutor (Gary Mulholland) and music arranger (Andrew Tuppen) who co-coordinated the last album and also wrote two of the originals on my album; together we created a great album with "Soar". 

Q. What did you like about making it? What didn't you like about making it?

A. There wasn't really anything I didn't like about it! We spent 6-10 hours a day in the studio, for nearly two weeks. Basically we recorded two tracks a day. We all had a lot of fun, and joked heaps between 'takes'. I ended up with the nick-name Toddy G (after Kenny G). We had a great time! 

Q. What are you going to do different on your next CD?

A. I would like to write one or two of the originals as well as possibly both play and sing on one of the songs. We may include some steel drum sounds and reggae, but we haven't really decided yet as we have been really busy on the current tour. I guess it will all start coming together after we get home in November (2000). We plan to record by the middle of next year so that the album is out for the summer season. I would also like this next album to be picked up by a major record company. But, only time will tell, Otherwise we will do it independently once again. We sell a lot of CDs so it's very viable... but a record deal reaches the international community. I feel I have a lot to offer a record company due to my age and talent. Whenever I play it doesn't take long to create quite a crowd. After a performance I often have people queueing up to buy CDs. 

Q. What are a couple of your World Tour memorable moments?

A. The two most memorable moments would have to be gaining 2nd place in the San Sebastian International Music Festival; and secondly being invited to play at Petra in front of the 'Treasury', in Jordan. For those of you who don't know Petra, it's an ancient civilization that carved all of it's houses and buildings out of the rock walls in a huge canyon. If you saw 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom',  you've seen Petra. Harrison Ford goes into the 'Treasury' at the end when he's looking for the Holy Grail. 

We have made many contacts for further overseas tours. Virtually we could continue travelling but we need a rest and I need to finish my schooling, as well as develop further as a musician, which is easier while not travelling.

I may accept some of the offers to play overseas next year though. Probably The Maldives and England next June / July school holidays, and South Africa in December. We received many invites to go back and play. Resorts in Bodrum (Turkey) want me back for their whole summer season. Turkey is a beautiful country. We had a great time there.

Q. Which famous person would you like to meet? Why?

A. Mel Gibson. Because he's one of my favourite actors, he seems to me to really enjoy life and his family, and he's Australian.

Q. Do you have any rituals you go through before a performance?

A. I always pray before every performance.