JUST four years ago a then 18-year-old Jesse Morrison didn't even know how to play guitar.
On Friday night the Newcastle singer-songwriter will launch his second single, State Of Uncertainty, at the Hamilton Station Hotel.
That's a rapid progression in anybody's language.
"I set out to be a guitarist and then a couple of years ago a friend said, 'You've got a really nice voice', and I never thought I could sing," Morrison said.
After getting singing lessons for 18 months from fellow musician Sophia Berlyn at the National Music Academy, Morrison played his first gig at the University of Newcastle in February.
He played just one more show before COVID-19 struck. While the pandemic slowed his live performances, it provided more time to develop his songwriting.
"The songwriting part of it just started flowing," he said. "It was really surprising to me because I was never one for writing things like essays. But writing songs are a different kind of feeling."
State of Uncertainty was written 18 months ago about a difficult relationship. Initially Morrison decided against releasing the track, citing its personal nature.
But after his friend and producer Darcy Long transformed the track from a slow folk song into an upbeat pop tune, he realised it should be his new single.
"The whole song is about this relationship that wasn't going well and was always in this state of uncertainty, where you're not sure what's happening," he said. "You're not sure where it's going."
Morrison's main influences are John Mayer, Ocean Alley and Lime Cordiale.
FARRISS COUNTRY
ANDREW Farriss was behind some of the most iconic Australian songs ever written as chief musical composer of INXS. The shifting synths of Never Tear Us Apart and the sparkly funk guitar of New Sensation, came courtesy of Farriss.
On March 19 Farriss will release his self-titled debut solo album, which mixes INXS' classic '80s rock sound with alt-country.
Newcastle will be among the first to hear Farriss' new direction when he plays Lizotte's on April 16.
BOO IN THE GRASS
UNFORTUNATELY the coronavirus pandemic meant the annual music festival spectacular that is Splendour In The Grass at Byron Bay never happened.
Life and restrictions are a lot freer up north in Darwin these days, so the Territorians have announced their Bass In The Grass festival for May 15.
Newcastle duo Boo Seeka have been included on what is a stellar line-up. Other acts hitting Darwin include Lime Cordiale, Ocean Alley, Missy Higgins, The Rubens, Thelma Plum, DMA's, Violent Soho, The Jungle Giants, G Flip, Hayden James, Peking Duk, Illy, Safia and Jack River.
HEAL END TO 2020
NEWCASTLE all-girl punk band Boycott have announced a new single release to farewell the dumpster fire that has been 2020. The Hunter School of the Performing Arts band released their debut EP Papillon in May, followed by their visceral single Please, which was a raging spoken-word assault on climate change inaction.
To complete a promising year, Boycott will release the single Heal on December 29.
EIREBORNE AGAIN
IRELAND has long been renown for its rock music. Think U2, Van Morrison, The Cranberries, Snow Patrol and even modern bands like Fontaines D.C.
The Emerald Isle's rock classics will be combined with the nation's traditional dance when Eireborne returns in 2021.
The highly-fuelled rock show production is slicker than your average Irish show, with 15 world-class Irish dancers that hit the floor alongside a live six-piece band and two lead vocalists performing songs from U2, Snow Patrol, Van Morrison, Hozier, The Script, The Cranberries, and more.
Former Riverdance cast member Peta Anderson will front the 15-strong dance ensemble and We Will Rock You: Arena Spectacular's Toby Francis is the narrator.
The Civic Theatre hosts Eireborne on March 15.
BENT COP SONGS
SINCE 2012 Brisbane artist Tom Smith has been performing and recording with a rotating roster of musicians as The Songs of Tom Smith.
Part punk rock, part musical theatre, Smith composes songs to suit an imagined character.
The latest character is The Bent Cop, to tell stories on his new album Trigger Warning, which explores people living outside the law - drug dealers, corrupt police, prisoners, deluded rock stars, sex workers, and activists.
If you're intrigued, The Songs Of Tom Smith visits the Hamilton Station Hotel on January 23.
