Project Description

Interview with

JASON SINGH

Interviewer – Simone Tyrrell

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Jason Singh’s career has spanned over two decades. In September last year he released an album titled “Vale” as a tribute to all the great artists that have now passed and the songs that have influenced his career. Jason has had a vision to put together a show celebrating all the greats and it has now come to fruition. The Heavens Greatest Hits show features a wide range of music genres from all the great artists of our time. Jason sat down and had a chat with Simone from Live Music Photography to talk about the show, it’s journey and all things Taxiride.

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Simone: Thank you for chatting with me today and for taking the time to tell me all about your upcoming show the Heaven’s Greatest Hits show that you are embarking on and that was inspired by your album Vale that you released in September of last year. Can you tell me the inspiration behind the album and the songs and artists you chose to showcase on it.

Jason: Well the inspiration was just realising that all these fantastic artists that I’ve always loved that made me want to pick up a guitar in the first place like Prince, Michael Jackson – all these fabulous artists were just dropping off one by one. Especially 2016 and the year before, when we lost Prince and I was just like a mess for a long time; sort of still am.

Simone: Yes he was a really big influence for a lot of people.

Jason: That was like well who are going to be my kids influences and will they even like music by the time they get to my age. I just started reflecting on all the artists that were gone through out my life and I went wow that’s a good idea for an album. The idea behind it was purely for my own satisfaction. I know a lot of artists say that, but I just wanted to sing their songs because I thought they were masterpieces. I didn’t always pick the obvious songs by the artist either. It was about moments in my life and sliding door moments in my life that made me a musician. The first time someone said I had a good voice I was singing Man in the Mirror at a bus stop.

Simone: Wow

Jason: The guy popped his head around and said you’ve got a really good voice you should be a singer. That was a real turning point for me. I picked that song to put on the album. Every song on there has a moment in my life. 

Simone: That’s so fantastic. That storyline of how you came to be where you are now so it’s a beautiful memoir for yourself.

Jason: Yeah exactly. I always say that music is like a time machine. I can tell you where I was when I heard every one of those tracks. Last Goodbye was my wife and I had our first kiss to that song, that’s why that’s on there.

Simone: Awwwww thats so nice

Jason: Then I called on people to start being involved in it. I got some of the guys from the voices to come in. I got my friend Sean from high school who had never been in a studio before but got me into The Doors when I was a kid. I tracked him down and asked him to come in. I got Tim and Taylor from Taxiride to come in to do some singing. We got so busy with other gigs and stuff it took me a long time to figure out how I was going to make this album a live show. without it just being me being a cover band. You know what I mean? Give it purpose. People like Dale Ryder would say I’d love to come and do some songs with you. Eventually I booked a show at the SS&A Club and as it was coming closer and closer I still hadn’t figured out how I was going to do justice to the song list by myself. Even though you can do it on a recording. I was on Rock the Boat with Rusty Brown and I heard him doing some songs to Joe Cocker. Dale and I started talking about the Bowie thing and before I knew it I had a show in 3 weeks and I was like I’m not ready to do this show by myself. I just went ok I’m going to bring along everyone else and guest it up and now it’s turned into a show in its own right. I’d rather share it with other people as well so it’s not just about me, it’s about everyone in it.

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Simone: You’ve got some fine company joining you for the Heavens Greatest Hits tour with Andrew De Silva, Shannon Noll and Tim Watson. I guess you’ve sort of already answered it, but what made you want to do the show as a collaboration rather than just a solo with just you singing the hits?

Jason: I think it becomes more of a celebration that way. You can share it with your friends and your peers, and I just love singing with other people too. It’s interesting to hear other people’s take on why they like certain artists that I like as well, and you get that from the show. Everyone’s come from somewhere and I really think music has a lot to do with where you’re at in your life. Always. Even this morning I posted on Instagram saying if you’re stressed out put an album on or something that reminds you of being little again from when you were young. Takes you back before all your dramas started.

Simone: Back to a simpler time.

Jason: Back when music was really good.

Simone: YES!! Exactly!! 

Jason: I think that’s why people want to come and see this show so much. Because music has completely lost its way. There’s nothing new that’s good, so everyone wants to go back to where music was the best. When we were lucky enough to be there. You can look at new music all you want where EDM and all those kinds of styles of music are going and I can’t listen to it. It just doesn’t make sense to me. Sometimes I like it; but to celebrate the history of music with my friends is what it’s going to be all about for me for the next 10 years I reckon.

Simone: Yeah that’s really good. It’s like you’re reading my mind because my next question you’ve sort of touched on as well.

Jason: I am reading your mind!! (laughs)

Simone: (laughs) So I was going to say many artists are currently doing the tribute shows to many of the greats that have past, particularly now Queen with the movie having come out, so people are jumping on that bandwagon. But the shows are selling out. Whoever performs them and wherever they go. Why do you think the shows are so popular with the Australian public in particular on the gig circuit?

Jason: I think it’s become more and more about entertainment. People just want to be entertained. And that’s where I come from, that’s my reason to be a musician. I want to give people entertainment. It’s not just about the songs. People want to be taken back to when their life was amazing and music was even more amazing. Maybe they went together, maybe they went hand in hand, that’s why going back to that time and the feelings that new love and all that sort of vibe. Music is a time machine it takes you back that’s why you have to celebrate where you come from. 

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Simone: For your shows; Heavens Greatest Hits, other than the two Melbourne shows you’ve got coming up in November do you think you’ll take the show to other states during this year or next?

Jason: We’re currently putting together a 4-month tour of the show, but I honestly think this show is going to be the biggest thing I’ve ever done.

Simone: That sounds fantastic

Jason: From May through to August/September next year we will be constantly about Heavens Greatest Hits. The response for the show from a venue point of view has been incredible and now it’s time to show the punters what we’ve been working on for a couple of years. Expect something bigger than ever!

Simone: That’s fantastic. It’s going to be really exciting.

Jason: And also, to get a chance for the fans of Shannon for example. They probably would never have seen him sing these kinds of songs. It’s completely different from an artist point of view as well to step out and take on an artist like Freddie Mercury’s ability. It’s a real challenge for a singer. And also, that fine line between having singing a song by your heroes. These are our Heroes too. We’ve really put in for this show because you don’t want to let the audience down, but you also don’t want to let the artist that has made you who you are down.

Simone: Yes definitely. You mentioned before you were part of another tribute show The Golden Years David Bowie Tribute Show with Dale Ryder, Rusty Brown and Tim again as well. So now with your Heavens Greatest Hits show do you think you’ll continue to do tribute show collaborations with other Aussie artists or while you take your Heavens Greatest Hits shows you may get other artists involved as well?

Jason: I think that would be the key there. Heavens Greatest Hits is going to be the mother of all tribute shows. So we covered Bowie and that’s why I picked everyone to come and do this with me. We might do the Bowie show on his birthday every year or on his passing date which is the 10th of January. And I think if I’m not mistaken, we’ve already locked in the Corner again. We sold out the Corner when we did that last year. Every step that we’ve made has brought us to Heavens Greatest Hits. From Vale; the album was the first step, and then doing the Bowie show with a bunch of other people that was like the second step. Then I was like, ok from the success of that and the vibe on that night was magic. Then Vale into Heavens Greatest Hits using that band it’s something else I tell you.

Simone: Yeah fantastic. And just with working with Tim – so you and Tim go a long way back playing in cover bands around Melbourne before you formed Taxiride. What’s it like for you and Tim working together on this particular project covering the songs of the greatest artists that you’ve drawn inspiration from compared to back in the day playing covers before Taxiride?

Jason: Well before Taxiride, playing covers it was more about just the joy of being on a stage. Now 20 years later we understand the depths of some of these artists and how important they were to us. It’s completely different to singing songs when you’re in your early 20s to now in your early 40s. Or late 40s (laughs)

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Simone: Let’s stick with the early! (laughs)

Jason: It’s good to have Tim there because I have this familiar person next to me and especially when it comes to harmonies. For that he really takes over there. It’s good. We know each other’s strengths too. Coming up with the shows and putting them together, that’s me. And helping me musically, that’s him I guess, so we all have our little role.

Simone: That’s fantastic. At the moment there’s quite a few Aussie artists that are celebrating be it 20, 25, or 30 years since the release of first albums. Such as yourselves; Taxiride, The Superjesus, The Screaming Jets, The Angels, Killing Heidi, Boom Crash Opera and so many more. What’s it been like for Taxiride reforming and reliving playing all of your songs from 20 years ago and seeing all the fans come out and wanting to see you guys play again?

Jason: For me personally I never kind of stopped playing. It was an interesting thing when we got all of the original voices back together to make that sort of vocal sound. But that was 4 years ago now. This is our 20th anniversary, but we’re so busy with certain things. We’re working on something for next year.

Simone: Yeah that’s great. I remember attending a small music festival – Rock in the Park at Lardner Park a few years back and Taxiride were playing and some of you had your kids there and they were up the front. 

Jason: That was our first gig back!

Simone: Yes, I remember you saying we haven’t actually played together in 15 years.

Jason: We didn’t play together for 15 years before that the full four of us.

Simone: Yes, and some of you had your young kids up the front dancing along. I remember you saying after one of the songs in particular you looked out and you saw the kids down there and you said how different is this from 15 to 20 years ago seeing young girls and teenagers at the barrier and now you’re watching little kids like at a Wiggles concert. Did you ever think that back off the success of Taxiride in the 90s you’d be out on the road doing it all again 20 years later and your kids watching the shows?

Jason: I’ve always loved my kids coming to my gigs. They only know me as Dad they don’t know me as the guy from Taxiride or the musician guy. It’s hard to explain to your own children how big the band was. It’s hard to explain to anyone how big the band was apart from the guys who were actually there with me like Tim Watson. We didn’t talk for 10 years and I don’t even know why. My whole thing to put the band together was to be friends and to celebrate how massive the band was and what we achieved. And we can prove that by looking at all the things like Heavens Greatest Hitsthat we are putting together now and the Bowie show. We get along better than ever. You can’t tell your kids “I was in the biggest band in the country you gotta trust me”, they don’t care! They just think of me as the guy that makes the nuggets. (laughs)

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Simone: (laughs) That’s true. The rock and roll life and the parenting life all mixed in one!  Do you think your playing style, or your performance style has changed from 20 years ago be it with your solo work or with Taxiride or collaborations? Do you think it’s evolved over the years?

Jason: Of course, it’s evolved. There are certain artists out there that don’t. They just kind of get really good when they’re young and they sort of stop getting good. But for me when Taxiride struck gold, we were just like hanging on to a roller coaster. We were trying to figure out what we were doing, who we were and stuff like that. In my opinion, I’m only getting good now!

Simone: Oh I think you were pretty good back in the day as well and as well as with all your solo work, but yes, as you said it’s always good to grow an evolve.

Jason: But you’re not really certain about yourself, and just enjoying the moment. It’s hard to do that when you’re so young and you’re uncertain about your ability. Your ability becomes your ability when you can just relax and sort of know there’s no limitations to what you can do. Way less limitations vocally now than when I was a kid. I watch things back that I do on TV now and I go yeah that was pretty good. Back then you go oh my god I hit that wrong note. Oh no I played the wrong chord! We were really harsh on ourselves. Now we can relax and just enjoy it.

Simone: Yeah that’s really great. Do you think with your solo material or the collaborations with Taxiride and so forth do you think you guys will release any new material in the next year or so?

Jason: I can’t answer that question. If it were completely up to me, I would say yes. I would have released something two years ago. I’m just so busy with Heavens Greatest Hits. When we get together, we only get together for shows and stuff at the moment. Hopefully that will change into the new year when we start celebrating our 20th anniversary but right now the focus is this great band I’ve put together and Taxiride’s a part of that because me and Tim are together in the band. But right now, I’m concentrating on celebrating music. Not just my music. That’s what Heavens Greatest Hits is about. A celebration of the greatest songs and the greatest songwriters of all time that will never pen another song ever again.

Simone: Very true. Very good point

Jason: It’s their legacy. Not mine

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Simone: For the fans that are attending Heavens Greatest Hits shows what can they expect from the show?

Jason: They can expect to at least know every single song that we play. No deep album tracks or songs that haven’t been a part of everybody’s lives and upbringing. They can expect probably the most diverse setlist of any band that you will ever see. There is pop, there is rock, there’s metal, there is reggae; all sorts of stuff you know what I mean. Everyone is celebrated. Not just a certain style. You go watch a band and they are who they are. And they sound like they sound. And that’s what you get. But if you are as different and eclectic musically as me; then you’ll get to fill all of the different cups of your stylistic taste.

Simone: Yeah definitely. That sounds really awesome. Really amazing in regard to the variety. You don’t get that sort of variety at a show when you see a particular band because as you said it is either a certain genre or a certain style. Seeing something come together like this is probably going to be quite spectacular.

Jason: It really is. It’s something else. That’s why I’m really excited about it and the band’s jumping up and down with the amount of shows we’re starting to book for next year. It’s a really good sign that we’re on to something, and people are going to absolutely tear it apart. They’re going to love it. We released a show in Gympie recently. We were going to be in Queensland so the next night we went to Gympie to do one Heavens Greatest Hits show, which was at the Civic Centre on the 14th of September and that was by popular demand. Someone came along and said we’ve been to your show and you’re in the Sunshine Coast on the Friday, can we do the Saturday, and it was like ok! 

Simone: Yeah that’s fantastic as you said it’s gaining that momentum and it’s going to really take off and I dare say you will be booking out a lot more shows.

Jason: I hope so. I mean I’m excited to get back on the stage especially after SS&A club and you’ve got someone like Bob Harris who has seen me do a dozen different shows there and he stood side of stage and just went mate what a fantastic idea. It’s really good. And for Bob that’s like shit thanks Bob. 

Simone: That’s awesome. Well thank you for talking to me today.

Jason: Thank you for having a chat and for helping us spread the word on Heavens Greatest Hits.

Simone: Of course, thank you for your time today to chat to me about the show. I look forward to coming to seeing the show myself. I’m very excited. I think it’s going to be really spectacular and really something else.

Jason: I can’t wait to see you there alright.

Simone: Yeah no worries. Awesome. Thank you so much.

Jason: Take care mate

Simone: You too Jason. Thank you. Bye.

Jason: Bye love.

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Check out JASON SINGH below
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AMNPLIFY – DB