Project Description

Interview with SHANNON NOLL

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Shannon Noll

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It’s been 15 years since Shannon Noll’s appearance on the inaugural season of Australian Idol, but recently it was revealed Nollsie had made his reality TV return on Channel Ten’s new series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

The news came in what’s shaping up to be a huge month for Australia’s favourite underdog. Following the release of his latest single Land Of Mine, Shannon’s latest album Unbrokenwill was released on Friday February 2nd. Unbroken is available for pre-order now with Land Of Mine available now at all DSPs.

Dani Brown caught up with Shannon recently and asked him all the hard questions …. and some easy ones too.

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Hi Shannon, how you going?
G’day mate, how are you?

Not bad thanks, yourself?
Yeah pretty good thanks, got a bit going on this morning but other than that not too bad.

Keeping pretty busy in preparation for a big month coming up?
Yeah mate, yep most definitely, definitely.

Beautiful. So Unbroken is the title of the album that’s being released on February 2, what does that title represent you?
Oh mate, it’s just been seven years since I’ve had an album out so a lot has happened in those seven years. I’ve done a lot of touring and also had a back injury from Dancing with the Stars, funnily enough. It signifies just the injury and what I went through with that as well, and then coming out the other side, I suppose. So yeah, it’s been a bumpy ride but we are still in the game.

Not down and out I guess.
That’s right, exactly, yeah.

What can people expect on the album? And how does it compare to your previous three albums?
Ah mate, I definitely think there’s more of me on this album. I had a lot more input with the songs, with the lyrical content on all the songs, and there’s a lot more stories within the songs about where I grew up and where I come from and who I am. So I’m really, really proud of this one for that respect you know, because it’s giving a lot more of myself on this one. It’s probably my most personal album to date, I would say.

Is there a song on Unbroken which you feel most connected to?
Yeah, probably Invincible would be one. Given the story I said before, Invincible is all about going from when you’re young and feel invincible to all of a sudden feeling not so invincible, if you know what I mean. And just getting older I suppose, and what comes with it.

And how are you feeling about putting all these kind of personal stories out into the world?
I’m pretty excited about it really, I spoke to my record label and boss and he was really keen to get a lot more of me on there. I think it’s a great way to sort of connect with the public and instead of going into a songwriting session and just coming up with a song that might be inspired by the producer in the room or something like that, they’re all from me so it’s exciting. But also with every album, they’re like your baby. So I’m looking forward to what people‘s reaction is.

You talk about getting more of yourself on that album, how do you personally dig that bit deeper and give that personal level to the music?
It’s a little bit of a delicate mixture given the fact that I’ve always sort of written with a mindset of the mainstream stuff, and a lot of my stories are probably more country, from country experiences I suppose. So it’s walking that fine line between what’s mainstream and what’s getting the major side of the market out there to also having that country sort of feel to it. But that’s sort of who I am and where I’ve come from, so hopefully it’ll work out.

 

Do you reckon it appeals more to a country audience or a more mainstream audience, this album?
I don’t know, it’s hard to say. There are a lot of songs that are with the sort of storylines behind it are general and there’s things that everybody goes through I suppose, and then there is stuff on there that obviously detail the things you get up to growing up in the bush. I think I’m hoping that it’s general enough and doesn’t pigeonhole too much.

What do you like most about the writing process?
I think you get better at writing each time; someone once told me that, like an art form, you can get better at it the more you do it, I really believe that’s true, given the fact that a couple of songs there I’ve written just with one person – I had a really big imput with the lyrical side of Invincible and the melody side of it, so I think that something that you learn to do better with the more practice that you get.

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So you recorded Unbroken in the same studio that you recorded That’s What I’m Talking About in, how did your feelings differ between recording that first album and recording Unbroken?
I think I was much more comfortable doing this one. It definitely took less time, that’s for sure. From going on a farm to recording in the studio was a big jump so the first time around finding my feet was obviously a big part of it, but this time I’m much more educated and much more experienced with it so we sort of got in there and got out. It was great to be back in the old building again though, that’s for sure, and all the things that come with that – you know, the cafe across the road and the park and that sort of thing. It made it much more comfortable, that’s for sure.

Bit of déjà vu there. Did you think that you’d still be releasing music so many years later? You said it seven years between – did you expect there to be such a resurgence?
Oh mate, there’s been lots of ups and downs during that time, you know? I don’t know if you ever think you’ll stop making music but the way the business is these days, it’s always getting tougher. So I didn’t think that I wouldn’t be, but now I’m out the other side and got this album finally finished, I’m pretty glad that I am. It’s been nearly 15 years of my life put into this thing and it would be really sad to turn around and not have anywhere to go with it. To be able to sign with Warner and obviously work on a new album is a great feeling.

If you didn’t get to go back into music, what do you reckon you’d be doing now?
I tell you what, I wouldn’t have a clue to be honest. Probably it’d be something to do with music, maybe go into stage shows or something like that. I did a big one with War of the Worlds a few years ago when we did a tour of Australia and a tour of Great Britain and that was definitely an amazing experience. I think I would’ve looked at something down those lines probably.

My mate is a big fan and has read a few books of yours and that kind of thing and she told me you played footy before you got into music. How did you rate yourself as a player?
Oh mate, I was only a bush hack they’d class me as, to be honest! I played a lot of footy all around New South Wales and up there in Sydney as well. They were great times for young bloke playing footy but I don’t I wouldn’t have liked to have had that be my only option mate, that’s for sure (laughs).

You weren’t chasing a career in the AFL then!
No, no, not quite mate. I think I left my run too late for that.

So obviously your music did work out and you’re pretty popular to this day. Do you have a most memorable fan experience?
There’s been a few, you know? We did a gig at the tennis one time and we were packing the car and we sort of went back in just to make sure we’ve got everything, and then came back out and shut the boot and started to drive off and someone yelled out, “there’s two fans in the back of the car”. We had a great big 12 seater van and they jumped in when we weren’t looking. That was a bit scary but we had two stowaways there (laughs).

 

Bloody hell! Do you get many chances to connect with your fans?
Yeah I do a fair bit mate, we do a lot of charity work so that’s always really good to get out there, and lots of meet and greets before shows is always a good time as well. So it’s always good to run into those people who have always been so loyal and supportive. Obviously in this business it’s so important to have fans. Nobody’s really got a career without them so it’s always amazing and great to – even if it’s just briefly to catch up with fans along the way.

How do you reckon your fan base has changed over the years? Or do you reckon it’s kind of stuck the same?
I think it ebbs and flows. A lot is from the resurgence with the memes and all that sort of thing that has gone on over the last two years, I might have gained a few younger ones along the way, which is always good because obviously they’re the next generation and hopefully continue to pass down – keep the fans you’ve got of course, and try to pass it down to their kids. That’s key to longevity I suppose. So hopefully I have gained a few more along the way and continue to grow.

I mean, it’s always a bit of a fun scrolling through your social media accounts and that kind of thing. We see the comments on your Facebook posts and have a bit of a giggle, but what do you think of them?
Nah, nah… I don’t know what I’ve borrowed, but I must’ve borrowed something off someone somewhere along the line mate, I have just got a great big shed full of whippersnippers and mowers I think (laughs)! It is always pretty good for a laugh mate, that’s for sure.

Absolutely! Well, you’re put up there as a bit of an Aussie icon and I just wanted to ask some Aus-themed quickfire questions – are you ready for a few of them?
Yeah no worries.

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AFL or NRL?
I’m a big fan of both. Growing up, but mainly played AFL, but have a massive respect for rugby league as well.

 

What team do you support?
The Sharks down here and the Giants mate, I live down the Shire so I’m a bit of a Sharkies fan, and I’ve done a bit with the GWS boys because I would’ve fallen under the catchment if I was a young bloke these days.

 

What’s your favourite Australian capital city?
Oh, I think Sydney mate. Sydney is my favourite, just the weather is so good here, the climate is beautiful, it doesn’t get too hot, doesn’t get too cold and you get the best of both seasons so it’s really nice in Sydney touches the water on that.

 

Best Australian beer?
There’s a few out there mate. Brew beer is pretty good. They’re Australian owned, I’m really stoked that some of the boys are getting onto it.

 

Vegemite: yes or no?
Oh yeah. I like Promite too so I’m a bit of a ‘mite’ fan – except Marmite, I haven’t tried Marmite. Vegemite and Promite are pretty good.

 

Do you have tomato and cheese with it or not?
No, not normally, just straight up with butter.

 

Australian animal that best represents you?
Um, I don’t know, probably a kangaroo I suppose. I’ve had some so much to do with them over the years, obviously growing up with them on the farm and what not. They’re pretty staunch animals, a lot of people don’t know they’re pretty dangerous as well… So I think for their heart, a kangaroo for sure.

 

Thongs or Ugg boots?
I’m a bit of fan of both, depends on the season for sure. Don’t mind the uggies in wintertime for sure and definitely thongs in the summer, so I’m a bit on the fence with that one.

 

Best Australian holiday destination?
Hamilton Island by far mate, that’s the old go-to spot when we want to go on a holiday. It’s always been so much fun there and so great, so we always try and make it to Hamilton Island once a year at least.

 

Caramello Koala or Freddo Frog?
Wow. I think the Strawberry Freddos are pretty good. I’ll go with the Strawberry Freddo.

 

Not sure if you’re much of a TV watcher, but Neighbours or Home and Away?
I’ve never really watched a lot of both of them mate, they both got a huge followings and both great Australian dramas so on the fence with that one too mate, to be honest.

 

The beach or the outback?
Bit of an outback guy. Obviously growing up in the bush there the outback’s my thing, but I’ve been living down by the water for quite a number of years now and I sort of get a real calming feeling from the water. So I really like being out on the water as well, but probably if I had to choose mate, it would be out back for sure.

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Shannon Noll

 

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SHANNON NOLL

UNBROKEN

ALBUM TOUR

MAY 2018

FRI 4 MAY
OXFORD ART FACTORY
SYDNEY, NSW
TICKETS

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SAT 5 MAY
DAPTO LEAGUES
DAPTO, NSW
TICKETS

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FRI 11 MAY
THE GOV
ADELAIDE, SA
TICKETS

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SAT 12 MAY
MAX WATTS
MELBOURNE, VIC
TICKETS

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SAT 19 MAY
THE TRIFFID
BRISBANE, QLD
TICKETS

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FOLLOW SHANNON NOLL

OFFICIAL WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

www.warnermusic.com.au

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AMNPLIFY – DB

Interviewer Details