Answered by Bruno Brayovic.
1. What was the first band you saw live?
Technically, it was The Sparklers (Chris Abrahams and Melanie Oxley’s band) but they were supporting INXS, whom I was really there to see.
2. What’d you learn from them?
Well The Sparklers’ guitarist Colin Bloxum ended up being the guy who serviced my guitars for nearly 10 years, so I learnt a lot about guitar maintenance. In terms of what I learnt from them while they were on stage, they offered a kind of punk rock attitude I wasn’t aware of until then (I was only 12 with no older siblings). Everything I listened to and watched was very homogenised, but they got up there and swore their tits off. They swore at the crowd, they swore at each other. They were rather belligerent – which made me scared and excited at the same time.
3. Got any pre-gig rituals?
I used to go for long walks away from the venue, which used to worry our old drummer Graeme. I was always too anxious to relax and sit around or have a beer and watch the other bands. These days I remain within the venue but still get quite anxious (note: anxious, not nervous) so I try to sit in a dark corner with a beer and rock back and forth in the foetal position.
4. What do you think the most important issue effecting aritsts in NSW is today?
The same thing affecting artists all over Australia. The lack of opportunities to practice, showcase, perform and generally work in a social environment which is interested, supportive and encouraging. That means allocating resources and finances at Government level, but also creating a culture of interest and support on a grass-roots level.
5. If you weren’t a musician what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Well, like most musicians, I have a real job too. But, although it’s a total cliche, I really don’t know what I would have done with all the time and emotion I have spent on music, had I not embarked on this. Where would that have gone? Possibly up my arm. I dunno. Like John Howard said so many times, “I don’t deal in hypotheticals”.
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