Wayne’s No Trendy!

Rip It Up, Issue 85, 1 August 1984, Page 4

Wayne’s No Trendy!

Russell Brown

One of this year’s most pleasant surprises has been Wayward Son, the debut album by Auckland singersongwriter Wayne Gillespie. The sparse, mainly acoustic album has been received well by everyone, it seems, but the local folk music paper which panned it completely.

“I guess it just wasn't about gold and living in the bush," smiles Gillespie, who ironically got his start playing in the city's folk clubs. Gillespie spent about $4500 and two years of preparation on the album, with the help of friends who donated their musical services. He admits to being pleased but surprised at its reception.

The only apparent problem is that nobody can pigeonhole the album. Karyn Hay said on RWP that there was "nothing offensive here,” while IZM told him that Ponsonby anthem ‘Thank the Lord For Making Me So Trendy’ ("the song everyone likes'') would probably be banned. When he took the album to Auckland's "beautiful music" station, Radio i, he was told it was very good but "too tasteful" for their purposes.

Gillespie decided to do the album when he landed a spot on the Hauraki Homegrown 81 album with a recording "done in one hour in a five dollar an hour studio" but was then dropped because of the poor sound quality. He made demos and took them to local record companies but was "ignored." In contrast, Australian music publishers were very interested.

Gillespie has just signed a publishing deal with Southern Music and has songs ready for a second album. This time he's looking for a record deal rather than doing it all himself. If and when it happens, the next album will be somewhat less intense, reflecting a change in his

own circumstances since Wayward Son was written two years ago. The album suggests a Leonard Cohen influence, something he confesses to.

“I first heard Leonard Cohen on a folk programme when I was 15 and that was what got me started in music. I realised you didn't have to be able to sing and you didn’t have to be able to play guitar well For the first time it seemed within reach."

He also cites Tom Waits, Van Morrison and Talking Heads as influences.

The unusual cover photograph comes from a collaboration with Sydney photographer Leonie Reisberg, where he played in front of slides she had created to accompany the songs. The cover is the image she used for the title song ("Inside every father there’s a wayward 50n...").

Gillespie’s next project may be a re-recording of 'So Trendy’, but he's wary of allowing himself to become known for what is essentially a novelty song. He will be playing Streets Ahead Cafe, August 23, 24, 25 and the odd pub support over the next few months. (Wayward Son is available for $11.99 from Wizard Records, PO Box 9470, Auckland.