Singer-songwriter Mike McClellan will perform at Murrah Hall on 9 November. Photos: Supplied.
Sixty years after first performing on stage, legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist Mike McClellan will perform at the Murrah Hall on his last long tour.
Ten years into his career Mike’s Song and Danceman was voted Song of the Year at the 1975 Annual Music Industry Awards. It became an Australian classic recorded many times here and overseas. That year Johnny Farnham famously covered another song, Saturday Dance, from the same album.
Mike is self-taught. It started when his younger brother got a guitar. He immediately did the same.
He was heavily influenced by US singer-songwriters such as James Taylor and Paul Simon.
“Most were fingerstyle players, and I spent hours listening to them, working out how they were doing it,” Mike said.
He has almost finished a memoir. It is built around the lyrics of 80 of the songs he has written over his long career.
“I write about what was going on at the time, who I was working with and what was influencing me,” he said. “When I write songs, I need to feel like I am personally engaged, intellectually or emotionally, with what I am writing about. I am a storyteller, and the story of my life can largely be tracked through my songs.”
Among the most memorable people he has worked with is Roger Miller.
Mike was his support act in the 1970s and saw the American star watching him perform.
“It was unheard of at the time for an international artist to listen to the domestic support act. Most would be ignored,” he said. “I have never forgotten that compliment.” He went on to spend a lot of time with the American, playing guitar and swapping songs.
Mike McClellan first performed in 1965.
Locally the sessions he worked with Johnny Farnham were very special.
“It was not long before he did “Whispering Jack” and he was trying to redefine himself after Sadie the Cleaning Lady. He is a wonderful human being and an extraordinary singer.”
Likewise, he rates Tommy Emmanuel as the most remarkable guitar player he ever worked with.
“There doesn’t appear to be any technical barrier between what he hears in his head and what comes out of his guitar,” Mike said. “He is amazing and a wonderful advocate for Australian music.”
Murrah Hall is one of 12 concerts on Mike’s One More for the Road tour.
He counts himself very lucky. He hasn’t suffered from arthritis, his voice is strong and he hasn’t had to lower the key of any songs in his incredible catalogue.
“The performing side of the touring life is still a joy, but the travelling is tiring,” Mike said. “I don’t want to stop performing, but will when my ability to meet my own standards starts to decline. And I won’t do the long road tours anymore.”
Another album is planned with just vocals and guitar, the memoir needs finishing, and a novel is underway. He will also run songwriting workshops along the coast. Not bad for a man who turned 80 in August.
Mike McClellan is on his One More for the Road tour.
Over six decades he has witnessed dramatic change in the music industry. The days of recording music in a studio with a band of musicians are long gone.
“Radio was the principal means of getting your name and music out there. Now it’s all digital and streaming,” he said. “That means singer-songwriters must tour to build their audience which is hard work.”
Add to that, the millions around the world sitting in their room creating music on a laptop and putting it on Spotify.
“The amount of music out there is astonishing, so it’s much harder to get heard.”
Gone too are the days of every pub in Sydney rocking with live music, an indicator of the shrinking number of live music venues.
As for artificial intelligence (AI), Mike thinks it is already impacting the advertising, television and film industries.
“We don’t yet fully understand how that will impact genuine creativity, but it is very disturbing and I wonder whether people will even question whether the music they’re listening to has been generated by AI or a good creative writer?”
Mike is looking forward to performing at celebrated community venue Murrah Hall. He’s played many local halls in his time and said that so often those regional theatres are the loveliest places to perform.
“The locals love the music, they nurture the environment and are passionate about their community,” Mike said. “That is very evident.”
Catch Mike McClellan at Murrah Hall at 2 pm on Sunday 9 November. Purchase tickets here.
