In Conversation With Aussie Music Legend, Pete Murray
Always a winner
Singer-songwriter Pete Murray is a cultural mainstay in Australia. With beloved hits ranging from the soulful So Beautiful to the melancholic anthem Better Days, Pete’s illustrious, 20-plus-year career in music has cemented him as one of the nation’s most cherished artists.
Ahead of his performance at the Festival of Food and Wine in Toowoomba this weekend, we caught up with Pete to chat about finding the confidence to perform, the 2024 festival scene in Australia, men’s mental health, and more.
What are some of your fondest memories of Brisbane?
I grew up in Chinchilla, which was very, very different to Brisbane. I moved to Brisbane when I was 16 and had a great bunch of mates there, and obviously started my music career there. I remember coming through musically at a time when Brisbane was kind of like the Seattle of Australia, at a time when all the good music was coming into Seattle. There were some great Brissy bands at the time like Powderfinger, George, and Regurgitator. It was a great vibe at the time and seeing these other acts from Brisbane succeed lets people know they can do it as well.
Pete Murray
You started learning the guitar relatively late in life for a musician. How difficult was it to find the confidence to start performing in public, and what advice would you give to people with a creative spark who lack the confidence to perform in front of others?
Look, music is all about confidence – anything in the arts is all about confidence and believing in yourself and putting yourself out there, because it’s a tricky time when you’re doing that. What I did was sit in my room for a long time – two years – and I just played guitar, sang, and did covers until I felt I’d gotten good enough to perform. The more you play on your own, the more you get that confidence that you can sing well and play well. So I think it’s a matter of just taking your time, not rushing, and not trying to be a superstar from day one. Once you realise your potential, you can have that confidence about what you’re going to deliver.
Can you remember the first time you performed your own songs at a gig?
Yeah for sure. It was at the Orient Hotel in Brisbane, which used to be a great little venue for original music. A very cool spot. I had some friends who were playing a gig and asked if I wanted to do a half-hour set of original songs. I thought ‘Wow, this is a good opportunity.’ I was very nervous about it. It’s pretty scary when it’s the first time playing your own music and the crowd’s never heard of you or your music. But I loved it, it was such a buzz that I wanted to do it again, and again, and again.
What are some of your other favourite venues you’ve played at in Brisbane?
The Zoo was another great spot. That was a big one for me to try and play at, as well as Healer which was behind the Fortitude Valley Music Hall in an old church. That was a cracking venue – it was probably my favourite venue to play at. I played some great gigs there. It only held about 300 people but it was such a great vibe and I supported Ed Kuepper from Saints there.
The Zoo
What are your thoughts on the Australian festival scene at the moment, with some iconic festivals like Splendour in the Grass cancelling and Bluesfest announcing this will be their final year?
People are still interested in seeing live music, but it’s definitely a tough time for festivals with the economic times changing. People are trying to save their dollars and focus on things like paying their mortgages. I also think with new festivals trying to open, the financial situation makes it hard for them to compete against each other. Festivals that have a more mature audience probably are having an easier time of it, but the ones with younger crowds are definitely struggling.
Better Days is a song touching on the theme of mental health, which is something that is becoming more of a focus – specifically for men. What do you think about the trend of men increasingly tackling mental health issues head-on, and getting rid of the surrounding stigma?
I think it’s fantastic, it’s not anything to be embarrassed about. I’ve had a lot of mates who’ve had depression – lots of people suffer from it. If you get help, you don’t know how long it’ll take, but you’ll get back on top of things and enjoy life again. And that’s the thing, when you get that deep, you don’t think there’s a way out. There’s always a way out, and I think the song Better Days is really about that – knowing that you can get through this and there’ll be better days ahead. So that’s the thing to understand, that you have to start to think ‘What have I got to do to make the change, and how can I make the change?’ Talk to some people, and they can give you the advice and help you need to work through things and to have a different perspective on what you’re thinking.
Festival of Food and Wine
You’re playing this weekend at the Festival of Food and Wine in Toowoomba, what are you looking forward to about the festival and what can audiences expect?
The Darling Downs is my home turf, so Toowoomba was always the big city to me before Brisbane. I came from a small country town, so when you went to Toowoomba it was the big, big city. So I’m looking forward to getting back there and getting back to my roots. As a kid, I always remember the Carnival of Flowers being a big deal, so it’s kind of nice to go back and headline the stage there on the Sunday. Everyone knows the songs now so I’ll be getting everyone to sing along. There are some smoking hot bands there so it’ll be a good vibe.
Pete Murray is performing this Sunday at the Festival of Food and Wine – part of the 2024 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
Find out more information and get your tickets here.
