By Sue Turpie - Arts and Entertainment

Via Bendigo Weekly

GUY Sebastian has admitted he didn’t enter the music industry in the “normal fashion”. So it isn’t at all surprising he’s taken a few interesting steps during his career.

The latest is the release of the Memphis Album, a compilation honoring the 50th anniversary of Stax Record, a label synonomous with Southern soul music.

Between recording and promoting the album, the Arias, cocktail drinks, film clips and getting up at 5am to board a plane, Guy’s sounding pretty chirpy.Although he’s “hanging for a power nap”.

“I love what I do, I enjoy every minute of it. The last six months have been non-stop.”

Guy travelled to Memphis to record the album and worked with some of soul’s greatest musicians. It was a project born from a thought that it would be an interesting project to do.

“It wasn’t something I really planned. I thought I’d put it out there,” he said. “I grew up on Memphis music. I was an isolated musical nerd, listening to Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett.
“All my mates were listening to Guns ‘N Roses, New Kids on the Block. The music I was listening to was worlds apart from what was on the top 40."

“I grew up on soul, it is my primary influence. Even when I’m singing rock it’s always been soulful. Then I ended up in a gospel rock bank, played violin in an orchestra, then drums in a funk band.I love being able to be transient in genres. This album helped me define what I do best, and not stray from it. I’m a soul artist.”

So for Guy it was heaven to work with the likes of Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Steve Potts, Lester Snell, Dave Smith, Rick Steff, Jim Spake, Kirk Smothers, Scott Thompson and Howard Lamb.

“I have a huge love for Memphis music and knew it was the 50th anniversary of Stax Records. I thought I could put out an album. We made phone calls and I think they turned it down at first.
“I sent over a couple of live things, then Steve Cropper phoned back saying: ‘I really like this guys voice’.”

Steve penned incredible hits such as In the Midnight Hour and Knock on Wood, and has worked with some amazing artists so that can be taken as a major compliment.

“I was in Memphis on Elvis Week for the 30th anniversary of his death,” Guy said. “I recorded some of my favorite, favorite songs. It was an amazing experience. It was all recorded in a small room on analogue tapes which was how it was recorded in the old school. We did 14 tracks in four days."

The raw form is obvious and while there is no doubt the musicians are incredible, they remain in the background enough to let Guy’s voice make an impact.

“It was really casual. These guys would tell these stories about Elvis for two hours, then do 10 to 15 minutes of recording. They get a vibe, they’re relaxed and chill and then turn it on for 10 minutes – it was a magic 10 minutes. With "I Can’t Stand the Rain", I went in the studio and said I’d like it to start on an organ ... and said do you want to have a rehearsal. The guys just said “let’s run it and see how it goes. We did one take.”