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Matt gets inside 'The Necessary Few'...
As a way of introducing the new line up, Matt has posted up an interview
he did with the boys recently....
Those
probed were:
- GRANT CUMMERFORD the
bass player & ROGER BERGODAZ the drummer.
Do you get
weird if you don't play for a while?
GC:
I wouldn't say weird, more like normal. When there are no gigs for a while
it becomes necessary to take on a day job which involves getting up at
6am, work 7 till 4, come home, eat, veg in front of the TV, too tired and
uninspired to pick up a bass, then get up and do it all again the next
day. So no gigs means a normal life like most people, which I suppose is
pretty weird for me.
RB: I
guess I get pretty weirded out if I'm not playing gigs because it's all I
do, so if I'm not playing it means I'm broke and that's no fun at all. I
like playing a lot of gigs, even when it's really hectic it seems to have
a calming effect on me, I guess because my mind's occupied.
What are you listening to at the moment? Best gig you've been to (or
played) this year?
GC: At
the moment a lot of Bob Marley, also Sly and the Family Stone. Best gig
played this year would have to be the Byron Bay Blues Festival. Highlights
being Bella Fleck, Ozomatli, Jeff Lang and Geoff Achison.
RB: At
the moment I'm listening to a Dr John compilation that I believe Matt got
me for my birthday, thanks Matt. He's (Dr John) got amazing musicians and
some really cool tunes, excellent arrangements and clever part playing,
highly recommended listening.
It's hard to pick a best gig of the year, they all become a bit of a blur,
not a bad blur, just a blur. I know there's heaps of great moments at a
lot of gigs, it's really hard to pick just one as a stand out.
Most musicians throughout their career have to make decisions in regards
to what's most important to them musically. Mastering the art of actually
surviving on your music without compromising your style. What's the
biggest corporate/cover gig you've knocked back to pursue things more
necessary to you?
GC:
Actually, playing with the Necessary Few meant passing on a gig with the
Buddy Holly Show, which would've been great money, but also playing the
same set of Buddy Holly songs sometimes twice a day, and the first stint
was a month in New Zealand. I think I made the right choice.
RB: Over
the years I've knocked back loads of money gigs, mainly cover bands
offering a weekly wage for exclusivity, or some band travelling to some
corner of the world to play in a Hard Rock Cafe' doing 7 nights a week
playing 4 sets a night, doing Billy Joel and Hotel California and Mariah
Carey and so on and so forth - Yuk - same songs every night.
Anyway,
I've chosen to pursue the original music thing. I may not be as
financially well off, but I feel a lot more sane and content.
Who do you consider to be your peers?
GC: Pretty much anyone who plays or supports live music, whether it be
punters, venue bookers, promoters, or hopeful amateur musicians. We're all
in it for the same cause.
RB: It sounds pretty corny, but I guess I consider my peers to be anyone
who pursues their own goals and dreams in whatever may be their chosen
field. Musically it would have to be all the muso bums I've worked with
over the last ten years, they're a good lot!
Grant, what's the most important element of playing the bass to you?
GC: The
most important element would be to lay down a thick bed of bottom end for
my associates to work with and at the same time make my part as
interesting as possible.
Roger, you listen to a lot of reggae. Who are some of your favourite
artists?
RB: I
love my reggae, it's just so damn cool, beautiful melodies, great drum and
bass parts and that skanking guitar holding it all together. You just
can't go past Bob and The Wailers, I do have my excursions, but I always
end up back with the Wailers.
Roger, you've spent some of your career touring with funk bands. Do you
think there are more wankers in that scene than any other you've
experienced?
RB: I did
spend a great deal of time travelling with funk bands and soul bands, and
the people I worked with were great, they'd cram a years worth of partying
into a two week tour, it was insane, and the gigs would always go off too,
it was a good rock 'n roll education.
From those
days I've learnt the art of pacing one's self. I didn't really work with
any wankers, but that early Fitzroy funk scene spawned a generation of bad
funk bands who would all badmouth each other behind their backs, and
because I played with a few of them, you'd hear some of the crap people
would say. I just think they were insecure, and bagging someone else would
help them boost their own ego's.
As far as
other music scenes are concerned, I'm quite sure they've all got their
wankers.
What was the name of your first band?
GC: The
O.P Blues Band featuring Ray Beadle, but the first serious band was
Third Degree.
RB: I think the name of my first band was Powerhouse, or was it
Satisfaction Guaranteed, or was it High Tide or maybe
Satan's Spawn, I'm not exactly sure.
Grant, you recently moved from Sydney to Melbourne. What do you miss about
home?
GC:
Schooners of Tooheys New, all my mates that I grew up with, the
Harbourview Hotel (which has been 'yuppified' anyway) and ....um....oh
yeah my family!
(Definitely not the shithouse music scene. How many people? How many gigs?
SHITHOUSE!)
The Melbourne music community is very eclectic. Who's a local artist you'd
like to collaborate with? Alternatively, think of any artist (preferably
living) you'd like to work with.
GC:
Melbourne has some great musicians. I'm still waiting for Mia Dyson to ask
me to fill in for her band one night. Also Shannon Bourne from Chris
Wilsons' band is one of my favourite guitarists. Steve Hesketh on keys
(Simon Nugent And The Forefathers), he's a freak. Also I'd love to do a
gig with john Watson on drums. He's a fucking powerhouse.
How would you describe 'The Necessary Few'?
GC: I
dunno. It's somewhere between a rock band and a country band with traces
of psychedelic shit....
Matt, Grant and Roger
Photo by
-
Denise Nestor - taken
at Ruby's Bar, Belgrave Victoria
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