Tell us about your new release ?I’ve been working with Paulie B on a new album between tours for three years, and following ‘Move’ released earlier this year, ‘Other Side’ is the second single that highlights what we’ve been spending our time on. ‘Other Side’ is a song about a trap I find my self in frequently – sometimes I look so far ahead that I get trapped in my own stuff and forget to see the beauty in what’s happening here and right now.
What’s your favourite work at this point in time?
The last five years have been huge; I’ve performed all over the world from apartments in San Fran, street busking in Toronto, a church in Stuttgart, in the red dirt of Kakadu, iconic venues and festivals of 20,000 people all over the world. I feel grateful to have collected so many memories and reflections. All these adventures have inspired the new album and though it’s a cliche to say your latest work is your favourite, it’s true.
Tell us a quick, on the road or studio, anecdote.
This is a hard question… where do I start?! I’m not sure whether I should tell the story of getting a blood nose on stage and having to put a tampon in it for the last song. Or playing drums on a few songs at Winnipeg Folk Festival with Arrested Development when they found themselves a drummer down at short notice. Showering from a bucket in Ghana when I studied drums there for a month was also a pretty memorable experience, as was a spontaneous collaboration with a bluegrass band in the Redwood Forest in California recently. Accidentally ingesting acid before a gig in Argentina and thinking I could communicate with a toucan was a literal trip. When you tour there are a lot of laughs – it’s these times I love to remember.
What, or who, inspires you?
People who are in their flow inspire me. I love watching people in a trance-like state – from builders to people making coffee, dancers, surfers or anyone. There’s something so special about that meditative moment in flow, it’s like another dimension where you feel like you are floating in complete harmony with yourself and your surroundings. Also David Attenborough, Leo Di Caprio, Will and Jada Smith, my partner Nina, my family and friends who go through hard times and win battles every day.
Which song do you wish you wrote?
Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers – he says everything in a neat 2″20″, and that’s amazing to me.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently sitting in a cafe in Luxembourg, got my last European show supporting John Butler Trio tonight. After heading back to Australia in a few days, I’ll catch a bit of rest before finishing off the album and a hitting the road again at Mullum Fest before a huge Australian Summer tour supporting The Beautiful Girls.
What’s your scene?
I like to be amongst people spreading a good vibration – I really value the people in my life. I really value where I live. Like many places, Byron Bay has so many positive and negatives, though the community and places I hang inspire the shit out of me. I feel I’m in the right place in that area for sure.
What’s your scene?
I like to be amongst people spreading a good vibration – I really value the people in my life. I really value where I live. Like many places, Byron Bay has so many positive and negatives, though the community and places I hang inspire the shit out of me. I feel I’m in the right place in that area for sure.
Listen to ‘Other Side’ here.
Catch Bobby Alu as he opens for The Beautiful Girls on their Australian Summer Tour. Bobby also drums for the band!
THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS ANNOUNCE “BEAUTIFUL WORLD”
23-DATE NATIONAL AUSTRALIAN SUMMER TOUR
Fresh from another successful month-long European tour hitting the UK, Germany and The Netherlands, including shows at London’s legendary O2 Academy, Boardmasters Festival and Holland’s infamous Zandstock, The Beautiful Girls are pumped to bring their Beautiful World tour back home for the Australian Summer.
Mat McHugh is The Beautiful Girls
Joining band leader, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mat McHugh will be long-time Beautiful Girl bass player Paulie B and former Xavier Rudd drummer Bobby Alu. Alu will also double as the tour’s supporting act in duo mode in his other guise as master ukulele strummer – an obvious co-conspirator in all things tropical and summer across the 23-date national tour.
Described as writing “heart-on-the-sleeve songs,” the latest Beautiful Girls single, Beautiful World, is no exception – it’s a cruisey, upbeat taste of what’s in store on the forthcoming album. “It’s based in my love of ‘80s digital dancehall,” McHugh explains. That’s a smooth, sensual style of reggae that came out of the ghetto community of Waterhouse in Jamaica’s west Kingston Town; upbeat, uplifting and transformative by nature. Beautiful World has the kind of melody that instantly brings to mind summer skies and gentle breezes. No matter where you are, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face and lift away the cares of your day. Like the song says, no matter how bad things might get, just take on McHugh’s advice – “I let the sun shine on me now/Look at all of the love we found/And I feel fine” – and this really is a Beautiful World…
The Beautiful Girls – the perfect Australian Summer concert experience.
And what better way to celebrate a forthcoming tour than by giving away a free download of the “Mat McHugh” acoustic version of Beautiful World ? Just go to https://soundcloud.com/
THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS “BEAUTIFUL WORLD”
AUSTRALIAN SUMMER TOUR DATES
Thursday 29th November 2018 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns QLD
Friday 30th November 2018 – Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville QLD
Saturday 1st December 2018 – Magnums, Airlie Beach QLD
Sunday 2nd December 2018 – Mt Pleasant Tavern, Mackay QLD
Thursday 6th December 2018 – Ramsgate Hotel, Henley Beach SA
Friday 7th December 2018 – The Rosemount Hotel, North Perth WA
Saturday 8th December 2018 – Dunsborough Tavern, Dunsborough WA
Thursday 3rd January 2019 – The Northern, Byron Bay NSW
Friday 4th January 2019 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba QLD
Saturday 5th January 2019 – Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff NSW
Sunday 6th January 2019 – Sol Bar, Maroochydoore QLD
Thursday 10th January 2019 – Grand Hotel, Mornington VIC
Friday 11th January 2019 – Westernport Hotel, San Remo VIC
Saturday 12th January 2019 – The Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool VIC
Sunday 13th January 2019 – Torquay Hotel, Torquay VIC
Thursday 17th January 2019 – Narrabeen RSL, Narrabeen NSW
Friday 18th January 2019 – Factory Theatre, Sydney NSW
Saturday 19th January 2019 – Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay NSW
Sunday 20th January 2019 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW
Thursday 24th January 2019 – Granada Tavern, Hobart TAS
Friday 25th January 2019 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC
Friday 8th February 2019 – The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 9th February 2019 – Redland Bay Hotel, Redland Bay QLD
Tickets:
Web: www.dieboredom.com
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