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EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY
A rock star leads an unusual life. Constantly travelling,
it can be a never-ending search for home. Alex Smith documents
that journey in Travellers Tales, a terrific new song on
Moving Pictures' latest album, Picture This. Alex sings
about "that peace at home", while reflecting on "fables
from forgotten times … tales of adventure, fortune and fame".
Alex has spent 24 years living in London, though Moving
Pictures have spent the past six months touring Australia
(they're playing at Memo Music Hall on 14 May). "The song
is really about the home you carry inside you," Alex explains.
It features the superb sax playing of Andy Thompson. "He
plays from his heart," Alex says, "and it's a really big
heart." Alex and Andy went to St Ives High School in Sydney,
where they formed their first band, Climat ("we thought
we were cool dropping the 'e'"). Alex's rock 'n' roll dream
actually started when he was seven when he saw a Ray Charles
special on TV and decided, "I want to do this!" In 1979,
Alex asked Garry Frost if he'd like to start a new band.
Someone mentioned that Alex's songs were "like little film
scripts", so they called the band Moving Pictures. Two years
later, they landed their biggest gig - supporting Elton
John on his Australian tour. By the time the tour happened,
in March 1982, Moving Pictures had the nation's number one
single and album. Elton would joke to the crowd: "I'm Elton
John, I'm a superstar. The band opening for me is at number
one, and I'm at number 11!" Moving Pictures also had significant
success in the US. What About Me was a hit twice, and they
had a song, Never, on the Footloose soundtrack, which sold
10 million copies. But record company dramas meant they
saw very little of the money. It's been a remarkable rock
'n' roll life. Alex's band mates call him "Wol". "I'm a
bit of a Wally," he admits. "If things are gonna happen
they're gonna happen to me."
STILL STUCK IN MELBOURNE
Happy 30th anniversary to the wonderful Warner Brothers,
who are celebrating with a gig at the Gasometer on Friday.
UNCHAINED
Tina Arena's Chains entered the US charts 20 years ago this
week, peaking at 38.
HOT LINE
"Days of innocence are all long past/ Boys and girls grow
up so fast/ But some of us wish that they weren't over"
- Moving Pictures, Walk Tall.
CHART WATCH
Flume scores another Top 10 hit.
Say It FLUME (number seven, debut)
Cheap Thrills SIA (14)
1955 HILLTOP HOODS (17)
Never Be Like You FLUME (18)
Australia's Eurovision entrant, Dami Im, lands at number
three with her albums of Carpenters covers.
Classic Carpenters DAMI IM (number three, debut)
Seven Sonnets And A Song PAUL KELLY (nine, debut)
Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung HILLTOP
HOODS (11)
Together MARINA PRIOR & MARK VINCENT (13)
Molly Soundtrack VARIOUS (14)
This Is Acting SIA (17)
Telluric MATT CORBY (24)
Bloom RÜFÜS (28)
Looking For A Story JOHN WILLIAMSON (32, debut)
Camp Cope CAMP COPE (36, debut)
Sierra Kilo Alpha MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA (38, debut)
Dream Your Life Away VANCE JOY (39)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Send Me Your Love MIA WRAY
Gangs of Fools THE EVENING CAST
Mariachi Wind MELODY POOL
Travellers Tales MOVING PICTURES
You Don't Think You Like People Like Me ALEX LAHEY
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