THEY’RE two of Australia’s best contemporary singer-songwriters – and they’re currently on what they’s calling an Odyssey together through regional Australia.
Alex Gow, vocals and piano for indie group Oh Mercy, and Dan Kelly, of Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, have taken to the road for double-headline, solo shows.
The pairing has worked out as something of a dream combination, or as Gow describes it, a “yin and yang” meshing of elements for their Australian Dreamers tour.
But Gow says the dreaming is most definitely “Dan’s bag”.
“Hes a 60s psychedelic thinker, whereas I’m more the realist of the two,” he said.
“Dan writes about his dreams all the time and his band is Dan Kelly’s Dream Band, and all his Facebook posts are all about the dreams he’s had. Usually that would be annoying but his dreams are all cerebral and utopian and bizarre.
“We’re just rambling along the Hume and talking about Dan’s dreams.”
While Gow said he was a huge fan of Australian music and classic Australiana, he said musicians were no longer referencing the greats along the lines of Midnight Oil.
“They were kicking against the p***ks - they were angry about stuff. We’re kind of more sedated now,” he said.
“There are lots of things we’re mishandling (as a nation) but I think that writing the kinds of songs that Midnight Oil wrote has fallen out of favour for one reason or another. It’s gone back to the 70s where people are writing about themselves.”
He said his music was more inspired by Australian 70s icons like the The Go-Betweens, The Triffids and The Reels.
“I am definitely very passionate about Australian music and always have been. My favourite groups I’ve always tried to copy...if I got even halfway there I’d be writing something pretty good.
“Dan and I have that in common and we’ll be doing some covers of those bands and bring our own brand of Australiana to the country.”
Gow and Kelly will perform at Karova Lounge on Wednesday, May 25.
