The Advertiser article on Mark Seymour, relating to the upcoming Governer Hindmarsh gig for the One Eyed Man tour.

Author: Rachel Hancock.

Date: 22 July 2001.

Original URL: http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/
story_page/0,5936,2402521%255E12191,00.html

Article Text

AS live music venues take a beating in our state, one Australian rock legend is taking a stand.

Former Hunters and Collectors frontman, and now solo artist, Mark Seymour, returns to the Governor Hindmarsh on July 28 with many fond memories.

“It’s one of the best live venues in Australia,” he says. “It will be a terrible tragedy if that place has to go.”

It’s been three years since Hunters and Collectors split, but Seymour has been kept busy with a credible solo career.

“In the last year it’s consolidated well for me but there’s still a long way to go,” he says.

“It’s been pretty difficult, I didn’t realise how difficult it would be. When I first started doing music on my own, I thought it would be easier.

“The main thing for me was getting over the loss of the band. Losing the relationships was pretty hard, it took a couple of years.”

Seymour shines on his second solo album, One Eyed Man, an album he wasn’t about to rush onto the shelves.

“I put a lot more work into One Eyed Man. I had a game plan from the start which I stuck to in terms of how my voice sounded. I really concentrated on that.

“I started it over two years ago and spent a lot of time writing a small bunch of songs. We would record them and would wait. We picked the best of those and lived with them in my car stereo for a while.

“As a solo artist, you have to be confident with the quality of your material, you can’t point the finger anywhere else if it doesn’t go well.

“I don’t care how long it takes, the lyrics are going to be what sustains me long term.”

Seymour says he is slowly shrugging the Hunters’ tag, but is quick to re-assure he hasn’t forgotten his fond years and continues to include some Hunters’ songs in his solo gigs.

“I don’t have a problem with playing Hunters and Collectors songs. A lot of people coming to see me play were fans and they continue to see me so I would be doing a disservice by not playing the songs I love. Hunters and Collectors are a part of my history. In a strange way, they are getting more support on radio now than they ever had. I would be a fool to think it never happened.”

But the father of two is glad his latest album has received strong reviews, despite a less-than-strong support on national network radio.

“The exposure the album has had has been through very strong critical reviews and word of mouth. That suggests the strength of the record.

“It’s good the punters have accepted the idea that the guy has done the same thing, just without a band.”

– Mark Seymour performs at the Governor Hindmarsh on July 28.

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