Benny Clark - First Nations Drummer with Baker Boy and Dallas Woods

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This podcast is brought to you by OnTrack Studio.
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Welcome to Yarning Up, a podcast that showcases stories of First Nations excellence.
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To help us learn and unlearn Australia's history to work towards a better future.
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I'm your host, proud Barbara Woman and founder of Blackwater Coaching and Consulting, Caroline Cowell.
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This podcast was a tape on the sacred, stolen, and undefeated Aboriginal lands of the Warundari people of the cooled nation.
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I pay my deepest respects to them, my elders, your elders, and all owners of country of this beautiful place that we call home.
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Yama Yama, all you beautiful, juicy, delicious peaches.
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My brothers, my sisters, welcome back to Yarning Up.
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If you can't tell, I feel a little delirious right now.
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I don't know whether it's because it's been the end of a big day, uh recording night tonight, or whether it's just that feeling in the weird clumsy stage in the middle of the year.
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I had the privilege of sitting down with brother boy Benny Clark.
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Benny is a triple J unearthed musician, a very talented Melbourne-based drummer.
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He has played for the likes of Baker Boy and Dallas Woods.
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So in this episode, we unpack Benny's journey in uncovering parts of his identity.
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We talk about what led him to music almost over a decade ago and how that's landed him on stage with some of the more formidable black artists in this country.
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We have a pretty no-nonsense conversation about, you know, who Benny is and and what's important to him.
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So mad respect to you, bras.
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Thank you so much.
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And I hope that you enjoyed this episode as much as I did.
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Wow, Benny Clark, you absolute legend.
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It is such a delight to sit down and yarn with you.
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I have so much respect for you.
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And so it's really nice to be able to connect in this way.
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Thank you for joining me.
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No, thank you.
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You get me blushing up when we haven't even started yet.
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No, I was I was pretty honored when I got the email to say if I wanted to jump on.
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So no, I appreciate you having me, Cissy.
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It's it's awesome, it's deadly.
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Yeah, thank you, bras.
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And look, I guess you know, the beautiful thing about like being a black fella is that so many of us wear so many different different hats.
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And so I want to just kind of start by asking you to maybe introduce yourself, how you would like to be introduced.
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Oh, I've never had to do that before.
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Usually I get told what who I am in interviews.
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All right, so I'm Benny Clark.
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I guess most people outside of community would know me as the drummer for Baker Boy.
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Um, I've also played for Dallas Woods.
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I currently play for Chasing Ghosts, uh, the Marindas, and doing a little bit of solo stuff as well.
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And yeah, uh people in community will just know me as Benny Clark.
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I think that's such a modest wrap-up of you.
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Like I think when I think of you, you know, you work in community, but you're a photographer, you yeah, moonlight across these musicians, you're a musician yourself.
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Yeah, I always think it's interesting how people choose to define themselves because we're so like multifaceted.
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There's so many things that fill us up, and we're really never defined by one one thing, you know.
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Yeah, yeah, very much so.
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And I I'm very much uh a person who gets bored easily.
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So there's always something new to try and new to do, and and you know, there's always been this passage through my life.
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You learn one thing, you need to learn the other thing.
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So I knew how to play drums, but if I'm gonna write a song, I need to learn to play guitar.
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If I'm gonna play guitar, you need to learn how to sing.
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So just kind of those gradual, you know, picking different things up.
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Yeah, totally.
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And I imagine it's kind of like just developing a sense of like mastery with some stuff, like you know, that kind of yeah, developing a sense of of mastery.
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I've kind of recently started to hit this phase in my life where I'm trying to do things not to be good at them, just to do them and like sit in the kind of like clumsy stage and not be so great at it.
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But yeah, it's interesting to hear your progression from drums to guitaring to to music, which I really want to yeah, dig into.
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Definitely.
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But I guess, you know, bros, can you tell me a little bit about, yeah, like as we do on this show, we always ask about, you know, your mob and um who you are.
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I'm wondering if you could share a little bit about what it was like for you growing up, where did you grow up?
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So I'm a very, very proud Gunai Kernai man, but I have a uh, and and a lot of people wouldn't know, but I have a very, very close connection with uh and a very different kind of connection than most blacks will have black brothers would have to uh the wereundry people.
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So my, I mean, we got shipped around everywhere back in the day.
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But one of the last points of contact.
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So my great-grandfather died when he was in his early 20s.
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So of course my granddad was very young and and lost all that connection.
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Um, but one thing that we did have was a connection to Arnie Joy Murphy.
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So Arnie Joy Murphy, when when Corin Burt closed, when the missions were finishing up, um, Arnie Joy Murphy's parents took him my great-grandparents.
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Wow.
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So when we lost that connection to country and lost that connection of our story, we were adopted into the Wurundry culture and Wurundjree family.
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So I grew up always thinking, or always knowing that Arnie Joy was my auntie and that I was Warundry.
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I thought that my entire life.
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And you know what?
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It's probably time I let the cat out of the bag.
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I do have a Wurundry tattooed.
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Oh, cool.
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And and back in my day we called them tramp stamps on your lower back.
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Um, and there's a lot of Wurundry people, and ours that still think that's hilarious that I have that tattooed on my lower back.
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Um, but that's what I thought up until you know my early 20s, until I wanted to really start digging into I want to know what my family tree looks like.
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I want to know who sits where and and and what's what.
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And I'd be started to become more of a person who wanted to know more about culture than history.
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Yeah.
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So without that real defining moment of a family tree, I couldn't really discover that myself.
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Um, so after a lot of tracking, Fanetta wasn't Warundry, obviously.
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Despite the tattoo or pre-tatry, obviously.
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Um but you know, all this other beautiful stuff started to come out.
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And you know, I'm I'm closer to my Warundry family, like Auntie Joy and Stacy and Uncle Colin and all those people, you know, just as much now as I was then.
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Um then I I found this Gun Eye Kerneye side that was so brand new and fresh, and started finding all these people that I grew up with and been friends with for so long turn out to be cousins and aunties and uncles and nephews and nieces, and and your family tree just grows from there.
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So I mean it's you know, I'm 35 and I'm still learning a lot about my history and and who I am.
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There's it all there's actually a revelation came out the other day, which I'm definitely not going to talk about publicly.
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It's a bit embarrassing, but some interesting stuff.
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So I I I have a a certain person in my family that was a bit of a um bit of a stud, and we found some more family from back in the day we didn't know existed.
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Married up a few ways.
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Oh, I wouldn't say married up and kind of maybe hanging out with the married up and then getting kicked out of the local town.
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Okay, say no more fam.
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Yes, so the family tree's continually growing, but you know, finding connections to people that I already knew, you know, I I found that connection through through the Thorpe family, and and I I'm related to all the Thorps and the Hoods and the Greens and the Peppers, and it was like all these amazing families and beautiful names and beautiful people that I grew up knowing, and they all started to become such more of a closer connection.
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So I'm I'm very blessed uh and proud to be where I'm from and who I am, and and ever since finding that information out in my early 20s, they've been nothing but open-armed and took me in and showed me the ropes and connect with family.
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So it was yeah, that was an amazing little journey.
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But where I grew up, I unfortunately grew up in a very backwards little town where if you saw anyone that even had a tan, it was quite unusual.
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So for me being, and I hate using the word fair skinned, but me being a uh a little fair-skinned 13-year-old walking into an all-white school going, hey, I'm black, didn't didn't really go down that great.
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So I've I've definitely been one person that that has identified with a lot of struggle in that sense, even though I don't have, you know, I guess what you would call the your your markings of someone that would be picked out of a crowd as as an Aboriginal person, but I've definitely had to fight for my place and who I am.
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Um, you know, I was I was um even just little things like I was suspended in grade six for being a compulsive liar, telling people I was Aboriginal.
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Wow.
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Um I remember in high school, I actually just told this story to a mate of mine, and apologies for the little bit of language, but I think it's I think it's relevant for it.
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But uh I was in art class one day and and uh someone turned around and said, I see you're raccoon.
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And I'm like, excuse me, that's all if you want to be one, we'll treat you like one.
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So they painted me head to toe in black paint and uh locked me in a locker and kicked and booted it in.
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So I've definitely fought for my place on this earth when it comes to my Aboriginality.
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It's not something that I wanted to, it's something I want to have, but it's not something I chose, it's something I was and is.
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And you know, when you talk to people about Aboriginality and and you know the the wants and needs, it's not a wants and need, it's a connection, it's who it's just who you are as a human being.
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And and I've definitely had my fair share of um biting tooth and nail to claim that title.
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So yeah, I I definitely uh yeah, I consider myself lucky that I was given that I had to go through the the shit and the hard yards to to have it, but I wouldn't change the thing.
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So I'm very, very proud, man.
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Yeah, thank you, bras.
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Thanks for sharing that.
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I mean, firstly, I'm just so sorry you had to experience that stuff.
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I mean, if you think back, I mean, I don't know how old you are, maybe around the same age as me, but it was pretty brutal growing up, being a black follower back in the day.
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Like this is like pre being so cool and and trendy nowadays.
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But yeah, it was difficult growing up.
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And I'm sorry to hear that you went through that.
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But it it does, it does make sense of, you know, how you've come to be.
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And yeah, thanks for sharing the story about your journey.
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I think a lot of people don't fully understand what that journey of reconnecting back and forward and it's not linear, family isn't nuclear.
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It looks really different and really yeah, it looks very vibrant for us.
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It's not just the nuclear.
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And so it's cool to hear you hear you share that.
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I think I was with um a sister, I was with actually with Mariki the other week and Lou Yarning.
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I think there's like, I don't know, don't quote me on this and don't revoke my black car demo, but I think there's like 500,000 black followers in Australia, something to that effect.
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And so we're like a really small population, but we've got big impact and big oh yeah, big influence, big opportunity, like you know, we're just big personalities, but we are such a small community, so you know, going back through and and reconnecting, you uncover so much because we are such a small, small population.
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So because it's it's quality, not quantity.
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Yeah.
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If you look at our community, that's a great way of saying that.
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We have some of the most amazing minds, generations, family groups, stories, history, sophisticated, activists, warriors, big mouths, small mouths.
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We we have in our little community, we have more of that than any other community in the world, as far as I'm concerned.
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We have more quality than quantity when it comes to communities.
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Yeah.
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Well, I mean, like our whole ability to survive has been predicated on our ability to adapt and work together as people, which makes us so fucking like for me, it's always so sophisticated and nuanced.
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Like, yeah, you know, even Morundry Mob, they were, you know, totally decimated down to you know, such a small percentage.
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And and now we we really do stand on the shoulders of so many giants, and we are out here and we are proud, and it's a beautiful thing.
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Yeah, thank you so much for sharing about that, bros.
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Look, we um we put a call out to our listeners, um, as we do with um all of our guests, and there was heaps of questions that actually came through about kind of three areas.
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One is around, you know, people are really keen to hear about your journey into music, as am I, mental health and and self-care, which I think is a truly beautiful thing because I know that you are pretty open and vulnerable and and share about that stuff, which um is really cool.
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But before we go into that, I'm gonna be a bit of an Arnie Doris here and ask a question that I've been wanting to get off my chest.
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Okay.
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And it's about Splendor, believe it or not.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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You know, obviously the art scene in Australia has been totally decimated, and and you mob would have been gearing up for Splendor, and then it was cancelled.
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What was can you describe to me what the vibe was like when you found out from festival organizers that it was cancelled?
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And what did your mob do?
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I've been dying to ask.
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All right, I'll I'll I'll give you the real story.
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Okay, the real story who we got it here first.
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So we were we left the hotel, we're in the van.
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Yeah, so we took two vans, and I was in the van with with Danzel or Baker Boy, it's his real name.
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Vibes were high, high, high, high.
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We've been booked for Splendor three years in a row, and it got cancelled every time because of COVID.
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Now, the first time and the last time we played Splendor was year two of Baker Boy's existence.
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Right.
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This is before the album, the production, this is before everything.
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We didn't even have a crew, we had no sound guys, we had nothing.
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We literally rolled in with bare bones shit like a real band and just worked it out when we got there.
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Wow.
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What year are we talking then?
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Like I wanna say it was 2018.
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Yeah, right.
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2018, maybe.
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So to go from that then to having spending, well, me myself weeks, but our production crew months and months and months and months and months on this massive show.
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Like the show was ridiculous.
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Then we had things like Bernard Fanning was gonna come in and do a song with us.
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We had all this stuff lined up, so it was high.
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Me and Danza were like, we're finally here, we're finally doing it, we're back.
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This is gonna be the real kickoff.
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And we're playing the amphitheater.
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So for people who don't know what the amphitheater is, the last time we played Splendor, the headliner at the amphitheater was Kendrick Lamar.
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What?
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Just to give you just to give you a bit of an idea.
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Just just to give you an idea of how important the amphitheater is.
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And the headliner for our night was the gorillas.
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Right.
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Now, obviously, all the rest of the guys are a bit younger than me, so I was probably more excited about the crew than anyone else.
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No, I was probably the most excited about, but we got there, vibes were high, and it's like every tour where you walk in, you start seeing all these beautiful people you only get to see on two, all the photographers, the crew, the artists, and it was like we're home.
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After having all these yarns, I walked up on stage, we start setting up, and Youngblood's crew was setting up behind us.
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And we're all getting set up, we're ready to go.
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I literally just positioned my kit on the riser, and it was time to pull my cymbals out.
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I opened my cymbal bag, and there's a guy that was stage managing Splinter that's that's stage managed a heap of festivals that were playing, and he's run over, he's going, Benny, just stop for a second.
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I'm like, What do you mean?
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He goes, just give me five minutes.
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And at this point, I'm starting to shake a little bit.
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My gut's dry.
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I'm looking at Toby, our musical director, going, What's going on?
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And Toby's freaking out on the radio, going, What's going on?
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And then we hear Youngblood's tour manager behind us, uh, not even three minutes later, going, That's it, fuck it, pack the truck, we're going home.
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So our crew's kind of like turn around, like, what do you mean, pack up?
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Like, he goes, Did you not hear me?
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Pack up, confirms.
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Linda's done, we're going.
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Wow.
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So you're like literally on the stage about it.
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Adam Newfield, which is a good mate of ours.
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He's he plays guitar for Ruby Fields, and he's got his own little solo thing going on.
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So you want unearthed.
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So he'd set up.
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So he was playing, and it was like a two-hour gap, and then we went on as the like the first book fan for the the show, and then Youngblood was after us.
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So we kind of had this thing where it's like, if we don't pull the people, Youngblood's gonna pull the people.
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So we're in a pretty good position to have a packed out show.
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We're in a really good position, yeah.
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Found that out.
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The first thing I remember is our our monitor guy Ryan screaming, fuck at the top of his lungs, and he kicked my drum riser and walked off.
00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:28.000
Toby just kind of stood there and looked into nothing, and I just sat on my riser and looked out into this empty amphitheater, like it was so close, like so, so, so close.
00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.039
Wow.
00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:35.839
So we sat there for 10 minutes and collected our thoughts because literally no one knew except for us on stage.
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:39.119
Wow, no one off stage knew that it was done.
00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:41.839
So we're like, well, let's pack up.
00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:49.839
So I just grabbed the little bits off the kit that were mine that I haven't set up yet and walked back to the tent.
00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:56.720
And I saw a good mate of mine, he's a photographer, and we actually met him when we played with Grooving the Moose.
00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.359
He's portrait with a man's main photographer.
00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:02.079
And he kind of looked at me and goes, That was a quick setup.
00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:03.519
He goes, Why have you got all your gear?
00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:04.960
I'm like, it's done, man.
00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:05.759
We're done.
00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:07.119
He goes, What do you mean, done?
00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.640
I'm like, they've just canned it.
00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:09.680
Because they have not.
00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:11.359
I'm like, dude, they've just canned it.
00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:12.880
I don't know what to do.
00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:20.000
So we walk back to the the dressing room and I grabbed Dan's arm, like, D, we need to find a venue.
00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:21.680
I'm an old punk rock kid.
00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:22.559
I'm ready to go.
00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:22.880
Yeah.
00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:27.279
You've rehearsed, you've got all of this like G'd up.
00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:29.039
You're on the stage, you're ready to go.
00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:31.759
Like, I'm like, let's I'm like, D, let's find a venue.
00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:36.480
And Danzo kind of laughed it off like I was joking, like, oh yeah, nah, wouldn't that be really cool?
00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:38.319
I'm like, no, I'm I'm serious.
00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.759
Find a venue.
00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:46.160
Then we found out that our our tour manager at the time, her husband was one of the production managers at Beach Hotel.
00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:48.799
So we're like, let's get on this shit.
00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:54.720
So our our crew, our our front of house, our MD, our lighting guy, and our our monitors guy.
00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:59.359
So two Tobies, Ryan and Annate, they turn that show around in four hours.
00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:00.160
Wow.
00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:02.960
They are the most amazing crew ever.
00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:12.000
So what people are like just ringing up hotels and like trying to get you a spot somewhere locally in Byron at that point.
00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:20.400
No, so we'll after having conversations out to a manager's husband, is the production manager at the Beach Hotel in Byron Bay, and we're like, let's get it.
00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:21.519
Like that's that's ours.
00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:23.359
Let's quickly snag it up.
00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:34.720
So she made the call, and then our our crew production crew went out just to make sure that you know they have enough lines to plug everything in, the venue's right, PA's good, the lighting rig's okay.
00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:36.960
Just make sure everything's actually gonna work.
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:47.599
And then when we got the green light, we got in the van, we sped down there, and it was a bit, it was a bit of a weird one because when we walked in, people must have gone, Splendor's canceled, let's just go to the pub.
00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:50.000
It's an 800-cap venue.
00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:54.319
We walked into maybe 800 people lined up out the front, and it was just the weirdest thing.
00:20:54.640 --> 00:21:01.279
We walked in, all these people started clapping, and we're like, It was like Baker Boy's here to save the day.
00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:05.839
I was gonna say, yeah, Baker Boy and his crew are here to like save the day.
00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:10.559
Yeah, and then Danzel turned around and goes, wouldn't they be pissed if we just ordered a Palmer and went home?
00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.960
We're here, we're gonna play the show.
00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:15.920
So we set up.
00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:21.200
Um, Toby OMD rang Bernard Fanning and said, Look, we found a new venue, you far.
00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:22.960
He goes, It doesn't matter, where is it?
00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:26.400
He grabbed his guitar, ran down, and the rest is history.
00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:29.039
We played that packed out beach hotel.
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:37.839
It was overflown by way too many people on the street, and it was probably one of the best shows, most fun shows I've ever played.
00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:38.640
Wow.
00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:44.480
And what was it totally like a free gig for people who just kind of free gig first in best dress?
00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:46.559
That is so sick.
00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:47.519
Like what a night.
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:51.039
Wow, what a cool story.
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.319
What a cool story.
00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:59.440
I love that you mob didn't even contemplate like stopping, you know, just get a new venue, get yeah, get together.
00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:01.119
And I love that.
00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:03.279
They always say the main venues.
00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:03.839
Yeah.
00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.960
Like, you know, they always say the best nights are ones that aren't planned.
00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:13.119
Imagine just like casually being at the pub and then Denzel, his crew play you a free show.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:14.640
Just rock up and roll.
00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:14.960
Yeah.
00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:16.640
That is so sick.
00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:20.400
Yeah, because we got one venue and Youngblood got the other venue.
00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.279
Wow.
00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:25.680
And what was the vibe like for you guys to sort of like pull that together?
00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:27.519
Was it just super surreal?
00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.000
Look, again, I got to give credit to the two Tobies, Ryan and Nate.
00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:33.920
They did all the hard work.
00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:35.519
They did all the hard yards.
00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:41.039
We just kind of sat around and and hoped and prayed that it was going to work and we're going to be there.
00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:49.119
Um, yeah, they they turned that show around and and again they're the those four are just some of the most amazing crew, and our tour manager and everyone else involved.
00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:52.400
It was just, I can't believe they they pulled that off.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.559
I mean, we we just turned up and played.
00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:56.160
We just turned up, set up and played.
00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:57.920
Then Mob pulled the whole thing together.
00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:00.960
So yeah, very, very, very blessed to have this crew around us.
00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:01.599
I love that.
00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:04.559
Sounds like everyone needs a two Toby in mate deal.
00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:05.359
Oh, 100%.
00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:06.880
And Orion, you can't forget about it.
00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:08.480
And Orion and Orion.
00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.759
I can't forget that.
00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:10.720
100%.
00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.480
Wow, how cool.
00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.599
Thank you for sharing that.
00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:14.319
I've been dying.
00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:18.559
Obviously, we were we we were following along and just thinking what's gonna happen next.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:26.559
Because yeah, I mean, it was so sad to sort of see that Mother Nature had different plans that day, but that it wasn't gonna stop you all.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:29.759
No, no, she has not been happy.
00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:33.839
But I guess, you know, uh a follow-up question, if I may.
00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:40.079
I mean, it's probably up there with one of the most sporadic things that has happened to you while on tour.
00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:44.960
But, you know, is there any other crazy things that have happened on tour that you can share?
00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:45.359
Yes.
00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:47.519
Hello, we have 45 minutes.
00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:52.160
We could just spend all night talking about things that have happened on tour.
00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.920
Auntie Girl don't get out.
00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:59.839
So I I've I've slept in some of the most horrible places ever.
00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:05.200
I've gone days, sometimes a week or two without a shower and food.
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:12.000
Um the the whole like rock and roll lifestyle is not all it's wrapped up to be.
00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:12.640
Yeah.
00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:21.279
Um, I mean, you think like I I get questions especially from from youngins about what it's like to be on tour, and it's you know, it's it's booze, drugs, and girls.
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.799
That's yeah, that's what tour is.
00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:26.079
God no, not even close.
00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:26.799
Yeah.
00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:29.920
I I roll into sound check, so we usually get to a venue.
00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:33.759
I'll piss off with my camera for a couple hours before we go to sound check.
00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:35.680
We do sound check, we still haven't slept.
00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:37.920
Well, then we're too tired to get food.
00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:39.440
By the time we wake up, it's too late.
00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:42.960
We get to the show, we play, then we pack down.
00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:47.440
Sometimes we stay in the same place, sometimes we're on a plane straight out to the next place.
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:54.559
Um, and if I have the opportunity, like as soon as my last drum goes in the case, I'm already in bed.
00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:57.359
Yeah, I'm gone and done.
00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:03.680
I've had my days of partying and clubbing and going out as as and it's a job, right?
00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:06.400
Like you can't be like fully trash, like rocking up.
00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:10.880
I'm sure you could have done that, you know, maybe when we're younger and have all this stamina and all that.
00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:14.799
But at the end of the day, like it's your profession and it would be so exhausting.
00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:18.319
I mean, even traveling can suck for work, but yeah, you're right.
00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:20.640
Like, it's not always super glamorous.
00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:22.079
Yeah, interesting.
00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:25.920
We wouldn't give it up, but it's not as glamorous as people think it is.
00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:27.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:34.240
It's it's probably more fun than what people think it is, but you do have to get over the you know, shitty servo food.
00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:36.000
I mean, being with Danzel is a little bit easier.
00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:42.000
We get to fly and we get a combination of bits and pieces, but you know, I've I've been with Danzel for five years.
00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:44.319
I've been touring for just over 20.
00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:45.519
Yeah, wow.
00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:48.720
So hasn't hasn't always been that easy.
00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.359
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:56.559
I think it would make it all the more sweeter if you've got like is like a good crew around you and people got that sense of camaraderie.
00:25:56.640 --> 00:26:04.880
But if you want comfort or yeah, if you're like you like your routine and your structure, I imagine you'd have to kind of let some of that go.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:07.119
Interesting.
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:10.000
I'm keen to understand when did you start?
00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:15.519
When did you choose mute music and what was the journey that led you to to music?
00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:21.920
Yeah, so I I I've told this story a couple of times, and this is my musician creation story.
00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:33.599
Oh so when when I was a kid, my bet in primary school, my best mate had a motorbike, and I hated motorbikes, but my best mate had one, so I had to have one too.
00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:45.039
Now, we didn't grow up in the richest part of town, we didn't, you know, but my my mum and dad uh are the most amazing people in the world, but you know, we're we're you know, your normal average everyday family.
00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:50.240
We we didn't have all the trimmings and bits and pieces, but we all loved each other and we did our thing.
00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:56.480
So one day dad was able to buy me a little Pee Wee 80, this little white Yamaha thing.
00:26:56.559 --> 00:27:01.119
And one day I was down Philippine in a motorbike track and I got attacked by a dog.
00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:04.000
And I had this dog chase me around the track.
00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:11.519
It was the scariest thing I'd ever been at uh well, probably not the scariest, but it it shook me, and I didn't want to touch the motorbike.
00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:18.160
I related the motorbike to the dog and didn't want a bar of it, and I loved music, absolutely loved music.
00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:23.119
I've had two very different three very different styles of influence.
00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:27.440
I mean, my nan very much raised me on Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly and B.
00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:27.680
B.
00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:30.799
King and all those real classic artists.
00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:35.359
Mum was very ABBA, which I never got into and never will.
00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:38.720
But there was that Fleetwood Mac and that kind of stuff.
00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:45.920
And dad was a punk kid, dad was Sex Pistols, Clash, Blondie, Bowie, you know, and not the Bowie people know today.
00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:51.599
I mean like CD GB's Bowie, um, you know, the Ramones, all those sort of bands.
00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:55.680
That's Sex Pistols is it's it's still to this day one of my all-time favorite bands.
00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:58.400
And this is when the whole new metal scene started to come out.
00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:02.480
So Limp Biscuit and Corn and all these bands started to get up.
00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:05.039
And for some reason I asked my dad for a drum kit.
00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:07.039
Wow, were they like, hell no?
00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:10.960
Or were they like quite happy to oblige with that sort of music?
00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:12.400
It sounds like they must have.
00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:14.160
So here's the kicker.
00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:17.519
I I have really bad diagnosed ADHD.
00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.079
Right.
00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:26.640
And I I tend to, depending on what it is, I tend to pick up projects and and get bored with them if I can't complete them in a certain time.
00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:31.279
So mum and dad are like, he's good six months and he's gonna want to sell it for something else.
00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:36.160
27 years later, I'm sitting on this podcast with you talking about my drumming.
00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:40.720
Wow, wow, how crazy is that?
00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:50.559
I mean, most parents wouldn't oblige to be like, yeah, sure, have a drum kit, like you know, so it's pretty bold and brave of them, and what an eclectic kind of music.
00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:52.880
Were they into music themselves?
00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.839
Very much so.
00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:55.519
Dad was a big music person.
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:08.400
Um, we have other family that you know had had worked in the music industry and bits and pieces in the music, but you know, uh uh my mum, my dad, and my nan's influences were were huge on me, you know.
00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:11.920
Mum with that, I guess, especially like your fleet with Max and that kind of stuff.
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:15.759
And again, I'll never claim ABBA, I'll take that shit to my grave.
00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:24.960
Um, but you know, dad had that again, that pistols and and that kind of real edgy punk rock political, you know, angsty music.
00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:32.640
And you know, Nan would chill me out with that Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly and Biba King and Ray Charles and that kind of era music.
00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:46.480
And I think that's why my tasting music now is so varied, because I can sit and listen to to Ray Charles and and and Johnny Cash on a good day, and then go and listen to stupidly heavy, you know, cannibal corpse and morbid angel.
00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:53.599
I have, you know, I have those two very separate, but punk rock has always is has always been my love.
00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:55.920
It's always been my my biggest thing.
00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:04.880
And even in that growing as a person, like as as Aboriginal people, we tend to grow up in a very political environment, we tend to know our environment very quickly.
00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:13.440
And my passion and my first real openness of being shown politics was sex pistols, never mind the bollocks.
00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:18.720
That album was the one that showed me that you know, um, God save the queen.
00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:39.039
Just because there's a queen doesn't mean you need to like her, and there's reasons why we don't like her, and there's reasons there's all these all these scenarios, and then you know, the 90s punk scene coming out found no effects and Pennywise and Rancid and propagandi and all these political punk bands, and it's like, but then I identified that and my black side of my family, and I identified them together.
00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:51.680
And yeah, there are a bunch of white fellas with guitar singing about politics, but I identified that as a young man that that had that political side, and that kind of grew and molded me into you know who I am now.
00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:53.279
Yeah, totally.
00:30:53.440 --> 00:31:11.440
It's interesting because yeah, behind every revolution, the backdrop, there is some some music that has kind of like moved the people of that time to yeah, like question the authority and question the anti-establishment, and it's kind of like buried in these lyrics, but they speak to that.
00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:12.880
You're so right, yeah.
00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:17.119
And then Rage Against the Machine come out, and it was like the whole game changed, like that's it.
00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:18.480
Yeah, we're we're done.
00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:23.440
Rage against the machine just killed everybody when it comes to political heavy punk music.
00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:25.359
Yeah, totally.
00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:31.519
Well, I mean, do you remember the first song that you like kind of learned on the drums?
00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:37.759
Do you did you have like a a track that yeah, you you recall learning and vibing out at that age?
00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:38.559
Yeah.
00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:44.640
Uh the first song I learned on drums was Red Hot Chili Peppers Under the Bridge.
00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:46.160
Oh, classic, classic.
00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:50.720
The first song I learned because it was well, I thought it was really easy.
00:31:50.880 --> 00:31:55.920
Yeah, um, it's not now, it's kind of like it's funny when I was playing when I was a kid, it's like it sounds really easy.
00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:00.559
Now I listen to it as an adult, it's like that's not easy at all, and I was playing it so wrong.
00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:08.640
But yeah, Red Hot Chili Peppers Under the Bridge was the first song I learned because my cousin at the time was learning guitar, and that's the only song he could play on guitar.
00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:12.000
So that's the only song I was able to jam with someone on.
00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:13.519
So that was the first song I learned.
00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:21.039
Yeah, it's like the classic kind of smoke underwater sort of guitar song, but way cooler than smoke on the water.
00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:23.680
Oh, how cool.
00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:30.960
And I mean, to think back, so you said 27 years, how would you say that your sound has evolved like now?
00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:40.799
What sort of how would you describe your sort of current style in yeah, working with Gen Zell and um working with Dallas Woods and chasing ghosts?
00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:44.319
Like, how would you describe your music now?
00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.200
Well, it's funny.
00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:52.480
I and I and it it's funny you bring that up actually, because I had so my first band, I would have been 12 or 13.
00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:56.000
And two of those members are still my best friends to this day.
00:32:56.160 --> 00:32:57.680
We still hang out all the time.
00:32:57.759 --> 00:33:02.640
So they're they're my two closest friends, and one of them was my bass player, Kobe.
00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.960
Yes, I'm gonna name you, asshole.
00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:09.359
About 10 years ago, he about 10 years ago, he was starting a business.
00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:15.039
He's now one of the biggest printers, like as in clothing in the country, and he stole my laptop to start his business.
00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:17.519
Broken in my house to stole my laptop, right?
00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:19.920
Sound like a real entrepreneur.
00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:23.759
Oh, he what hey, he's he's got a great business, he's feeding his family with it now.
00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:24.799
No complaint.
00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:27.119
But I only got that laptop back a couple days ago.
00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:35.119
True god, on that laptop is around 300 photos that no one else has of our first ever band.
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:37.279
Wow, what was the band's name?
00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:38.799
It was called Defect.
00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:41.200
Defect with it with a D.
00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:42.319
With a D.
00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:42.720
Yeah.
00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:45.440
But it was defect because we're all a little bit defected.
00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:46.720
We all have something wrong with us.
00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:49.039
So it was like that imperfectly perfect type thing.
00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:49.759
I like it.
00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:55.200
Um, and I mean we were 13, we had no idea, we just thought it was cool, let's be honest.
00:33:55.519 --> 00:34:03.759
But I was play, but again, that was in that new metal era, so Limp Biscuit and Lincoln Park, and so we were a lot heavier than those guys were.
00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:08.159
Um, so we started, it was like a little metal core death metal band, right?
00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:14.800
Um, so to go from all that death metal, whatever else, and I've always played heavy and punk music forever.
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:22.079
Yeah, um, there was some instances through my career that I played for Young Warriors for a little bit, uh, played for Maricky Hood for a little bit.
00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:24.960
Um, so I've always done little bits and pieces, you know.
00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:27.679
In community, there's not a whole lot of metal heads.
00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:32.639
So if you want to play with community and your family, it's like kind of have to play.
00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:34.800
And back then it was very much hip-hop and RB.
00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:37.840
Yeah, it's all coming back now.
00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:40.400
Yeah, yeah, it's all coming back again.
00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:46.719
But that that though, all those old rock and roll fellas, they're they're you know, they weren't touring it on the scene.
00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:58.079
I mean, you had all your colored stone and you got the indie and that, but my era within the black community was very RB and hip-hop, so I had to play RB hip-hop if I wanted to play Share the Spirit and all those festivals back in the day.
00:34:58.239 --> 00:35:09.599
But that definitely led me up to what I'm doing now, and you know, to get a little bit more technical, like that new metal era of of heavy music was very hip-hop influenced and orientated.
00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:18.079
So the way I played drums in those bands and certain little techniques and things that I did is very much hip-hop and gospel drumming.
00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:30.239
So it didn't take a lot for me to move from Lib Biscuit to to ice cube because the the patterns and the beats and the grooves and the melodies were all very similar, just one was heavy and one wasn't.
00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:37.280
Um so I think growing up in that generation of music very much helped me to blend into to doing hip-hop.
00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:44.639
And then now I I'm at the age where I'll play almost anything just for the experience of being able to just give it a go.
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.000
Yeah, I love that.
00:35:46.159 --> 00:36:01.199
I mean, from 13-year-old defect to kind of working with mob and and now, you know, working with Baker Boy, which has a huge like, you know, following and has made such a big impact, especially in the black music scene as well.
00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:04.159
Like it's is super cool and and impressive.
00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:10.800
And it's cool to hear your kind of evolution of your journey in this and how you've just stuck to it.
00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:17.360
I mean, how did you then connect with Denzel and start to to jam with him?
00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:19.360
Like, how did that kind of come about?
00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:21.360
So that was an interesting one.
00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:25.440
So I was I just finished up with playing with Philly.
00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:30.480
So Philly was taking a bit of a break and he he kind of wasn't doing music for a little bit.
00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:34.320
And that kind of crew back in the day was like myself, Philly.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:45.679
Um, you had Neil, which is now Dreaming Now, I had Adrian Eagle, Kyete, like this was all, you know, Mars, who was a DJ, all these people that were involved in in these projects and had their own little bits outside of.
00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:52.400
So when Philly took a bit of a break, I was doing a little bit with Adrian Eagle and doing a bit with some other artists.
00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:58.159
Now, the guy that was producing Adrian Eagle was also working with Danzel on his first couple of tracks.
00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:07.840
So when Danzel was had got offered his first two shows, they were like, Okay, so we need to get you a DJ, because that's what hip hop artists have.
00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:08.880
They have a DJ.
00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:12.800
And Danzel's like, I don't want a DJ, I want I want a drummer.
00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:16.719
And they're like, But a drummer makes no sense without a band or a DJ.
00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:20.960
And he's like, Well, up from where I'm from, drummers are the shit.
00:37:21.119 --> 00:37:23.599
Like, you need to have a drummer, but he has to be black.
00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:24.719
I want a black drummer.
00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:27.920
Of course, everyone's in there, like, black drummer, where are we gonna find a black drummer from?
00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:29.360
Like, we don't know anyone.
00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:34.000
Yeah, and Tara was there and was like, funny enough, I know a black drummer.
00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:37.760
Like, dude, like he's actually in one of the other studios with Adrian.
00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:45.599
So pass my details to Dion Brownfield, who used to run Indigenous hip hop projects when they were around back in the day.
00:37:45.760 --> 00:37:48.480
And Dion hit me up and he was like, Well, you don't know me.
00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:51.599
I work with this kid named Danzo or Baker Boy.
00:37:51.679 --> 00:37:53.280
Would you be interested in playing drums for him?
00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:55.760
He's just gone viral with Cloud Nine.
00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:58.719
And that was when I was on NITV, it was still kind of very small.
00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:00.079
We hadn't played a show yet.
00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:02.159
And I'm like, send me a track, I'll have a listen.
00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:03.119
And he's like, All right, then.
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:04.320
And they sent me Cloud Nine.
00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:13.599
You want to be as good as me, boy, better practice.
00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:18.400
And I've actually never spoken about this public, but I I T stands up for it all the time.
00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:22.880
I listened to the track and just went, nah, no, it's not really loving.
00:38:23.199 --> 00:38:24.639
It's like not really for me.
00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:27.599
I'm like, good luck to the kids, all really cool.
00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:31.280
Um, I said, can you send me anything else that might change my mind?
00:38:31.519 --> 00:38:33.119
Like, what's something new you're working on?
00:38:33.199 --> 00:38:34.400
Like, give me something new.
00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:38.079
Because at this point, I just left quite a big band that I was in.
00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:47.360
We'd just done um, you know, done an album in in America and done some big tours, and I um unfortunately had a big fall, a very public falling out with that band.
00:38:47.679 --> 00:38:49.840
Um, so I was pretty done with music for the time being.
00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:51.039
So I was very picky.
00:38:51.280 --> 00:38:51.760
Yeah.
00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:54.559
Then Dion sent me Muddy Una.
00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:57.280
I'm a proud black boy with the killer boy.
00:38:57.440 --> 00:38:59.280
Listen to the year, listen to it, blow.
00:39:04.719 --> 00:39:05.920
And black magic.
00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:07.760
Black magic.
00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:09.519
Either you do or don't have it.
00:39:09.679 --> 00:39:12.159
Yo, black and gifted, talking the whole package.
00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:14.719
Magic, magic, black man, what acts.
00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.639
And he's like, Black magic.
00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:18.639
This other guy's name's Dallas Woods.
00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:20.880
This is kind of the first song he's ever sung on.
00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:22.320
And this is Muddy Una.
00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:24.400
This is a song that we're working on at the moment.
00:39:24.719 --> 00:39:29.920
I think I got about, I want to say 30 seconds into black magic.
00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.360
And I rank down back.
00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:32.960
I'm like, where do you want me?
00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:33.840
Wow.
00:39:34.159 --> 00:39:35.360
You just knew at that point.
00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:40.800
And good on you for being honest, though, and expressing what you know you were after as an artist as well.
00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:41.760
You know, yeah.
00:39:42.400 --> 00:39:43.039
Where do you want me?
00:39:43.119 --> 00:39:44.400
How are we gonna put this together?
00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:45.199
Where's the rest of the band?
00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:45.760
What are we doing?
00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:48.960
He's like, we don't have a band, we've got a drummer, and that's all Denzel wants.
00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:49.679
Wow.
00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:53.280
So it's literally just you and Denzel at that point.
00:39:53.599 --> 00:39:57.679
So funny enough, I found footage on that lap on a on a laptop the other day.
00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:01.039
So it started with me, Danzel, and an iPod.
00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:02.400
Wow.
00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:13.840
So I wear what's called IEMs or in e monitors, so they're kind of like headphones that are attached to a usually a wireless pack, and your sound guys can kind of send to you whatever you need to hear while you're playing.
00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:15.920
I had an iPod or an iPad.
00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:18.880
God, so so 2000s, the iPod, isn't it?
00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:29.280
I had a I had a splitter cable, so I put it into the headphone jack, and one jack would go to front of house to the audio guy, and one jack would go into my ears.
00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:30.000
Wow.
00:40:30.239 --> 00:40:36.000
And because it had to be at full volume, I had everything at full volume because front of house needed a full volume.
00:40:36.239 --> 00:40:45.039
So it started me, Danzo on an iPad, and we had Dallas and Kean come in for um for the first couple of shows.
00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:51.840
Now Dallas, I mean, if you're a black father, you don't know who Dallas is, you need to get on Spotify right now and look him up.
00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:55.519
And Kian, who's now had his own success with his solo career.
00:40:55.760 --> 00:41:09.119
Yeah, and like also, I mean, all those fellas that you just rattled off, like Adrian Eagle and Keanu, and they're all killing it, you know, they're all triple J Unearthed, Like a Virgin, you know, they're all doing such amazing things.
00:41:09.280 --> 00:41:25.280
But how cool to hear that you were like part of this early formation of what has come to be Baker Boy, who just played like the Commonwealth games, and but also to like what a nice reminder to not let the perfect get in the way.
00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:34.480
I think sometimes we wait for everything to just be fully perfect, and we also look at people's success, I think, and just expect like to be there.
00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:48.320
But it's really this journey of like coming together and trying and trialing and developing that craft, that relationship, and you know, like going through that clumsy phase at first, yeah.
00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:57.440
I mean, I spent years playing shows to my parents, yeah, and the other band members' parents, and we would travel stupid distances.
00:41:57.599 --> 00:42:05.199
I I was telling the story the other day where I so I I used to live in that same town that that I'd lived in all those years ago and grew up in.
00:42:05.360 --> 00:42:07.679
But if we had a show in the city, we're all underage.
00:42:07.840 --> 00:42:17.360
So we me and my singer Sharpie, we used to carry my drum kit from my house to the bus stop, catch the bus to the train, the train to the city, and then walk all my shit to the venue.
00:42:17.519 --> 00:42:17.920
Yeah.
00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:22.639
And then at 12 o'clock at night have to try and find a way home if dad wasn't around.
00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:27.039
Otherwise, dad was the a number one roadie and would drive us around everywhere.
00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:31.599
It's crazy like the the old foot falcon and how you just walk around.
00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:35.920
I mean, not carting drums and things, but yeah, that's crazy.
00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:37.599
It's so interesting to hear.
00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:43.679
Do I mean was being a musician slash drummer in the crystal ball for you?
00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:46.800
At what point were you like, okay, I'm gonna pursue this now?
00:42:46.960 --> 00:42:51.519
Like, this is actually something that I really want to do with my life.
00:42:51.760 --> 00:42:53.599
That was all I ever wanted to do.
00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:56.960
Yeah, so never ever wanted to do anything else.
00:42:57.199 --> 00:42:57.840
Yeah.
00:42:58.239 --> 00:43:02.559
Um, you know, I I I've been a youth worker for a very long time as well.
00:43:03.280 --> 00:43:08.320
And you know, I'm very lucky to guess to have a career that I love almost just as much.
00:43:08.639 --> 00:43:14.400
Where if I think I was a if I was a big newser making millions of dollars, I'd probably still be a youth worker somewhere.
00:43:14.639 --> 00:43:14.960
Yeah.
00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:18.639
Um, but yeah, other than that, it was always an itch.
00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:20.079
It was always something that was there.
00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:24.719
Like if I took two months off playing shows, I'd never been more depressed in my life.
00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:29.039
I was like, need to go, need to jam with someone, get back on it, do it.
00:43:29.199 --> 00:43:32.000
Even if it's a job now, it's still a job that I love.
00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:33.039
Yeah.
00:43:33.519 --> 00:43:33.840
Yeah.
00:43:34.079 --> 00:43:39.119
Look, it's so cool to hear you say that because we can have our foot in many camps.
00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:42.400
Like many things make us feel really whole.
00:43:42.960 --> 00:43:46.400
And yeah, I guess, you know, that is maybe a nice little change of pace.
00:43:46.559 --> 00:43:57.360
As much as I love going down like rocker memory lane and just kind of thinking how cool it is that you know, to pick your passion, something you really enjoy and where it's taking you.
00:43:57.519 --> 00:43:59.760
And just I can imagine all the stories.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:12.239
we could we could go on for on on and on and on for maybe over a kappa or uh another day but I I do want to circle to this idea of you know you do work in community and also you know mental health.
00:44:12.400 --> 00:44:13.679
I want to spin a little young.
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:31.679
I think it was maybe in 2020 during like the height of the pandemic where we connected because you gave up your social media platform for a bunch of sisters to talk about issues that were important to us, which, you know, as a I've got four brothers.
00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:33.360
There's six in my family.
00:44:33.519 --> 00:44:35.119
There's two girls, four boys.
00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:39.760
And I was like, man, I've got mad respect for anyone who's giving up their platform.
00:44:39.840 --> 00:44:48.320
But you know, just to see you kind of be so humble on these issues and to give us, you know, your your platform, I just thought, man, mad respect.
00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:56.639
But yeah, I guess I want to sort of just talk a little bit about, you know, the nexus between staying well and your passion and and mental health.
00:44:56.880 --> 00:45:03.119
And you know, it's certainly something that we as people, you know, we are strong and we are staunch.
00:45:03.360 --> 00:45:07.920
And we don't, we're not often always very good at asking for help, I think.
00:45:08.239 --> 00:45:28.960
And so I just want to sort of ask a question for you, which is, you know, firstly, you know, what what practical tips do you find useful to say meant like manage your mental health or self-care when you are on the road and and when you're kind of in this really fast-paced world that we're in, how do you sort of look after yourself, bras?
00:45:29.440 --> 00:45:34.400
So and and and I'll be really honest, I I've never really been good at self-care.
00:45:34.559 --> 00:45:35.280
I'm still not.
00:45:35.440 --> 00:45:39.599
I'm still very much learning and trying to find ways to to do that.
00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:45.440
But I guess with with the the work that I do and you know it's a family business.
00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:47.280
We all do the same type of work.
00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:47.519
Yeah.
00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:57.519
And it was very much some of the hard things in life and some of the things that you see as being you know I've seen some pretty horrible things in in my time.
00:45:58.239 --> 00:46:03.039
It kind of's become part of your normal life or that's just how the world looked and what it was.
00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:11.119
So you didn't really look too much into you know therapy and counseling and yoga like what's this shit?
00:46:11.280 --> 00:46:12.480
Like why?
00:46:13.039 --> 00:46:23.760
And it was very much COVID that forced me to actually look a little bit more in depth into my own mental health.
00:46:24.400 --> 00:46:32.880
I mean youth workers are the most contradicting people in the world were the first people to tell you how to fix your life but the last ones to take it on board and actually do it.
00:46:33.039 --> 00:46:33.360
Yeah.
00:46:34.719 --> 00:46:43.039
So I I had a pretty awful COVID a little bit before that came out of a relationship I became somewhat homeless.
00:46:43.119 --> 00:46:46.320
I lived in a caravan in my mum's backyard.
00:46:47.119 --> 00:46:53.760
So mental health was at all a very very all time low and for me it was it was getting back to basics.
00:46:53.840 --> 00:47:02.639
That's when I started doing solo music again and I started to I've never been good at talking I'm obviously a lot better at now but I was never good at talking about my issues or problems.
00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:31.280
But if you can sing a song to someone and they relate to it and have their own story to it and make someone feel something it actually gets it off my chest and hopefully helps somebody else as well then I got to a point where I wanted to start speaking about it more openly and it wasn't as a I mean at the start people took it the same way as a you know as like an asking for help type thing and I was you know trying to draw attention and it wasn't about that at all.
00:47:31.679 --> 00:47:45.280
It was I thought it was really courageous of you to because we to destigmatize it and to talk about it but also know that you know we don't want to trigger our people but it is bold and we do have to talk about it.
00:47:45.360 --> 00:47:50.559
Like as as black followers we do have a responsibility to talk about being not okay as well.
00:47:50.800 --> 00:47:55.920
So I personally thought it was so bold and courageous of you to to do that.
00:47:56.079 --> 00:48:01.599
And I think you know I I just thought it was an act of courage to champion that issue.
00:48:01.760 --> 00:48:01.920
Yeah.
00:48:02.239 --> 00:48:03.280
Thank you I appreciate that.
00:48:03.360 --> 00:48:18.079
But it was it was very much uh if people can see that and you know a a part of my online identity is is being the drummer for Baker boy and being a professional musician and and this kind of bullshit view of of human life.
00:48:18.320 --> 00:48:20.480
Life looks really good on social media.
00:48:20.719 --> 00:49:05.840
Oh a hundred percent it's the it's the highlight reel of you know the roadie and the guy that doesn't care or the person who yeah it's always the best bits but it's yeah like that ice if I didn't play music I wouldn't have Instagram yeah simple as that yeah but I'm like I don't have a big platform and how can I use that to show and it and it was about having someone that may look a certain way on on Instagram and people might see me and I'd I'd post a photo I'd play in front of 30 000 people last night it's just a normal thing that you know because my life's great none of that bullshit how can I throw a spanner in that and go if I can do that and still feel this way and reach out why can't you do that?
00:49:06.079 --> 00:49:33.599
Yeah why why can't other people reach out and say things and I thought if I can I guess I wanted to lead by example and again very contradictive I'm very good at telling people how to fix their problems but very bad on fixing my own and I I wanted to lead by example but then I tried to find other things in life that I enjoy because I I did realize that music was the only thing I really had and when I lost music I felt like I had nothing.
00:49:33.920 --> 00:50:01.840
So I needed to find a new way to create and a new way to do something I actually hit up a brother man Luke Curry by La Luke and I've always been obsessed with photography and photos and different and and painting and and that's different forms of artwork and Luke supported me and getting my first camera and teaching me how to use it and we linked up and we we actually become really good friends over that time in in COVID talking about cameras.
00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:23.760
Now it's my way and opportunity because I found something else where I can stick my I can be in the middle of a festival run in Sydney and if I'm sick of everyone I just need a bit of mental health I'll put my headphones in I blast some sex pistols and I piss off and take photos of things and try to make things look pretty it's my own way being artistic where I don't have to rely so much on music.
00:50:23.840 --> 00:51:00.960
I don't have to rely on having a studio and writing and touring I can do that whenever I want yeah um and I've been very lucky to have a lot of community across the country kind of support me in in my photography and give me some tips and help me out and black lenses help me out a little bit and you know finding something else and don't let your identity don't let let your social media or your what you're perceived as become your identity don't let that be who you are my identity was you know again as I said at the beginning if you're from community know me as Benny Clark.
00:51:01.119 --> 00:51:04.400
If you're not from community probably know me as Benny Clark a place for baker boy.
00:51:05.039 --> 00:51:08.639
Benny Clark a place for baker boy is not an identity it's not a real person.
00:51:08.719 --> 00:51:16.480
It's not who I am yeah when you see me at the march or at the house service or just wandering around Fitzroy that's that's me.
00:51:17.119 --> 00:51:18.559
That's who I really am.
00:51:18.880 --> 00:51:32.079
So I want to show that on social media more and I want to uh I want my identity to be me and not what these other what what you're you're supposed to be on social media how you're supposed to look the idea of you or whatever.
00:51:32.239 --> 00:52:23.519
Yeah I think it's I think it's really cool thank you so much for sharing that because I hear you about the contradiction about you know when you're uh uh working in this space I was a former counselor I was ironically a drug and alcohol counselor and I was battling my own drug and alcohol problems which you know so it is this kind of weird and I think it's just human nature you know we're really good at you know um seeing issues from outside of ourselves but seldom do we take our own advice but it is kind of cool to hear you be so open and honest about yeah your journey and even how you being honest on that public scale led you to connect with say Luke and and this other part of you through photography and another form of art and expression which might I add you're really good at that as well.
00:52:23.679 --> 00:52:46.800
It's kind of like is there anything you have can't do in that in that toolkit of yours but lots of YouTube but I think it's really cool like I had a phone call with one of my brothers the other day like um and he he had the courage to sort of actually be explicit in asking for help and and let me know that he wasn't coping.
00:52:46.960 --> 00:52:55.119
And you know for a moment there I really didn't know how to respond because you know we're in the business of this but we often don't do it.
00:52:55.280 --> 00:53:24.320
And you know my family I'm very strong and very proud and you know to sit with him in that and try to just be with him in that space and not problem solve or coach or counsel or go into you know just be with him in that emotion and just kind of yeah give the power of him just expressing what he needed to express and just for him to be vocal and asking for that was really, really powerful for me because we do need to get better at saying that we're having a tough time.
00:53:24.559 --> 00:53:29.599
And it does really start in a way with being more vulnerable online.
00:53:30.079 --> 00:53:33.760
And it is such a I hear you about like social media is fake.
00:53:33.920 --> 00:53:42.400
We all know that we all you're living in you know in a complete and utter egotistical land if you think that it isn't.
00:53:42.719 --> 00:53:57.599
But there is like this this weird sort of like paradigm I guess is that oh I feel like I'm trying to consciously create a a very safe community who can have difficult conversations, who can you know express themselves.
00:53:57.760 --> 00:55:11.679
I have people reach out to me all the time and I'm mindful that everything I put up you know I I'm always conscious about how is this going to land, you know, is this going to bring people down is this you know I'm always trying to be very conscious about am I putting up a true and accurate representation of me and I have a responsibility even though you know I'm not a huge follower I don't but I've got a community of people who I kind of work with and so I guess in a very long-winded way I'm trying to say that we can't eradicate social media but we can be a bit more bit more vulnerable a bit more real a bit more authentic online and we kind of have a responsibility to people to do that to show that good and the bad and and all of the the kind of dimensions in between yeah I think a couple of points on on what you've said like when and I I've actually had conversations with other professionals around you know it's it's good to tell people to speak up and talk to people but then how does that person they're speaking to actually react and and and what do they do and how do they you know we we I I don't I talk with someone and trigger warning around suicidal ideation.
00:55:12.239 --> 00:55:27.760
So if someone was to ring and go I feel like ending my life and I don't know what to do how does another person actually react to that like where is the instead of looking at the fucking Kardashians and all the bullshit on TV why aren't we promoting safe talk?
00:55:27.840 --> 00:55:55.760
And why aren't we promoting all these ways to be able to support each other and and do all that sort of stuff and on the other side and the social media realm and speaking of Kardashians and all that bullshit I'm I am a punk rock kid at heart and I hate reality TV and I hate this unattainable image and these standards that get put onto to people through social media everything that I do and have done in life is attainable.
00:55:56.079 --> 00:56:08.639
Yeah everything I never show you anything that is not real I never show you anything yes I get to play Splendor but who says it's a 16 year old cube on my Instagram can't play that too.
00:56:08.880 --> 00:56:10.960
Yeah why can't you do that?
00:56:11.199 --> 00:56:42.239
Yeah it is such a fine line though isn't it because I think you're right in showing that things that are attainable and yeah like not showing this perfect version of yourself and because in some ways that could be so inspiring to the person who's on the other side to be like oh you know what Benny Clark's doing this I can do this and you could be giving somebody a big G up and you don't even know sort of thing sometimes so you don't realize whether you have a hundred followers or a hundred thousand followers you don't know the impact that you're gonna have on that person.
00:56:42.480 --> 00:57:03.679
Yeah you have no idea the top and I I still get told stories and get inboxes and and get people coming to me that shows and tell me things and that just completely blow me away and I had no idea and I still this day have no idea what kind of impact you can have on social media.
00:57:03.840 --> 00:57:42.079
I remember I got a I got a I got relay a story around a kid that has quite far on the spectrum and has Asperger's and is autistic and I found out that this kid watches my drum videos to regulate wow and I was just like what what my shitty little drum covers I do because I'm bored on the weekend and have no friends that actually did so you just don't know what what's what everything you put up and everything you say yeah everything you do and represent is going to have an impact in some way.
00:57:42.239 --> 00:57:50.880
Yeah doesn't mean you can't be fancy and show your cool holiday and be cool for a little bit that's perfectly fine like live your life and do your thing.
00:57:51.039 --> 00:58:00.480
Yeah but if you're gonna get on some high horse shit just remember that everything is going to have some form of impact on another human being social media is so powerful.
00:58:00.800 --> 00:58:07.280
It really is it really is and I don't even really think as human beings we fully understand that.
00:58:07.519 --> 00:58:11.760
No and I think I mean I wish there was a nice neat answer with it.
00:58:11.840 --> 00:58:27.280
It's something I certainly really struggled to grapple with which is yeah when values collide I I think I I try to be the person who I am in real life but then I know that you are projecting a version of you.
00:58:27.599 --> 00:58:46.400
I think also to it's about how you can have integrity and also just take a moment to think about what you're putting out to the world like just just even pausing for a moment to think what is the intention or the impact of this this message or as you say they have meaning.
00:58:46.639 --> 00:58:56.000
But also to I want to flip back to what you said about you know mental health when people do are having a difficult time and then they do feel confident in in speaking to you.
00:58:56.320 --> 00:59:03.360
I think just like having first aid training there's mental health training that um a lot of our Aboriginal organizations offer.
00:59:03.519 --> 00:59:12.400
And I think the as a former counsellor and someone who works in this space the mental health system is has was buckling before and it's buckling now.
00:59:12.960 --> 00:59:49.760
And so I think we do as communities have a responsibility to understand more about mental health because if something is going on in someone's life it's usually the friend or the family member or someone who can spot that that person might be withdrawing or having a moment or you know we see it before they feel they have the courage to sometimes present somewhere and I think we like just a first aid training we all should be getting trained and and under understand mental health because it it's going to take communities to support communities on this one I feel anyway.
00:59:56.239 --> 01:00:17.039
I don't know about other states I'm sure they'd have something similar you know you pay a couple hundred bucks and go do your first day it's day course run in run out something goes wrong you probably still wouldn't know what to do but you know it it gives you the bare bones and the basics on CPR and and and how to wrap a bandage and whatever else yeah there is a great program through the state called Safe Talk.
01:00:17.360 --> 01:00:18.880
Not many people know about it.
01:00:19.039 --> 01:00:53.280
And it's not for industry professionals it's not a you know a three-week course through um an Aboriginal organization it's not a professional thing it is a bare bones if someone says this you do this here is a little pamphlet with a cue cards on how to deal with certain situations Safe Talk I've I've done Safe Talk a couple of times so a lot of a bit of my background has been in suicide audiation self-harm and that kind of stuff for most of my career um so I've done a lot of training and and that on it and that Safe Talk one is brilliant.
01:00:53.360 --> 01:01:08.000
It's the it's it's your first aid course 101 it doesn't go into mental health it doesn't go into the nitty gritty of all the things surrounding it's someone contacts you or you're scared that someone might be in danger this is what you do.
01:01:08.239 --> 01:01:09.199
How do you respond?
01:01:09.360 --> 01:01:23.440
Amazing yeah I'm just having a little darry here bros and yeah it's so it's a half day alertness workshop that prepares anyone over the age of 15 as well which is there you go that is so awesome to hear.
01:01:23.679 --> 01:01:42.880
Thank you for sharing that I'm definitely going to be putting that you know um with respect into our show notes because yeah it's um it's a it's a complicated one but I want to thank you for sharing that you know and going there and just you know uh I guess getting acquainted with all the many layers and dimensions to Benny Clark.
01:01:43.199 --> 01:01:45.599
Which has been so cool very cool.
01:01:45.920 --> 01:02:08.960
I guess you know to kind of maybe maybe wrap up on a bit of a lighter note but I just want to acknowledge thank you you know really thank you for sharing and thank you for keep speaking up and and being your authentic self and yeah I think paving the way for some of these more difficult conversations especially as a black fella as a man in our community we need our men to feel empowered to say that they're not coping.
01:02:09.039 --> 01:02:11.440
And yeah I just want to take my hat off to you for that.
01:02:11.599 --> 01:02:12.320
So thank you.
01:02:12.559 --> 01:02:22.400
Before you go to the positive bit I do want to mention two things on that subject for anyone that might want your two basic bare bone supports and how to deal with someone in that situation.
01:02:22.639 --> 01:02:22.960
Yes.
01:02:23.199 --> 01:02:33.360
One shut up and listen it's not about you it's about them sometimes saying nothing speaks louder than telling someone who's trying their own story shut up and listen it's not about you.
01:02:33.599 --> 01:02:44.880
Second of all if you're worried about someone all these people sitting there go but you don't talk about it you need to be really kind of no ask be very straightforward bring up the uncomfortable conversation.
01:02:45.280 --> 01:03:07.519
Roz you okay yeah no you're not okay I can see that you're not okay we need to talk I'm concerned for you I'm worried about you and I'm scared you may do something yeah we need to have a conversation don't tiptoe around it ask because sometimes that opens up that gives them the opportunity to go you know what fuck no I'm not not not okay I don't know what to do.
01:03:07.920 --> 01:03:09.039
And then what do you do?
01:03:09.199 --> 01:03:12.079
Then you shut up and listen because it's not about you it's about them.
01:03:12.320 --> 01:03:26.960
Yes thank you thank you for sharing that no you're right you're right there's I mean I would just want to add a little bit to that which is yeah when when a person has the courage to express their emotion there's so much power in silence.
01:03:27.119 --> 01:04:07.280
I mean we feel like we always need to fill the space with stuff but if you watch any animal in the wild or anyone have an emotional charged experience they need the ability to just have that just held and just sit with that in that moment with them and not problem solve like not have answers just listen as you say yeah I mean I think the also too is that yeah people like calling it out like you say you know I've noticed this I've observed this you know I'm concerned because like just being a bit more direct can can help somebody who is struggling to maybe feel like they have the the the safety net to speak up.
01:04:07.440 --> 01:04:11.920
Yeah thank you for sharing that thank you I appreciate that no worries.
01:04:12.159 --> 01:04:30.000
Well I guess you know I mean probably doesn't feel very right now but I wanted to just ask you wear many hats and you navigate these worlds the dualities and complexities of them all and I want to know like where do you draw your inspiration from?
01:04:30.159 --> 01:04:30.960
Is it a person?
01:04:31.119 --> 01:04:31.760
Is it a thing?
01:04:31.840 --> 01:04:46.480
Like how do you like what kind of inspires the absolute shit out of you when you're having those kind of days so it might sound a little wanky but it didn't really hit me until after COVID.
01:04:46.559 --> 01:05:08.559
So COVID's very much taught me about thing not taking things for granted and you know we can lose so much so quickly and it's you know COVID for me was the closest thing I'd ever come to losing everything in my life and not having one and going down the path of not waking up the next day.
01:05:08.800 --> 01:05:59.760
COVID's really taught me those small things and the thing that in now currently inspires me the most out of anything and I I could throw different drummers at you and different people and and and whatever else but the day that we started the march in NADOC and the people that I saw and it wasn't social media people weren't asking me about Baker boy people weren't there was nothing about mental health there was nothing about anything it was about us it was about our community it was about the people I surrounded myself with Suanne Lydia Auntie Pam like Stacey Leslie Candace like all these amazing people that are in my life and and our ridiculous community yeah shout out to all of
01:06:00.159 --> 01:06:01.199
Those sisters, by the way.
01:06:01.360 --> 01:06:03.760
Love and love, love and respect for all of them.
01:06:03.840 --> 01:06:04.400
Yeah.
01:06:04.719 --> 01:06:07.440
When I finally had that back, yeah.
01:06:07.599 --> 01:06:11.679
And when we got in that march, I was like, holy shit, this is what's actually important.
01:06:12.079 --> 01:06:12.639
Yeah.
01:06:12.960 --> 01:06:22.960
I can lose everything tomorrow that makes me Benny Clark, the drummer, the photographer, the mental health worker, the the whatever identity and hat that I wear.
01:06:23.280 --> 01:06:29.119
As long as I have that community and that community is with me, I can lose everything tomorrow and I couldn't care.
01:06:29.280 --> 01:06:29.440
Yeah.
01:06:29.760 --> 01:06:30.719
Couldn't bother me.
01:06:30.960 --> 01:06:32.320
Yeah, I love that, bro.
01:06:32.400 --> 01:06:32.800
I really do.
01:06:33.920 --> 01:06:34.239
Yeah.
01:06:34.400 --> 01:06:42.000
Or and I could rattle off another 100,000 people that are at that march or at the NATO or at the ball at the National at the whatever else.
01:06:42.239 --> 01:06:42.559
Yeah.
01:06:42.880 --> 01:06:49.039
But the fact that I have that, you can't you can't take that away.
01:06:49.280 --> 01:06:49.679
Yeah.
01:06:50.079 --> 01:07:00.639
It's one of those things like for black fellas who are so humble, it's never about the titles, it's never about the accolades, it's never about it's always been about what's in your heart.
01:07:00.880 --> 01:07:04.960
And mob and community is what kind of makes you you.
01:07:05.039 --> 01:07:05.679
And yeah.
01:07:06.239 --> 01:07:09.199
My identity is Benny Hyper Gun I Kern I mean.
01:07:09.840 --> 01:07:13.119
Nothing else that I do makes me who I am.
01:07:13.360 --> 01:07:13.840
Yeah.
01:07:14.079 --> 01:07:15.679
That's what makes me who I am.
01:07:15.920 --> 01:07:17.679
Oof, oof, feel that.
01:07:17.840 --> 01:07:18.639
Feel that.
01:07:18.800 --> 01:07:20.400
I feel that in my soul.
01:07:20.719 --> 01:07:21.360
You're right.
01:07:21.519 --> 01:07:27.519
It is, you know, that there's a lot of pressure sometimes on us being black excellence and all of these things.
01:07:27.599 --> 01:07:30.960
But when you strip away all of that, what are you left with inside?
01:07:31.039 --> 01:07:32.400
And who who are you?
01:07:32.559 --> 01:07:36.880
And yeah, it's kind of nice to say that to hear to hear you say that.
01:07:37.199 --> 01:07:40.320
And just how important it is just to be with our people.
01:07:40.639 --> 01:07:49.440
Oh, everything else we do is great and supportive and smart and knowledgeable and completely irrelevant to who we are.
01:07:51.360 --> 01:07:52.639
Wow, you're right.
01:07:52.800 --> 01:07:53.280
You're 100%.
01:07:53.679 --> 01:07:54.639
I'm a youth worker.
01:07:54.800 --> 01:07:56.320
That's what I do, not who I am.
01:07:56.480 --> 01:07:58.880
I'm a drummer, that's what I do, not who I am.
01:07:59.039 --> 01:07:59.280
Yeah.
01:07:59.440 --> 01:08:05.199
When I'm at the NATO march and my gun, I kernel man from Gippsland, that's who I am, not what I do.
01:08:05.440 --> 01:08:05.840
Yeah.
01:08:06.079 --> 01:08:14.800
Everything else we do is amazing and fantastic, and accolades and and politics, and everything we do is fantastic and has nothing to do with who we are as human beings.
01:08:15.039 --> 01:08:15.519
Yeah.
01:08:16.159 --> 01:08:19.199
We get back to the core of who we are, and our community is who we are.
01:08:19.439 --> 01:08:20.000
Exactly.
01:08:20.159 --> 01:08:34.800
And it's so nice and beautiful and special that we all, you know, are still navigating this pandemic shore, but have abilities to come back together because there's parts of us that were missing during that period, and we're getting kind of reacquainted with that.
01:08:34.880 --> 01:08:38.880
And it it feels like feels like home in a way, those things.
01:08:39.039 --> 01:08:41.039
So yeah, I love that.
01:08:41.119 --> 01:08:51.279
Well, that's a really beautiful way to sort of like finish up what's been a really lovely chat and getting to know, yeah, all the parts to who you are, really.
01:08:51.680 --> 01:08:52.560
So thank you.
01:08:54.159 --> 01:08:55.119
Thank you for having me.
01:08:55.359 --> 01:08:56.800
I really appreciate that.
01:08:56.960 --> 01:08:58.479
Oh, thank you.
01:09:00.640 --> 01:09:02.880
Thank you so much for listening, you mob.
01:09:03.119 --> 01:09:14.800
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01:09:15.039 --> 01:09:24.079
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