In light of Gotye’s big win at the Grammy Awards yesterday, touring country music star John Williamson has hit back at the international success of Australian artists stating that the “lure of ‘Big America” is stealing our artists.
As quoted in a News Ltd article, the ARIA award winning balladeer is bothered when homegrown artists decide to record overseas, “I can’t believe that they don’t think to use our studios and our musicians,” he states.
Currently promoting his South Australian tour in Adelaide, Willaimson claims “we’re always fighting against American money.”
“We’re competing against (video) clips that are made for hundreds of thousands of dollars and look like movies and generally they can almost force the music on us with the advertising and promotion,” bemoans the ‘True Blue’ singer.
“We really have to compete with that and it really is a challenge for us to come up with songs that are really strong and get into the hearts of Aussies.
With the release of 48 albums over four decades, Williamson has never reached success overseas, but is a iconic face in the Australian country music scene. He measures his success not by how many records he sells however, but by reaching and connecting to Australian people.
He recounts his song ‘True Blue’ as his real measure of success, stating “‘True Blue’ is the song that the Wallabies sing after they win and same with the cricket team – that means so much more to me,” Williamson states, “I think by working on that (being true to Australia) you can earn that kudos”.
Taking into account the results of the Grammy Awards ceremony on Monday, with Gotye bringing home three gongs for his 2011 album Making Mirrors receiving both Record of the Year, Best Duo/Group Pop Performance, and Best Alternative Album, the dominance of Australian artists overseas is burgeoning with Wally De Backer beating Americans Frank Ocean, Kelly Clarkson, The Black Keys, Taylor Swift and fun. for the coveted prize.
De Backer and duo partner Kimbra are not the only Australians kicking goals in the US with both Tame Impala and Brisbanites Gold Fields on the rise thanks to late night television programming.
Gotye himself was seen spruiking his now infamous single on SNL, with Tame Impala following suit with a guest appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last year, as well as cracking the US Top 40 with their stunning sophmore release Lonerism.
Both Gotye and Tame Impala reaching new highs in an overseas market is exactly what John Williamson believes is hurting the Australian music industry.
Williamson also references country musicians who are turning their backs on Australia to play a more glamourous set overseas, but doesn’t specifically name names (perhaps referencing Catherine Britt or Keith Urban as artists who have made their careers in the US?). For Williamson, he “wants to come up with something that becomes legendary in my own country – I couldn’t care about the rest.”
The dominance of Australian artists in US markets certainly makes the country music star consider the ‘Americanisation’ of Australia – and especially it’s music – on television and throughout other forms of media is affecting the ‘sound’ of Australian music.
But considering the success of legendary Australian artists like AC/DC and even Men At Work, to the more recent successes of Gotye and Tame Impala, when we come down to it – are these acts retaining their sense of national identity in an international market?
