“I would love for my record to be released in America and sell fourteen billion copies,” quips a piss-taking Bernard Fanning as he digs into a packet of Red Rock Deli chips. “That would be fucking amazing.
“And to be huge in Antarctica – that would be awesome too. I could play at all the bases.”
Life’s pretty swell for Fanning (if you can’t already tell). His kids are happy, the new album’s out and only a handful of view-obstructed tickets remain for his upcoming tour.
What more could he ask? Well, perhaps for every ladder-climbing TV presenter and FM radio announcer to cease questioning him about when Powderfinger are reforming. It’s getting to the point of cringe.
Most ‘Finger fans have accepted it and acknowledge the band wasn’t batting anywhere near its average during final albums Dream Days At The Hotel Existence and Golden Rule. They sounded more like an emulator – a fading replica of the soulful rockers that brought men to tears with “These Days” and women to their knees with “(Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind”.
“From a personal point of view, I really couldn’t give a shit what the media thinks about it.”At this stage of proceedings, a solo effort from Fanning is a far more intriguing proposition than another mid-tempo Powderfinger plod.
The big question amongst giddy fans was whether he would take his lead from the remarkable Tea & Sympathy – Fanning’s debut solo album from 2005 – or stick within the familiar confines of his former band’s bullish soul-rock grind.
It ended up being neither. Indeed, new album Departures more than lives up to its name.
“At the beginning stage of writing this album I had more signposts of where not to go than where to go,” Fanning says. “And that included not picking up my acoustic guitar, smoking a joint and feeling all sad.
“It’s also because I’m not particularly sad. I’m a pretty happy person now. My life is pretty different. I have a different way of looking at things than I did eight years ago, thank God.
“You would hope at every eight years in your life you would look at things differently and don’t become one of those people who’s stuck in their principles and their way of doing things and just tread water until they die.”
It’s curiosity that drives Fanning, an ongoing philosophy that implies looking back will only result in a sore neck: “It’s part of the reason I didn’t want to do any more with Powderfinger. I thought I had a better chance of going and investigating different types of things (as a solo artist) then if I was in a band environment.”
Departures encapsulates this emphatically within its 40-minute running time. There’s glam. There’s horns. There’s vibe. There’s Fanning having a wild time barking up trees that were only saplings during his time with Powderfinger.
Take “Limbo Stick” (the album’s second track) as a case in point. It’s a shifting number that builds in layers and bares its teeth during the penultimate chorus. Even launch single “Battleships” – a track that requires repeated spins – bathes in a production sheen that belies its alcoholic undertones.
Apart from the lovely “Departures (Blue Toowong Skies)”, the album is as far removed from Tea & Sympathy as Facebook is in China.
Whether critics slap a one or a 10 on the album is of very little concern to Fanning. In fact, it’s not a concern at all.
“From a personal point of view, I really couldn’t give a shit what the media thinks about it,” says Fanning with sudden forthrightness. “Honestly I couldn’t. There’s much more important things in my life than what a guy in the newspaper thinks.
“I’ve kinda learned not to worry about that sort of stuff. That’s all out of your control. You only need to worry about things you can do anything about and I can’t really do anything about that. I can only encourage people to listen to it a few times before they decide.
“Of course I want the record to do really well and of course I want people to like it, but I’m much less concerned about what the music media thinks about it,” he adds.
It begs the question of how Fanning conjures up enough motivation to reel out a departure as departed as Departures. Those of us yet to bring a child into the world may not understand his point of view. Others who have been walking prams and shooting diapers for ‘three’ into garbage bins will have a better idea.
“My passion for making music has probably returned to what it was like when I was 19. In those days it was life and death for me. I’ve got that feeling again but I’ve got it within context,” Fanning believes.
“Part of that is from being a parent, having kids and realising that’s what your job really is – to try and help them to be decent people and to contribute in a positive way to the world. When you have the opportunity to go and write a song, well, that’s just an incredible luxury.”
Fanning also admits his better half has a major role in enabling him to pursue his outlet.
“I’ve never looked forward to a tour so much in my life!”“Doing that (fatherhood) is full time,” the Queenslander-turned-Spaniard-turned-Queenslander acknowledges. “I’m lucky my wife is very considerate and realises if I don’t write some songs I’m going to start moping around and start being a real fuckwit about it.
“She’s pretty cooperative in that sense.”
She’s been similarly agreeable about letting her husband hike around the country to unleash his new wares to sold-out crowds from Hobart to Splendour.
Fans can expect an equal split of tunes from both Tea & Sympathy and Departures, which, despite the differences between the two albums, should flow seamlessly: “They (the songs from both records) all gel together and it’s the same with Powderfinger as well.
“In the end, it’s still my voice that’s kind of sitting on top of it all and I think that’s what happens with most bands,” he admits. “It doesn’t really matter the kind of style or genre. There’s a certain familiarity with the voice that tends to get it to hang together.”
Eager fans longing for news from their igloos in Antarctica may need to wait a little longer for a tour. Still, Fanning is upbeat, albeit with his tongue glued to the side of his cheek.
“Ah look, I’ve never looked forward to a tour so much in my life,” he laughs.
Whether from Antarctica or otherwise, fans of Fanning will be happy he’s back in town after sampling all types of tapas during his hiatus in Madrid. As a songwriter and knockabout personality, he’s still in devastating touch.
Departures is our now via Dew Process. You can read our review of the record here.
Bernard Fanning 2013 Australian Tour Dates
with special guests BIG SCARY and VANCE JOY
Sunday 14 July: Nambour Civic Centre, Nambour
Tickets available from Venue Box Office (Currie Street), 07 5475 7777,scvenuesandevents.com.au, or bernardfanning.com 18+, Licensed.
Tuesday 16 July: Empire Theatre, Toowoomba
Tickets from Venue box office | 1300 655 299 | empiretheatre.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
All Ages, Licensed.
Thursday 18 July: The Tivoli, Brisbane – SOLD OUT!
Saturday 20 July: The Tivoli, Brisbane – NEW SHOW, ON SALE NOW
Tickets available from Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
Friday 19 July: Arts Theatre: The Arts Centre, Gold Coast
Tickets available from Venue Box Office, 07 5588 4000, theartscentregc.com.au/whats-on, orbernardfanning.com 18+, Licensed.
Friday 26 – Sunday 28 July: Splendour In The Grass
Tickets on sale at 9am AEST on Thursday 2 May through moshtix.com.au and 1300 GET TIX (438 849).
Tuesday 30 July: Newcastle Civic Theatre, Newcastle
Tickets available from Venue Box Office, 02 4974 1977, Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au, orbernardfanning.com All Ages, Licensed.
Thursday 1 August: Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong
Tickets available from Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au and bernardfanning.com
18+, Licensed.
Friday 2 August: Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Tickets available from Enmore Box Office, 02 9550 3666, Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au, orbernardfanning.com All Ages, Licensed.
Sunday 4 August: Royal Theatre – National Convention Centre, Canberra
Tickets available from Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
All Ages, Licensed.
Friday 9 August: Palace Theatre, Melbourne
Tickets available from Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
18+, Licensed.
Saturday 10 August: Geelong Performing Arts Centre – Costa Hall, Geelong
Tickets available from GPAC | 03 5225 1200 | gpac.org.au, or Ticketek |132 849 |ticketek.com.au, or bernardfanning.com All Ages, Licensed.
Tuesday 13 August: Wrest Point, Hobart
Tickets available from Wrest Point Service Centre | 1300 795 257 | TixTas.com.au, orbernardfanning.com 18+, Licensed.
Thursday 15 August: Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Tickets available from Venue*Tix | 08 8225 8888 | venuetix.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
All Ages, Licensed.
Saturday 17 August: Kuranda Amphitheatre, Cairns
With Additional Special Guests: The Rubens, The Medics and Snakadaktal
Tickets available from Cairns Civic Centre Theatrefoyer (cnr Florence and Sheridan), TicketLINK | 1300 855 835 | ticketlink.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
All Ages, Licensed. Children under 12 free.
Sunday 18 August: The Venue, Townsville
Tickets available from Ticketek |132 849 | ticketek.com.au, or bernardfanning.com
18+, Licensed.
Tuesday 20 August: Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
Tickets available from Venue box office, 07 4927 4111, pilbeamtheatre.com.auor bernardfanning.com
All Ages, Licensed.
Wednesday 21 August: Entertainment Convention Centre – Plenary Halls, Mackay
Tickets available from Mackay Tix, 07 4961 9700,www.mackayecc.com.au/discover_whats_on/purchase_tickets_online or bernardfanning.com
18+, Licensed.
Sunday 25 August: Astor Theatre, Perth – SOLD OUT!
Monday 26 August: Astor Theatre, Perth – NEW SHOW, ON SALE NOW
Tickets available from Venue box office, 08 9370 5888, showticketing.com.auor bernardfanning.com
18+, Licensed.
