Almost two years after bidding farewell to fans with their last live performance, the frontman that once led one of Australia’s most iconic rock outfits has announced his plans to release a second solo album, with a national tour also on the cards.
Bernard Fanning, lead singer from Brisbane-grown rock group Powderfinger, has announced he has already began working on the follow-up to his solo breakthrough release, 2005’s Tea And Sympathy; and will enlist the help of American producer Joe Chiccarelli, who had also worked with fellow Australian artists Augie March and Boy & Bear.
Speaking to News Ltd, Fanning says the new album comes after a rollercoaster 18 months for the singer, in which he battled a period of emotional hardships, including a death in the family and a saga of isolation during the Brisbane floods, which birthed a new songwriting motivation for Fanning.
“A lot of things changed for me. Powderfinger finished and that had been my whole adult life. A couple of months later, Dad died after a long illness. Then I moved out of Australia and it wasn’t going to be for that long but we had another baby and moving around with kids,” said Fanning.
No doubt the birth of Fanning’s son earlier in 2012 shifted his perspective on both the home and musical fronts, admitting that both would feature as themes in his new-found musical works.
“My Dad died and then I had a son,” says Fanning. “All that stuff that happens, the big life scenarios, it was an intense year but great too and you’re gonna write about it.”
The performer attempted to steer clear of falling into the baby song mould, but later, gave in to using fatherhood as his songwriting muse.“All that stuff that happens, the big life scenarios, it was an intense year but great too and you’re gonna write about it.”
“I was conscious of avoiding the Dad song initially. Then I relented and did write something. We haven’t finished recording the album so I don’t know yet if it will be on there,” he said.
After confirming the release of his second solo album, Fanning also commented on the project’s starting point, which Fanning admitted came about during his brief residency in Madrid following the completion of the sellout Powderfinger farewell tour in 2010.
The Brisbane music royal, who has recently been honored with his very own star on the Brisbane rock n roll Walk Of Fame, said he changed the way he wrote for Powderfinger and his debut solo record when he started work on the forthcoming, as-yet-untitled album almost a year ago.
“I wanted to write songs from the rhythm up instead of the melody down,” says Fanning. “When I wrote my first record I wrote everything with acoustic guitar, vocals, and wine.”
Fanning adds that his forthcoming album – joking that the working title is Hubris – will not necessarily be a stylistic follow up to his debut solo release, saying the new works will contrast the style of marquee breakout tracks ‘Wish You Well’ or ‘Songbird’.
Without giving much away, Fanning outlined a taste of what to expect on the new album: “It’s mostly soulful rock. A little more keyboard and a little more mongrel,” he adds. “I have always had major problems trying to describe what I am doing.”
A self confessed cricket tragic, Fanning said although his love for the sport is a major component in his down time, he refuses to write a sporting tribute track, “I will leave that to Paul Kelly,” he jokes. “He is the one who is able to detail these sort of things without making them cheesy… I would rather cover ‘Howzat’ by Sherbet than try.”
The new addition to the Bernard Fanning solo legacy is set to be released mid next year, with a single due to be released in March and tour to follow shortly after.
