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+ 10 WEEKEND PEOPLE Trading WE 10 PLACES THE OTHER HALFLF by Jennifer Hansen INTERVIEWS WITH THE PARTNERS OF SUCCESSFUL AUSTRALIANS

Songwriter, music producer and drummer Cameron McGlinchey has chalked up an impressive resume in the music industry. The former Rogue Traders drummer has toured or recorded with artists

DHS 2-OCT-2010 PAGE including Mark Seymour, Jon Stevens, The Androids, Primary and James Reyne. He co-wrote the Divinyls comeback single with Chrissy Amphlett and has released his own albums, featuring guest vocalists. McGlinchey met his fiancee — singer and actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte

K — when they were part of the Rogue Traders touring the globe and performing for thousands of fans. Y But now, in his own words, life has dealt them a huge “kick in the pants” with

M the arrival of their baby daughter, Harper, now six weeks old. McGlinchey talks about the challenges involved in becoming a new C parent, juggling his career and how it has strengthened his relationship with Natalie.

Let’s talk about your music first and horizons. I’ve written what I think but I just try and make them see how J what’s been your focus since leaving are good songs here on my own and normal I am and that my background Rogue Traders. with other writers that don’t produce is not very different from theirs. Most Just off the back of the Rogue fruit. I’ve written songs overseas with people who live extraordinary lives are C Traders was a busy time because strangers that might not be any better, ordinary people. Striving for success

FB123 the Divinyls thing sort of happened but doors open up. I crave collaboration. is not always what they think it will where I co-wrote a song with Chrissy When you are in the same room with be, so you try to dispel the myth Amphlett, which wound up being someone there can be a chemistry in of what they think a lifestyle like a released as a comeback single, Don’t that moment in time that can produce musician’s is. I try to reiterate to the Want to Do This. With the Divinyls something so special. Also, when you kids that contributing to their families comes a lot of complications and develop a good relationship with people and communities, to their immediate dynamics. It was also busy as we were they’ll want to help you and push your surroundings, is as valuable as their finishing up with the Rogue Traders. work harder. broad dreams and aspirations. And That was good because it finished up you’re trying to make that concept a bit neatly and everyone moved on. I then And you produced an EP last year cooler to them I guess. toured for a period with Jon Stevens. J that was a collaboration with other identity. Writing and production is more From there, I went overseas to write musicians? speculative.speculative It’s more an investment in Have you had any feedback from and also meet up with Nat, who was in I did. It was called The Guilt my ideas, whereas with drums I’m either J kids who have benefited from the LA writing as well. I helped a bit on her C Association. I’ve written with so part of a project or working for artists. program? album. As she describes it, I became many different people that I had really They feed each other. We do get great feedback on a a bit of a “Selleys, no more gaps guy”. good songs and material sitting on my C regular basis, which is important. I played drums where it was needed, computer that didn’t have a home. So Bundle of joy Are you playing many live gigs at the The feedback I get from the Whitelion wrote a song, co-produced a couple of I thought why not release a record that Cameron J moment? staff is that males my age are a really songs. Been working with all sorts of represents my writing, collaboration and McGlinchey Yeah, I’m always playing. valuable thing. A lot of trouble with people in all sorts of ways. Playing on production abilities? For me, releasing and Natalie C kids start because they don’t have male some records, co-writing and recording material is a really important inner Bassing- role models or have dysfunctional male the next instalment of The Guilt release as well. In many ways it’s just a thwaighte. Do you have any desire to tour? Do role models. I was very fortunate that Association. I co-wrote with a bloke great business card, isn’t it? There’s some “My J you miss that at all? I did have good male role models. called DJ Poet last week with several pretty amazing people on it, Connie admiration Now that we’ve settled into family different singers, which was brilliant. from the Sneaky Sound System, iOTA, for Nat has C life, I have always got something Yes, you come from a big family. Tell Chrissy (Amphlett), Simon Day from grown beyond on the go, but can’t wait to tour when J me about your family background. You’ve worked, writing music, in Ratcat and N’fa from 1200 Techniques, anything the opportunity comes up. I’m the youngest of five. My J most of the major cities around the and I sing a song. I love the idea of I thought Csister is the oldest and I’m one world. What’s your favourite city for singing a song. I don’t have the gumption possible,” Tell me about the Whitelion program? of four boys after her. And they’re all creative inspiration? or courage to sing live much, but as a he says after J It’s been about four years now. married with kids and they’re all really Work-wise, it doesn’t matter means of creating melodies in the studio, the couple C I started doing it when I was in nauseatingly good and together. All my C where you are in a sense, you can I sing all the time. recently had a the Rogue Traders and I’d come back nine nieces and nephews are amazing, work anywhere obviously. Inspiration- baby. to Melbourne and I really wanted to productive contributors and not only wise, that’s where your environment So this is where you work, in your do something outside of music with my are they good people, they’re my mates can come into it. I spent time in London J studio at home? Inside tip spare time. Travis Demsey, who was and my family, I’m proud of them all. flopping about trying to meet people It is now. This is it. We just McGlinchey the original drummer in The Living It’s a little bit, ah . . . too good to be and New York some years ago working C renovated our house and we’ve at the Old End, was running Whitelion and my true. To be honest, our family unit, we with Julia Darling, who I was playing only just got this set up. It’s only been Melbourne great friend Tania Doko both got me in have the normal breakdowns and what drums for. New York is everything you a few weeks but already it’s been great. Gaol. He to it. It’s basically role modelling. It’s a have you. But they’re all so balanced think it could be. When I got home Already I love it. helps kids program where we go in to schools in and we get along extremely well. I realised with hindsight some of the strive for rural Victoria and Tasmania, in lower opportunities I missed as far as making So for you there’s writing music success socio-economic areas. We go through How did you and Natalie first meet? and maintaining connections with J and playing drums. Are they equal through the a structured course with the kids for a J Was it through the Rogue Traders? people over there. Some years later passions or is one more important than Whitelion couple of hours. In a nutshell, it’s about It was. I got yanked on deck to I went to LA with the Rogue Traders the other? program. providing them with role models. So I go C play drums for them initially and and I liked it a lot more than I thought They’re very different and they in there alongside someone else as a role that’s how I met Nat, and then over a I would. All of this, I suppose, has C serve me at different times. MAIN model and I’m an example to the kids, period of time it grew into an obvious taught me that being on the ground is Drumming is underlying everything PICTURE I suppose, of someone who has done attraction and we just got along great. an important part of expanding your I do in music, and in some ways my ROB LEESON something a little different with my life, We kept it pretty quiet. I didn’t think it

+ 10 Weekend October 2, 2010 +