Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson better off alone, sometimes
The 43-year-old singer-songwriter has become more comfortable doing solo shows, although you’ll never see him selling a shirt with his name on it.
After five months between gigs because of COVID-19, you played a couple of solo shows at the Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle. How did it feel?
That was the longest I think I’ve gone without playing a gig for 25 years. The first show back was so special, not only for me to be able to play but for people in the audience. It felt like something that we had really missed, and maybe it’s something we should value a bit more. Sometimes there’s an air of nonchalance that comes to my solo shows — perhaps it’s my energy towards it; perhaps it’s the audience’s — but they were really enthusiastic.
What’s the difference between touring with Grinspoon and playing solo?
Grinspoon is such a big wheel; there’s techs, lighting guys, stage managers, tour managers, merchandise, front of house — all this stuff that goes into making Grinspoon world fantastic to be a part of. When I first started playing solo [in 2008] I was incredibly nervous, so I took a lot of guitarists with me and made a little duo. I finally got up the guts to do it on my own, and now I’ll be driving from Port Macquarie to Sunshine Coast and back. I think the solitude gets me in that kind of zone, and it’s something I value.
After 25 years of touring with a band, you probably haven’t had a hell of a lot of time alone on the road.
That’s probably fair to say, yes. [Laughs] And that’s great; that’s the reason I can do solo shows, because Grinspoon was a successful band and I’m very grateful for that. I think as I’ve aged I’ve got a bit better at being alone. The whole ritual of solo touring takes it back to a very DIY standpoint because what I’m doing now, making my own showbags, it comes from an ethos that I really aligned myself with as a teenager. It’s something that suits me: the big drive and stay at a friend’s house to keep costs down, because there’s not a lot of money floating around. This isn’t purely for a monetary reason; I’ve just got to do something! [Laughs] I’ve finished so many PS4 games and folded that much washing that it is time to play guitar!
What spurred the idea to sell $30 showbags, with 100 per cent of profits going towards music industry charity Support Act?
I’ve always felt really uncomfortable about selling merchandise with “Phil Jamieson” written on it, which just strikes me as completely odd and really weird. But I’ve seen the good work Support Act does, and it’s where I believe money should go for our industry. I don’t want to ever be seen to be making heaps of coin from my name on a stubbie cooler; it should go to a place that’s going to help other people.
There’s a bit of a leap between buying a Grinspoon shirt and one that has your name on it.
I’ve never done shirts. That would weird me out: imagine if you were at Woolworths getting an avocado, and somebody’s pushing a trolley and wearing that shirt. That’s a bridge too far for me. There’s a cool tote bag, but it only says “PJ” on it. I’m trying to be subtle! [Laughs]
Have you ever worn a T-shirt with an artist’s name on it — not a band, but Bob Dylan or someone like that?
Bon Jovi; does that count? I got it from Thailand, it’s this really bad fake rip-off one that doesn’t really look like him. It’s great. I might wear a Phil Collins shirt because that would be pretty random. But no, I’ve never worn a Josh Pyke or Billy Joel shirt.
Phil Jamieson performs solo in Sydney (August 7 and 8), Sunshine Coast (October 8), Gold Coast (Oct 9) and Brisbane (Oct 11).
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