At age 60 former Finch, Skyhooks and The Angels guitarist Bob Spencer has released his first ever solo album ‘Saints and Murderers’. He tells Noise11.com that to make the record he first had to undergo therapy for overcome his fear of singing.
“I don’t consider myself a singer,” Bob says. “What I had to do first of all was confront my fear of singing so this is why it has taken so long. I had some therapy for that, some counselling, then some singing lessons and then I launched into it”.
Bob has been playing professionally for over 40 years. He started in Sydney band Finch when he was 16-years old but he has never sang until now. “It look that long because I never wanted to be a singer,” he says. “I was brought up listening to Shirl and Owen Orford and Steve Marriott and Paul Rodgers and Broderick Smith, all those cats who can really singer. When I open my mouth I go “oh god, whats that?”.
The result is the album ‘Saints and Murderers’. “The title came from the meditation that I do which is supposedly the meditation that the Budda taught. That is that when you recognise the evil in yourself you will understand it in others. We all have inside the capability to be saints or murderers”.
That was totally unforeseen. I thought I would never join a band again as long as I lived. The Rose Tattoo thing came out of nowhere. I’ve known Angry since I was 16. He asked me to join what became Rose Tattoo when I was 16. I said no because I was in Finch. We have been friends since then. It was never a serious thing that I would join the band until Angry called a few months ago and ran it by me. After a few minutes he said I am going to put Rose Tattoo back on the road. I’d like you to be in it”. In a way it paralleled the way I joined The Angels and Skyhooks. There was no planning”.
Bob will continue with Rose Tattoo throughout 2018 and into 2019.
Hear the Bob Spencer interview and the first taste of the ‘Saints and Murderers’ album with the song ‘I Can’t Do That My Wife Will Kill Me’ this week at iHeartRadio Music News powered by Noise11.com. Stream the show live and free.
Noise11 iHeartRadio playlist for 29 December 2017
Eminem and Ed Sheeran – River
Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli -Perfect
Rolling Stones – Crackin’ Up
U2 – You’re The Best Thing About Me
Skyhooks – Why Don’t You All Get Fucked
Bob Spencer – I Can’t Do That My Wife Will Kill Me
Bob Spencer interview
David Crosby – Sky Trails
Paul Kelly – Life Is Fine
Live – Lightning Crashes
The Tea Party – Temptation
Muse – Drones
Lorde – Perfect Places
Ringo Starr – I’m The Greatest
Roger Waters – Deja Vu
Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll
ZZ Top – Gimme All Your Lovin’
Cat Stevens – Changes IV
Paul McCartney – Live and Let Die
Melissa Etheridge – Bring Me Some Water
Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do
