Katrina Brandon
THE feeling where it is just you on the stage, according to Australia’s finest guitar player and pop/rock musician Diesel, it feels naked.
“When you play solo it just feels naked. The only comparison I could imagine would be a stand-up comedian where you are completely at mercy,” he said.
On stage at The Wedge on October 13, Diesel is coming to play some of his blues and his best hits.
The show is a combination of his greatest hits from 1997 to present singles.
“It’s a solo show, I’m on stage for two sets. The first stage is a lot of the blues stuff and I play a lot of double bass for a lot of that,” Diesel said.
Diesel told the Gippsland Times that while figuring out what to play for the show, he tried to think of what the audience would like best. He said that there are different people at his shows and he likes to try and hit his shows at all angles. He also recognised that not everyone knows all of his songs, you may only know one or two, but he says that it is okay as he is just happy to play his music.
“I always feel the pressure but I like it because if I didn’t like it I would find something else to do where I still play music to people. It’s a good challenge that I enjoy,” he said.
Normally at pub settings, according to Diesel there are three different types of people in the crowd; the ones who want to chat and catch up with friends with music, those who just want to listen and those who want to sing and make musical noise. There are also a lot of factors to each night such as time, alcohol level, venue and people themselves.
“Music provides a bit of escapism for people. It helps them forget what is going on in their lives for an hour or two,” said Diesel.
For Diesel, playing solo for a crowd can be a lot of pressure being by yourself, with no walls up.
“I feel like I am unpacking everything with everyone every night. It’s less to say that I have a dopamine deficit after doing a solo show so I feel really spent for a couple of days. I have to recharge.”
He mentioned that shows can be quite exhausting mentally and physically, as when he hits the stage, you could hear a pin drop as people are on edge. They feel the human frailty of it all, with his vulnerability open for the crowd to take in. Which is why the instinct is to clap, according to Diesel.
Most people know him as Diesel, but for a record in New York, Diesel ran with his actual name, Mark Lezotte, as his producers were worried that he would get sued by a fashion brand with the same name, but then went back to Diesel after the record.
“It was a lesson in branding, like you don’t think it is such a big deal to change the name of whatever it is. It is the same reaction if you were to change the name of a cereal and they would be like ‘what’s that?’”
Diesel’s new release Forever, was inspired by his son, who is a photographer who had an exhibition in Sydney. The exhibition was a big montage of photos of people in different parts of their lives. He mentioned that it was confronting but walking through felt like passing through time and forever.
He also mentioned that confronting things inspires his work as it helps bring an understanding to him about those things.
Diesel said that he has never played in Sale but is looking forward to playing there.
“I feel like I have travelled through there many times but have never stopped there. I’m really excited. I heard about this venue and said to bring it on.
“I have seen pictures of The Wedge and I am really excited to play in it.
“Every regional area deserves a venue like that. Brings things to town. People shouldn’t have to travel on a bus to see an artist.”
For tickets and more information, go to thewedge.com.au
Check out Diesel at The Wedge on October 13. Images: On The Map PR
