You’re The Voice, Pressure Down, Burn For You, Two Strong Hearts…the music of John Farnham is still as popular and well known today as it was when it was first released. Almost every Australian has heard of this legend and would recognise at least one of his hits.
This weekend, Adelaide musician Shaun Holton is performing his much loved and highly acclaimed show paying homage to John Farnham’s incredible career and music. Shaun has been making music for over three decades. From intimate venues to grand theatres, Shaun loves that rush you get from live performance. Shaun spoke to Glam Adelaide about his Farnsey show, his own music and where his love of music and performing grew from.
“There weren’t really musicians in my house growing up, but my mum was a humongous fan of music and such a dedicated fan of music. it was just something that I was just always watching. You know, mum had an amazing collection of records and a broad taste. So I just got exposed to so much through her – it was always on and it was always on loud.”
Shaun is a talented composer, with new music soon to be released, and he shared some insights into his creative process.
“Music’s always happening to me. It’s always happening in my head. So I just imagine out of thin air, just fully created songs – they just play to me in my brain. That’s never not happening. It’s taken me four decades to get to the point now where I can recreate what’s happening in my mind. I’m also always randomly singing about what is happening in my household and it drives my family insane.”
John Farnham’s music has always held a special place in Shaun’s life.
“I’ve always been a lifelong Farnham fan. My first memory as a child is a John Farnum song – Pressure Down, which I had on cassette. I would have been three or four and jumping around from couch to couch to the song because it would just take over my whole body. John Farnham was always number one for my mum as well. If John Farnham was performing anywhere near Adelaide, my mum was there.
“My mum was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer over the last couple of years. The Farnham show really just grew from something I wanted to write for mum – a gift for my mum and my godmother, both of whom are the most devout John Farnham fans of all time. That initial performance went so well, and people keep asking us to do it, so we have been.”
With a huge catalogue of music to John Farnham’s name, we asked Shaun how he set about creating the set list for his Farnsey show.
“Because there are so many to choose from, it was really based on what songs I have very strong memories of Farnham’s voice blasting throughout my house throughout my life. There’s some early Johnny, Little River Band, songs from Jesus Christ Superstar, like just anything that left a lasting memory or an impact throughout a lifetime of John Farnham music.”
Shaun will be performing his Farnsey show this Saturday at The Regal Theatre.
“It’s really authentic. I’m not an impersonator at all. I’m not going to put on a weird mullet or anything, it’s just me and my band. The band is a group of some of not just South Australia’s, but Australia’s finest musicians, who also all happen to really love these songs.”
Shaun Holton & Friends Perform Farnsey
The Regal Theatre
Saturday 1 November at 2pm and 8pm
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1387394
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