1. Growing Up
One of my earliest memories is being in the car with my folks and them playing this JJ Cale Anthology tape they had. For some reason the bass parts really jumped out at me, and maybe that’s one reason I starting playing the instrument. Their taste was pretty eclectic, so sometimes we’d jump from that to Bob Marley or even ABBA. I think that exposure to a really broad range of music continues to influence my songwriting and taste. They definitely encouraged me to be a musician, but their method was to let me explore instruments and sounds rather than formal lessons early on.
2. Inspirations
As a bassist I have a huge range of influences, but the two that jump immediately to mind are James Jamerson and Pino Palladino. They’re both players who play to serve the song, and try to reflect and augment the melody through their playing. I think a common thread for everyone in this band is The Funk Brothers, as well as more modern soul and funk. Beyond that, there is a pretty diverse range of tastes. One of us even likes metal.
3. Your Band
Late one night, whilst putting the bins out on Gold Street in Collingwood, our guitarist Jim Griffiths struck up a conversation with neighbour Steve Forss. Usually, neighbours take offence to the sound of pounding drums, cowbells, and timbales vibrating through the walls. Instead of making a noise complaint, Jim suggested they make funky noise together and That Gold Street Sound was born. Throw in an English bass player, a saxophonist from Canada, another one from Italy, a percussionist found on the roof of a houseboat, a couple of trumpet players, and the ultimate front woman, and you are getting down to That Gold Street Sound.
4. The Music You Make
That Gold Street Sound is a party funk and soul band who will make you shake your tail feather. We love to put on a show and a typical live gig includes crowd participation, balloons, bubbles, cowbell solos, roving sax solos, confetti and a whole lot of dancing. We have recently recorded two new tracks on tape at The Aviary and pressed a 7” record. We will be launching it on March 18 at the Northcote Social Club. We have Vince Peach (Soul Time, PBS) DJing and it is going to be like Cherry Bar’s Soul in the Basement except on a Saturday night and with a few more bands.
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
The Melbourne soul scene is going ballistic and up there with the best in the world. Any night of the week you can go out and see rad soul and funk bands like Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Kylie Auldist, The Putbacks, The Meltdown, Bombay Royale, The Sugarcanes, The Seven Ups, Stella Angelico, Arthur Penn and the Funky Ten, Hey Frankie, Sex on Toast, Ultravibralux, Passerine, Fulton Street, Brooklyn’s Finest, Sugar Fed Leopards, 30/70, Mayfield, The Perfections, Stevie and the Sleepers, Stella Fauna and so many more. It is so inspiring to see these local musicians slay it on stage night after night.
The biggest obstacle we all have to face is working full time jobs and cranking out the funk on nights and weekends. We only ever earn just enough cash to put into the next recording, but you do it anyway. You do it for the love. You do it for the funk. You do it because there isn’t a better feeling in the world than playing your own music to a crowd of people who are partying their arses off.
THAT GOLD STREET SOUND are playing at Shakespeare Grove Carpark, St Kilda as part of St Kilda Festival’s Live N Local on Wednesday February 10. They’re also playing at Northcote Social Club on Friday March 18.
