Bloody awesome guitarist and humble human Jim Moginie is still playing stages around the world, working with a plethora of wonderful artists and creating original music. He has been somewhat of a mentor to me over the last couple of years and I’ve called him on a couple of occasions for life advice, and the advice he has given has always been sound. As a musician I have endless respect for him, and as a person he has shown me patience and kindness. Good bloke. He has a couple of solo ventures and I am always inspired at his ability to put out creative content. Listen to his music here
I first contacted Jim in 2015 when I was looking to do a cover of Midnight Oil’s The Dead Heart for a project of mine called Sessions. Around this time, I had also been to an intimate discussion/concert at The Dwarf Theatre that featured Lindsay McDougall and Rob Hirst. Lindsay broke down the song with Rob, and spoke about how he wrote it, life on the road and his drumming. It was really inspiring for me to soak up all of this as a drummer and songwriter. Eventually, I did some recording at Oceanic Studios with my own band and Jim asked me to participate in some recording sessions at the studio, laying some drums and vocals down for his solo record Under The Motherlands Flag and recording material for the tele-movie Brock.
In 2017 I was in London for my sister’s wedding, and Midnight Oil happened to be playing. I got in touch with Jim, and it was at the Hammersmith Apollo that I saw Midnight Oil play live for the first time. I think I was in shock the whole night - it was a full body experience. You know those moments where you see a band play for the first time and it sticks with you? This was one of those moments! I was hearing most of these songs and melodies for the first time. I felt the full force of the entire band. Naively, I had never heard Kosciusko, US Forces, When the Generals Talk or Dreamland. When I did some digging and found earlier songs, I couldn’t stop listening to Run by Night and had my Midnight Oil epiphany. In each song I could hear these fantastic guitar riffs, powerful drumming, interesting chord choices and progressions.
As you would guess, Jim has years of experience in the touring game. As a seasoned traveler, I wanted to ask him what his journey had been like over the years. For someone like me who hadn’t toured lots, I went in with absolutely no idea of what to expect - and it hit me hard when I was away for my first 3 months or so. SUCH A ROOKIE I WAS. So, I felt relieved when I heard that he had both positive and negative experiences on the road - making me realise that we are all human and touring can be an experience only had when doing it - and you get better at it. His first answer resonated with me the most - 3 important qualities a touring musician should have. He also opens up about the struggles of being away from your family and long stints.
Jim writes to me from France on tour with The Oils.
What are three qualities you think every touring musician/roadie should possess?
"Patience, humour and emotional strength."
What has been one of the hardest things you’ve had to deal with on tour?
"I could say my broken hamstring, which detached itself from the bone when I fell over onstage in 2017 in Melbourne, but I was so well looked after by the crew and the band that the physical side of performing in a chair in intense pain became insignificant once the adrenaline hit, plus the show had to go on at all costs so I won’t say that. And I won’t mention the time I fell 15 feet off the stage onto a road case in the 80’s and fractured 3 ribs either. You have to be tough to go on the road, it’s not always beer and skittles. It’s a transient place, and a good place to lose your way. Remember if your partner stays at home and you’re on the road getting applauded every night, it’s a difficult road for the partner just as much as you."
Some thoughts...
The love of music
Is sweet and dangerous
To lose yourself to the love of all
Pray for the partner, bound to be lonely
Pray for the player, that has no child.
Shane Howard. ‘The Love of Music.’
‘The motel of lost companions waits with heated pool and bar.’
Neil Young ‘Thrasher’
When you are on the road, are you creative? Any advice for dealing with creative blocks or being productive?
"I try to be. I carry a notebook usually, or use notes and voice memos on the phone as well. I prefer the notebook, as you can see what you crossed out, which can be the best stuff in retrospect, plus there are nice juxtapositions and gumbos of ideas as you write them down in a book… i.e this bit goes with that other bit across the other side of the page. I have done a film soundtrack on the road using a small midi keyboard, an interface and pro-tools on a laptop. I mixed it through headphones and it turned out great. I've used Garage band too and it is great. I found it relaxing and rejuvenating to do something else than the ‘set’, which can make you stuck and stale if you get in a rut with it.
As for playing every night, songs can be inhabited in all sorts of ways, and you can have a different view of every single one every night. Even set parts can be approached in a multitude of different ways.
Creative blocks are bullshit in my opinion, it’s not quite ‘fake it til you make it’ but it’s close to that. Not everything you do will be gold, but if you never get started you don’t start the car rolling. And not everything that glitters is gold: and you may not be the best judge of it. It’s just work, so finish it. If it’s a song: it will improve. Get to the bottom of the song: the core of it, like solving a puzzle.
Don’t be precious about it but take input from others judiciously. I believe you can make music or a song out of anything, especially the ones with a humble beginning. To begin them is the whole point, they’ll suck at first."
What is the longest time you’ve been on tour for?
"10 months. My daughter, who was one when I left, didn’t recognise me when I got back home."
What were some of the highs or lows you experienced on that run? What are some things you learnt on such a long stretch of touring?
Lots of lows as I recall, the travel was deadening and all of those gigs didn’t help sell the record, which stiffed (I won’t say which one). We couldn’t keep the record label satisfied no matter how many sacrifices we made to go everywhere and do everything. Perhaps it wasn’t in the grooves of the record. It happens. There weren’t many highs: it’s was like being in a trench and seeing the sun shining above you, but not on you. The trench was just going around in circles in the end. It was not fun, except for the time onstage, 2 hours out of 24, that leaves 22 to fill. And the guilt from being away from a young family. We had a year off after that. That kind of experience it toughens you up if it doesn’t kill you first."
How did you maintain your well-being? Did you get sick and how did you manage that or manage your health in general?
Yes, we all got sick. I don’t like antibiotics but I had to take them to rid myself of all the infectious colds and diseases that can circulate the camp like wildfire. You can’t escape. Taking echinacea helps, as does glucosamine and vitamin B for the brain and hangovers if you are that way inclined. Lots and lots of water and 8 hours sleep a night if you can manage it makes for a happy camper. During the day don’t try and see all the sights, but just go for a good dose of fresh air by walking around. Have naps in the afternoon of the show if you can. Chet Atkins said two 10 minute naps a day made him ready for the gig at night, and I agree. Swimming is good, gym is good. Anything to keep you centered."
How do you manage the long stretches of touring? Discuss some of the problems you faced and how you got through and managed them. Obstacles or different stages of the tour. What do you do to keep you sane and in a positive mindset?
"For me, the worst times weren’t so much physical discomfort but were psychological in nature. Dealing with all the waiting around for cars, planes and trains in hotel lobbies, or always looking at the back of someone’s head in a van is challenging. The worst time for me was in the 90’s when the band was working so hard recording, touring and travelling that I felt I was losing my identity. It’s Group Psychology 101 that you start to merge with others, like a sheep following the same trail every day, or behaving like a fish in a school of fish: in essence, you don’t feel like you’re you anymore. Around that time we filmed the Forgotten Years clip in Verdun at the Tomb of the Million Soldiers in amongst all the crosses at the cemetery. Worms were coming out of the ground, and I didn’t think it was right we were there literally dancing on the graves of the dead. My uncle who was in WW2 liked the clip, so I guess that negated any negativity I have about it now as that song had such a strong message. At the time though I passed out and we had to stop filming. I had similar moments for the next few years, leaving gigs straight after we played and walking lost around foreign towns in the middle of the night. In one case, the next day I found a place to have a great meal rich in vitamins and spent some time on my own to get re-centered. I got through this phase eventually with the gift of time, it just left me eventually.
I think I hadn’t been looking after myself with diet and drink so got worn down, was getting involved too emotionally in things and not picking my battles well. It’s important to do things on your own on the road, have nights or time off from the rest of the crew as much as you love them. I read a lot, walked in the outdoors at least 2 hours a day to get vitamin D, visited cultural things like galleries and museums, learnt about where I was, and generally treated life like it was an adventure. I’ve traveled with other bands that lie in bed all day between shows and I couldn’t do that. I want to see things and feel where I am.
When groups of people are together, whether it’s a family or a band or a village, there’s always that juggling to see who are the Indians and who are the chiefs. It’s Darwinian stuff: who will survive and who will be killed, in a way. The stuff of group psychology. You have to keep upright, and remember always ‘the big picture’. Don’t get drawn into petty rivalry or gossip or the intrigue of human dynamics. People always want you to take sides against others, so they can get the numbers. It’s just their default setting when they’re bored. Ignore it ALL. You have to be at your best at all times and so can’t be dragged into that kind of mire. The group 'politik' is a tricky one. Best to avoid.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. You are there to work, to play music, and you are there for the audience. It’s a dream to play on the road, come on, every musician’s dream! So enjoy it - but not too much. There’s a line, and you have to find out where it is for you, and keep south of it, if you want to keep doing it that is."
Looking back on your own experiences, if you could give one piece of advice to a young musician/roadie about touring what would it be?
"Think about your gig. Make your day revolve around it."
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