1995 TO 2023 - A SHORT BREAK

A great song by Kevin Johnson is "Rock & Roll, I Gave You All The Best Years Of My Life". It's a story I can really relate to, and although it ends differently to my story, I know Kev was just taking a short break too.

The catalyst to my pause happened in 1995, when David Priori, a Gold Coast agent and piano man, called to offer me a gig.

The fee he offered was, shall I say, not attractive. And so I took the opportunity to inform Dave, that he should not bother calling me again, unless the amount on offer was at least a certain figure. I was politely informed that I had just priced myself out of the market. And I politely retorted that I couldn't care less.

Music had been my greatest love and constant companion through good times and bad, but my musical aspirations and dreams were torched, my passion extinguished, and my focus was already on new goals.

It was time to take break from the music industry. Fortunately, it turned out to be only a short, 28 break.

Kiki and I at Nature's Window (WA) during our road trip around Australia.

Question: What did you during these years?

Answer Part 1: I worked in real estate, mortgages and mortgage software. Then my wife, Kiki and I, ended up owning and operating a successful guest-house on the Gold Coast for 10 years, through until 2021.

Answer Part 2: When Covid arrived, it hit the tourism industry for 6, and we lost a squillion as we were dispatched over the boundary fence.

We suddenly had no guests, but we did have Job Keeper payments and a mortgage holiday. So on the bright side, we enjoyed a wonderful time living alone on a beautiful acreage property for several months.

Zoom out: We closed the business, sold the property, paid out of the mortgage as the sharks circled (phew!), repaid all guest deposits (ouch!), and drove around the country for 6-months (yay!).

Back home on the Gold Coast in late 2021, Kiki went back to work, while I renovated our unit (i.e. I acted as labourer for my father-in-law, who ran the project and me).

Then I gratefully accepted the position of house-husband. I was experimenting with recipes, cleaning and washing, growing herbs and vegetables, fixing my technique at the boxing gym - taking lovely strolls on Burleigh beach. Sharing my wisdom with friends and family.

Awesome really, but nothing lasts forever, and unfortunately, Kiki couldn't keep us in the style to which we'd become accustomed, so I needed to contribute something more than great lettuce and chillies.

I suppose I could broker mortgages? But, then again, I'd rather poke my eye out with a microphone stand.

And then it hit me like a rhythm stick! I wanted to go back to my trade as a musician and entertainer.

Not with any lofty aspirations of fortune and fame, but simply to have a bloody-good time playing and travelling - entertaining people! Making people happy - dancing, singing and laughing! I just wanted to have fun with friends, old and new! Simples!

Music and entertainment was calling me again. It was 2022 and I was ready to re-enter the music industry. But would the music industry be ready for me?