Who is Gregg Arthur?
A singer, a storyteller, a lyricist. Performing original songs, adult contemporary music and the Great American Song Book.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
Tour more in Japan and Asia Pacific so I can be home in Australia more. Actually I’m currently working on making that happen… stay tuned.
Who inspires you and why?
Everybody inspires me. Artists, chefs, musicians, waiters, babies, old people, the shoe repair guy… Songs are stories about life, and my performance on any given night will be affected by who I met that day, what they do and what they said.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I can only hope by being as thoughtful as possible I will bring that out in other people. I wish tolerance could be easily spread like a flu. Someone should work on that. Tolerance Influenza.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
I have very fond memories of The Netherlands. Not just Amsterdam and Rotterdam, but the beautiful countryside and the North Sea. I once told a friend there it was exotic to me and he thought that was crazy because Australia is paradise. He’s right of course, but snow, dikes and windmills are exotic if you were brought up near a beach.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
I would take them from Bondi Beach all the way along the coast line to Watsons Bay. This is a stunning part of Sydney, especially for overseas visitors. The beach in all it’s glory, the Macquarie lighthouse at Vaucluse, the stunning view of Sydney skyline and the Harbour Bridge from the pub in Watsons Bay. Unbeatable!
What are you currently reading?
Loitering with Intent by Peter O’Toole. It’s almost prose. Wonderful read so far. When you read you can hear his very particular voice in your head. He sounds just like the Anton Ego, the restaurant critic in Ratatouille.
What are you currently listening to?
Jazz Samba. Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd. It’s a re-issued LP, I love vinyl.
Happiness is?
Love, family and friendship. Everything else is a wonderful side dish.
What does the future hold for you?
Refer to question two!
Following the recent release of his EP Last Call, Gregg presents a series of concerts including: Camelot Lounge – Sydney (14 February); Jazz Lab – Melbourne (24 February); The Foundry – Sydney (3 March); and Paris Cat – Melbourne (16 & 17 March). For more information, visit: www.greggarthur.com for details.
Image: Gregg Arthur (supplied)