Indigenous musician Vic Simms took some time out to chat to Larry Heath about the re-release of his classic record The Loner through Sandman Records, the late Mandawuy Yunupingu our good friends The Medics and much more.
You’ve just re-released The Loner. Can you tell us about the process of getting that back together?
We’ve been talking for the last 12 years I think. It’s gone to several companies, but two went bust and somebody eventually came up with the finished product, which was quite a surprise – I was caught out of the blue with it. So, it was all re-mastered and if you turn the volume up a bit I guess I’m pretty happy with it.
You’ve had a chance to re-listen to the record. What was it like listening to the record again?
Well, the sound seems to be lifted up some what and it’s a little bit out there – more so than what the original thing was. But we never really put much stock in it because I didn’t think it would eventuate into anything because I was only given an hour to make the thing and I was working with musicians that I’d never met in my life. So, it was just a one off thing.
You’ve spoken a lot over the years about how you came record this album, but looking back on it now, what does that period of your life mean to you?
Well, I really tried to erase that from my life. I’d like to talk about the musical side of things than the circumstance because I’ve been harping on it for 40 years now and you get pissed off after awhile. I’ve got grandkids and I don’t want them to know about that side of it. So, I’m getting away from it somewhat these days and I just like to talk about it a little or otherwise it’s going to be resurrected. There’s a bit of history there, I’m quite happy with it – with the sound. It’s being marketed and the publicity aspect of it is coming back. I didn’t really put much stock into it because I was disappointed in the rushing of it. I’m sure if I’d had more time, I could have ended up with a better product. But it’s ok now, it’s not too bad. There’s only two collectibles that’s ever been released that involved Indigenous people. Georgia Lamb had done some years back and there’s this one so I’m quite happy about it. I’m quite proud of it really. The sole tribute that involves it is behind my way of thinking.
With your later releases, were that something you did spend more time on? Were you a bit happier with how they sounded?
Yeah, I did a couple of tracks for the ABC off The Loner, I sort of re-hashed them – with a really good up-tempo sound. But I was happy with them.
So, what do you do these days? How have you been occupying your time?
I’m still recording and I’m still performing. I’ve got a couple of concerts next week because it’s NAIDOC week – it’s national Aboriginal week. I’ve been pretty flat out for many many years now in performing and doing public speaking. I’m putting down a track next week. There’s this young kid that is recording with the Medics and then we turned it out around the other week. I was up in Brisbane the other week and I didn’t know this thing was coming out – The Loner – the distribution or the recording. So I was really caught out on it because I was in the process of mentoring this kid because he wanted to record six tracks off ‘The Loner.’ And he’s turned it right around.
He’s got unbelievable tracking on it by a group called The Medics and guest performers like Rusty Hopkins, and now You Am I are playing drums on a couple of tracks. I’m doing a bonus track that I’ll release from a festival in 1961 called the Woggle Pop. It’s an old song from 1961 and they want to do a bonus track for their release as well. And then previous to that – there’s my good friend Roger Knox recorded an album called ‘Stranger in My Land’ which is a line from one of the tracks off The Loner called ‘Stranger in My Country.’
Will you be heading up to the NIMAS in August?
I don’t know. I would love to be asked if this collectible raises some awareness, I might get an invitation to go. On Friday, I dug out the photograph from the first performance Yothu Yindi ever did. I’ve got that photographic proof because I was on the bill in Townsville back in 1980 – I think it was. So, I’ve got that living proof. I’ve got some vinyl stuff as well.
What are your memories of that first performance?
(Mandawuy Yunupingu) and I used to sit around a fire making at a Sydney festival, which is for all of the Indigenous races of the Pacific and the South Pacific. In Townsville, there’s a great big converging of Indigenous people and I was on the bill along with some others from Sydney and (Yothu Yindi) were representative of Australia. They were unknown and they were a four-piece band and there was a didgeridoo player. That was their first professional gig. I feel quite fortunate to have witnessed it.
Are you still in touch?
Yeah, we caught up many years later when we caught up on various occasions we spoke about it. Cause I never thought they’d go anywhere. I was sort of fairly well-established when I met them and I caught up with them again later on and even more so in the Sydney Olympics because I was the official Indigenous Ambassador to the Olympics Games. So you know our paths crossed many times and obviously I’m quite sad to see the final result of his health. It really knocked him about and it’s really sad to see on TV – it broke my heart because he was a good, and decent person – believe me.
Did you see him at the ARIAS and the NIMAS?
He certainly didn’t look the best then, and I predicted that, within a matter of months, he wouldn’t be around. It was quite sadly predictable.
What a great legacy, though.
Yeah, what a legacy and I had the privilege of working with the cream of Aboriginal music from Johnny O’Keefe, Peter Allen and right down the list. I worked with these guys and I feel like the last of the old pioneers. I’m celebrating 57 years in music this year. So, that’s a good legacy and in three years time there will be six decades of musical ability that I’ve given to Australian music. So, I’m pretty happy with my luck. I just hope this thing goes well and what pleases more so is knowing that it’s going into the commercial area. So, I’ve got a lot of recording distribution like JB HiFi and Sony. Also, going onto festivals and selling my CD’s. So, that’s a big move for me and a wonderful tribute.
Do you think it will introduce you to new audiences?
Well, I hope to go back to Melbourne. I’ve been working there for many years. I did a few concerts for the Grand Final Footy Show in different venues in Melbourne. So, what becomes of this? I’m riding on the festival wave at the moment. I just hope the health stays well for me now, because I was recording the other week and had some heart problems and I was rushed to hospital, so I never had an opportunity to record.
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope your health keeps up.
I’m still here brother. I’m a fighter and a warrior. This is what I am. And I’m thrilled that I can get the interest of people such as yourself
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The Loner – remastered, restored and repackaged – is available now through Sandman Records. You can find more details about the release here: http://www.sandmanrecords.com.au/sand422.html
