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13 Alcohol and Pills

Small Tokens of Love & Regret

Williamstown

Waz E James is often referred to as ‘Australia’s best kept secret’. He is a songwriter and regular performer at many of Australia’s largest festivals, and has performed legendary shows at the Tamworth Music Festival for more than 15 years straight. The last few years he has added the Cairns Tablelands Music Festival and Airlie Beach Music Festival to the band’s regular festival list.

Waz chose to leave a full-time music career in the USA in his late 30s and return to Melbourne to pursue a career in his second love, architecture. He has been at the helm of one of Melbourne’s most successful architectural practices since 1998, winning many awards at the same time as maintaining a career in music, an achievement the envy of many full-time musicians.

Now in his mid-50s, Waz has just completed his 11th commercial release ‘Done and Dusted’. The new CD was produced by Jeff Lang and features guest artists including Bill Chambers, Ian Collards and Andy Robinson. Jeff Lang also features on it. The CD is the third release since his 2009 album ‘Watermelon’ broke the band into the alternative country market. That release saw the band receive regular airplay across the US and led to several tours of the circuit out of Austin, Texas.

In 2004, Waz’s sound and writing caught the ear of Austin, Texas, producer John Beland (Linda Ronstadt, Flying Burrito Brothers, Ricky Nelson, Dolly Parton), who went on to produce the ‘Noisy Trucks’ album. John joined the band on an Australian tour and the album was completed and recorded in Austin. Follow up tours in the US saw Waz rise to the next level on the international scene with his songs charting in the US, UK, Holland, Sweden, France and Norway. 

Since the release of the acclaimed ‘Watermelon’ CD in 2009 gained a 5 Star Review in Capital News, Waz has relaunched his earlier career forged in the 80s during the Brokenhead days with the three piece band representing Australia and making inroads into the US Grunge scene in the late ‘80s and ‘90s. 
 
Waz has recently fulfilled a childhood dream by touring with the songwriter/producer Kieran Tolhurst and Chris Stockley (The Dingoes). He is regularly joined by guitarist/slide virtuoso Pete Fidler, harmonica and fiddle legend Justin Brady (Things of Stone and Wood), guitarist/slide player Jeb Cardwell (Kasey Chambers) and Brisbane piano accordion player Dom T. 

Waz performs regularly in the Melbourne music scene in pubs and bars, and his legendary residency at Claypots is now entering its sixth year. The gig featuring Craig McDowell on piano, Andy Robinson on guitar and slide guitar and a rotating list of other guests has become a weekly destination for locals and tourists alike. 

His regular band featuring Pete Fidler (guitar and slide guitar), Andy Robinson (bass) and Dave Major (percussion) are gigging most weekends, along with the aforementioned regional festival gigs.

11 Down Below

Waz e James

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