Country idol: Shannon Noll returns to Geelong next week to play at Gateway Hotel.
Erin Pearson
THE adage about taking the boy out of the country but not the country out of the boy fits seamlessly into the life of former Australia Idol star Shannon Noll.
Now based in Sydney hundreds of kilometers from his rural homeland of Condobolin, Noll’s chat with the Independent was thick with “mates” and “yeahs”.
“I try and get back home as much as I can especially now to see all the smiles on everyone’s faces following all the rain,” he said.
“I’ve known everyone since I was a pup and my heart’s been going out to the families out there since I went on Australian Idol.
“They’ve had 10 years of drought out there.”
Noll said he also struggled to fit in a “hit of cricket” during trips home but at least his music had developed “enormously” since his 2003 star turn on Australian Idol.
“I’ve learnt a lot more about my voice since then because in the early days I did more mimic singing to cover songs, trying to sound like others,” he said.
“Now it’s a matter of knowing how to use my voice properly.”
Still listening to idols Green Day and Nickelback, Noll said his touring style had also evolved with his vocal styling.
“I think it’s trial and error a lot in the touring side of things,” he said.
“In the early days I did 45 shows in 49 days, which was ridiculous.
“I’ve learnt to work smarter and I’m having some of the best times of my life doing it.
“Music is such a good character builder. Plus, it’s great fun.”
Noll said he was working on a new album following the success of his five-time platinum 2004 debut That’s What I’m Talking About. The hit album included chart-topping singles Lift, Turn It Up and No Turning Back: The Story So Far.
Noll’s first 10 singles, released between February, 2004, and September, 2007, all made it into the top 10 ARIA chart. He is the only artist in Australian chart history to score 10 consecutive top-10 singles.
Noll said he was now looking forward to “hitting the road again”.
“The whole process has been terrific,” he said.
“I’ve had as great response down through Victoria with past acoustic shows and I’m looking forward to coming down to the places I haven’t been to in a while.”
Noll said fans could expect to hear “big singles” and new material in a semi-acoustic-type performance.
Noll will perform at Corio’s Gateway Hotel on November 19.
