HAMISH STUART

Hamish Stuart is one of those musicians that you might not have heard about but have almost definitely heard. A long-standing master of the Australian music scene, he is revered and sought after for his faultless groove and rhythmic charm. Now, after decades of supporting the music of others Hamish has released a project of his own, Someone Else’s Child, where he finds himself at the other end of the writing process.

What was the writing process for the album?

Basically I would go into the back shed with my drums and a Fender Rhodes piano and start playing around with grooves on the drums to get a sort of feeling going on and then move over to the Rhodes and see what ideas came out. Although the ideas are quite simple, I think the strength of the album is in the textures between all the parts.

The album has taken a number of years to complete, tell us why.

I first started working on the recordings around the time of the U.S. invading Iraq after the September 11 bombings, and part of the inspiration for the music came from my feelings about that. I had certain people in mind to play on each of the tracks so I didn’t really rush or compromise when that person wasn’t available to come and record. Chris Abrahams, for instance, was sometimes overseas for nine months at a time so it was often along time between sessions, and I just left the project alone until everyone could get in the same place again.

What do you think makes a good drummer?

I would have to say humility. Humility and a willingness to support everyone, whatever’s going on in the music.

Dec 17, Notes Live, 75 Enmore Rd, Enmore, $25, 9557 5111, hamishstuart.net