Pete Murray National Camacho Tour Interview

Byron Bay singer-songwriter and one of Australia's most loved musicians, Pete Murray has today released his new single, Take Me Down (out now), alongside the announcement of his sixth studio album, Camacho - available June 2.  With over one million album sales to his name, the quiet achiever of Australian music will showcase new tracks and old favourites on an epic 33-date national Camacho Tour that will kickstart in Lismore on July 12 and finish up in Darwin on September 9.
 
Beat-driven and anthemic, Take Me Down cleverly reveals a new direction for Pete, yet still manages to feel like a catch up with an old friend - his smooth, familiar voice both warm and inviting.  'Take Me Down is about a beautiful relationship with an unknown future," insights Pete.  'It's about not knowing how much time is left and being in the moment.  It's emotive, moody, sexual and vulnerable."
 
Determined to shake things up and find a fresh sound for the album, Pete explored different writing and recording techniques.  'My main goal was to work with loops and beats and to have a cool, phat drum sound," says Pete.  He collaborated with hip hop producer Trials (AB Original) to achieve the drum sounds he was looking for, and saddled up with an array of well-known industry talent to get the Camacho show on the road.  'There was only one guy that I was interested in mixing this album and that was Eric J Dubowsky.  He was starting to do a lot of phat, warm sounds and I really wanted this flavour of mixing on my album."  Also in the assemblage was Aussie producer, Tony Buchen (Montaigne, The Preatures, Bob Evans), Sydney-based producer, One Above aka Andrew Burford (Hilltop Hoods, Drapht, Allday), and ARIA winning producer, Jon Hume (Matt Corby, Lisa Mitchell).

 
'The thing I wanted to do different with this album was to take my time and get it right.  So many times in the past I have jumped into a studio for 4 - 6 weeks and recorded an album.  Once the recording time is over, so is the album," explains Pete, 'With Camacho there was no rush, it was going to be finished when it was finished."  
 
And finished it is – guaranteed to be lapped up by new and old fans alike, Pete Murray has delivered a cool, uplifting, emotive, and powerful album and it will be celebrated and brought to life on the greatly anticipated Camacho Tour.  Following sell-out shows across the country, the 33-date tour will take in capital cities and a host of regional centres throughout July, August and September.
 
Pumped to hit the road and play his new tunes for fans across Australia, Pete enthuses, 'I'll be taking the full band on the road and heading to a stack of places I haven't been to in a while.  I'm also really excited about playing the new music for the first time and cannot wait to get out there and see the crowd's reaction."
 
Camacho is set for release on June 2 and is available to pre-order from www.petemurray.com - all album iTunes pre-orders will instantly receive the Take Me Down single.
 
Pre-order: Camacho                  Buy tickets: National Camacho Tour
 
Pete Murray National Camacho Tour
Presented by TEG LIVE  
WED 12 JUL | LISMORE CITY HALL, LISMORE NSW | LIC AA
THU 13 JUL | VILLA NOOSA, NOOSAVILLE, QLD | 18+
FRI 14 JUL | THE TIVOLI THEATRE, BRISBANE, QLD | 18+
THU 20 JUL | GREAT WESTERN HOTEL, ROCKHAMPTON, QLD | LIC AA
FRI 21 JUL | RACEHORSE HOTEL, IPSWICH, QLD | 18+
SAT 22 JUL | THE STAR GOLD COAST, QLD | LIC AA
SUN 23 JUL | REDLAND BAY HOTEL, REDLAND BAY, QLD | 18+
WED 26 JUL | CEX COFFS HARBOUR, NSW | 18+
THU 27 JUL | THE CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW | 18+
FRI 28 JUL | THE ENTRANCE LEAGUES CLUB, BATEAU BAY | 18+
SAT 29 JUL | ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW | LIC AA
THU 3 AUG | NAUTILUS THEATRE, PORT LINCOLN, SA | LIC AA
FRI 4 AUG | HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE, ADELAIDE, SA | LIC AA
SAT 5 AUG | LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, WARRANMBOOL, VIC | LIC AA
WED 9 AUG | EASTBANK THEATRE, SHEPPARTON, VIC | LIC AA
THU 10 AUG | CHELSEA HEIGHTS HOTEL, CHELSEA HEIGHTS, VIC | 18+
FRI 11 AUG | WREST POINT SHOWROOM, HOBART, TAS | 18+
SAT 12 AUG | LAUNCESTON COUNTRY CLUB, LAUNCESTON, TAS | LIC AA
THU 17 AUG | BATEMANS BAY SOLDIERS CLUB, BATEMANS BAY, NSW | 18+
FRI 18 AUG | WAVES, WOLLONGONG, NSW | 18+
SAT 19 AUG | CANBERRA THEATRE, CANBERRA, ACT | LIC AA
SUN 20 AUG | BEER DELUXE, ALBURY, NSW | 18+
WED 23 AUG | ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO, VIC | LIC AA
THU 24 AUG | REGENT MULTIPLEX THEATRE, BALLARAT, VIC | LIC AA FRI 25 AUG | FORUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE, VIC | 18+
SAT 26 AUG | THE WOOL EXCHANGE, GEELONG, VIC | 18+
FRI 1 SEP | WINTERSUN HOTEL, GERALDTON, WA | 18+
SAT 2 SEP | FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE, FREMANTLE, WA | 18+
SUN 3 SEP | DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN, DUNSBOROUGH, WA | 18+
WED 6 SEP | EMPIRE THEATRE, TOOWOOMBA, QLD | LIC AA
THU 7 SEP | THE VILLE, TOWNSVILLE, QLD | LIC AA
FRI 8 SEP | TANKS ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS, QLD | 18+
SAT 9 SEP | DARWIN SKI CLUB, DARWIN, NT | LIC/AA
 
For further information, head to www.petemurray.com.
 
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Interview with Pete Murray

Question: What can we expect from the upcoming tour?

Pete Murray: It's a long tour, 33-dates. I'm scooting around the country, doing lots of regional shows – I'm looking forward to it.


Question: Where are you most excited to visit on this 33-date tour?

Pete Murray: I've been to most of the places I'm going to but I find the regional areas a lot of fun. I've performed in the city, so many times and regionally, people are very appreciative of you coming and they get excited Also, as they all know each other it becomes a big night out and there are lots of real characters in the regional areas.


Question: What were the motivations behind the upcoming album Camacho?

Pete Murray: Camacho is different to what I've done before. Most albums in the past, I've gotten into the studio, with a full band and recorded organically; this time round there is a lot more production involved. I have worked with the engineers and producers myself, to put this album together – I've worked a lot more with blues and beats as well as sonic and sounds to make the album a lot more dynamic and epic.

Camacho has been six years, in the making, it's been a long time; I wanted to put together an album that was fantastic from start to finish with no weak moment and I feel like that's been achieved. I want people to love Camacho and to tell their friends about it as that's the best way to get music out there, when people are loving it and talking about it.


Question: Can you tell us about Take Me Down?

Pete Murray: Take Me Down is written about being in the moment, living in the moment because so often we are looking at the future and not really living in the now. It's written about a relationship that may not last and it's about taking that moment so you have the time to make it special by reliving memories and making it as fantastic as you can so you never forget that.


Question: How have you been preparing for the tour?

Pete Murray: Gym has been my routine, for years, I like to keep fit even though I don't post about it at all on social media. I posted a video doing Man Makers as I love the exercise, it's so hard and I'd been talking to a few people about it who'd asked 'how do you do it?" or 'how many do you do?" which is why I filmed it for Instagram because it's so hard! Man Makers work your whole body, especially your core – they keep you fit especially when you're getting ready to go on tour. I've got to be fit and healthy because otherwise it's really hard to maintain your fitness whilst on the road – it's easier if you've got a good base.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Pete Murray: I think live, I like doing live because it's good fun when you have a really good crowd vibe – it's heaps of fun. Recording is good fun too but it can be stressful sometimes if things just aren't working, I find it a lot harder to get the recording right. When the album is done, you know exactly what you're playing at the live shows and it's really fun stuff.


Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Pete Murray: I have always been a big fan of older music like Neil Young and Bob Dylan but for the past six years I've been trying to listen to more electronica and hip-hop (more modern music); I like to listen to the sonics and the sounds to learn and combine it with what I do.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Pete Murray: Every day is a bit different. I have two boys so when I have them, it's a matter of getting them up, feeding them breakfast and getting them off to school then I'll manage to do a few things during the day before picking them up in the afternoon to take to soccer training. If I can get a surf in, it's good or go to the gym.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Pete Murray: I'm not sure… that's interesting. I think an electronica artist.

Interview by Brooke Hunter