MICK THOMAS has been determined to reconfirm his standing as one of Australia's finest singer/songwriters - both solo and with his fine band THE SURE THING. Apart from the occasional one-off reformation show with the iconic WEDDINGS PARTIES ANYTHING, Mick has been busy with his own label, Croxton Records, and making the new MICK THOMAS AND THE SURE THING album.
Produced by Mick with Craig Pilkington, PADDOCK BUDDY was recorded in the Northern Victorian Goldfields in May 2006. As far as overdubs and extra players go, Sime Nugent came in and played some harmonica, Bruce Haymes played some fine keyboard stuff and Chris Altmann from The Vandas did the pedal steel honours. As far as the guest vocals go it was an all-star Melbourne cast with Angie Hart, Barb Waters and Anna Burley all having a warble.
Tracklisting: Tommy Didn't Want You/ Lust in Translation/ Maltby By-Pass/ Coat Of Paint/ Making A List/ Forgot She Was Beautiful/ Let's Talk About (Me)/ Tired Little Shop/ Last Holiday With The Family/ Back Of The Storm/ Half Way Up The Hill.
From his days with Weddings Parties Anything Mick has been one of the most respected Australian musical story tellers and Paddock Buddy is a fine addition to an outstanding body of work.
Between the sprawling opus THE HORSE'S PRAYER and PADDOCK BUDDY, there hasn't been a whole lot of sitting about either. THE TANK, the musical theatre piece he wrote with his brother, Steve Thomas, is touring extensively (the CD soundtrack is available on Croxton Records). And there's been a lot of soundtrack work - pretty much all for his brother's film company Roar Film.
Not content with simply running a career for himself, Mick has been heavily involved in the rise of many other Australian acts such as Dan Warner, The Re-Mains, Marcel Borrack, Sarah Carroll, The Gadflys, The Waifs, Darren Hanlon, Ruby Hunter, Nick Barker and most recently, The Vandas, The Underminers, Mrs. Wainwright and Young Modern. Add to this his theatre work on the productions 'Over In The West' and 'The Tank' and his claims as a constant creative presence are substantial.
Particularly interesting is a twelve-month project he completed for ABC Broadband called DUST ON MY SHOES. It was the name of Mick's album released a few years back but it's also the name of a rip-roaring travel book by an author named Peter Pinney, released in 1950, and now it's a ABC broadband website going under the sub-title of "A History Of Rough Travel". Mick handled the music in close conjunction with local folk/world music singer/songwriter raconteur KAVISHA MAZZELLA, and they wrote and recorded a song a month for a year as a couple of intrepid modern travellers complete much the same journey described in the original book. It will ultimately be an album for release.
Apart from that, Mick has been recording for a new Sure Thing album to come out very soon, which, in light of the success of his 2004 Liberation Blue retrospective and the "inevitable" Weddings, Parties, Anything re-union shows last June, at the Sacred Heart Community Cup and coming up at Queenscliff Music Festival (which have been, in everybodys opinion, far too much fun), means this album should be a rip-roarer and keep Mick out on the road for another couple of years. Keep an eye out...
"Just when you imagine he can't have any more fabulous songs in him, he brings out an album like this ... he is Australia's last true balladeer..."
DJ, Forte Magazine, Geelong (talking about Dust On My Shoes)
"Mick Thomas, lyrically and musically, blows my mind. I inherited some testicular forte from Mick Thomas - more so than anyone he did me a spin, and gave me a lot of confidence"
Tim Rogers, The Age EG
"Dust On My Shoes makes you more than glad Mick Thomas has bothered to clock up the miles on his (seemingly) never ending tours as this grimy world would be a lot poorer without his engaging songs of life, love and experience..."
Tim Peacock, Whisperin' & Hollerin', UK
Croxton Records - Mick's own label
Liberation Records - releasing the new Mick Thomas and The Sure Thing record 'Paddock Buddy'
Myspace home of all things Croxton
