FIVE LEAVES LEFT profile picture

FIVE LEAVES LEFT

About Me

FIVE LEAVES LEFT are singer songwriter and acoustic guitarist Nick Szentkuti (pronounced Sant-koo-tee) and Ian Morrison, drums, based in the Blue Mountains, NSW Australia.
AS A TEENAGER Nick was inspired by punk and new wave to start a band, The Invigilotors. After leaving school he joined the the Glam Savages playing bass, before becoming a founding member of Sydney glam rock band The Candy Harlots. He went on to play with other Sydney bands, including The Seamonsters where he first teamed up with Ian. A highlight for them was supporting Mick Jagger at the Kardomah Cafe.
While living in Budapest in 1998–2000, Nick became involved in a Celtic and European folk music scene. After returning to Sydney he performed at the Canberra and Jamberoo Folk Festivals in 2003 with Tinkershuffle.When Nick moved up to the Mountains in 2006 he ran into Ian again and they started playing in local pubs and cafes. They are joined on occassion by Simon Watts on violin and other Blue Mountains musicians.
Nick writes the original songs performed by Five Leaves Left with his wife Maha Melhem.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 15/10/2006
Band Members:
Influences: Bert Jansch has problably been Nick's biggest influence in recent years. He is developing a fingerpicking style on the guitar. Nick and Ian go to the Irish session in Katoomba when they get a chance. Nick has done some gigs with the Gang Gang Bush Orchestra, who have a fantastic repertoire of Australian traditional songs.
Nick and Ian are children of the 1980s but tend to go back to the 60s for their inspiration. Other guitarist Nick likes are John Renbourn, Nick Drake, Big Bill Broonzy, Doc Watson, Chet Atkins and Robert Johnson. Ian played in a Beatles tribute show at the Illawarra Folk Festival and knew all the songs.

Sounds Like: Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn
Record Label: none

My Blog

New recordings

You will find three new recordings uploaded here. WE did them at SongCave Studio in Lawson with a friend and colleague of mine Eliot Reynolds.Lamia's song, In your name and Budapesten are performed by...
Posted by on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:36:00 GMT

King o the faeries and walkin blues

I though I'd refresh my tunes. This recording of King of the Faeries was done at Josh Kassis' home studio. It didn't get mixed or mastered but is quite listenable. I did it with two acoustic guitars. ...
Posted by on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:12:00 GMT

I edited Carousel

I cut up my song in protools today to make it snappier, did not change the crap vocals in the first verse, maybe next time. That is if I have time due to starting full time work again. Though I am goi...
Posted by on Sat, 09 Jun 2007 01:29:00 GMT

New tunes from my home studio

I hope you enjoy these new tunes which I have recorded in my home studio using an Mbox, a Rode NT1a, Shure SM57, my guitars, which are an Epiphone Masterbilt Advanced Jumbo and Epi Masterbilt 000. I a...
Posted by on Mon, 28 May 2007 04:17:00 GMT

Maha on new song, "In your name".

The lyrics for "In your name" were written by me in late 2006, with Nick writing the music and recording the song himself in our home studio.I was inspired to write the lyrics following the July 2006 ...
Posted by on Wed, 03 Jan 2007 02:29:00 GMT

New songs - Carousel and Budapesten

Tonight I have withdrawn Balmain and Walkin' Blues as these are not original compositions. Carousel is a song I wrote a couple of years ago now. I recorded this version at Josh Kassis' home studio. J...
Posted by on Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:06:00 GMT

Walkin' Blues

I have posted a fourth track from my EP Lamia's Song. This is a cover of Robert Johnson's Walkin' Blues. Robert Johnson is a foundation figure in the history of blues and rock. Like many of the greats...
Posted by on Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:32:00 GMT

New songs from my "Lamia's Song" CD

Thanks Cath and Wendy for commenting on Lamia's Song. This is the title track of the CD I recorded earlier this year, which I have also called "Lamia's Song". I recorded six tracks with a work colleag...
Posted by on Sun, 12 Nov 2006 15:11:00 GMT

Welcome to my music page

This blog will be primarily about my music, which I fit in between being a full time parent of two boys. I have been playing gigs around Sydney for the past couple of years, but my music 'career' goes...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Oct 2006 02:41:00 GMT