Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
What have The Wolfe Brothers been up to lately? OR What important life lesson did Angry Anderson from Rose Tattoo teach the boys?
Join Cheryl Lee - That Radio Chick on STILL ROCKIN' IT for news, reviews, music and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians.
Today we share a recent zoom chat with one of the brothers from Australian country music band The Wolfe Brothers, Tom Wolfe.
From first rising to prominence placing second in Australia’s Got Talent in 2012, supporting Lee Kernaghan’s Beautiful Noise Tour in 2014, to celebrating 17 consecutive #1 country single hits and taking home two Golden Guitars at Tamworth in 2022.
We hear about the new album Kids on Cassette and their special guests duetting with them and their huge national tour.
Most importantly, we learn what secret Rose Tattoo’s Angry Anderson taught them.
Includes Songs:
Daddy Cool - Eagle Rock
Big & Rich - Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy
Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart
The Wolfe Brothers Feat. Jack Jones - Down Time
The Wolfe Brothers Feat. Amy Sheppard - Something Good's Gonna Happen
What are Tom and Nick from The Wolfe Brothers up to at the moment?
Let's find out .....
Get out when you can, support local music and I'll see you down the front!!
Visit: ThatRadioChick.com.au
that radio chick, cheryl lee, here with you. Welcome to the still rocking a podcast where we'll have news, reviews and interviews with some of our favorite australian musicians and artists. Today I share a zoom room chat I had recently with one of the brothers from Australian country music band, the Wolf Brothers. Tom Wolf, from first rising to prominence placing second in Australia's Got Talent in 2012, supporting Lee Kernaghan's Beautiful Noise tour in 2014 to now celebrating 17 consecutive number one country single hits and taking home two golden guitars at Tamworth this year in 2022. We hear about the new album Kids on Cassette and their special guests duetting with them and their huge national tour. Most importantly, we learn what secret Rose Tattoo's Angry Anderson taught them. What's Tom and Nick from the Wolfe Brothers been up to lately? Let's find out. You're with Cheryl Lee, that radio chick I'd like to welcome into the Zoom room for a chat today. Tom Wolfe from the Wolfe Brothers. Welcome, tom.
Speaker 2:Great to be here. Thanks so much for having me on.
Speaker 1:Thanks for fitting us in. Tom is in mid-rehearsal and he's popped out to his car to have a chat with us. The Wolf Brothers have hit the Australian music scene with a huge bang, but I'd like to find out a couple of things just about you guys before we talk about the music and the tour, if that's all right. You and your brother Nick started the band with friends Brodie and Casey. Do you have any other siblings or is it just you boys?
Speaker 2:No, just me and Nick grew up together. It wasn't until this is a long story. It wasn't until much later on in life, after our dad died, we found out dad had actually had some other sons before he met our mum. So remember the TV show Love Child about the babies that were adopted out? I do my dad, my dad was in a rock and roll bit. Yeah, that that's what happened to him.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, we've connected with one of those now, which a bit amazing, but growing up it was me, nick and the two other boys Brony in case, lived on the same road, caught the school bus together and we just fell in love with making music, you know, and we'd listen to everything, seriously, everything from Slim Dusty to Lee Kernighan, all the way through to Metallica, iron Maiden, poison, you know, there was a lot in there and we were sort of at that age, I think it sort of was pre-iphone, obviously pre-youtube, so you'd have to go out and find these cds and find these tapes or find these records, you know.
Speaker 2:So, um, it was a wonderful childhood and we used to get on the family farm, um, and set up one of the old pickers huts and set all the music gear up and jam and and it was great because we could make as much noise as we wanted to and the neighbours didn't mind. In fact they'd come over often and say to mum and dad they'd say they're getting better. I think the boys are getting a little better. I can hear them getting better, slowly but surely. So it was. Honestly, it was a wonderful childhood growing up and we were just free to sort of discover music at our own pace and listen to what we wanted to do, which I think is so important.
Speaker 1:That's our own pace and listen to what we wanted to do, which I think is so important, that's for sure. And it sounds like you had the idyllic situation where you could make as much noise and be as bad as you, as you wanted to till you improved.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look, it was, you know, and it was great. And um, you know the amount of hours we'd spend in those pickers huts just jamming and learning. You know all the classic songs. I mean, our dad was in a cover band for for 45 years, so you know, you, you'd sort of be, you know, exposed to those songs through him. And then you'd find yourself one day, all of a sudden you're trying to learn, you know eagle rock yourself and you're trying to figure out the guitar riff, and it was wonderful. It was so wonderful and that we were sort of able to get a few pub gigs and we literally got booked for one gig and then from that one gig we got another gig and then we got another gig. And then all of a sudden, you know we're out every weekend playing rodeos and bns balls and country pubs and god, everything you name it. I think we've played anything.
Speaker 1:I think only thing we've never played is a funeral sounds like your dad, you know, lived the rock and roll lifestyle. Bless him. I have a half brother that I found later in life yeah, look it's, it's, so it's not uncommon, is it?
Speaker 2:it's not uncommon and I think you know it's probably a sign of the times, like, I think, when, um, our brother john, who we've now connected with, which is so amazing, he's in radio and loves music and singer of a cover band Incredible, you know, like my dad was 19. The partner who was with at the time was 19. It was actually their parents that made the decision. They were like oh well, you're not married. So yeah, really I think we've come a long way as a society.
Speaker 2:I think we've probably still got a long way to go in some areas, but we've come a long way, and it was just one of them things I just don't think they talked about it back then when now you'd just be like all right, well, let's have a baby? Yeah, let's have a baby.
Speaker 1:What state does John live in?
Speaker 2:John was brought up in Tassie but currently lives in Brisbane so we spend a lot of time traveling Queensland. So it's great. So so often when we go up to Queensland he comes to gigs and we hang out and see his family. Yeah, it's been truly wonderful, really wonderful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is, it's a blessing, and my half-brother lives in Queensland as well.
Speaker 2:I like it, especially as a Tasmanian at this time of year. You know you can just sneak up there, get a little bit of sun.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. Still rocking the podcast with that radio chick, cheryl Lee. We'll be back shortly to talk more to Tom from the Walth Brothers about their time on Australia's Got Talent, where their musical DNA comes from their new album and single and tour. First I reckon we should listen to Eagle Rock, one of those very early songs that the boys taught themselves out in those sheds. Here's Daddy Cool songs that the boys taught themselves out in those sheds. Here's daddy cool.
Speaker 2:Do you boys, you and nick, do you fight much, do you disagree about stuff or do you get along really well? Yes and no? Um, honestly, believe it or not, I mean we have little little arguments about little things Big picture stuff, songwriting, how we want the music to sound, how we want the show to go. Honestly, we're very much on the same wavelength of what we want to do when it comes to that, the little things that annoy each other about each other on the road. That's probably when we have little bickering arguments.
Speaker 2:It's quite funny because we've got three other guys in the band with us.
Speaker 2:And when we go out on the road and if me and Nick have a little, you know, a little lover's tiff, if we have a little lover's tiff, you know like it'll literally be about three minutes and we'll be over it and we'll be laughing about something else and the boys just laugh it off, you know. So it's honestly, overall, it's a very, very good environment. And when we go out on the road together, you know it's not just about me, nick, it's our mindset as a team. You know, we're a band, we're a team and we're all out there trying to do the same goal and put on the best shows we can and we're loving it, especially at the moment, I think, after the last couple of years and now being back. Not that we ever took it for granted, but it's just like there's this appreciation and love for it again. That's just like, oh, my god, you know like it's special and I and I think you can feel that also with the punters you can really feel that with them.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, it's very special I was just about to say that actually, sometimes you don't know what you've got till it's gone and you can see that you guys are absolutely loving every minute of performing for us and, of course, the audience. We're so happy to be out watching live music again it's.
Speaker 2:You know it was really missed, and it was not only really missed in the last couple years, unfortunately. It was kind of umvalued. You know it looked just really sad, but I think you know it's back now. And I think music to me is about connection. Playing live, you know, you like a song because you connect with it, whether it be memories or whatever. You know, and when you go out live, play music and you connect with everyone, that's an incredible feeling. It brings people together, you know, and I think that being taken away from everyone over the last couple of years was really tough, really tough.
Speaker 1:It has brought about a new appreciation for it 100%, 100%. How much do you think your 2012 second place from Australia's Got Talent? Do you think that helped? Hindered nothing? Your career?
Speaker 2:I think majority overall it really helped career. I think majority overall it really helped. We were very lucky on that show that I think out of like five performances we did, we actually played four original songs, which is amazing. They made us do one cover, which was a big and rich song called Save a Horse, ride a Cowboy. But you know it is what it is. Look, it was fine. It was a good country rock song. So, look, I think overall for us it was a really good, wonderful experience. So, look, I think overall for us it was a really good, wonderful experience.
Speaker 2:I think being able to sort of show Australia that we're real guys, we play our own instruments and we write our own songs for us gave us a really good, solid foundation and a solid start. We were able to get out, go on the road, play shows. Also, for us when we went on that show, there was no often with reality tv there can be the story. The story's almost bigger than the performer. You know the heartache, someone's sick, you know and, and we just didn't do that and we refused to do that because that's not what we're about. We're about making people happy and we just love playing music. So that was actually the story they ended up running with and I think it worked in our favor. That was so many positives.
Speaker 2:Of course, when you do a show like that, there'll be certain people in the industry that might put you in a you know, say, oh, you're just a karaoke band. But I mean, since then we've done 10 years, we've done five albums, we've done live albums, we've literally nonstop. The only time we stopped touring is because of COVID. So I think any naysayers out there I think they know now that You've proved that. I think so. Yeah, I think we've proved them wrong, yeah, yeah, that makes me feel pretty good.
Speaker 1:Still rocking that podcast with that radio chick, cheryl Lee. I think we should play that big and rich song now, the only cover that the boys played on Australia's Got Talent way back in 2012. Save a horse, ride a cowboy. Save a horse, ride a cowboy. Music absolutely is in your DNA. You're from a musical farming family. Your fourth generation, as you said. Dad played drums in a rock band, his father played sax, his father for him played the fiddle and mum used to play. You well, filled the family home with music, it says here, with country staples like garth brooks and billy ray cyrus. What's your favorite garth brooks song?
Speaker 2:oh look, you know I've only to be completely honest with you. I've been going through this garth brooks stage only recently, just sort of reconnecting because he can't most people now listen to music on streaming. You can't get Garth on Spotify, apple Music, it's only available on Amazon. But I've got the Garth Brooks DVD box set and in my little man cave in the shed I've got the DVD player set up and I put it on the other day and just listen to songs like the river. Um, you know, like unanswered prayers ain't going down, the sun comes up. I was like this is so good.
Speaker 2:You know mum really got on board that 90s surgeons of country. You know she was a big james blundell, she was all about blundell. You know when blundell had the bonds deal and you know there was billboards of him around australia in his underwear. Mum was pretty into that. Uh, so there was a lot of that stuff. Dad was, you know, things like dire straits, beatles, rolling stones, all good music, a lot of good music in our house growing up. I think it all kind of got in to us. You know, when we were in high school we did that whole rebellion thing and you know you wouldn't listen or play anything your mom and dad were playing, so it was all about metallica and iron, maiden and but it was funny, you know, soon we started, it was like what are we going to write about?
Speaker 2:You just sort of write about what we know. And they came out as country rock songs. We're like well, there you go, isn't that funny? So it went full circle.
Speaker 1:Oh, bless him and Billy Ray. What's your favourite Billy Ray song?
Speaker 2:Oh look, you know Achy Breaky. Uh, achy breaky heart. Okay, let's just get this bit like. That is a good song. I mean the fact that that got such when a song like that is so big. I think it goes the other way. I actually watched an interview with billy ray stars. We talked about that song. It wasn't called achy breaky heart, it was called like what's the blow up this man or something. It was called something else, but he was playing it live and his fans were coming to the gigs and they were going play the achy breaky heart song, play the achy breaky heart. And that's when he went to the songwriter and was like I think I'm going to change the name. And the guy was like, as long as you record it, yeah, whatever, the rest is history still rocking the podcast with that radio chick, cheryl lee.
Speaker 1:Here's tom and Nick's mum's favourite song, achy Breaky Heart, billy Ray Cyrus. And then we're going to talk more with Tom Wolfe from the Wolfe Brothers about their new album single and tour. Straight after this Music We'd better get on to the new album, the beautiful new single and the tour. But I just wanted to say one other quick thing before we do. Don't want to run out of time. Give me the wind up if I'm taking too long.
Speaker 2:If we go a couple of minutes over, it's totally fine. That's fine, all good.
Speaker 1:I was interviewing Angry Anderson the other day. They're just about to embark on their huge European and UK tour. I asked him the question that I often ask what do you listen to when you're?
Speaker 2:alone Angry. Guess what he said. Angry is a wonderful man. We did some shows with Angry in 2014. We did a bunch of shows together.
Speaker 2:We were trying to do something different that hadn't been done in Australian country and we thought we thought, well, let's get a rock act like angry and put it with us and we'll be the band. And we learned so much from him in those we did about 20 shows. I mean, we learned so much from him. I mean he is a rock and roll icon and a legend, you know, but a wonderful man. He's still the party animal. I mean he taught us how to drink a bottle of Jack Daniels in 30 minutes, you know. Oh, bless him, oh, bless him. And wonderful guy. Honestly, every time we put an album out, like, he'll always send us a message and give us a call, and so I really like that song and so love Angry. I haven't seen him in too long, but absolutely love that man. I think he's 75 and he's still out there about to tap the most tattoo, about to go out into Europe again, like amazing, he's still got it.
Speaker 2:It must be all that.
Speaker 1:Jack Daniels, preserving him maybe.
Speaker 2:Well, the one thing he loves is he has the Jack, but he loves the Stone Stone's Ginger Wine. Ginger Wine, oh my God, he loves it. Like it's definitely not my cup of tea, but he reckons that's how he gets the vocal notes. So look if it's working. You don't knock it, you know.
Speaker 1:Exactly right. And he loves you too. He listens to your songs all the time.
Speaker 2:Beautiful man, I'm going to ring him. Now we've had this chat, I'm going to ring him.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, do tell him that cheryl lee from adelaide says hi I will, I will love that now let's get on to the important stuff. You've got a tour. Oh my god, your tour is almost as good as angry's, you are everywhere man and I don't think you're coming home till christmas no, no seven in july, including adelaide often, as you know, being tassie, we often get missed off the map of tours as well.
Speaker 2:So for us, our goal this year was to really honestly get out and play every state and territory, just play as much as we can get out there and reconnect with the fans, live, you know, and we're really glad we can bring a couple of shows to South Australia. We'd planned to do it pre-COVID and then it all went, so we're really looking forward to get over to South Oz. Like, as you guys know, and I know as being Tasmanian, our states often get missed off the map, but we're very glad it's happening and it's going to be a party. There seems to be a bit of a buzz around the show.
Speaker 1:So it's going to be a lot of fun. I think You're here on the 22nd and the 23rd of July, norwood Hotel on the Saturday, so we'll see you down the front there, absolutely. And then 10 dates in August, september, another seven in October. As I say, all the way through till Christmas. Wish you all the best for that. You've done a few dates already.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we just had a wonderful run of shows through Victoria. We actually played a B&S ball on Saturday night. We haven't played a B&S ball for about four or five years. B&s Bull on Saturday night. We haven't played a B&S Bull for about four or five years and they are wild. They are the most wild.
Speaker 1:I'm still recovering. I think. Look at my eyes. Is that Angry's influence?
Speaker 2:That's all Angry's fault.
Speaker 1:That's right, it's all Angry's fault. Now, this is amazing After celebrating, celebrating 17, 17 consecutive number one country single hits. You are back with a sassy duet featuring longtime mate amy shepherd. So you brought amy over to the dark side yeah, yeah, we got her, we got her.
Speaker 2:Look, we love this song and we love what she brings. It's definitely, it's something different for us. I think a lot of what this last album, this Kids On Cassette album, has been. It's some different feels, working with different artists and some new sounds and stuff that we hadn't done before, and I think this definitely fits in that box. Love what she brings.
Speaker 2:We've been friends with Shepard for a long time and I mean mean they're just, I mean they're superstars. Some of the hits they got are huge hits, you know. But what's why I love is they're just still down to earth. Real, genuine people always give you the time of day. They've always been so good to nick and I and when we reached out to amy and said, look, would you be interested in doing this song, she literally said yes. In about three minutes she literally listened to the song and then wrote back I love it, let's do it. We were like, okay, that was pretty easy, right, okay, amy love it.
Speaker 2:We shot a music video together in tamworth and we got to perform it live at the golden guitar awards. It was really fun, really fun. And she's sort of starting her own bit of solo country stuff herself and it's. It's really cool, really cool. We've got to write songs with her. She's come down to tassie and stayed with us and wrote songs and, yeah, amazing. I pinch myself sometimes with people I get to work with and meet and I'm like well, I'm doing this today, this is pretty good, my life's pretty good.
Speaker 1:The single is called Something Good's Gonna Happen, and it is. It is a real feel-good song. You can't help but feel happy when you listen to it.
Speaker 2:We've been playing it live a lot, even before the album come out, and it just always had a wonderful atmosphere, wonderful feeling, and you could see people as soon as we started playing it would move and smile and we thought there's something in this song, there's something about this and we have to do it, and we have to do it right. And you know, over a career we haven't done a lot of duets with female artists, so we really wanted to put one on this album. That was really important to us. Amy is perfect. We just love what she's done.
Speaker 1:So get onto the Google-o-meter and track it down and watch the video. It's a really good feel-good video as well From the album Kids on Cassette. There's a couple of other duets as well, one with Low Cash and one with another main mind, jack Jones from Southern.
Speaker 2:Sun.
Speaker 1:Still rocking the podcast with that radio chick, Cheryl Lee. We'll hear more from Tom Moore from the Wolf Brothers and how they got Jack Jones to play on the album. Here it is the Wolf Brothers featuring Jack Jones. Downtime from the Kids on Cassette album.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so like we are like the biggest southern suns jack jones fans, you'll find so that came around over covid and we sort of put it out there and thought I wonder if he'd be interested. What actually happened is, during covid we were doing a live stream of a friday night and we sort of thought, well, let's ask some artists if they want to come on. And you, you know, like we asked Jack and he was like so keen, and then as soon as we finished the live stream, he's like called us. He's like we should do something together and I'm like, well, yeah, All right then.
Speaker 2:We've got a song we're like, okay. So look, we just love that. We got to do that with Jack. We've never performed it live. We got this close and we had a big hobart show and then this was still with lockdowns and borders and all that stuff and they wouldn't let him in, which is ridiculous. But anyway, that's another story for another time, but we're gonna do it. He's incredible voice, but not just his incredible voice. I mean he's on the track playing the two minute outro guitar solo. That's just face melting, absolutely face melting. You know, like that guy's, that guy's got to be one of the most talented this country's got, if not the world. He's just, he's another level and, yeah, so proud that he's on this record. I love the duets we did with Amy, with Jack and Lokesh All such great artists and all so different and just love what each of them brought. They all brought something new and different to the album, which is really special.
Speaker 1:You boys are pretty busy because in between these shows, between now and Christmas, you guys are working on your sixth studio album. When do you think? You're going to do that Between 2 and 3 am.
Speaker 2:I don't know. Well, as I said, I'm doing this interview in a car, in a rehearsal space, like straight as this is done, I'll go pick my little girl up from care, and I'm also, me and my wife. They're going to have another baby this year in October, so I think we've decided that.
Speaker 2:I thank you. I think we've all just decided that we never want to sleep ever again. So, or at least for the next five years. So no, look honestly, we're doing it every bit we can. We've got to drop some new music next few months and for us, we haven't been able to do this for the last couple of years, so it's about rebuilding that momentum and just getting back out doing it. We missed it. If any covid cemented anything for us is that we feel like doing what we do is what we're meant to be doing, so we want to do it as much as we possibly can good on you, but let me tell you one thing with children I've got five of them and they're in their 20s it's not five years of no sleep.
Speaker 1:You will never sleep again.
Speaker 2:Ever. Don't tell me that. Don't tell me that. No, look, it's wonderful and it's. You know it's. Obviously you have sleepless nights and all that stuff, but you wouldn't change it. We're not going to, of course. Beautiful little girl, evie. She's just started walking and she just she's all about dad and won't leave dad. So I'm very lucky and I got another little, got another little girl on the way. So, um, yeah, that'll sort me out raising a couple of girls, all the hell I've raised over the years they'll wrap you around their little finger they're already.
Speaker 2:They've already got it. They've already. They've already got it sorted like big softy. So I love it yeah, such a blessing.
Speaker 1:All right, get on to the usuals and track down Kids on Cassette and have a listen. Also, get on to the Google-o-meter and look for the dates. In Adelaide, at the Norwood Hotel and Tanunda, we're looking forward to hearing the new music and the sixth album. Thank you so much for being so generous with your time today, tom, and I look forward to seeing you down the front.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. This was a wonderful chat and appreciate you taking the time to ask such great questions, and everyone out there thanks for sticking with us over the last couple of years and we're really looking forward to seeing you on the road soon. So thanks so much, mate.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much. I'll let you get back to your practice.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. That was a real pleasure and I really appreciate your effort and just making that. I wish they were all like that. Oh, thanks for saying so, cheryl, you're a gem. Thanks so much, doll Ta-da.
Speaker 1:See you soon, thanks mate Bye Still rocking that podcast with that radio chick, cheryl Lee. I know you're dying to hear it, so Good's Gonna Happen. Featuring Amy Shepard. Well, you don't like my smoking.
Speaker 2:You don't like my drinking. You don't always understand my simple way of thinking.
Speaker 1:You're with Cheryl Lee that radio chick. Thank you so much for joining me on the Still Rocking it podcast. Hope to catch you again next time. Get out when you can support Aussie music and I'll see you down the front.