Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
What has Kevin Borich been up to lately? OR Olive Oil Can to Opera House
Join Cheryl Lee - That Radio Chick on STILL ROCKIN' IT for news, reviews, music and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians.
Kevin Borich's musical odyssey began with an olive oil can and a rusty trumpet on the back steps of his childhood home in New Zealand. Sixty years and over twenty albums later, the 78-year-old guitar virtuoso shows no signs of slowing down. "The R word is nowhere near," he laughs, describing a recent performance where fans went "nuts" down front, singing along to every lyric.
This legendary Australian musician is preparing for a historic one-night-only performance in Adelaide alongside fellow rock icons John Swan and Dave Gleeson. The collaboration stems from Borich and Swan's time together in the Party Boys and their recent work on Borich's acclaimed "Duets" album, which also featured collaborations with Joe Walsh, Ian Moss, Tim Rogers, and other music luminaries.
Throughout our conversation, Kevin shares extraordinary stories from a career that's intersected with rock royalty. Carlos Santana calling him onstage before 60,000 fans. Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple showing up at his gig after hearing him play. Jamming with Bo Diddley, an early influence who shaped his rhythmic sensibilities. These moments paint the picture of an artist whose talent has earned the respect of the very musicians who inspired him.
From his beginnings with the La-De-Da's to performing at landmark Australian events like the 1972 Sunbury Festival and New Year's Eve celebrations at the Sydney Opera House, Kevin has consistently delivered authentic, passionate rock music. His recent successes—including his "Legacy" album topping AMRAP charts for three months—demonstrate an artist still exploring his creative potential.
What comes through most clearly is his unwavering love for performance and connection with audiences. Even as he acknowledges challenges like the rising cost of living affecting live music attendance, his enthusiasm for the upcoming Adelaide show is palpable. He's "getting oiled up" for rehearsals, ready to deliver another unforgettable night of Australian rock history in the making.
Don't miss this rare opportunity to witness Kevin Borich, John Swan, and Dave Gleeson sharing the stage for one extraordinary performance that promises to showcase the enduring power of Australian rock music at its finest.
What has Kevin Borich been up to lately? 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. Welcome to the Still Rocking Podcast where we'll have music news, reviews and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians and artists. Kevin Borich is about to make history, appearing with two other Aussie legends for one show only in Adelaide. Just hop on a plane, come on over. You can stay at mine. He'll be here performing with John Swanney Swan and Dave Gleeso Gleeson. I would say, strap yourself in. That's going to be one hell of a night. Kevin has released over 20 albums in his 60-year career, performed at some of the biggest events in the country and shared stages and live performances with a list to be envied by any Australian artist. So strap in as we have a chat, find out all the gossip from founding member of the, Lardy Dars, member of Australia's legendary band, the Party Boys and, of course, Kevin Borich Express. To catch up on podcasts from other favourite artists, simply go to thatradiochick. com. au. Hi, how are you?
Cheryl Lee:Nice to see you again.
Kevin Borich:Nice to see you. I love your ears.
Cheryl Lee:Oh, I've literally walked in the door from the Support Act South Australia fundraiser.
Speaker 4:Easter fundraiser.
Cheryl Lee:I suppose I could take my ears off now.
Kevin Borich:No, no, no, no, no, no. Very good, I'm jealous, I haven't got mine on.
Cheryl Lee:Let's get started, shall we? I'd like to welcome back into the zoom room today kevin borich, 76 years young. It's actually 78 and there's no mention of the r word.
Kevin Borich:You're still absolutely going strong we just came back from melbourne, actually, um, a couple of nights ago. We arrived home and the last show was at an afternoon show on a Sunday called Way Out West at Newport and some bowls club that they put on once a month and it was just such a raging thing with people down the front going nuts. They know my lyrics and I was having so much fun. The R word was nowhere near. Nowhere near it. I mean the idea. If you're still healthy and still can perform, you know why stop, why stop until something happens, or you know you start going. Well, that wasn't good enough. You know putting the mocker on yourself. I think the way my fans are, I don't think they'd mind if I started falling over, as long as I got back up.
Cheryl Lee:As long as you got back up again.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, and get into it again. You know.
Cheryl Lee:We've got some news You're coming to our town with some great mates soon. But perhaps we can just take a little step backwards before we get into that. Because what I'd like to know, kevin, is when did you realise that music was it for you, that was your passion, that was your career? Is it in your DNA? Are you from a musical family?
Kevin Borich:Well, my parents were migrants.
Kevin Borich:They were working so hard they didn't have time to do anything like that and they moved out into the country, away from the Croatian group.
Kevin Borich:You know that was in Auckland in New Zealand, and I never found out that Dad could play the tambriza I think it was like one of those little Greek things and he had studied the violin a bit. But they didn't mention that at all. I don't know, it was just a photograph of me sitting on the back stairs of our old house, which was a bit like a stage, with an olive oil can and a stick in my hand and a little trumpet that I'd found a rusty trumpet and I'm banging. So that was kind of like my first performance to the grass out the front you know Packed audience and that was before I saw movies like Rock Around the Clock and stuff. That was very early, I don't know. I've been writing my book and I always remember the sound of the grader that was for the apples right, and all the machines that were going on and noises going on had rhythms and even mum packing the apples had a like a.
Cheryl Lee:A soundtrack going on to your life.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, and so the rhythms of things, I guess, got into me. That's why I was hitting the olive oil can.
Cheryl Lee:Was the La-De-Da's your first band.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, that came out of high school. I found the original drummer, brett Nielsen, and Trevor Wilson, the bass player, and I hadn't had anyone to play with being out in the sticks, you know, that's where I found out what it's like to play with people. I had a jam with Mr Barton once, who was giving me six of the best for having the wrong hairstyle or something. Well, I hadn't all been naughty, I don't know, and um anyway, he was playing piano accordion, I was playing guitar, so he seemed to think I was all right when he was doing that after you La De Da's, was there ever any question of a plan B?
Kevin Borich:When I got at 30, I'd probably go back to the orchard.
Cheryl Lee:Get a real job and a haircut, yeah that's right.
Kevin Borich:At high school, I got pulled out the front in the first assembly and he was going. Now, this is how you don't have your hair.
Speaker 2:You are listening to Still Rockin' it. The podcast with Cheryl Lee.
Cheryl Lee:Let's have one of Kevin's early songs, shall we? How about Gone Downtown? It's one of the first songs I reckon I remember hearing of Kevin's. It appeared on the 1977 album Celebration and also the 1979 Kevin Boric Express live album. While I was Googling the origins of the song, I just found out what going downtown is supposed to mean. Call me naive, but I did not realize that. But having said that, can't always trust Wikipedia. I mean they do have his age incorrectly listed, so I don't know. You make up your mind and we're back to speak some more to Kevin shortly. I'm going downtown.
Cheryl Lee:You had great success with your album Totem, that's 11 years ago now.
Speaker 2:Time flies when you have fun.
Cheryl Lee:And in 2022, which is, I think, the last time we spoke, Kevin you did Legacy number one on the AMRAP charts for three whole months. Congratulations.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, that was my pick of songs over a period of time that were on vinyl and CD back in that point and remastered it and we still play a lot of the songs these days, you know. And so it's a great thing for people to get, because it's got that span of time and it's three CDs. One CD has got all the rock stuff. The second CD is a chill-out kind of. It's got a few Latin songs, some reggae, a bit mellower, and some ballads, yeah, and the third one's like live stuff. So it's a good one to take away if you want to find out what I do.
Cheryl Lee:And then, of course, in 23, you released your duets album I think we spoke about that as well which is a celebration of a lifetime of music with friends. I absolutely love that.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, it's beautiful. I mean, all the people on it aren't close friends, but we've been ships in the night as you play or you're at a festival and you say g'day. And of course I've always been a Sydney guy and most of those people were Melbourne people, you know on that CD. But I'm so knocked out and grateful how they gave up the time and wanted to do it with me.
Cheryl Lee:It's a great album. I play it on the radio all the time. Oh lovely, thank you, and the listeners just love it as well. You said that you've shared stages hung out misbehaved and now recorded with some of the greatest musicians of all time. And you have, you've got a fabulous list of mates there, Joe Walsh Leo. Sayer Ian.
Speaker 2:Moss, Tim Rogers Russell morris.
Cheryl Lee:The list goes on and on and on but it is mr john swan that you are coming to our town and performing with him and another, rascal dave gleason, very shortly. How did you get roped into these guys?
Kevin Borich:ah, well, swan, he was on on the the CD and he helped me write the song. It was a gospel song and we were in the Party Boys together.
Kevin Borich:So we were pretty close during that. We always teamed up together when that was going on, so we always remained friends, and so he's got his album coming out soon, and he's put that same song on that too, so that's great.
Kevin Borich:And he's doing a duet thing kind of as well. And so he just said you know why don't you come down? And you know I'll put a show on with Dave Gleeson. And I thought it would cost you a bit because of the travel and all that, but he assured me that it was going to be great and I just wanted to actually come and do it.
Cheryl Lee:Well, it was fabulous last time with Gleaso and Swanee, but this time you'll be joining them as well, and also some guys from the 27 Club Carla Lippis and Dusty Stevenson. They are fabulous, so it's going to be a great line-up have you played? With either of those guys before Dave Gleeson got up once in the party boards be a great line-up.
Kevin Borich:Have you played with either of those guys before? Dave Gleeson got up once in the party boys when we were doing something to do with ACDC, so I've been on stage with him for probably a couple of songs. And Mr Pippin on the guitar. He's got up and jammed with me. He's great, but the rest of the band I wouldn't have a clue. I might see them in my sight and go oh yeah, I remember. So I'm coming into something it's going to be exciting.
Cheryl Lee:I always say in South Australia we punch way above our weight with regards to talent and I think you guys are doing some an absolutely amazing finale at the end when you all get on stage together.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, that'll be happening. I've got a section we haven't really finalised exactly, but my vision of it is sort of. Somebody said well, you know, I want you to be a special guest thing. So I thought we'll probably come on and if they're going to do two sets, I might come and start the second set. I'm not sure, we'll see, but anyway I'll be doing probably four or five songs of mine. I'll get John up to do the gospel one with me. I've been doing it live because my work's three-piece and it's got organ and stuff in it, because it's gospel, you know. So the band's going to have a keyboard player. That's why I want to do it, because we'll have the backing for it, you know.
Cheryl Lee:Scoop, first time you played it live. You heard it first here.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, yeah, well, I wrote it on the piano. So when you're trying to play songs that you've written on piano and guitar, it's quite difficult because you're using different bass notes on your left hand and your right hand and to do them you've got you've got to work out some strange chords that can actually sound something like it
Cheryl Lee:Let's play that song now, shall we? There is a road from kevin borich's duets album featuring John Swan, soon to appear on John Swan's album of duets also. Back to speak to today's guests in the Zoom room again shortly.
Kevin Borich:Really proud of Nick O'Donnell who was my producer and did a fantastic job. I've got a studio downstairs here and we did most of the backing here, but we'd go out to different places, as you just described, and get the guests to put the vocal on. Joe came in early. We just sent it to him because he's got his own studio, he knows what to do. It was amazing. Susie DiMarchi she was recording with the Baby Animals and probably in one of their breaks she put her vocal on it. So you know. And then Joe Walsh we had to send it, you know, because the last time I saw Joe I went to see them. I was invited to go and see them play. As they came through here in Brisbane and as we were leaving his dressing room he said hey, man, if you even want me to play on anything, just send it to me, you know. So that bell went off and I went oh, I've got to do one with him and his song called the Fires and he plays and sings on it. It's great.
Cheryl Lee:You said that you know. Originally, all the songs that you wrote sort of sounded like Kevin Borich songs, but when you got each of the artists to put their voices to it, it suddenly transformed into their songs.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, well, that was the great thing about watching people put vocals on. You get to know something, you get to know a song, and then they do a few takes and you can see them doing a little bit here, adding some harmonies or just the way their phrase and the sound of their voice. You know the songs were calling out for the names, you know. You know it's like one song called Straight From the Heart. It's a sort of a blues ballad or R&B kind of ballad that wants a really great voice and Ian Moss it was just yelling out to me get Ian to do it. So I was listening to the songs and going what do you want?
Cheryl Lee:Being a South Australian, of course, and my era, we grew up. You had to love Cold Chisel, so I'm an absolute Ian Moss fan, and the two of you together, great Love it.
Kevin Borich:I remember playing in a pub on the skirts of LA not far from the water, I don't know what it was called. A guy came up and says this young fellow, he's a great singer, he wants to get up in the sink. And I said, yeah, sure, okay, great, because he sounded like he knew what he was talking about and who shouldn't it be but Jimmy Barnes, before he actually joined. Yeah, yeah. So he got up and we did Rock Me Baby and I thought, when I'm playing behind him, I think this guy can go places.
Cheryl Lee:Yeah, you were right. You were a founding member of the Lady Dars in the 60s in New Zealand with great hits. Gonna Sing my Baby Tonight. What made you cross the ditch and come to Australia, Kevin?
Kevin Borich:Simple there's more people in Sydney than the whole of New Zealand. Yeah, so in our business the numbers of people are so important. You know, you go to a bigger country that's got more people. Well, you've got more avenues to play. You've got more places to go. New Zealand you need two weeks and you're done. There's only four major cities or whatever you know.
Cheryl Lee:So A numbers game.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, and of course in those days the world was a really big place. So going to Australia was ooh wow. You know. Now you go to America or Europe or England or somewhere to try and, you know, stake a claim. You know that's how we came over. Of course you've got to come, you know, come here and then you run out of money so you go home and do a welcoming home tour You've already done the farewell tour three weeks before and then you do a few of those until you get a foothold. And that's what we did.
Cheryl Lee:Would you say, australia is your home now.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, well, I'm actually in Aussie now. Yeah, I can vote.
Cheryl Lee:Nationalised.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, yeah At all. I suppose about eight, ten months now. Right, yeah, reasonable Welcome aboard.
Cheryl Lee:I didn't realise this. You've released over 20 albums, kevin, you have been busy.
Kevin Borich:I recorded when I was 12 because the poultry farm next door had girls called the Donaldson twins and they became the chicks. They called them the chicks because I had a poultry farm. They had a few hits laid down the track but the mother heard me through the hedge playing the guitar and she said, oh, you should come over and have a jam with the girls. So she heard us and she thought, oh, that sounds really good. So she booked us in to record in Auckland and mum and dad were too busy picking apples and training or whatever it was they were doing at the time, anyway.
Kevin Borich:So yeah, it was cut to acetate and when I was here years ago I found it when mum had to move and I took it to the restoration place in Canberra and they put it to CD and that was before you could do those things at home, so and they took a few of the pops and noises out of the thing. So, yeah and uh, and we just stood around one mic and sung about eight songs, one after the other amazing and 20 albums later
Cheryl Lee:Joe Walsh remembered for his time with the American band the Eagles and going out with Stevie Nicks for three years in the 80s. Here he is now with our guest today, kevin Boric, the Fires from Kevin's duets album, and we'll be back to speak some more to him straight after these.
Cheryl Lee:Many great artists have had the pleasure of playing with you, Kevin. You've shared stages and live performances with Carlos Santana Elton.
Speaker 2:John ACDC. Status Quo. Rene G eyer Joe Walsh Leo.
Cheryl Lee:Sayer, peter Brandon the list goes on and on. Jeff Beck, jimmy Barnes, richie Blackmore they've all been lucky enough to play with you. You've had great rock and roll life.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, well, the big one was Carlos, called me on stage when I got grabbed by the roadie.
Speaker 2:He wants you out there.
Kevin Borich:So they dragged me over to the other side and the next minute I'm standing there on stage. I didn't actually play with Elton John on stage. I supported him, same with Jeff Beck.
Kevin Borich:Ronnie Wood. I went to his place I knew somebody who knew him and he got on the drums downstairs in his studio and I was playing guitar and Harry Bruce playing bass. I was there too and actually stayed at Renee's place. So, yeah, it's been great because I've just been at the right time, right place. Richie Blackmore he was playing with Deep Purple. He heard me play before they went on. I said to his roadie well, the roadie said to me who was on before and I said, oh, it was my band. He said, well, richie thought it was great. I said, well, we're playing tomorrow night. He'd come and told him where it was and he turned up and played Awesome, it was great. So, all different ways.
Kevin Borich:Bo Diddley I was sitting. I saw Bo Diddley when I was a kid, you know. Yeah, he was doing that rhythm and the girls and the tambourines and stuff. And I got to jam with him in Melbourne because Michael Gnissny was there and he said why don't you get up and play with him? I said, why don't you get up and play with him? I said I can't just walk up there and then he comes back and goes. I've organised it for you. So I got up and had a great play with him. Joe Wolf came round and slept on the couch after rehearsal and that's when we were in Bondi. We're up north now, up on the hills in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, just out the window. Here trees everywhere.
Kevin Borich:This is going to be something great, really great. I'm looking forward to it Going to get oiled up with the sort of the tracks we're going to do downstairs. I'll be getting down there and having a rehearsal and blowing the walls apart and getting oiled up for it, because we'd love to see a great crowd there.
Cheryl Lee:All going well. If we can wangle it, I'm interviewing you three for the telly at one of your rehearsals. Oh, fantastic Fingers crossed, if it can be wangled. I interviewed John and Dave last time when they rehearsed, so hopefully all the planets are aligned and I'll interview you guys.
Kevin Borich:Is that TV or radio?
Cheryl Lee:We have got a TV show called Rider TV every week on Channel 44 here and Channel 31 Melbourne. So I'll see you then and then I'll see you down the front at the gig at the Gov.
Kevin Borich:Great, will you have the ears on, or what?
Cheryl Lee:I can, yeah, and my bunnies yeah.
Kevin Borich:I can see them. Don't say no or you'll knock yourself out.
Cheryl Lee:We had a great day, a very successful day. We had a sellout lunch made a lot of money for Support Act had an absolute you know cracker of a time. If you're ever in Adelaide on the third Thursday of any month, you've got an open invitation to come to our Support.
Speaker 2:Act fundraising lunch.
Cheryl Lee:We have 12 a year, third Thursday every month, Come on down, you'll be more than welcome.
Kevin Borich:I hope to get down there at some stage. It's been pretty tough out live, to be truthful, because of the cost of living. I think that's affected a few things, so it's a bit harder for people, you know, with that going on.
Cheryl Lee:Yeah, absolutely. But you know, we just love the fact that we can get back out and we can see live music again. But I didn't realise how much you missed it until you couldn't go.
Kevin Borich:Well, that was when COVID was going yeah, and that's when Duet's album was done. You know you start going nuts. What am I on earth for? You know you can't go out and play. So we used the time and it came up great.
Cheryl Lee:Kevin spoke earlier about being in the Party Boys with John Swan. Here's a song that Kevin wrote, Follow your Heart. And here he is with the Party Boys from the greatest hits, Mrs Rarities and B-Sides album. And then we're back to say farewell to Kevin, for now Follow your heart let me go away, sides album.
Cheryl Lee:and then we're back to say farewell to kevin, for now I was just going to touch quickly, before we go on, some of the fabulous and massive shows that you've played. Like the 72 sunbury. Can you remember what was that you've played? Like the 72 Sunbury. Can you remember what was that like?
Kevin Borich:It was just like when you see the Woodstock movies. Now, yeah, people in the pond, you know, naked.
Cheryl Lee:Naked long hair, you know bosoms bosoms everywhere.
Kevin Borich:Those were the days. Yeah, in the 70s too, you did the Rock Arena tours with Fleetwood Mac and Santana and Little River Band. Yeah, that was the one in Melbourne in front of the 60,000 when Carlos got me up, and there was also one for that in Sydney, so there was only two, I think, yeah, so that was sea of faces everywhere.
Cheryl Lee:That would have been amazing. A couple of New Year's Eve celebrations at the Opera House too. Yeah, yeah, a couple of New Year's Eve celebrations at the Opera House too.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, michael Chugg was managing me at that stage and that's why we got that. You know it's all not what, you know who you know You've got to know something, but you know you also have those connections. It's great and that was one of the early, very early, the first time it had been worldwide sent out. You know TV-wise.
Cheryl Lee:Would have been such a highlight.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, the 80s, that was.
Cheryl Lee:Well, thank you for getting all those guys together on that duets album. As I say, it gets a lot of airplay on my four shows.
Kevin Borich:I'm very happy because there's people like you who get the word out to people. Without you guys, we're just in the lounge room. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Cheryl Lee:Thank you again for chatting to me today.
Kevin Borich:Fantastic. Thank you, Cheryl.
Cheryl Lee:I'll let you go for now. I'll go and get my bunny ears off.
Kevin Borich:Yeah, I might feel very different without them.
Cheryl Lee:I don't know I might keep them. What do you reckon?
Kevin Borich:They're not chocolate, are they?
Cheryl Lee:No, I made these, you know, because I'm crafty like that. That that's very clever. I know right, I'm multi-talented. It's lovely to speak to you, Kevin. I'll see you in the flesh next month.
Kevin Borich:Beautiful, thank you.
Cheryl Lee:Bye for now.
Speaker 2:Bye, for now.
Cheryl Lee:So I have to decide which song we're going to go out with, and there's so many fabulous collaborations on this duets album. You know. Do I play Ella Hooper, Angry Anderson, my favorite, Mossy, Ross Wilson, Angela Fabian, Leo Say, I don't know. I think I'm gonna choose Wrapped in Rock with the Baby Animals front woman, Suze DiMarchi.