"I was born on 8 may 1970, in Gunnedah nsw Australia.
I usually live in Sydney Australia. Have lived there for past
10 years. However I relocated to Paris last november and have
been living here since. But I'm moving again next week and
will basically be 'on the road' on tour for the next 4 months.
My plan eventually is to have residence in Australia and France.
I'll be back in France sometime in october this year."
Influences...
"Anything with real truth and spirit in the music. Ben
Harper and Jeff Buckley are the classic examples. I love any
artist who can move people emotionally. Emotional power is
a force way stronger than any amount of heavy distorted wall
of sound. I have many influences though as I have a very varied
taste in music and I like a lot of different stuff. I grew
up on Hendrix, Santana and Led Zeppelin and also the brilliant
songwriting of The Beatles, Dylan, Van Morrison etc... to
me John Lennon is still king. I also love and am influenced
by Radiohead, Sigur Ros, The Tea Party, Bob Marley, John Lee
Hooker, Smashing Pumpkins, Nina Simone, Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn.
The list goes on and on but all these artists can really move
me in one way or another."
Ben Harper...
"It's funny. Ben is probably my favourite artist but
I don't actually know how to technically play a whole lot
of his songs. Every time I put his music on I tend to just
sit back and let it take me away or I may pull out my lapsteel
or acoustic and just jam along. Having said that though I've
kind of fooled around with versions of Give A Man A Home,
Burn One Down, Pleasure and Pain, Walk Away, Waiting On An
Angel, Gold To Me, Another Lonely Day, Widow Of A Living Man,
Two Hands and She's Only Happy. I have never looked at tablature
for Ben's songs... I just use my ear and form my own twisted
versions. I also cover Sexual Healing and Voodoo Child...
two of Ben's famous covers. As well I was teaching guitar
a little for a while back in Sydney and was teaching bass
to one guy. I actually got in and fully worked out Juan's
bass lines to Ground On Down and Excuse Me Mr. That was awesome
fun. Very cool!
On very rare ocasions have I covered ben on stage. It has
however been a very beautiful experience each time. Songs
I've covered are Give A Man A Home, Pleasure and Pain and
Gold To Me. Mick covered "Give A man A Home" at
"La pomme d’Eve", Paris, May 22, 2003.
What inspires me as mentioned before is the lyrical truth
and emotional feeling he gets in his songs. I love Ben especially
when he is just stripped bare with an acoustic or lapsteel
and just softly and effortlessly taking you away to another
place. That's kind of what I've tried to achieve when I've
covered his songs. Give A Man A Home is one that really feels
good to play in this way."
Band...
"When I usually play with my band it's obviously a much
fuller sound. On big band shows I play acoustic, lapsteel,
electric, Rhodes keyboard and a little percussion. The rest
of the current band line up is... Jerry Burcham on drums,
Naomi Radom on violin, Matt Van Schie on bass. Guy Mansfield
was also our previous bass player for a good period but Matty
took over and has been involved since mid 2002. We are about
to join up again and go out for a big 6 week tour around Australia
in september 2003. Hoping also we can bring the full band
back over to Europe and UK in the not too distant future.
The last time I had my full band over in France we played
'Le Réservoir' in Paris and a series of shows in the
French and Swiss alps. These guys are really like family to
me and I miss them very much."
Albums...
"The name of my latest album is 'Upside Down In The Full
Face Of Optimism'. The name of the previous album is 'Still
The Flowers Bloom'. Both of these albums are now fully available
in France through 'limonade'... in Fnac, Virgin, Gibert Joseph
and all good stores. They will soon be available in the rest
of Europe and UK. I have also made 2 ep's preceeding the albums
called 'Release' and 'Kill Yourself For Love'. These ep's
and the albums are all available through my website at www.mickhart.com.au
As well there is a limited edition single/ep 'Watching It
Fade' from 'Still The Flowers Bloom'... that features some
rare b sides and a couple of live tracks and is also only
available through the website."
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