AUSTRALIAN GUITAR virtuoso Bruce Mathiske first picked up the instrument at seven and since then has established himself as a true musical great.
Bruce Elder of ABC TV has described him as “The best guitarist in Australia”. This is quite an accolade as the country also boasts AC/DC’s Angus Young, Tommy Emmanuel, Jeff Lang, The Bad Seed’s Mick Harvey, the Fariss brothers of INXS, and the Finn brothers of Crowded House.
Throughout Mathiske’s career he has maintained a close relationship with Irish audiences (witness the 2005 album Live In Ireland ). After some time away from these shores he returns to Galway on Tuesday August 26 at 9pm to play The Crane Bar on Sea Road.
In recent months Mathiske has played sold-out shows across Australia and also enjoyed a residency at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society festival in Nashville. Atkins (who died in 2001 ) was a major fan of Mathiske’s music and described him as “a real threat” to his own crown as the greatest country/jazz guitarist in the world.
“I was invited to play at his festival in Nashville,” Bruce tells me of his time with Atkins. “One thing led to another and there I am one-on-one in his office playing with the great man himself and exchanging guitar notes! Somebody sent Chet my CD and he really liked it and was nice enough to invite me to Nashville to spend some time with him. It was incredible to be afforded the opportunity to play with one of my guitar heroes.”
Mathiske has cited American guitar legends such as Atkins and Leo Kottke as his greatest inspiration. However, an Australian musical legend he would one day like to collaborate with is artist/broadcaster Rolf Harris.
“It was a bit tongue-in-cheek when I initially said that I’d like to work with Rolf,” says Bruce. “Because I play the didgeridoo at some live shows someone will always yell out for Rolf Harris and I’ll usually return fire with some quip. Having said that Rolf is a great trouper and if the opportunity ever arose to actually work with him I think it would be incredible fun.”
Although generally known as a solo performer, Mathiske’s most recent album Still Got My Guitar is a collaborative effort with Australian jazz guitar legend George Golla.
“For the last couple of years I have sometimes included guests within my solo shows,” he says. “These include fiddle, banjo, ukulele, or maybe another guitarist. I love the collaborations but then really enjoy getting back to do full solo shows. I will always come back to solo as that is what I’ve always specialised in and there is a special bond that happens between an audience and me when it is just us.”
That special bond occurs between Mathiske and his Irish audiences and he’s looking forward to coming back here.
“I used to do a tour of Ireland at least once a year and always had a fantastic time,” he says. “The crowds were always enthusiastic and supported me well when I came through town. I’m really looking forward to being back in Galway. I love being nearer to Europe generally with all the different cultures and the sights, smells, and sounds. I find it more inspiring to write.”
Many musicians down through the years have written songs in tribute to special times and places in Ireland - Nanci Griffith’s ‘I Would Bring You Ireland’, John Prine’s ‘My Darling Hometown’, Steve Earle’s ‘Galway Girl’. For his part Bruce composed ‘Soft Day In Athlone’ while in the midlands.
“The local lads took me out on the Shannon one day and it was drizzling rain and there was a mist across the water,” Bruce says. “My mate Willie told me about the Irish greeting on such a day ‘Soft Day’ I was really taken with it.”
The song has since become one of his most popular at shows around the world.
“To this day it is probably my most requested tune,” he says. “I know of a Scottish fiddle player who plays it and also a big band in Australia has done an arrangement of it. Countless guitarists around the world have included it in their set.”
Aside from his interest in music Mathiske is also interested in animal welfare and has given money towards saving endangered species.
“It is quite unbelievable that so many products needlessly test on animals and that they are subjected to the most unthinkable horrors,” he says. “It is my private belief and I don’t preach at gigs and badger people about it but it is something I feel strongly about.”
For more information and tickets contact The Crane on 091 - 587419 or go to www.thecranebar.com
