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I have been a performing musician since my very first gig at the age of 16 and in that time I have crossed paths with many people from all walks of life, all religions, colours, creeds and preferences.

You name it… I’ve crossed paths with it.

Now, even with all of the different people that I’ve come across in my career, one similarity still remains…

Pub + Alcohol + Music + People = Chaos. Notice I mentioned the word “People” and not “Audience?”

This is because for me, an audience is defined as a group of people that WANT to experience music not just tolerate it

In my experience (mostly playing covers in a soloist or a band situation), I’ve played in venues where the audience look at the musician as an unwanted distraction from them watching sport on the big screen or, them talking about the sport that they’re watching on the big screen.

(Incidentally, I love this time of year when the AFL take a break)

In this weeks episode of The Soul Trader Podcast, Simon and I take on the roles of grumpy old musicians and discuss the pros and cons of performing live plus the unspoken rules of engagement between pub audiences and musicians.

The title of the podcast episode “Umm, Do You Know Any Beyonce?” was taken from an actual conversation I had with a drunk female punter at the Daniel O’Connell Hotel (for any of you Adelaide folk, remember that place) way back when.

The unspoken rules part of the episode description stems from a book idea I had which will attempt to document all of the best comeback lines a musician can make whilst engaging with drunk punters.

Anyways, check out the podcast episode below. You’ll be glad you did.

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I put in the word “obligatory” in the title not as a sarcastic inference but as something I am obliged to do for myself and for all of you too.

This obligation was set up by my May 27th post It’s Time To Take My Health Seriously and it is an obligation that I do take seriously.

So, with that all being said… Here is the update.

Since I started my “changes in lifestyle” journey on May 20th, I have lost a total of 22 kilograms and in that time (just under 5 months) I have not once succumbed to the temptation of ordering takeaway food.

This means that all of my meals at home to date have been cooked by me, from scratch and that in itself is a HUGE achievement.

When I started out I was pretty strict on myself and this was partly due to me “punishing” myself for getting my health into such a poor state.

Now, while this worked getting the initial weight off of me, I realised (with the help of a wonderful nutritionist) that my restrictive program was not going to be sustainable in the long run.

I have since then started to add foods into my life which strike a balance between good to eat and good for my pancreas as well.

Compared to when I started (check out my original post here)…

  • I drink more water (but I can always do more)
  • I’ve only just started introducing alcohol again (red wine mostly)
  • Coffee consumption is the same but it’s now black, no sugar
  • No takeaway food (not even once)
  • Occasional walking on treadmill (I’ve got to do more exercise)
  • Food portion sizes are still smaller
  • Still intermittent fasting (eating window of 2-6 hours depending on whether I have a late lunch or not)

At the moment my weight has plateaued but that was expected and all I really need to do is to address some of the issues listed above (especially increase my exercise) and I can start losing some more weight but more importantly, start feeling even lighter, more energetic and sharper in focus.

I’m due for another blood test to see how my blood sugar levels are going and whether I am on my way to reversing my Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis.

I’ll make sure I get it done in the next week but nevertheless, I’m pretty proud of myself and what I’ve achieved so far and I can’t wait to see what I can do for the future.

Mara would be very proud.

Peace,

Corey 🙂

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One can never accuse me of sitting still when it comes to performing live and even though I had taken an extended break from regular gigging, I have always kept my ear to the ground and left myself open to any music opportunity that comes my way.

So, when my good friend Geoffrey Stapleton approached me to put together a band that would play selected covers from the “Great Australian Songbook” interspersed with our own material which will eventually become the main part of the repertoire over time, I immediately said a big YES!

I introduce to you all… The New Normals.

The New Normals consist of the following members:

  • Corey Stewart – Bass, Vocals
  • Geoffrey Stapleton – Keyboards, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals
  • Darren Zaza – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
  • Dave Branton – Drums, Percussion

Besides the fact that we’re going to be playing our own material live starting off at 50% covers to original ratio and working our way to a 100% self penned repertoire, the band gives me an opportunity to play bass in a live context again, something that I haven’t done in a long while.

I’m really missing it.

I know I’ve said this before but I consider myself a “bass player by trade” and while I love playing guitar on stage (especially in the context of a soloist) there is something magical to me about singing and playing bass at the same time. Moving the gig forward through voice while locking into the groove at the same time.

I love it.

Our first ever gig as The New Normals will be at Wassail Wine Bar (95 Prospect Road, Prospect) on Sunday, October 24th starting at 3:30pm.

The goal with The New Normals is to have a regular and consistently promoted monthly gig at Wassail and build up the audience by having them come to us, rather than spread the band and the resources too thinly trying to play anywhere and everywhere.

I’m very interested in seeing if this experiment works and get people lining up outside the venue. That would be lovely.

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Yes, yes, yes I know it’s been a little while since I put up an update for The Soul Trader Podcast but now that I’m able to devote some time to writing again I thought that an update is needed seeing that it’s been 14 weeks since the last one.

Fourteen weeks! That’s three and a half months… Time flies and all that stuff.

Anyways, in this weeks episode of The Soul Trader Podcast, Simon and I discuss the phenomenon known as “Cancel Culture” and how it can effect the arts and creativity in general.

While we don’t make a huge deal over certain sections of the community that feel that it’s their collective right and purposes in life to serve as moral arbiters of societal thought and action, we do attempt to work out why this is happening and what had caused this concept of cancel culture to exist in the first place

Plus, as an added bonus, Simon goes to town on Joe Rogan and conspiracy theorists in general. Normally it is I who gets up on my soapbox and shouts at the sky Grandpa Simpson style but not this episode.

Let me tell you all now, it’s not to be missed…