Here are some questions Charlton was kind enough to answer for this site. The questions were submitted by a variety of people, so I want to send thanks to you guys for your input. Also if Charlton happens to ever read this, thanku for taking the time out to answer them, you're a good man! Ooh and so you know, when there's a question relating to 'Avril', it's in reference to someone (not me of course ;-)) comparing Charlton's surfing ability to Avril Lavigne's so-called skating prowess. It's someone's idea of a joke! :-P
What is it you hope that people take
from your music?
To live for the moment and to search for truth in life
What makes you want to have your music
heard rather than keep it as a personal experience?
My ego, No…..urrrmm. I think honestly we all have a need to be heard,
it’s a great feeling to know how you feel resonates with other people
and maybe you’re not alone in your thought.
What is your main motivation in creating
music?
To get to the heart of a thought, I am a great observer and often over
ponder ideas or thoughts on life. Songs are way to put these questions
to the world and maybe gain some resolution.
Who has been your biggest musical influence?
Bands like the Radiohead who never cease to surprise and Jeff Buckley
who sang from nothing but the heart have been special musical signposts
for me.
Was there a time when you thought you
might not make it as a musician?
Sure, I guess everyone has low points were they don’t think they
can get there but if you believe in something enough and if you’ve
worked out why you’re on this earth then not much can stop you living
your dream.
Your songwriting seems to come from
such a personal place, so which of your songs was the most emotional to
write? And which has given you the most satisfaction?
A song like Turn To You comes from a special place of loss that
is a little sad to think too much about. Don’t Sail makes
me feel most triumphant.
'Icon' is a kickarse song, what is
the story behind it?
Icon is one for those heros in life that think they’ve got
it all sussed but couldn’t be further from the truth. I read a great
book that warned me of the ‘censor’ in us all and I gave mine
a face and wrote a song about it to remind me to ignore him.
How do you go about writing when collaborating
with someone else?
Collaboration is something that doesn’t come easy to me, to gel with
someone so well as to give up yourself emotionally in those fledgling
moments of a song is rare. With the right person a song will come out
very quickly and usually from a casual jam.
Now that things seem to be travelling
along nicely, is it harder to write music?
It can be hard to block out the things that don’t matter because
suddenly the lure of the ride is everywhere. However, I write daily and
make recordings then go back to them later when I have the power of observation,
I find this way I can still get to the truth.
When was your first time performing?
Hard to remember exactly… other than acting as a young child, my
first proper pub performance was sneaking in under age to play bass with
my band at fifteen. Brookvale Hotel, Sydney.
How does it feel to be up on stage
performing your own songs?
It feels good, I am happiest on stage performing, this is when the moment
is everything and it all seems to make sense. At the end of the day a
tour day is 23 hours of prepartion for one hour of release.
When choosing the people you work with,
both in music and live performance, what qualities do you look for? What
do you think the best qualities are out of each of your current band members?
Ha! I need to have a laugh more than anything. If you don’t get on
when touring it won’t last , the songs and the music will suffer.
The musicians I work with now are a great cross section of personalities
that need to be on the same page or head space to aid what I give out.
Which has been your favourite gig,
and why?
Mmmm, Tivoli Brisbane, John Mayer tour. It just went off!
What songs do you most enjoy peforming
live?
This changes with mood but songs like Icon and The Last Thing
are always great fun to jump around to.
What goes through your head when you've
got the crowd singing your lyrics back up at you?
Its pure happiness I guess to see with know doubt that you have a pure
connection with people.
Which musican that you've opened for
has been the nicest/more inspiring?
Touring with Bic Runga was very special, she performs with such clarity
of emotion that it is impossible not to be drawn in. I used to watch every
night and be filled with her presence.
What inspires you most about your life?
Its probably all the little moments that make me realise why I’m
this earth that drive me to want to discover more or pulls me out of a
rut and out the door.
What is your biggest fear?
Being normal
What can't you get enough of?
Travelling, a good coffee or wine and change.
Where's the strangest place you've
found yourself while travelling the world?
Strangest urm... probably on the Isle of Mann off the West coast of England.
I was in a film with Jo Elliot and Corey Feldman which was strange enough
but then they have all these weird laws out there.
Where haven't you been that you'd like
to visit?
Everywhere, my friends tell me Bolivia is nice this time of year.
What's the most daring thing you have
ever done?
When I was a sixteen I used to sky dive which was pretty exciting. I did
maybe 6-7 jumps. I was an adrenaline junky for a while there.
Can you really surf? Or should we call
you Avril Hill?
Yes I can surf. I grew up on the beaches and spent most days searching
for the perfect ride. Living in the city means those waves have been few
and far between but I still hear her call. Avril?
What
would you be doing right now if you weren't answering these questions?
Writing this great new song I’m vibing on.
10 QUICKIES:
What is in your CD player
right now?
The Belles
Name one CD you never tire of hearing?
Radiohead-The Bends
What is the last movie you saw?
Bowling for Columbine
What is the last book you read?
Life of Pi
What is your favorite escape?
A surf on a desolate beach
What makes you laugh?
Old English comedies
What three things can you never be without?
My leather jacket, my guitar and my journal
Describe your current mindset in four words.
Inspired, driven, obsessed, searching
If your life came with a theme song, what would it be?
Lucky man - the Verve
What's your greatest wish?
To make a difference