Australian rockers, Thirsty Merc will celebrate a 10-year milestone with the announcement of an Acoustic Anniversary Album that will showcase tracks from their self-titled double platinum debut LP. Lead singer and songwriter Rai Thistlethwayte chatted with Newcastle Live this week about the album and what it feels like to have come this far.
The album is a collection of acoustic interpretations of fan favourites including ‘20 Good Reasons’, ‘In The Summertime’, ‘Someday Someday’, and ‘Mousetrap Heart’. These new recordings showcase the band’s exemplary level of musicianship and hearing these well-known tunes with acoustic production highlights the world-class song writing ability of Rai Thistlethwayte.
During our chat about the album Rai said that he had really enjoyed the process of presenting the songs form their first album in a different light;
“We were able to capture more of the Nuances in the songs during the recording. Using acoustic instruments you get to play with things like microphone placement to capture different tones, and I really enjoyed that”.
With over 200,000 album sales under their belt, a finalist for APRA Song of the Year for‘20 Good Reasons’ which also reached #1 on iTunes in Australia and three ARIA nominations, Thirsty Merc have found their way into the fabric of Australia’s musical landscape. We asked Rai what it was like to have come this far and what he thought kept him fresh as an artist.
“Mum and Dad turned me onto music when I really young. I just kept on bashing at the piano and I guess they saw something in that. I suppose it’s like a kid who learned to surf at a young age, it’s just something I do and I think that’s why I still love it”.
The band will be brining the Acoustic Anniversary Album show to Wests New Lambton on Wednesday the 22nd October. Secure tickets at www.westsnewcastle.com.au or phone 02 4935 1200
