Two decades of life on the stage: rhythm helps get Eddy through the blues

Written By Monique  Patterson -- Warrnambool Standard 18 October 2024

 

Warrnambool's Eddy Boyle has been playing the harmonica since he was four-years-old. Picture by Eddie Guerrero

You never know how a minute in time will change your life. When Eddy Boyle's aunty handed him a harmonica and told him to sit in the corner and play it, he never knew it would open so many doors. The 34-year-old, who celebrated 20 years of playing live music gigs on Sunday, October 12, 2024, has had the honour of sharing the stage with the likes of Grammy-nominated blues and roots artist Eric Bibb and Australian musician Andy Baylor. He also is lucky enough to call Joe Camilleri and Jim Hocking mates and has performed with the two on a number of occasions. Boyle said he loved the harmonica almost from the first moment he played it. "When I was about four I was being naughty and my aunty said 'this is a harmonica - go and sit in the corner and blow on it'," Boyle said. "I did and I kept playing it. "A couple of days later Dad said 'I've got this old blues record called Blow by Blow'. "It was a compilation but there was a track called She's Tough by a blues artist named Jerry McCann and that really stood out. "I heard the lyrics and the harmonica solo and I thought - at four-years-old - I want to do that." He took lessons from age 11 to 16 and loved playing live from the first time he performed on stage.Boyle is part of the band The Exciters and also plays with a number of other bands on occasion, including Lost in Suburbia. Boyle said he loved all genres of music but he had his favourites. "As a harmonica player, I'm a blues man first and foremost," he said. "But I love '50s rock and rock and swinging jazz stuff."I love Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke and then obviously '50s rock and roll - Elvis and Johnny Cash and Gene Vincent."One thing not everyone knows is that different harmonicas are used for different songs and genres because they play in different keys, Boyle said. He has about 100 harmonicas, some of which are custom-made.Boyle, who was born with mild cerebral palsy, is also the disability ambassador for Blues Music Victoria."Anyone who is playing blues who has a disability, I try and lend a hand," he said.He also offers advice to venues and event organisers. Boyle said the main impact his disability had on him was that he was told at age 12 he would never be able to drive a car. "That worried me at the time but I got used to it," Boyle said."You try not to let it slow you down."Boyle will sing and play the harmonica on Saturday, October 19 at Warrnambool's Civic Green alongside his mate and guitar player Mark Halliwell.The event is being held as part of Mental Health Week and Boyle will play from 1pm.

Concert at the Seniors -- Mortlake Muster Band

 

Although undated this was first posted on facebook in 2014

The Passion - Mass choir and Warrnambool Symphony Orchestra - Easter 1989

 

15 Minutes of Fame Dec 1st 2023

 

Newspaper article on repurposed quarry - Bruce Campbell - City's new ampitheatre to be revealed at music event

 

Public platform for local bands

 Article from The Warrnambool Weekly 3/11/2023 - featuring "Convict Class".

Eddy takes on role close to his heart - newspaper article on Eddy Boyle

 Published Warrnambool Standard August 19 2023

Warrnambool musician Eddy Boyle is using his own experience of living with disabilities to help others make venues and events more accessible to everyone.The harmonica player and singer-songwriter supported by a band will perform at Hotel Warrnambool on Sunday, August 20, for three 45 minute sets from 3pm.Boyle, who lives with a vision impairment and mild cerebral palsy, was appointed the Music Victoria disability ambassador earlier this.He will play a pivotal role in promoting inclusivity and accessibility within the blues music community across the state. BMV is a peak industry body representing blues clubs, venues, festivals, media, industry services and suppliers in Victoria. Boyle said his role would include making sure festivals and events were accessible to all-abilities. "You need to make festivals and organisers more aware of that," he said. "Sometimes it gets swept under the carpet a bit." Boyle said his disabilities had not impacted his music career. "Yeah the disability is there but when I step on the stage you just do what you do and you don't think about it," he said. Boyle has been interested in music since he was four years old."I heard She's Tough by Jerry McCain and decided then and there I wanted to be a blues musician," he said. He undertook harmonica lessons with south-west musician Andrew Flook from the age of 11. When he was 17, Boyle decided to "keep going" with music, now having played professionally for almost two decades. "I bumped into a harmonica player, (the now late blues musician) Chris Wilson, who was one of the top guys in Australia - he took me further." Boyle said he has performed alongside Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows 13 times. He said his appearance with Grammy-nominated American blues singer and songwriter Eric Bibb during Warrnambool's Find Your Voice Collective all abilities choir performance at the 2023 Port Fairy Folk Festival was also a highlight. "I was a little bit nervous but you just get in there and do what you do," Boyle said. Boyle said Bibb said to him 'young man, you played really well'. "That meant the world to me," Boyle said.

Warrnambool band Whipwerm to perform first home-town gig

 Published in the Warrnambool Standard August 18 2023

Whipwerm's Oscar Whiting, Sebastian Clarke and Samuel O'Donohue will perform in Warrnambool for the first time. 

Home-grown band Whipwerm are finally getting to play a gig in Warrnambool - the place they first formed in 2019. Samuel O'Donohue, Oscar Whiting and Sebastian Clarke were just finishing year 12 when they began collaborating on their Aussie punk rock band and writing songs.After school, they all relocated to Melbourne and Geelong for work and study - Samuel to study law at university and his bandmates to work as tradies.But music brought them back together."We've all parted ways for a year or so and then after COVID we all met up in Melbourne and started doing shows," Samuel said. "We've played in Port Fairy and a lot of gigs in Melbourne."There hasn't been any opportunities in Warrnambool."Samuel said it was incredible to be able to play in front of family and friends back home."It's overdue," he said.They've frequently played at Melbourne's iconic live music venue The Tote in Collingwood, and The Workers Club in Fitzroy."We've been doing nearly two years of gigs. We've always wanted to show friends and families," Samuel said"It's quite disappointing that there's no where really to do it."Whipwerm will perform their own songs - many from the debut album they are working on and hope to release at the end of the year.They will also do a handful of cover songs at their live gigs from bands such as Nivana, Rage Against the Machine, The Sex Pistols and The Kinks.Samuel said they hoped to take the band "all the way". Whipwerm will perform at Rafferty's Tavern on Saturday, August 19 from 7.30pm along with Convict Class, Kids With Capes and Crimson Lizard. Tickets $15. Rachael Street, from Rafferty's Tavern, said it was trying to support local music and give bands somewhere to play."We're just trying to support local musicians because there is a lack of venues that are having live music," she said."We've got a couple of bands booked in for the next few months - a mix of local and tribute bands."

Red Wine -- Warrnambool Band

A Warrnambool band called Red Wine played at various footy clubs etc around Warrnambool, and was the resident band at The Macs 'Arkaba' in the late 1970's,  playing every Wed and Sat night for a couple of years. 

 David Crawley, Les Hird, Johnny Henderson, Warren Barnes

Red Wine out in a back room between sets: l to r : Trevor Moorefield, Warren Barnes, Johnny Henderson, Les Hird, David Crawley. 

Red Wine playing onstage: Johnny Henderson, David Crawley, Trevor Moorefield.

 

Tim Slattery and Michael Schack

Tim Slattery (left) and Michael Schack at Kangaroobie, Princetown, 22nd April 2023

Michael Schack (left) and Tim Slattery in Warrnambool 20th June 2015

 

Lady Bay Hotel Warrnambool

 

Midnight Oil concert in Warrnambool