Homing in on CD

Warrnambool Standard 9th July 1998 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1998. All rights reserved

After selective public appearances including Off-shore '98, local surf band Paddy Come Home has released its debut CD, Surfing is my life. To be launched at the Hotel Grand on Wednesday and Geelong's Barwon Club on July 18, the CD marks a turning point in the band's attitude. Lead singer Grant Leeworthy said the band had "learnt a lot" from the experience of recording last year and early this year at Peter Bird's Warrnambool studio. "It's a surfing theme", Leeworthy said. "The songs express our love for adventure and we have surf safaris. It all sounds so cliched." However, things are heading up for the band. He said the CD release has marked a more determined approach to the music with some members starting vocal training and starting to "soup up" their instruments. It has also stepped up to the world of sponsorship, clinching a deal with Billabong Wetsuits Australia, which also sponsors bands such as Blink 182 and silverchair. That, in turn, has seen it secure a spot at the Billabong Pro Junior Surf Competition, the biggest of its kind in the world, at Bells Beach in October. Paddy Come Home had selected its catchy pop tune Surfing Is My Life as an entry to Triple J's Unearthing competition for the Warrnambool region, Leeworthy said. The band hoped the Unearthing experience would help develop and refine its CD production and help with a second CD pressing at the end of the year, he said. A third year fisheries management and aquaculture student at Deakin University Warrnambool, Leeworthy said for him personally the band provided a fantastic creative opportunity in addition to his love for science. "It's just such a good outlet". He said he, brother Adam and Chris Loo were the main songwriters of the band with "prolific" hands, able to churn out up to three songs a day while the band continually developed the arrangements.