Recording an entire album in his at-home studio during COVID-19, was a labour of love for one local musician who is about to release his twelfth album.
Teacher and musician, Graham Greene was born in Armadale and grew up in Derby until he attended Wesley College, where he found his passion playing guitar.
Prior to boarding school, Mr Greene said he never had much exposure to the music culture of the 1970s, which saw the success of bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Van Halen.
“Growing up in the country we had no TV and the radio was only ABC which played harmless pop, country music and classical,” Mr Greene said.
“When I went to the city for boarding school it was a completely different experience with countdown and a huge musical influence.”
Mr Greene said when he was growing up he played music a lot because having no television meant entertainment was self-made.
“I remember the first time I discovered a guitar, it was just before I turned 15 and I was listening to Deep Purple,” he said.
“My hairs stood up on my arms and I got goose bumps. I knew this was what I had to do with my life.”
Leaving school to join a band, Mr Greene has spent his life dedicated to playing the guitar and has become a legend in the Perth local music scene.
In the late 1980s Mr Greene was part of the band Ice Tiger, a local band that reached number one with one of their hits on the local charts and then begun charting nationally in 1991.
Mr Greene then moved to Camillo in 2006, into the house where he recorded his soon to be released album.
‘Symphonica Part One’ is the title of Mr Greene’s new album, set to be released on February 26.
He said the album drew on inspiration from Celtic, Eastern and European cultures whilst offering glimpses into the mythical past and possible post-apocalyptic future.
According to Mr Greene, COVID-19 really helped to get his head down and stuck into creating music.
“I recorded the whole album in my spare bedroom at my house in Camillo, which I turned into a home studio,” he said.
“I’ve made 12 albums myself, produced in that studio.”
More music continues to flow for Mr Greene, who is three-quarters of the way through the second part of ‘Symphonica’.
“I’ve completed three-quarters of the second part to ‘Symphonica’, the lockdowns have really been making me focus on producing music.”
