The Way The Black Sorrows Do Business
Aussie icons the Black Sorrows have brought sweet music to our ears since the early eighties. Last month, they hit the road on a national tour to celebrate the release of their new album, The Way We Do Business, arriving on the Top End stage in January.
By Tierney White
SINCE 1984, THE legendary band has collected a legion of fans along the way, touring Australia more times than anyone can remember, playing sold out shows across Europe, winning and being nominated for ARIA and APRA Awards, scoring multiple gold and platinum releases, and selling more than a million albums worldwide.
Front man Joe Camilleri, still going strong at the age of 76 years, says he’s stoked to still be doing what he loves.
“It feels terrific, you know, it’s good … I think people have a love for some of these songs, but they also get a chance to be part of the band. Like any band that’s got a hit record, people wanna sing along … and all of a sudden, you’re friends, in a weird way,” he says.
The Way We Do Business is the band’s 24th studio album, and marks the band’s 40th anniversary. Camilleri says it was both a joy and a relief to release it into the world.
“I feel free, you know, I had this ball in my stomach,” he says.
“I think it’s a high standard record and the quality of the songs are really there, so it’s no longer for me to judge. I’m the harshest critic, like everyone who releases anything, they’re pretty hard on themselves and always feel they can do a little bit better … it’s a never-ending story.”
20 songs were written for the album, with 15 recorded and 12 making the cut for the album.
“It didn’t take too long, because I’m just an old-fashioned guy with old-fashioned values … but the hardest part was writing the songs. It took about 18 months, the whole process, from the first song to the day of release.”
Fans heading to the show can enjoy tracks from the new record, but there’s no way Camilleri would let the chance to play some old hits slip by.
“I play for the audience. If I’m doing a gig, it’s about you, it’s not about me anymore. I’ve got a fistful of songs, and I gotta sew that up into a beautiful tapestry so we can all have a great old time,” he says.
“You come to the gig as strangers, you leave as a family.”
Joe Camilleri & The Black Sorrows
WHEN SAT 25 JAN | 7.30PM
AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $56 | $51 MEMB/CONC
INFO yourcentre.com.au
Header, thumbnail & inset: Tania Jovanovic
