The Blue Atlas Ball is coming up in Melbourne on July 4. A Clare Bowditch, Anna Burley, Abby Dobson, Spencer P Jones, Davey Lane, Tim Rogers, Kerri Simpson, Cal and Van Walker will get on stage with Charles Jenkins and the Zhivagos to play his songs and theirs.
In the lead-up to the Blue Atlas Ball, Devil Dust Music caught up with Abby Dobson to talk about Charles.DDM - How were you first introduced to Charles’ music?
AD - I first heard Charles' music when he was featured on a radio program when I was driving around Sydney one summer's day. he was chatting between songs and I thought he sounded delightful.
DDM - What do you admire about Charles as a songwriter / performer?
AD - I admire how prolific Charles is and how the little vignettes in his songs are always in a state of growth. He has rich soil me thinks.
DDM - Do you have any interesting stories about Charles to share?
AD - I moved to Melbourne a couple of years ago and was renting a room in my friend Cam's house while I found my feet. I had just put a brand new Melbourne band together and we were having our first show at the Northcote Social Club and I really wanted to find a great opening act. Not being that familiar with the Melbourne musical landscape, I discovered the benefits of Myspace. Late one night, after hours of trawling, I happened upon Charles' site and took a chance by sending him a message beseeching him to do me the honour of opening my show.
In the morning, I told my friend what I’d done and he said "nah! He wont do it". Then I got a message from Chuck asking if I was really abby dobson and wondering if maybe his friends were playing a trick on him! He wanted me to send him an email to a different address so he could make sure I was really who I said I was! Of course I knew I would adore him from then on and I have.
DDM - What is your favourite song from the Blue Atlas?
AD - Hmm. This changes. Currently it’s a toss up between the Stenographers Blues and Caravaggio, My Wife & I.
DDM - Other favourite Charles Jenkins tracks?
AD - Brother Died, Brother Wept perhaps....
DDM - What are you looking forward to most about the Blue Atlas Ball?
AD - Well, it’s always a treat to sing with strings, plus the idea of a winter ball just sounds exciting. I’m sure there wont be Ice skating and white fur coats and being twirled around a dance floor, but that’s what I have in my head....
DDM - What are you working on at the moment?
AD - After a lengthy time touring and promoting my debut album 'Rise Up', i am finally back at the drawing board and working on some new toons. Plus, I also do a fabulous French show with Lara Goodridge from Fourplay called Baby et Lulu so we are looking at doing some more shows together for fun.
