AUSTRALIAN singer-songwriter James Reyne is unstoppable.
Currently on a national tour, James and his seven-piece band are playing around 100 shows, in every state, throughout 2024.
The ‘Crawl File’ Tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first greatest hits album put out by Australian Crawl, the legendary band that James fronted for seven years.
The ‘Crawl File’ show is coming to Magnums Hotel, Airlie Beach, on Friday, June 21, 2024.
Formed in 1978, Australian Crawl – known fondly as ‘The Crawl’ – had hit after hit during the 1980s.
Their debut album ‘The Boys Light Up’ was featured in the 100 Best Australian Albums, 30 years after it was released, recognising their undeniable place in Australian music culture.
James has now been a solo artist for more than 30 years, releasing 12 studio albums and four live albums.
Overall, he has had 19 Top 40 singles during his musical career, including five Top 10 solo hits.
But it is the music of The Crawl that dominates the Crawl File Tour, with James promising all the hits at the Airlie Beach gig.
“It’s 90 minutes of nothing but the hits of Australian Crawl – it’s the best show going around in Australia, currently,” James told the Whitsunday News, adding he’d played in Airlie several times before.
When asked his favourite song on the play list he said he couldn’t choose just one.
“They’re all my favourites!
“A couple I do kind of grimace a bit – because I wrote them when I was a kid and you change from being a kid to being a grownup – but most of it I like doing.”
The 67-year-old keeps fit for his gruelling tour schedule by running and swimming.
“I keep fit anyway – it’s good for my head, as well as my body,” the Australian music industry veteran said.
“Nearly every town (when we’re touring) has a good community pool, or else I’ll go for a run.”
Despite all the fame and the hit records, James comes across as very down to earth – a musician who wants to keep doing what he loves.
His never-say-die attitude is exemplified in his debut appearance on Countdown…with two arms in plaster cast, due to being hit by a car, crossing the street in Melbourne.
When asked if it was difficult to perform, he said:
“No, living life was the hardest bit!
“You can’t do anything. I worked out how to go to the toilet but, in every other aspect of life, you can’t do it. I was in plaster for three months.
“I was very young and I was just excited to be performing at that age – you think it’s funny.
“The band would leave me undressed after gigs – they would undress me and then go off and leave me in my underpants!”
Tickets available at James Reyne – Crawl File Tour Tickets at Magnums Hotel (Airlie Beach, QLD) on Friday, 21 June 2024 (oztix.com.au).
