Pete Murray has no aversion to mixing the old with the new.
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The singer-songwriter, who has sold over 1 million records in his time, will stop in Warrnambool next week as part of his 18-date PM3 Summer Sessions tour.
Performing songs from his latest record, Camacho, with two other musicians, Murray said his gig at the Whalers Hotel on Wednesday night would have a “stripped back vibe” that draws on three-part harmonies.
“I wanted to do this coastal run, because it's sort of where the music started years ago – on the surf scene,” he said.
“And the response has been awesome … I think my fans like me on acoustic guitar.”
But while Camacho, which features hit singles like “Take Me Down” and “Only One”, was nominated for an ARIA award, Murray said he would relish playing the classics as well.
“I still really enjoy playing those old songs - there's no problem with that,” he said. “I find it a little weird when some bands just refuse to play their hit songs or whinge about it to the crowd. It's like, 'that song made you...just shut up and play it and don't be a turd'.
“So I'm totally open to requests and people yelling out to me.”
With hits like “So Beautiful”, “Opportunity” and “Better Days” placing him alongside the likes of Powderfinger and Missy Higgins as one of the most iconic Australian acts from the late 1990s and early to mid 2000s, Murray said he was glad to have achieved longevity.
“Those guys are all my friends and I’m always happy to be mentioned among them,” he said.
“We all came out around a similar time when the singer-songwriter was really big and it seems to be kicking back in again now.
“I remember hearing Neil Young for the first time when I was about 19 - I was at a party and just fell in love with it. Once a song and its lyrical content has meaning and connection for you, it can take you back to a place and time, and that's really a important thing in music.
“And that's where songwriters like Bernard Fanning, Missy Higgins and myself, I hope, have the lyrical content in our songs that will connect through the generations.”
Born and raised in Chinchilla – a small Queensland town of roughly 7000 people – until the age of 16, Murray said this upbringing also helped him connect with a regional audience.
“There's some real characters in small towns, so you can always have a lot of fun with them,” he said.
“They're super polite people – no arrogance or rudeness about them.
“And I love Warrnambool. I've been there a few times now to play shows. It's a great little spot and that whole run down the Great Ocean Road is beautiful.
“I've spent a fair bit of time in Port Campbell over the years...so the area feels part of my life. This is one of the gigs I'm really looking forward to on the tour.”
Murray will be supported in Warrnambool by Kyneton-based artist Taylor Sheridan.
“He's really supportive in the way he gets the crowd going – by the time I come on stage they're amped and ready to go,” Murray said.
Tickets are $49, doors open 6pm.