It’s a face anyone in their twenties would instantly recognise.
And whilst he still does some behind-the-scenes work with The Wiggles, Murray Cook – the original Red Wiggle – is these days better known as Sydney band The Soul Movers’ guitarist.
“It’s funny, the twenty-somethings often spot me from a crowd and end up staying for the music,” Cook tells Newcastle Weekly.
The band, a bit of a mainstay in Newcastle, will return to our fair city (which Cook says is one of New South Wales’ best-kept secrets) in
February for two gigs to kick off their Bona Fide tour: one at The Wickham Park Hotel on Saturday 9 February, and the other at The Grand Junction Hotel in Maitland the following day.
Cook says he enjoys touring to Newcastle, and even witnessed a marriage proposal at one of their Maitland shows once.
“It was pretty special,” he says.
“For a musician, [Newcastle] is a really great scene: the crowds and the people who run the venues are fantastic.”
As a band, The Soul Movers have been around for a decade.
Cook joined about four years ago, relishing the chance to hone his songwriting skills in what has become a highly involved performance role.
Bona Fide is the group’s third album, and, according to Mack, is the first one to truly capture their “real sound”, best described as old-school soul and rock ‘n’ roll.
The album was recorded at seven historic studios across the USA, including FAME Studios, Royal Studios, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, and Sun Studio, to name a few.
The band worked with some American legends who cut their musical teeth recording with everyone from rock ‘n’ roll’s original architects, such as Little Richard and the queen of soul herself, Aretha Franklin.
Bona Fide is set for release on 15 March, however, fans can check out the first single, You Better Believe It, on YouTube.
Go to thewicko.com.au or thegrandjunctionmaitland.com for more information on The Soul Movers’ respective Newcastle and Maitland gigs.
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