For the love of local original music...

Recently, I hung out with passionate songwriter and videographer, Wes Hopkins at his cosy and colourful recording studio in suburban Burpengary. We recorded a few songs for his new YouTube channel, Orange Originals (coming soon!). Wes is a single parent, electrician, teacher, and talented keyboard player who’s been writing songs since the age of 12.

Orange Originals is dedicated to supporting local songwriters to showcase their talents through high quality audio recording and film. Wes weaves together excerpts from interviews about the songwriter’s process, songs performed live in the studio, and imagery of their work in 20 minute episodes. Songwriters are invited to record at the studio usually after seeing them perform live at local open mics.

This project was sparked by an interest in the challenging and rewarding hobby of recording AV with a desire to serve and celebrate the local original music community. As a community project, Orange Originals allows people to access locally-made original music, including those who may not be able to regularly attend live music events and open mics (people living with disability, single parents etc.).

Like me, Wes believes there are many unsung, local musicians that can hold their own amongst the great songwriters of our time. I asked him what initially led to his love of original music and he told the following story…

“As a young apprentice, I spent time in a workshop where mainstream radio was played. Everyday I heard the same songs in often the same order. I just thought that this was how it was meant to be. One day I worked with a different tradesman. One who listened to Triple J. Here were all these strange songs that I have never heard before! He made the comment that he would rather listen to a hundred new songs that he has never heard than listen to one song that he has heard a hundred times before... From that time on I began to relish listening to stuff that I’d never heard before. I'm not a religious or spiritual person but I don't like thinking that everything is pointless. Being part of a group of people enjoying watching someone perform music stirs a sort of primordial feeling that this is worth something.”

I agree. Transcendent even…