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JOHN HARLEY WESTON - BIOGRAPHY Print this biography as PDF or Word Doc John Harley Weston has been a singer-songwriter for 20 years. It's only in the past few years that he has started to gain a wider recognition having won the Australian National Songwriting Contest and received accolades from Unisong and Billboard World Songwriting Contests amongst many other things. In his long musical journey he's worked with producers and engineers such as Gary Katz (Steeley Dan), Sandy Jones (Wet Wet Wet), Ian Kewley (Paul Young), Dave Bascombe (Tears For Fears), Kenny McDonald (Texas), Steve Jackson (Bryan Adams), Adam Mosely (Rush), Tony Philips (Seal) and session players such as Wix (Paul McCartney), Tony Beard (Jeff Beck, Hall and Oates, Wycliff Jean, Madonna), Graham Broad (Go West) and more. John has recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales (birthplace of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody), Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio, George Martin's Air Studio in London, Jacobs Farm in Surrey England, Parklane Studio in Glasgow, Pete Townsend's Eel Pie Studio in London, Rooster 2 in London, Red Zeds in Brisbane, Australia and many more. Weston was born in Glasgow, Scotland, grew up in Stewarton, Ayrshire (home of many a bard including the Scottish poet Robert Burns) then moved to Australia in 1997. He has supported 'Wet Wet Wet' on one of their UK stadium tours (including Wembley Arena) and Gun on a UK university tour as well as supports to Duran Duran, Lighthouse Family, Indigo Girls and John 'Swanee' Swan. He's also performed for the Queensland Premier, Gold Coast Mayor, Beaudesert Shire Mayor and Brisbane Lions Aussie Rules team. He's appeared live on Channel 7 Network Television and had interviews aired on Channel 9 Network. He has performed hundreds of shows including venues such as Sheffield Arena, Wembley Arena, Manchester GMex, Birmingham NEC, The London Astoria, Gold Coast Arts Centre (Unplugged In The Basement), Rics Bar Brisbane, King Tuts Glasgow, Barrowlands Glasgow, the 6* Palazzo Versace Hotel Gold Coast , Brunelli's on Tamborine Mtn, Boardwalk on Hope Island and CB Richard Ellis property Marina Shopping Centre, Hope Island. But success is not about what you've done....it's about what you're doing now..... See recent testimonial quotes below from big names in Music like the sound engineer for John Mayer, Prince, Sting and Christina Aguilera as well as drummer/guitarist for Crosby, Stills and Nash, Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck and a quote from one of Australia's biggest music manager's (Powderfinger manager) as well as an Australian Idol judge........ ABOUT JOHN HARLEY WESTON'S NEW ALBUM - WELCOME BACK TO REALITY 2008 When you’ve won national and international awards for your songs, releasing new material can be daunting. Not so for John Harley Weston. His new album 'Welcome Back To Reality’ (May 2008) is even more essential. 'Welcome Back To Reality' is a welcome back to the essence of great songwriting; strong melodies, teasing hooks & coherent lyrics that inspire & uplift. If you can't stand pretentious, cutting edge, shoe gazing, shake your booty music then you're going to love it. Weston’s guitar-based folk/rock is unashamedly music for the masses. Rather than give you the usual boring critique here are some recent results….. Two songs were chosen by Channel 7 Television for their Beijing Olympics playlist. Five million Australians (where Weston is based) watched the official broadcast. In September John was nominated for a Gold Coast Honours Award 2008 by readers of the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper. (There are half a million people on the Gold Coast of Australia). The awards, now in their 6th year, recognise those who inspire the community with creative spirit, courage, sense of community and passion in their chosen field. Since it's release at the end of May 2008, songs from the album have already been playlisted on over 25 radio stations (including BBC radio). John's just secured airplay with Satellite Music Australia who supply music to Foxtel and Austar Pay TV radio channels as well as huge retail stores across the southern hemisphere. This hard working independent artist also just signed with respected Blue Pie Records. They have licensing deals to provide music to the likes of 20th Century Fox, ABC TV, Columbia Tristar, Dreamworks, Coca Cola, Toyota etc. It’s a non-exclusive deal so John’s free to work with other labels…..win win situation! Weston's writing is reminiscent of the message songs of Ben Harper and Bernard Fanning. That common thread is evident from the cajun-flavoured 'Whatever Makes You Happy' to the Sheryl Crowesque 'Believe In Yourself' on to the epic self-discovery song 'Welcome Back To Reality'. It continues with 'Let Your Life Begin', revealing shades of Paul Rodgers, through to the bluesy 'Wouldnt Miss A Day' and on to the Johnny Cash styled 'Righteous Son' about Australian, Van Nguyen, who was hanged in Singapore for carrying drugs. In addition to the above comparisons there are also tones of vintage Neil Diamond (one of the most successful songwriters of all time despite his taste in dinner jackets). Comparisons aside Weston's style is individual in it's own right. There's also an emotive cover of the Australian classic, 'Waltzing Matilda,'. (Freddy Celis of respected 'Rootstime' Belgium says 'Weston’s intimate translation has to be added to the gallery of the greatest'.) TONY BEARD (drummer/guitarist with Crosby, Stills & Nash, Johnny Winter, Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Daryl Hall) says new song ''Whatever Makes You Happy' is a hit and a great metaphor'. KHALIQ GLOVER (Los Angeles based Grammy award winning recording/mixing engineer for John Mayer, Santana, Sting, Marcus Miller, Prince, Stevie Wonder,) says 'Wow, you sound great. Great songs and craftsmanship and your singing is spot on..' PAUL PITICCO (manager of one of Australia's biggest band's Powderfinger and Bernard Fanning) says 'Congrats mate. DIY has worked great for you .....you should write a "how to" book. It has been great to watch it grow. Here's to your continued success'. MARK HOLDEN (Australian Idol judge, music producer and songwriter) says 'Hi John.....really good site you have for listening - excellent material - good onya...' A multi-instrumentalist, Weston engineered, produced and perfomed 95% of this album himself…….and funded 100% of it. Now that’s an independent artist! ‘Believe In Yourself’ & ‘Let Your Life Begin’ have already received highest level and honourable mentions respectively from Billboard World Songwriting Contest 2007 - both share the same lyrics but different arrangements showing Weston’s talent and diversity. Listen free here. Buy album here for only $20 (Australian) including postage to anywhere in the world. ...................................................................................................................................... Weston's first album 'Hope Harbour' (2004/5) picked up some serious awards. In Australia where the Scotsman is now based he won the prestigious Australian National Songwriting Contest 2005 (rock category) with 'Last Days Of Summer'. He received highest level honourable mention from Billboard World Songwriting Contest (2006) for the humanitarian lament, 'Brothers and Sisters' and in 2006 made the top 20 at the notoriously difficult Unisong International Songwriting Contest...the comp that gave birth to songwriters Bonnie Raitt , Jimmy Buffet, Mick Fleetwood, Indigo Girls, Burt Bacharach. Weston was also voted in the top 5 best singers in the world by major U.S. music publisher Dale Kawashima (previously Creative Director at Sony Music Publishing in Los Angeles and head of Michael Jackson's ATV). John moved from Glasgow to Australia's Gold Coast in 1997. In 1999 he released ‘Road To Victory' for the Brisbane Lions AFL team (Aussie Rules) in conjunction with Festival/Mushroom Records. In the UK in the early 90’s as lead singer with Scottish band ‘Frontier’ he spent his musical apprenticeship working with some of the best e.g. Gary Katz (Steeley Dan producer), Ian Kewley (Paul Young’s M..D) & members of Paul McCartney's band. Currently performing in South East Queensland John Harley Weston is endorsed by Takamine guitars and D'Addario guitar strings and Neumann Microphones ...................................................................................................................................... Print the above biography page as a PDF or Word Document Click here for the full biography Albums 'Welcome Back To Reality' (2008) and ‘Hope Harbour' (2004) available to buy from this website. Click here to for soundbytes or purchase a CD What the critics say including radio play and press articles - quotes and press interviews Agents and venues click here |