INTERVIEW POST DARWIN OUTBACK TOUR
by Paula McKay held in 2002
Paula McKay : Two years ago you went back to Australia after a very long stay in Europe, where you had lived in France, Switzerland and Germany ?
Gerry Joe Weise : That's right, In 1999 I went on a tour of Victoria and New South Wales, but I had to go back in 2000 (ed. Europe) for the festivals.
Paula McKay : How was it when you arrived back in Australia for the Darwin Outback Tour, a tour of Northern Territory in 2000 and 2001 ?
Gerry Joe Weise : I flew into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from London (ed. Oct 18, 2000), and had to wait 9hrs for the next flight out. I arrived at Darwin Airport (ed. Oct 19) during the heatwave. It was so hot, I had trouble getting around with my luggage and guitar-case, but I was just happy to be there. You know, Chris Dreja of the Yardbirds shares the same opinion as myself, we both think that Darwin is a great rock'n'roll town. The people there are just great and very laid-back. Within the first week, everything was going along well with the Darwin Outback Tour.
Paula McKay : It must have been real hot up there near Indonesia ?
Gerry Joe Weise : I enjoyed the refreshing swimming-pool back at the hotel, where possums would come down to drink the pool water at night, and during the day, metre long goanas (ed. monitor lizards) would walk through the gardens.
Paula McKay : You were surrounded by wildlife ?
Gerry Joe Weise : Yeah, Darwin city is just bursting with Frilled-necked and Blue-tongue lizards in the parks, fruit-bats and parrots in palm trees, dolphins in the bay, the odd crocodile on the beach, as well as deadly jellyfish in the waters. Yeah just wild !
Paula McKay : And the people ?
Gerry Joe Weise : Yeah they were pretty wild too ! (ed. laughter).
Paula McKay : You started in October 2000 and went through to April 2001 for the Darwin Outback Tour. That would mean that you were in Darwin during the cyclone season ?
Gerry Joe Weise : The cyclone season is basically December till February, but I was lucky enough that the Top End was quite calm that year. As a matter of fact one of my Darwin bass players was a rescue helicopter pilot, and had to go to Western Australia for rescue-operations during the cyclone season. Otherwise we used to rehearse in his helicopter hangar at Darwin Airport !
The Nirvana Blues & Jazz Club had Marc Smith and Gerry Joe Weise on duo guitars, performing rock-blues numbers with off-the-wall humour, a delightful soiree that you can catch this Saturday (ed. Oct 4) at Tim's Surf n' Turf. Darwin News
Marc Smith, Gerry Joe Weise and Ash Dargan played at Lizard's in Daly St, last Saturday (ed. Nov 11), for an evening of great tap-toeing entertainement. Top End News, Darwin
The Petty Sessions on Mitchel Street presents, Gerry Joe Weise in a juke-joint guitar and drums blues duo with fellow mate Rob, for a late night session of roadhouse blues 'n' boogie. "There's going to be a bit of an explosive Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion influence in this duo" says Gerry Joe. So get ready for a rockin' dance night of fun at the Petty Sessions, starts at 9.00 p.m. Saturday November 18. Blues Flyer, Darwin
New to the Darwin metroploitan scene, Gerry Joe Weise will be playing his world-wise (no pun intended) brand of blues. Along with local bass and drums rhythm support John & Jeff, at the rock hardy Blue Healers, downtown Darwin, for their outdoor barbecue. Get ready for the blues on Sunday November 19 at 7.00 pm sharp. Blues Flyer, Darwin
The Gerry Joe Weise Duo with bandmate John on bass, gave us a fair impression of what he has been up to on the European tours over the last few years. Down to earth blues, funky rock rhythms, Texas shuffles, and different local themes from the outback, his "Broken Hill Blues" comes straight out of New South Wales. The concert given at the Dinah Beach Yacht Club in Frances Bay, Wednesday (ed. Nov 29), on the sunny outdoor quayside, accentuates Gerry Joe's penchant for rocking the blues. Top End News, Darwin
Darwin Blues Club kicks off at Kitty O'Sheas in Mitchel Street tonight (ed. Thursday Nov 30). The house band will be the 4 Higher Blues Band featuring Gerry Joe Weise on guitar and vocals. Gerry Joe has played with Eric Clapton, B.B.King, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, and with the musicians from Jimmy Johnson and Otis Grand. The 4 Higher Blues Band will be playing original songs and covers. The evening kicks off at 6.30. Suellen Hinde, Northern Territory News, Darwin
After last Sunday 3rd, the Gerry Joe Weise trio will be back again this Sunday for a concert of heavy blues rock at the Noonamah Tavern on the Stuart Highway - no need to ask where the hell that is. Be there for an afternoon of blues and boogie on Sunday December 17 at 5.00 p.m. Noonamah News
The Kitty O'Sheas Thursday Blues Club was another successful night of blues by the house band led by Gerry Joe Weise. The Englishman Victor Brox of Ansley Dunbar celebrity, and his musicians, dropped in for the ritual jamming with the house band last December 21. Apparently Gerry Joe Weise has jammed before with Victor Brox in Bordeaux on the French coastline. Another satisfying evening of rhythm and blues at the O'Sheas pub. Darwin Newspaper
It's Christmas time and Gerry Joe Weise's 4 Higher Trio, with locals Jeff & John, scheduled at the Humpty Doo Tavern, Arnhem Hwy, promised to be a merry promo last Sunday 24 on Christmas Eve. They rocked, they rolled, and played Christmas blues way into the warm summer evening. Humpty Doo News
Just after the Hotel Back Bar and the Country Club in Katherine, Gerry Joe Weise bluesman from Sydney who has lived and toured in Europe for 19 odd years, will be playing at the Howard Springs Tavern for what will be announced as a solo concert of originals and cover favourites. Gerry Joe Weise isn't new to the solo circuit scene, he has played in front of 7,000 people supporting the Scorpions in France, and has played several 1,000 seaters in Europe with his rocking blues. You can catch Gerry Joe Weise on guitar and vocals at the Tavern, Whitwood Road, on Thursday March 1st. Howard Springs News
The Renner Springs Roadhouse, had a rocking Roadhouse time on Saturday (ed. March 10) as Gerry Joe Weise rocked the house with songs from Hound Dog Taylor and Freddie King. He sang songs off his albums "Live In Paris" and "Bushman Boogie", the place was packed, and Gerry Joe said he will definitely be back again. Renner Springs Newspaper
Gerry Joe Weise, blues guitarist and vocalist, who has played with B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and Eric Clapton, has embarked on his "Darwin Outback Tour", 46 concert dates so far, and a blues bordering on the crossroads of rock and country. Acclaimed by the press, he has released several albums of note, and will be presenting his special brand of Aussie blues at the Wayside Inn on the Stuart Highway, in Dunmarra, on Friday 30 March at 9.00. Dunmarra News
