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LIFE
AND LOVE
- from Capital News September 2011
by Susan Jarvis Since releasing their last album, Leap Before You Look, five years ago, the pair has faced more than one major life-threatening illness and the devastation of their beloved Kinglake community in the Victorian bushfires. But in the midst of all that, they’ve also experienced the joy of new life – the birth of their two precious granddaughters, three-year-old Kaydee and baby Chloe, one. DAVID AND MERELYN CARTER admit that there were times during that dark period when they wanted to give up music. “It just felt too hard, and we didn’t write a new song for three years. We were just focused on living our lives and getting through the hard parts – and there were some very hard parts,” David said. “But to write a good song, you have to live a bit, and sometimes the best music can come out of the toughest times.” When the pair finally emerged into the sunshine again, they realised that music was a part of them, and they couldn’t give it up if they tried. So they sat down and wrote the most positive album they’ve ever released, the breathtakingly beautiful To The Moon And Back. “When we began writing, it all just flowed out. We wrote 13 songs, and 11 of them have ended up on the album,” David said. “It’s strange that such positive music has come out of such a bad place. We’ve realised that we write the best songs once we’ve emerged on the other side – and this time we’ve written from very personal perspective, even more than on our previous albums,” David said. For Merelyn, it was a question of understanding what role music needed to play in their lives. “I wasn’t sure what direction to take. I was focused on writing my book, and I felt that there were other things I wanted to explore. I need to know what I was meant to do,” she said. “When I started the book, all the negative things came to the fore, and I needed to get beyond those. I was forced to re-evaluate a lot of my values and beliefs, and the reasons why I do things. In the end, there was a sense that something had been unlocked, and it all came very freely.” It’s clear from the first track on To The Moon And Back that David and Merelyn have a new appreciation of life and the world around them. Dance In The Rain is a song of celebration, of letting go and embracing the joy of living. “This is really a song about the little girl inside me – she’s always been there, wanting to burst out, but now I have grandchildren, she’s got a new excuse to appear more often,” Merelyn said. Since the fires, David and Merelyn have watched their community go through some major changes. “It’s pretty much a new community. The population’s gone from 7000 to 3000, so many people have left, there have been so many relationship break-ups – nothing is the same and it will take years to rebuild,” David said. “So I think we value our community, and particularly our own little piece of it, so much more.” That passion for their much-loved farm is captured on Little Piece Of Heaven, one of the album’s stand-out tracks, which paints a vivid picture of their life and their home. They’ve also expressed their love for one another on Keeps Getting Better, which Merelyn says is the first love song they’ve ever written for each other. “We’ve done love songs before, but we decided it was time to write one for us. We’ve been together a long time now, and we wanted to capture that feeling of belonging, that nice familiarity you get when you’re an old married couple. We’ve seen so many relationships falter and end recently, so it’s something that’s definitely worth celebrating.” However, the album has also captured the other side of the coin on tracks like When A Heart Breaks and Please Come Home. “Again, it’s the first time we’ve done heartbreak songs, but we’ve seen so much that it seemed appropriate,” Merelyn said. “The inspiration for Please Come Home came from the words I said to David on the day of the fires. He was away helping some neighbours, and I desperately needed him to come home. In the end, the fires followed him home, but somehow we managed to defend our farm. We were very, very lucky.” Merelyn says the pair no longer takes anything for granted. “Without a doubt we’ve changed. We’ve come through the hard times and become different people. “Now we understand that life is short and we have to live in the moment and appreciate the things we value – our farm, our family, our grandchildren, our friends. Going through what we have puts everything into perspective. Family is an important part of this album. The wonderful Family Was Everything in fact features the Carters’ extended family in a wonderful, joyous celebration of life. The poignant He Found Her At Christmas was inspired by Merelyn’s parents, who have been married for 55 years and are still together. “They married at 19 and they’re still in love. It sometimes feels like life goes by in a few days, and the song captures that,” Merelyn said. In contrast, the idea for the exquisite title track came from by Merelyn and David’s first grand-daughter, Kaydee. It is a gentle, sweet and absolutely delightful celebration of the purest form of love – from a child. Every track on this album is special. Other wonderful songs include A Good Life, cowritten with Danny Hooper, and Second Time Around, which David wrote with ALLAN CASWELL and AL CRAIG. The beautiful Let’s Choose Love, which David and Merelyn wrote with guitarist BRETT WOOD, also sums up the spirit of the album perfectly. To the Moon and Back was recorded in a much more organic way than their previous CDs. It was coproduced by David, Merelyn and ADRIAN HANNAN, and recorded pretty much live. That has given it an energy and joy that is almost tangible. With the album finished, Carter and Carter have now moved into touring mode once again. They’ve just finished a successful tour of Victoria and New South Wales with TRACY KILLEEN and TRAVIS SINCLAIR, and are gearing up to perform at the Mildura Country Music Festival later this month. They’ll then head to Queensland for the Stock Up For Hope charity drove, held to help troubled young rural people, where they’ll perform several shows. They’ll be back in the Sunshine State in November for Mud Bulls & Music. A DECADE OF INDEPENDENCE - Capital News 2010
 Victorian duo CARTER & CARTER have so many runs on the board during the past 10 years that there should be no argument about describing them as Australian Independent country music artists of the decade. Their career record speaks for itself. From their debut chart single You Were There in 2000, the list of achievements, awards and accolades has been both imposing and constant. Major awards include a 2003 Golden Guitar for Candlelight and Kisses, 2004 APRA Most Performed Country Work Award for Lead Me Home, the CMAA Industry Achiever Award for Independent Entertainer of the Year for three consecutive years, 10 Australian Independent Country Music Awards, multiple TSA Songwriting, ACMLA People’s Choice and Victorian Country Music Awards. To date they have eight national #1 country music hits, on both the Country Tracks Top 30 chart and Music Network charts as well as nine other Top 10 hits, certainly an impressive chart history. It’s been an amazing journey for David and Merelyn, and one that has mingled smooth highways with singularly rough and unsealed side tracks. More particularly - one event that impacted most significantly in the past twelve months was the tragic Black Saturday bushfires. Their farm at Kinglake was in the middle of some of the worst devastation and loss of life experienced at that dark time – and an event that even now, despite their fairly minimal material loss, is an important element in Carter & Carter moving forward. One specific driving factor about the duo’s ten year dominance has been the incredible focus and determination in an industry that for the most part has been dominated by a relative handful of major label artists. Their achievements while remaining as Independent artists – totally self-funded and self-sufficient – is quite extraordinary when pitted against the weight of the label artists who enjoyed the financial and promotional advantages. Not that the prospect of signing to a label hasn’t entered the equation during the time. “I think sometimes we are too independent,” said Merelyn. “We’ve had deals offered – in fact we signed a deal at one stage that fell through – but generally we’ve wanted to keep control, and that simply spells independent.” The first radio single in April 2000 was both a testing of the waters and a precursor to their debut album. It was their first foray into country music and the untested waters. “It was a big change of direction,” revealed Merelyn. “Even before getting to the point where we put Carter & Carter together, David and I had to bring two separate careers together – and our relationship - and that was no easy task. “When we released the first single as Carter & Carter and decided to do the album, it was very directed. We’d been working together for five or six years prior – so the Carter & Carter project was very focussed. Following the subsequent release of the first single, the momentum began to build quickly, as did David and Merelyn’s focus and commitment. “We were a little shocked by the reaction to the first single,” admitted David. “We did the follow-up as much as we could – but being new to the country music industry, it was a bit of hit and miss. “I distinctly remembering ringing John Nutting and couldn’t remember the name of his show,” he laughingly added. “Ultimately the song charted and it seemed fairly easy - but looking back now we realise how hard it was to get a song to chart.” The debut album Dance Away The Night was released in September 2000, and the real beginning of an amazing journey over the next decade. Their focus was always very closely tied to their songwriting. As the success machine kicked into gear, so did their passion for more original material. “We were asked in a recent radio interview ‘if you had to make a choice today between performing and songwriting, which would you chose?” said Merelyn. “Both David and I said songwriting – to the surprise of the interviewer who commented that we were the only artists who had ever picked that choice. “Not to say that we don’t enjoy the performing side,” Merelyn hastened to add. “That’s where we have had some of our most memorable moments, like playing at the Golden Guitar awards concert. “But also playing at lots of smaller venues,” added David. “When we’ve met people at the various gigs and heard amazing stories – Australian country music is a great big family and wherever you travel you get to meet some wonderful people.” Those “people” are a huge part of what Carter & Carter are all about – the legion of fans that have built up during the decade. And it’s a connection that also goes directly to their songwriting. “There’s a positive aspect on life in our songs,” explained David. “We want people to go away from a show feeling good – that our songs relate to listeners. Fans come and say ‘I know what you mean in that song’. “It is a conscious direction that we take with our songs where we want to make something that is very personal to us take on a universal understanding, and relay the emotion behind it.” “And when someone comes up and says ‘that makes so much sense’ or ‘I see myself in that song’ – that is success,” added Merelyn. “They put themselves in the song and find meaning there - how great is that? That you wrote something that connects.” But despite the positive outcomes, the songs don’t always start with an overly happy theme. “As Carter & Carter we don’t sit down to write a song until we’ve been through a difficult situation,” shared Merelyn. “Our songs don’t gloss over the hard stuff – we just don’t sit down to write about it until we’re through it. If you heard songs that David or I wrote individually you wouldn’t get the same feeling. “I wrote a song after the fires, and we also wrote Surviving Black Saturday which we released because it has a positive aspect to it. The one I wrote wasn’t positive at all – it was very questioning. As Carter & Carter our songs are very personal, but often we’re not willing to share them with the world until we’ve come out the other side.” Their passion to deliver original songs has never wavered, although at their own admission it hasn’t necessarily been the best decision from a financial point of view. “We’d done covers for 10 years,” said Merelyn. “Initially, when we sang originals, instead of earning us a living, it was costing us money! But it was something we were determined to do. “The reality is that we could still earn a lot more money doing covers four nights a week here in Melbourne – but I’d have to slash my wrists!” The decision to stick to the originals path has certainly appeared to have paid off for Carter & Carter – the simple fact is that you just have to look at their successes to make that assumption – or is it that black and white? Reading between the lines brings up some of the harsh realities that aren’t seen on stage or revealed in their songs – realities that were draining both emotionally and financially. “I know people look from outside and think that everything is rosy,” said Merelyn. “At one stage my brother said ‘you must be rolling in it’. I explained to him that every time we achieved something we had to up the ante – albums, publicity, risks with more touring to get the music out.” The harsh realities hit home when David and Merelyn were working towards their third album. “Leading up to the album, we sat down to look seriously at where we were financially;” explained Merelyn. “We’d had three #1 hits in a row, but things didn’t seem to add up on the economic front. David’s Dad was an RMIT lecturer in marketing, and he’d always say you’d got to do this or that better, so we sat down with him and wrote it all out on butchers’ paper – incoming and expenses to do the next album – and we were $30,000 behind for one year. “After the initial shock, we said ‘we’ve got to stop this – we can’t keep going’. The first thought was ‘let’s chuck it in go and get a day job and do the music as a hobby”. But David’s Dad said ‘You haven’t worked this hard and come this far to do that – hang on’. “It was when we actually thought we had secured a record deal, had already committed $10,000 to the album - and the record label went under. We couldn’t pay our mortgage, and we got home from touring to find a bill from the Tax Office. “That’s when we did the gospel album – then we held out and within nine months we were back in the black. That was a really low time – we just did all we could do.” With things on an even keel, Carter & Carter continued to achieve on all fronts – the awards, chart hits and album sales continued to grow, and in 2008 they made a decision to move to the rural environment of Kinglake. “The timing seemed perfect,” said Merelyn. “Then three months later David had serious health issues with his back that took eight months to get on top of. Then we had three months and the fires hit. Basically for two and a half years it’s been survival above the music. “But still nothing felt more right – moving here was without doubt the right decision.” After the extraordinary decade, and specifically the trials and tribulations of the last couple of years, how do David and Merelyn see this next decade. “Everything has repositioned after living through the fires,” revealed Merelyn. “It has had such an impact on our life – and it’s made us re-evaluate everything. “This time last year we didn’t know if we’d ever write another album – and honestly we still don’t. It’s not about the album – it’s about the writing - and we won’t put an album out unless the songs are there,” said David. “We’ll still look for the positive angle – I like to finish movies feeling good about something – and songs are stories. Even a glimmer of hope at the end is important to people.” Amazingly there are some real positives that have come from those harrowing two years. “In many ways I’m really grateful,” said Merelyn. “Not so much grateful for actual things that have happened, but it’s been an amazing experience and it’s changed who I am. I like who I am even more. Going through such a dramatic experience wasn’t just personal moments when we thought it might be the end for us – it was other people sharing the grief. If you can’t come away from that with a different perspective on life and see the positives, you’d just curl up and die.” David puts the pair’s future direction in context. “Music is not all-consuming as it was in the early days,” he explained. “Now we need to balance it with our life. “There is not the same demand for albums through retail stores as there was before – you have to tour more to be able to sell more albums and justify making another album. “We’re getting to the stage that we, and particularly Merelyn, want to be home more – so it’s a balancing act.” So how do you encapsulate a decade with so many highlights? Easy answer is to ask David and Merelyn their real standouts. “Our first #1 chart single,” said Merelyn. “30 March 2001 – Dance Away The Night – the chart is printed and framed. Until recently we haven’t really appreciated how hard it is to achieve that chart success. Now we look back and think ‘it’s been pretty amazing –eight 8 #1 hits – 15 or 16 singles that have all gone top 10’.” “Also the APRA Most Performed Country Work for Lead Me Home,” said Merelyn. “We drove to the awards in a daggy old car, I wore a second hand dress and borrowed shoes – but it was all about the songwriting – and the fact that we had been competitive with major label artists like Troy and Lee.” “And the award wasn’t a voted one,” added David. It was based on factual statistics.” It has been an extraordinary decade for the talented duo – and one where they have truly earned their unique place in Australian country music.
RIDING HIGH
CARTER & CARTER are celebrating the release of their fourth CD Leap Before You Look, and yet another Golden Guitar nomination for their single Ride. “We have been nominated for Golden Guitars I think 8 or 9 times now,” Merelyn said. “They are hard to win. Candlelight and Kisses (which won the couple the Golden Guitar for Best Group/Duo in 2003) was such an unexpected thrill. We feel it is an honour just to be in the Top 5, especially alongside such well-regarded artists.” The single Ride was the only song released in 2006 as the couple worked on song writing and producing the new album. Along with the 2004 single Play That Song, Ride also broke into the Top 5 in the country charts. “Merelyn had an experience with a very flighty thoroughbred racing horse,” David explained where the concept had originated. “He took of at a gallop for the nearest low hanging tree and tried to knock her off. Not my girl; she had a great ride on that horse. The look in her eye was a little bit of fear but a whole lot of excitement. This is the essence of what Ride is about – finding something that makes you feel alive and part of that feeling is because you’re not totally in control.” “We used to perform in a ‘bikers’ pub in Melbourne,” Merelyn added. “First we used to be a bit scared of them, but we soon realised that most of them were just big teddy bears in leathers. It was a great experience and eye opener for me to see the respect they had for others, contrary to popular opinion. Hearing them talk about getting out on the road on their Harley’s probably helped inspire this side of Ride.” After the 2004 release of the Acoustic Gospel album, Leap Before You Look is a return to the contemporary genre of Dance Away The Night and Every Minute. “It’s fun, it's energetic and it’s all original,” David said. “There are emotional highs and heart string pullers; there are loud and proud moments, and tender reflections on life.” “After Acoustic Gospel we found people pigeonholing us as ‘Gospel Singers’,” Merelyn said. “It is frustrating as there are so many aspects to our music. We like that all our music inspires people. I think both David and I have developed into compassionate people, respecting of all aspects of personal beliefs. That’s not religion; it’s integrity.” “I think Leap Before You Look really reflects on how we try to live our lives,” David said. “We follow our hearts, and sometimes that definitely requires some leaping.” “A lot of times you just have to take a jump into the unknown,” Merelyn agreed. “In 2006 it all seemed to come together; it was the creative year we had been waiting for. Leap Before You Look is the expression of that.” “I've always believed that sometimes not taking a chance because of fear can mean missing out on some incredible opportunities,” David added. “This doesn't work for everyone, but it does for us. It has led to some of the most rewarding times in our lives.” As usual for a Carter & Carter album, the lead vocals are shared. The emotionally intense songs are voiced by Merelyn, but David’s seem to be about escapism and working hard at being a couch potato. “In actual fact David is definitely the more romantic of the two of us,” Merelyn smiled. “That said, David is most definitely ‘domestically challenged’. I’ve given up trying to crack the whip – it just wastes energy!” “Hey!” David objected. “I protest!… although there was the case of slight electrocution when repairing a dishwasher that Merelyn never lets me forget.” “If I could make it my signature tune without getting in domestic trouble Puttin’ Off Til’ Tomorrow would be a high contender,” he joked. “But Open Road is definitely my theme song. I love pointing the car towards the horizon, turning up the radio and enjoying the scenery.” “David is into a bit of escapism,” Merelyn said. “I love nature and the country too. Maybe we escape for different reasons, but the result is the same – we like to get away from it all and relax.” At the beginning of 2004 Carter & Carter went into negotiations for a major record deal with a label that was branching out into the country genre. The deal would have seen their music taken world-wide. “It was very exciting,” Merelyn said. “We spent six months working on that and as a result we recorded Play That Song. Somewhere between finishing that and getting onto the rest of the album, the whole thing fell off the rails.” Regretfully, the record company couldn’t raise the finance required for the expansion plans. “They treated us with great respect,” Merelyn said. “They understood our songs are very special to us. We need to keep creative control, so being independent has been great in that regard. However, it would be great to have a bigger team around us to take care of everyday business; people who share the vision of what we want to achieve with our music.” Merelyn has been a mentor to many young aspiring artists, lately in the role as a tutor at the College of Country Music. “I get great personal satisfaction in helping others reach their potential,” Merelyn said. “Being a tutor at college is great, challenging, and fun! It’s not like we know everything, but we don’t mind sharing the things we could have done better in a hope that is might help others from making the same mistakes.” Leap Before You Look will have its official launch at a free concert at TREC on Thursday 25 January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. With songs that touch the hearts of fans far and wide, mistakes for Carter & Carter are few and the Ride is breathtaking.
CARTER & CARTER are amongst Australia’s most loved Country Music couples. With the release of their fourth CD Leap Before You Look, good friend and Country Music Capital News writer Deb Minter went one on one with DAVID and MERELYN.
Deb: 2003 had a stunning start, with Candlelight & Kisses winning you the Golden Guitar. You’ve been nominated in the Golden Guitars for Best Group Duo again in 2007 for Ride. As we go to press the tallies are in and it’s out of your hands. How does it feel to be so close to the podium once again?
Merelyn: We have been nominated for Golden Guitar 7 times now. They are hard to win. Candlelight and Kisses was such an unexpected thrill. But it is just an honour to be in the Top 5. Everyone in the finals of any awards probably deserves to win, as do many who don’t make it there. Being there is great, winning would be even greater, but we are also going to be happy for the winners whoever they are.
Deb: Ride is a song of escape and personal freedom. Where did the concept come from?
Merelyn: We used to work in a ‘bikers’ pub in Melbourne every Friday night for a year. First we used to be a bit scared of them, but we soon realised that most of them were just big teddy bears in leathers. It was a great experience and eye opener for me to see the respect they had for others, contrary to popular opinion. Sure there were some bad eggs, but mostly they were great. Hearing them talk about getting out on the road on their Harley’s probably helped inspire this side of Ride.
David: One of the reasons this song came about was an experience Merelyn had on a thoroughbred racing horse. She was offered a ride at a horse stud place and being a girl that loves a challenge she immediately said yes. When Merelyn got on his back, he took of at a gallop for the nearest low hanging tree in the paddock and tried to knock her off. She regained control and had a great ride on a very flighty horse. The look in her eye was a little bit of fear but a whole lot of excitement. This is the essence of what Ride is about – finding something that makes you feel alive and part of that feeling is because you’re not totally in control.
Deb: Ride was the only single released in 2006. You have a great body of work; how difficult is it to find one stand-out song as a single - to put your faith in that one song - win or lose? After all, with an album you have 10 or 12 tracks to choose from.
Merelyn: We write every song to be a single. That is our belief in our songs and how much we work on them before we record them. However, not all turn out to be single material. Choosing a single before an album is released is harder than afterwards, because once it’s out there, there are a lot of opinions from fans and industry to draw upon. Before that it is our opinion of which one we think the public will love. It is a bit scary particularly as it costs so much to promote each single. We put a lot of thought into it, but in the end we usually go with our gut reaction and see what happens. We have been very lucky so far.
Deb: The new album Leap Before You Look is back in the contemporary genre of Dance Away The Night and Every Minute.
David: This is definitely a direction that suits Carter & Carter. It’s up, it’s fun, it’s all original and it’s indicative of our live shows. It’s contemporary, it takes some risks, it's energetic; it is very much like our life. There are emotional highs and heart string pullers, there are loud and proud moments, and tender reflections on life. It’s definitely Carter & Carter, but it really shows a growth in our song writing and shows how much we love to perform. Music is essential to our lives and we hope the importance of the story behind the song is evident in every moment of this album. We’ve got a great bunch of musicians, most of whom are friends now, who play with us on these songs. They know who we are and what we want to express, which has made it such a creative experience all round. Everyone has been incredibly excited about the direction. This is a country album Carter & Carter style.
Deb: What’s behind the title track Leap Before You Look? It seems a strange play on words.
Merelyn: 2005 was a year of a bit of personal struggle, when we both had to sort out our priorities, set some new goals and activate a few new dreams. A lot of times you just have to take a jump into the unknown. In 2006 it all seemed to come together; it was the creative year we had been waiting for. We got direction, we got ourselves sorted out in our own heads, we were able to move on together into what we knew would be a very exciting time for us both. Leap Before You Look is the expression of that.
David: I think it really reflects on how we try to live our lives. We follow our hearts, and sometimes that definitely requires some leaping. The song in a poetic way is about how Merelyn and I followed our dreams and how we got together. Doing music as a full time career is all about taking chances and hanging it all out there for whatever happens. There are definitely leaping before you look moments when we are just hanging on to see how we land. I've always believed that sometimes not taking a chance because of fear can mean missing out on some incredible opportunities. This doesn't work for everyone, but it does for us. It is who we are and has led to some of the most rewarding times in our lives.
Deb: Merelyn’s songs seem focussed on feelings and emotion experiences; David’s seem to be about escapism and - let’s face it - avoidance of physical exertion. Is David really the lounge lizard slacker and does Merelyn really have to wield the whip at home?
Merelyn: Ha funny. That’s actually a good question and an interesting take on us. In actual fact David is definitely the more romantic of the two of us and more emotional in his outlook on life. I spend a lot of time pondering life and what it means and how I fit in but not really from an emotional point of view. But I also feel other people’s emotions very strongly on occasions and I certainly get moved by life’s experiences. I am a bit of a studier of human nature.
That said, David is most definitely ‘domestically challenged’ and will admit it. I have given up trying to crack the whip – it just wastes my energy! David is into a bit of escapism. I’m not really but I do love nature and the country and am not terribly fond of city life so I am more than keen to get away from it all too. Maybe we escape for different reasons, but the result is the same – we like to get away from it all and relax. We wish we could do that more often.
David: I must protest that I am ‘domestically challenged’ or though there was the case of slight electrocution when repairing a dishwasher that Merelyn never lets me forget. Open Road is definitely my theme song from the album. As a musician the business side of music is a big part of what we do and can be very draining for creative people even though we know it has to be done. Getting out and going to a show involves pointing the car in the right direction, turning up the radio and enjoying the scenery around us. If I have a great CD on I can drive for hours. Oh and if I could make it my theme song without getting in trouble Puttin’ Off Til’ Tomorrow would be a high contender.
Deb: So is each song is a real compilation of both of you - or does Merelyn mostly write the emotional songs and David responsible for the escapism songs?
Merelyn: Definitely a compilation. Puttin’ Off ‘Til Tomorrow is as much mine as it is David’s. We are very different in our natures, but also very similar too. I guess that’s why it works for us. We are both so passionate about our music and about our lives in general. There have been some great arguments over songs. We are not ashamed of that. It is part of who we are. David and I come from completely different musical backgrounds. Dave grew up on BON JOVI and harder rock bands and I loved fluffy gospel pop like AMY GRANT. Try putting those two styles together and please us both. Over the years our tastes have grown together. We both love the ballads and we both love to rock it out. It is getting easier to make us both happy
David: We have written and co-written all twelve songs – fulfilling another dream of ours. We take song writing very seriously. Songs have the ability to move people, and we want our songs to be stories that touch people’s lives.
Deb: It must have been a very emotional year for you especially Merelyn, with your little girl Amy getting married. I know the readers will be astonished to discover that your daughters are actually old enough to leave home. Do you find your songwriting has reflected on the actual emotions you’ve been experiencing?
Merelyn: I am a little self conscious about having a child getting married; I still feel 21 myself! I was so very young myself when I had the girls; definitely a child bride. Then, after the divorce, the girls and I spent almost five years with just the three of us, and it was an amazing time of bonding and forming a very special type of relationship. The words in My Little Girl are about as personal and emotional as I can express. There are some things a mum needs to keep close to her heart. David was a big part of writing the song, but it definitely comes from a mother’s point of view.
David: I came into the girl’s lives when they were very young, so I definitely feel as proud of them as any father could. It was such a thrill when Amy asked me to walk her down the aisle along with her natural father.
Deb: The title track Leap Before You Look is an autobiography of your meeting and marriage. Truthfully, was your union something inevitable or was it truly a leap of faith - as a single mum, Merelyn must’ve been carrying some baggage and David was a year or two younger, taking on a readymade family.
Merelyn: Baggage? What baggage? Ha! I know that when David and I met there was a lot going on in my life, but I pretty much had it sorted out before we got married. It was a big challenge for David to marry three hormonal girls! He is a great husband and father and we have been so lucky that he handles it all as well as he does. David is very loyal and loves with his whole heart – we are the lucky ones to be the recipients of that.
David: From the outside looking in it may seem like Merelyn came with a lot of baggage but from my point of view particularly now looking back I’d say all that stuff was more like bonuses.
Deb: Your music of hope and thankfulness for simple joys is different from the classic country stereotype of lost love, betrayal, hillbilly moonshine, mom, grandpa or the dog dying and evading the long arm of the law. Is that a conscious effort to show the world that it can be full of love and joy?
Merelyn: I wish the world WAS full of love and joy. There are some very terrible things going on all the time. Man’s inhumanity to man constantly astounds and devastates me. Most of the time I could throw my hands up in despair because there is so much hurt and anger and sadness, so many people without hope. But I figure I have two choices, get caught up in the problem or be part of the solution. I know it is a cliché, but I make the conscious choice everyday to find something good in the world, to look for the best in people, to be part of the hope that I know is there. Notice I said make a conscious choice, that’s what it is for me, a decision each day to aim for peace.
David: Ditto for me.
Deb: Do you ever feel like writing a tragedy?
Merelyn: Nope, but I have written some very sad songs. Maybe one day one of them might make an album!
David: Every sad song we have ever written has never made it past our record producers or co-producers. There will be an album down the track where these songs will appear but I have a tendency to look for the positive outcome in even sad songs. Hope is something that we could all have a little more of.
Deb: Being independent takes a lot of courage, not to mention financial commitment. Last year you came very close to signing a major record deal.
Merelyn: It was very exciting. The company had plans to expand into country music and we were their first artist choice. We recorded Play That Song with the enthusiastic backing of the company. Sadly, their plans for expansion fell through. That is just a fact of life sometimes. We all had good intentions, but sometimes things happen in business and the money just ain’t there. I live by the thought that it’s not what happens to us in life that shapes us; it is what we do with what happens that can make the difference.
Deb: Each song you have released so far has been created and developed by yourselves. How vital is that creative control to keeping Carter & Carter as your own ‘baby?’
Merelyn: Our songs are very special to us. We don’t want to be directed somewhere we don’t want to go, so being independent has been great in that regard. However, it would be good to have a bigger team around us to take care of everyday business; people who share the vision of what we want to achieve with our music. The right deal would be a big bonus.
Deb: People are always trying to put your music into this or that pigeonhole - Gospel, Ballad, Love Song singers. How frustrating is that - especially after the release of your last CD Acoustic Gospel?
Merelyn: It is frustrating to just be called one thing or another; there are so many aspects to our music. I know that gospel music is a strengthener for many people. The old classic songs we did on the album are a reflection of our upbringing with all the great bible stories, carols and joyous rousing hymns and songs. I think both David and I have developed into compassionate people, respecting of all aspects of personal beliefs. We like that our music inspires people. The nights are never as dark as they may seem and sometimes people just need a word, or a song, to bring them light. The new songs we wrote are a reflection of our desire to find some light for the world.
Deb: Being one of Australia’s top duos for several years now has opened many doors for you - appearing as a main act on many prestigious Festivals and events and now being able to write with some of Australia’s finest songwriters - BRENDON WALMSLEY, MICHAEL CARR and DARREN COGGAN. How difficult is it to adapt your quite distinctive style to the input of others?
Merelyn: We don’t adapt, we just share. It is such a creative process to write with someone else. There is compromise, but it is very good and most of the time very easy. When you hear our songs written with people such as Brendon, Mike and Darren you can hear their influences as well as our own. That is why we choose to co-write, it is about getting a different colour into our music, and also about the joy of having such great people and friends on our record. We have written songs on each album now with Rene Ford who just writes lyrics. She has a way of approaching a story that is different to ours, but so right for us. It is very creative.
Deb: Merelyn, you’ve been a mentor to many young aspiring artists, both through your generous hearted advice and role as a tutor at the College of Country Music. What does it feel like to be accepted not only by your peers, but by the paramount industry chiefs as someone who is a valuable asset to the music community with knowledge and experience to guide the youth of country music?
Merelyn: Wow that makes it sound pretty flash. It sometimes feels like people (artists) are too scared to share what they know in case they get overtaken by the ones they help. If we can help other artists improve their music by sharing something of what we know then it is not only good for them, but also the industry as a whole, and therefore for us too. I get great personal satisfaction in helping others reach their potential. Being a tutor at college is great, very satisfying and challenging, and fun! There is also something to be said about helping others to learn by your own mistakes. It’s not like we have got it all right, but we don’t mind sharing the things we could have done better either in a hope that is might stop others from making the same mistakes.
Q&A as appeared in November Issue of Country Music Capital NewsWhat’s been happening for you in 2006? This is an exciting year for us as we are recording a new album. A creative year is always a good one. RIDE is the first single from our new record and we are currently writing madly and back in the studio this month to finish the album off. We have spent a lot of time on this one, which has been great. We are also putting together a DVD of what’s happened with Carter & Carter so far – that’s fun! We have both been producing other artists too which has stretched us musically and creatively. That has been really good for our own music as we can think further outside of our own box. What music do you listen to? Merelyn – I listen to instrumental classical music mostly when I need to unwind. David calls it whale calling music. It calms me and I can’t sing along and analyse the lyrics and melody, so that is good. David - Brad Paisley is big in our stereo and car at the moment. And there’s always Keith Urban and Amanda Marshall. All great singers and songwriters. What is your favourite film that is about music? Merelyn – I love La Bamba which is the Richie Vallens story. I don’t know whether it is because of the story or Lou Diamond Phillips! I also love Moulin Rouge and The Producers has been giving me a laugh lately. What is the quickest song you have written and which song took the longest to write? Dance Away the Night took us about 1 hour to write – that must have been a moment of inspiration. Lead Me Home which I think is equally inspired took seven years. Writing is from the heart for us so it happens when it happens – I don’t think we can force that. Even when we are writing to a deadline, it comes from stuff that’s been brooding for a long time. Having said that, if you asked us to sit and write a commercial song today, we could do it. There is a lot of songs in our heads ready to be written. Who have been your greatest musical influences? Merelyn – I am influenced more by songs than by artists. There are so many both classic and contemporary that give me inspiration. Amy Grant has always been my starting point. It is because someone gave me one of her records for my 21st birthday that I am singing and song writing today. I love her heart and the ability she has to lay her heart on the table and be so honest and at times vulnerable. I love that. David – I grew up on Bon Jovi and other quite heavy bands, as well as greats like Kenny Rogers and Dolly. Mum and Dad always had some country music in the stereo. I too am about the song and am inspired by stories of life. It’s a lot about hook and melody for me as well. What do you enjoy the most about co-writing? Merelyn – Co-writing is the main way I write. I love working with other people and love bouncing ideas and letting the creative energy flow between us. It is not always easy to find someone you can co-write successfully with. I feel lucky as almost every time I have sat down with someone we have written a decent song. David – It’s great to share ideas and add different colours to my own writing. Other people challenge and stretch my thinking. That’s good for my writing. Merelyn and I always have to work hard to get to that compromise in our songs where we are both happy. Even though that is not easy, it means we get the best song. Who would you most like to collaborate with and why? For this album we have been collaborating with Mike Carr and Brendon Walmsley, two colleagues who we respect their song writing so much. This has come about due to opportunity as much as planning, and we think that is great, because things that happen spontaneously always have a freshness about them. That makes for great songs. What’s your favourite song that you’ve written? Merelyn – Lead Me Home – if a song takes seven years to write you have to love it. David – My favourite changes as each time I write a new song, I am challenged to make it my best, and my best becomes my favourite. What song written by another writer do you wish you had written and why? Merelyn – Amy Grant’s Faithless Heart. This is one of the most honest songs I have heard and it came in a time in my life that I needed that honesty. It challenges me to open my soul and be vulnerable so that others might be touched by my songs. Why lyric can’t you get out of your head? David – I’m like most muso’s, when a hook gets in your head off the radio, or at a gig, it stays there for a while – and keeps me awake at night and probably Merelyn too because apparently I sing in my sleep. What is the best career advice you were ever given? David – Work smarter not harder – my dad says that – I’m still putting it into practice. If you were not a songwriter, what might you have ended up doing? David – I don’t know, I can’t imagine doing anything else Merelyn – probably a vet What is your pet hate? After the first two bars of sound check at a club someone yells out –‘ turn it down - do you think we’re deaf.’ What moment in your life would you relive if you could? Merelyn – the first time I saw my babies David – the day I married Merelyn Who is your dream duet partner? Expected Answer: Merelyn – David David – Merelyn Real Answer: Merelyn – Johnny Depp David – Meagan Gale When they look back on your life in 40 years what do you hope people say about you? I hope it will be said ‘Gee they were talented’ not just that we work hard!
CAPITAL NEWS PROFILER 20 QUESTIONS In April edition 2002 1. Can you remember how much was in your first pay packet and what you spent it on? (M) I can remember my first ‘decent’ pay packet in music. I was really really broke at the time (as musicians can be from time to time) and I got a gig in a 60’s concept band – you know false eye lashes, choreography and the works, and my first weekend of gigs gave me just over $300. I was so excited, I spread the cash out on the bed and rolled on it – truly I did! 2. What type of car did you learn to drive in? (D) I got the hand-me–down from my sister which was a Morris Minor, a manual which Mum and Dad had bought second-hand and my sister put through the wringer during the first few years she was driving. I learnt to drive it at the then VFL Park which was great as there was lots of open space and if you ran of the road it didn’t matter too much. 3. What type of car do you currently drive? We have a beat up old blue FORD XF station wagon (only two door handles) and an equally beat up old Magna. The FORD is usually our touring car but it doesn’t have a heater, so if it’s winter we try to take the Magna. 4. First job on leaving school? (M) I worked in a real estate office. I even got my sales person license and sold one house. I didn’t like the whole sales thing so I left to work at the CSIRO. 5. What’s the worst task or job you’ve ever been given? (D)
The worst job that I can ever remember was a show we were booked at
short notice to play in the snowfields at Bright in Melbourne. We
were booked as our cover band ‘Spit The Dummy’ and set off on
the Saturday to drive the 4 hours to Bright. On the Hume highway we
felt a funny vibration followed by the unbelievable sight of our
trailer tyre passing us and spinning on down the highway. Luckily we
were able to stop without too many problems and the wheel, which
continued on down the middle of the highway, didn’t hit anybody
else. We called for a tow truck and managed to get our trailer (and
the gear in it) to the next town where we had to hire a trailer, at
exorbitant rates, to continue on to the show.
We finally got there an hour late, had no tea and set up very
quickly only to play 3 sets over 4 hours to 3 people and the bar
staff. In the end the money we made was used to pay for the trailer
repairs and the temporary trailer hire. Definitely a show from hell. 6. Who would you most like to sit next to on a plane? (M) Keith Urban – well what girl wouldn’t? 7. If you could change jobs for a day what would you do? (M) I can’t think of anything else in the world that I’d rather do. (D) I’d love to have the chance to be part of producing the computer special effects for a movie. 8. Your favourite TV show is? (D) The Simpsons and Seinfeld (when it was on) – because we don’t get the chance to watch a lot of TV I enjoy short half hour shows that give you a good laugh or a really good movie. 9. The last book you read? (D) I am currently reading ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Book 2 of the Alliance of Light, a fantasy novel by Janny Wurts. 10. Favourite movie is? (M) Too many to name them all – La Bamba, Dracular Dead and Loving It, Star Trek V (the one with the whales in it), Notting Hill. We quote movies around here – it’s quite bizzare. 11. The sport you most enjoy watching? (M) None (D) Cricket (particularly one-days), Olympics and then Aussie Rules footy 12. If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be? (D) Richie Sambora, the guitarist from Bon Jovi. I’ve always been a big fan of his guitar work and he’s married to Heather Locklear. 13. What is your favourite food? (M) Anything someone else cooks for me. (D) Fish and chips 14. Can/Do you cook? (D) I have learnt how to cook over the last few years but my repertoire consists mainly of frozen lasagne, nachos, pancakes, toasted sandwiches, egg omelettes, laksa. But I make a mean cup of coffee. 15. How do you deal with difficult people in the audience? (M) Mostly I get them up on stage and see if they can do any better than we are doing. Usually they crack then, stop hassling us and start enjoying the show. 16. What song do you never want to hear again? (M) Any song that I have sung badly! (D) ‘Dancing Queen’ & ‘Mamma Mia’ by ABBA both great songs but I’ve sung them too many times to enjoy them any more. 17. You’ve just bought a new house, where would that be? (M) On a flat block on top of a mountain, overlooking the sea, close enough to have all the benefits of the city at hand, but far enough away not to hear the traffic, and big enough to house our menagerie of animals. 18. Your favourite holiday destination to date has been? (M)
Tangalooma Island - I
loved the dolphins, and the sheer beauty of the place. CARTER & CARTER BEHIND THE HITS It's been a breathtaking couple of years for the hit making duo Carter & Carter since the release of their debut album Dance Away The Night, but does it get easier planning for a second album with a succession of #1 radio hits and a swag of awards under the belt? The combination of David and Merelyn Carter has been a breath of fresh air for many country music fans, but they have not had much time to take a deep breath themselves as they ride the independent country music roller-coaster. "Since the first #1 hit, we've had just one week off," said Merelyn, "but when something takes off, you have to go with it" The expectations of music fans are always high, and it must be daunting for any artist to experience the pressure of following one success with another. "So far we've been very lucky," David observed. "Having songs like A Little Place Called Love and Easy Making Love as follow-up radio singles kept the momentum going." To complement the songs they write themselves, the success of the first album has been a major factor in lifting the amount of quality material offered for the next release. Music publishers and songwriters have been quick to recognise the potential of having a song with the Carter & Carter stamp. "Hundreds of songs have flooded in from around the world and we've narrowed it down to around 20 for final consideration," said Merelyn, "but as songwriters ourselves, we like to write up to the last moment before we hit the studio, so anything can still happen." The other factor with any Carter & Carter song is the ability is to transpose them successfully to live performance, and the fans are also a very important factor in the equation when choosing songs for the new album. "People say they love a particular song because its story touches their hearts," continued David, "and that’s what we try to capture in our performances and albums. Because the first album has done so many things, there is an increased expectation of the second album. Still it’s a pressure we are happy to have." "Co-writers have been a real boost, and talented people like Rene Ford and Jane Robertson have made writing good songs a lot easier." Apart from songwriters, there are a lot of people involved in the Carter & Carter success story. Radio, media and the fans have all played an integral part in the story. David reflected "We've been doing music for quite a few years, but until we started doing country music, we hadn’t had such an incredible response from people. It's been refreshing for us musically - country music is about building relationships with people - it's not just about getting up and singing another song. At a recent show we played for 45 minutes and spoke to people for another two and a half hours – we love that!" "We also have a great producer, Herm Kovac, who understands us and our music, and whilst the challenges of the next album are a little intimidating, we're excited about the whole process," said Merelyn, "and radio has been fantastic. We owe a lot to Herm and to those media supporters for our success." Is the Carter & Carter story evolving how the talented duo wrote it three years ago? "We always planned for more than one album," said Merelyn "The success of the first has certainly helped, but if it hadn't gone as well, we'd still be doing the next one. Dance Away The Night has really been confirmation for us that we're doing the right thing." It's been very much a self-controlled career to date. The pair has worked incessantly to promote themselves and their music. "Having the hits has made it a lot easier" said David, "but at the end of the day, we are basically our own record company, publicist, and touring manager. It helps to maintain control and keep a finger on the direction, but you can work 24 hours a day and there's still more to do." Are there plans for that to change in the future? "We'd love to have a record company that worked alongside us " said Merelyn, "but it would have to be the right people." When the pressures build up, are there any secrets for coping and moving on? Merelyn's final words succinctly reflect the passion inherent in so many successful artists. "There are some days when I understand how people can feel like giving up because it's too hard. But then I remember that the reason I'm doing this is because I just couldn't do anything else. You have to love music to be in this deep, and when we get down we think ’tomorrow will be a better day’ – and it usually is!" Mike Smith
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