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 DOCTOR
KARL IS WAITING TO SEE YOU AT THE BATH PAVILION
The Bath Chronicle, 06 December 2007
By Dan Biggane
Click here to see original article
Alan Fletcher, aka Dr Karl Kennedy from Australian soap Neighbours,
plays Bath's Pavilion tonight (Thursday), with his band The Waiting
Room. I spoke to Alan ahead of the gig to find out more:
Have you always wanted to be a touring musician and is
music your first passion?
Alan: I have always had a passion for music and have fulfilled
that primarily by working in the music theatre doing shows such
as My Fair Lady, Mame, Sweet Charity, No No Nanette.
I didn't really entertain the thought of fronting a rock and
roll band until four years ago.
The whole Waiting Room experience has been a dream come true
for me. I could not have had this wonderful experience without
Neighbour's fans supporting the band.
As a result I try very hard to communicate with fans and meet
as many of them at shows as possible.
Many of us were first introduced to Alan Fletcher the singer
through Soapstar Superstar - what are your recollections of that
show?
Soapstar Superstar was an incredibly hard grind, we would
work up to 18 hours a day learning new songs on the run.
It was an very valuable experience professionally.
I did the show to learn more about live performance and improving
my skills.
The bonus was getting to meet some wonderful people and the
response to my work from the public was overwhelmingly positive.
Anthony Cotton (Sean Tully in Coronation Street), was a very
deserving winner because he showed that competitions like that
are being entertaining and he did that superbly.
You are best known for your role as Karl Kennedy - you've
been playing him since 1994 - do you, and are you, like him?
The only real similarity between Dr Karl and myself is the
hairline.
He is conservative, I am not. He has had problems with fidelity,
I don't. His music is rubbish, I'd like to think mine's not.
However, I do like him. He is well intentioned and, when not
suffering from the certain madness a few women have drawn out
of him, very responsible.
He deeply loves and cares for his family and he is very forgiving
- all good traits.
Working on a show like Neighbours is a dream come true for
a performer.
It is easy to stay interested in the show and your character
because they are both constantly changing. One day you are playing
high drama the next high comedy.
When you love to act, as I do, the working on a show that
keeps you engaged in your passion constantly is a blessing.
While you're on the Neighbours set do you ever get itchy
feet and wish you were back out on the road playing your music?
No, because I get my rock 'n' roll fix every Monday when Waiting
Room play at the famous Neighbours' Night at the Elephant and
Wheelbarrow.
This night is generally rammed with UK travellers who love
Neighbours and I get to indulge in their overwhelming response
to the band on a weekly basis.
You have covered Kaiser Chiefs' I Predict A Riot, Killers'
Somebody Told Me and Foo Fighters' Best Of You in your sets -
pretty rocking stuff is your show a rocking affair?
Yes we have done all those songs. In fact you can see our
cover of I Predict a Riot on our website at www.alanfletcher.net/waitingroom.
Waiting Room gigs are about having fun. We sing classic and
recent indie and mainstream rock including our own songs.
To keep the fun up I have a couple of songs that celebrate
Neighbours and some of the characters that the audiences love.
In Bath expect more Killers, Kaisers, Fratellis, Bon Jovi,
Oasis - music to sing along with and party!
I am a loving so much music that is around at the moment,
Razorlight, Kaisers, Hoosiers, Fratellis, the Fray - the list
could go on for ever.
The biggest influences on me from a vocalist's point of view
are Elvis Costello, Bono, Jim Morrison, Freddy Mercury, Mick
Jagger and Tom Jones.
We released an album in 2005 that did very well. Last Monday
we released a single called So Wrong on ITunes and other digital
distributors.
We have also just finished a live album that is available
for download from ITunes from Monday, December 17.
Can you tell me a little about your band - The Waiting
Room - and how you all came together?
On Valentine's Day 2004, my beautiful wife Jennifer and I
were dining at a restaurant and entertainment was being provided
by two musicians, Tommy Rando and Chris Hawker.
I got up and sang a few songs with them and the rest is history.
Our drummer Jeff Consi came on board in 2006.
The band started as purely a covers outfit performing in St
Kilda but we fell into writing together and the first album was
born.
When word got out in the UK about the band interest was strong
and our first tour came together in May 2005. Here we are two
years later on our fifth tour.
What plans have the band got following this tour and what
is the future for Dr Karl Kennedy in Neighbours?
All Waiting Room band members have solo projects as well.
Tommy Rando is about to release his solo album here in the
UK, Chris Hawker is also part of an Australian band Airway Lanes
and Jeff Consi works extensively in many areas of the music industry.
I expect to be back on stage in a musical next year as well.
Waiting Room will continue on writing and performing in Melbourne
for as long as the fans will have us.
As for Dr Karl, well he will be gracing your screens for at
least one more year.
ALAN FLETCHER AND THE WAITING ROOM
WHO ARE THEY: Good-time indie rock 'n' rollers fronted by
the soapstar, and indeed superstar, Alan Fletcher
WHERE?: Bath Pavilion, tonight (Thursday)
TICKETS: £10, telephone the box office on 01225 330304
FURTHER INFO: visit www.alanfletcher.net
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