Diesel plays the Globe Theatre on Wednesday 12 November 2008.
Diesel is back in business and back on the road. After winning a flood of ARIA's in the early nineties, a career overseas seemed a logical move. After a six-year stint in New York, and a reversion to his real name Mark Lizotte, Diesel returned to Australia at the turn of the century. The move has led to a flurry of fine albums, Hear, Coathanger Antennae and a new project, Days Like These.
Much of the new album was recorded at home with Diesel's three-piece touring outfit, which includes drummer Lee Maloney and bassist Richie Vez. Other studio work took place Jimmy Barnes' Freight Train Studio and Blackfoot Hollow.
Diesel has embraced the freedom of home technology. Microphones were bought on the internet, the ‘vibe' remained all-important and a bigger studio was at hand when the occasion required it.
"I record straight into Pro-Tools, but I've got [old school] Nieve Consoles," Diesel explains. "There's a lot of harmonic content on the album. I'm not so ‘married' to tape anymore. I've gotten used to working with Pro-Tools and I don't mind the way it sounds."
"The weird thing is though, there's no hiss when there's no music ... that's the only thing I get nostalgic for [laughs]. At Blackfoot Studios, we used a beautiful 1969 quad-eight console. It's a monster. It's awesome."
Similarly, Diesel has reinvented his own song writing process. No longer tied to a strict regime of demos, Diesel prefers to fly by the seat of his pants.
"I stopped demoing a few albums back," he continues. "The last time we recorded [prior to this], I just made notes and used Garage Band as a dictaphone. On this one, there was nothing [too concrete] ... it was like ‘let's make an album'. A lot of things grew out of jam sessions, and I'd take things home and work on them. Sometimes I was writing songs, literally, the night before we went into record."
The fresh approach has paid dividends. Days Like These has a vibrancy and stands alongside Diesel's better work. ‘Need Your Fire' grew out of a studio jam. ‘Prisoner' is described by Diesel as a cross between ‘ JJ Cale and Elliot Smith', while ‘Lay Down Here' sees the artist trying to capture the intensity of ‘All Along The Watchtower'.
Taking a tip from many classic albums, Diesel has elected to keep the album brief and to the point. Vinyl enthusiasts can pick up a deluxe twin-LP set, though the CD chimes in at ten tracks running at thirty-six minutes.
"It still feels long to me," he admits, "not in a lengthy way, but there's a lot of movement. It won't take you four days to get through it. You can put it on, make a cup of tea and do something and then it's over. Nice!"
"I think album's like [The Beatles'] Rubber Soul and Revolver are really tasty in their length. I don't think because there's eighty minutes of space you should fill it up."
To promote Days Like These, Diesel has been back on the road. Playing live is what forged his reputation.
"We had a ‘big bang' with that first album [1989's Johnny Diesel and the Injectors] and off we went. It was so successful because we toured so much. Without the touring, I don't think it would have had the same impact. The ‘Cry In Shame' single cover has all the dates we did in a year, but it looks like five years worth of dates. It makes you giddy just looking at it. A lot of people saw us. Recently I've been able to get reacquainted with some of those people."
Days Like These is out now through Liberation/Universal.
Diesel plays the Globe Theatre on Wednesday 12 November, Redcliffe RSL on Thursday 13 November, Victoria Point Sharks Sporting Club on Friday 14 November and the Cooloongatta Hotel on Saturday 15 November 2008.
