The Millionaire$
It started on a whim, but it's turned into an all-star hootenanny - say hello to Sydney's premier country supergroup
The Millionaire$ know how to spruce up for photo shoots
Hey, don't I know these guys? You should do, since they've all done seriously good work in the past. Jim Elliot thumps the kit for The Cruel Sea, singer/guitarist David McCormack was frontman of Custard and The Polaroids, while double bassist Michael Galeazzi and singer/guitarist Brendan Gallagher are two thirds of Karma County. That's a pretty impressive CV - and a lot of weight to bring to an all-star supergroup.
So what's their story? "For some years now me and McCormack have rendezvoused at The Bourbon & Beefsteak in the Cross on Melbourne Cup Day for a couple of sherries and Dave would always say ‘Hey Brendo, let's form a country band'," Mr Gallagher explains. "At some moment I acquiesced. Then I saw Lucky Jim on the street one day and said "Do you wanna play in a country band with me and Dave?' and he said ‘OK'; ditto Galeazzi. So we set up at my studio one day, counted off ‘Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms' in A and never looked back."
Are The Millionaires the sole focus of any of the members or does everyone have their own projects? "We're all in the kitchen brewing up something," Gallagher explains. "Michael has his ‘Javadelic' project, re-mixing his jazz thing The Java Quartet's back catalogue, Dave has a second album in the can - including the greatest song ever written, ‘This Kind Of Music' - and a national solo tour in July. Jim does the odd Cruel Sea gig, guest drumming with the odd project here and there, some VIP DJing and maintains a weather eye on the mean streets of Bondi. I just finished my second solo album and am currently overseeing re-mix/mastering of Karma County ‘best of', in all good music stores in September with a wee tour as well in October. But The Millionaires is the big fun band to play live, every gig is different."
Are they moving more towards using band-written material, or will it always be a mix of originals and covers? While both Gallagher and McCormack have contributed songs, Gallagher's blunt about the prospects of an all-original effort. "There are so many great songs that we can completely fuck up it's hard to get out of bed and type some magic into the typewriter, let alone tune up a guitar - you dig?"
How can I hear them? They top the bill at the Hopetoun Hoedown on Mon 9 June and have a Tuesday night residency at the Beach Road Hotel from Tue 17 June to 1 July. Their Sentimental Horses disc has just
been released by Inertia, and you can hear a track from it right now using the player below