Owen Campbell has had very little time to catch his breath of late, he’s spent the past year taking his hard-driving slide guitar and gutsy, soul-filled voice around the world on the back of his latest album, The Pilgrim. The coming year is shaping up to be no different as Campbell gears up to release a new single and video, ‘Remember to Breathe’, and to head out on a hot lap of the east coast this April.
Owen Campbell is among the outstanding blues-rock talents ever to emerge from Australia; ‘Remember to Breathe’ gives a nod to the hair-raising southern rock of Gov’t Mule and The Allman Brothers while maintaining its Aussie character and attitude. It’s a heavy slab of hard rocking roots music produced by the great Mark Opitz (AC/DC, Cold Chisel, INXS, Jeff Lang).
“Opitz is a true master, along with the engineer Colin Wynne, they are an incredible team… shut up, get on with it! That’s how I like to work so it was a pleasure finding someone so down to earth yet so on the money.” says Campbell of the experience of recording the track.
The song came to life over many years of visiting cities all over the world, says Campbell: “‘Remember to Breathe’ is about living in the city, I find most cities insufferable, the pollution, the congestion… I find it overwhelming. It seems sad that this is the pinnacle of human civilisation, an environment that’s so disconnected from our natural world. Some people love it… I don’t.”
The Remember to Breathe Tour kicks off at the Deniliquin Blues Festival (which also features John Mayer, Elvis Costello and The Doobie Brothers) and knocks off at the Blues on Broadbeach Festival alongside Aussie greats Russell Morris and Diesel.
WED 16 APRIL – Lizotte’s, CENTRAL COAST NSW
THUR 17 APRIL – Old Manly Boatshed, MANLY NSW
SAT 19 APRIL – Deni Blues & Roots Festival, DENILIQUIN NSW
WED 23 APRIL – Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, MELBOURNE VIC
THUR 24 APRIL – Beavs Bar, GEELONG VIC
SAT 26 APRIL – Babushka Lounge, BALLARAT VIC
SUN 27 APRIL – Gerogery Hotel, GEROGERY NSW
FRI 2 MAY – The Abbey, CANBERRA ACT
SAT 3 MAY – Camelot Lounge, SYDNEY NSW
SUN 4 MAY – Lizotte’s, NEWCASTLE NSW
FRI 9 MAY – Mudgee Brewing Company, MUDGEE NSW
SAT 10 MAY – Garden Hotel, DUBBO NSW
SUN 11 MAY – Towradgi Beach Hotel, TOWRADGI NSW
THUR 15 MAY – Armidale Club, ARMIDALE NSW
FRI 16 MAY + SAT 17 MAY – Goondiwindi River Jam, GOONDIWINDI QLD
SAT 17 MAY – Queensland Hotel, GOONDIWINDI QLD (evening)
SUN 18 MAY – The Royal Mail Hotel, GOODNA QLD
WED 21 MAY – The Joynt, BRISBANE QLD
THUR 22 – SUN 25 MAY – Blues On Broadbeach Festival, GOLD COAST QLD