Songwriting Trio 2010
RODEKA, PARKER, GIBBINS
Writers: Marcel Rodeka, Jack Parker, Denis Gibbins
Songwriting Production Company, RPG
2010
The creation of a songwriting trio, teaming up veteran Dunedin musicians Marcel Rodeka and Denis Gibbins with 2008 Otago University music graduate Jack Parker, might seem an unlikely one. Parker, after all, was not even born when Rodeka and Gibbins were touring the world in the 1970s with the legendary Mother Goose. But Parker turned out to be the missing link for the burgeoning songwriting production company, and RPG was formed.
Rodeka and Gibbins had been writing together casually for a few years, and when Rodeka was asked to drum for Parker’s five-guitar band Low Speed Bus Chase (www.lowspeedbuschase.com) debut album and at their sold-out album release gig in June 2009, he became aware of Parker’s considerable abilities as writer, singer and guitarist. Especially as a singer.
“We had been looking for the right voice for quite some time,” says Rodeka. “We invited Jack to sing on a few song ideas we had, and we clicked instantly. He had an immediate impact with his strong voice, and it was amazing how quickly he developed an empathy with the songs. He also helped us tighten up our writing with his close attention to good lyrics.”
Parker, like the other members of the now Melbourne-based Low Speed Bus Chase, came out of the composition-strong Otago University Contemporary Music degree course. This is more than just a School of Rock, with business, media and market awareness covered as well as writing, playing and band dynamics. So Parker joined the battle-hardened Rodeka and Gibbins with experience beyond his years.
Rodeka currently runs his own drum studio (www.drumstudio.co.nz) and tutors all ages, from teenagers with wide-eyed dreams to old rockers who know it is never too late to learn. He plays regularly with top Dunedin band Oxo Cubans, as well as filling in dates and sessions whenever and wherever he can.
Gibbins, like Rodeka, was a founder member of Mother Goose, and had already been playing bass alongside Rodeka’s spectacular drumming in early 70s bands like Argus. Mother Goose rose to fame almost indecently fast after forming in Dunedin in late 1975. By 1977, and with their Mushroom album Stuffed selling by the barrel, Mother Goose had smashed attendance records in every city in Australia. They moved to America in 1978 and had a memorable four months in LA counting then pop sensations the Knack, as fans. They then spent five months in New York as resident band at Great Gildersleeves, in the Bowery, a club which all manner of musicians and industry types frequented. They received great reviews and built a large fanbase, but the American record industry weren’t so sure and Mother Goose took their original Dunedin vision of crazy clothes, helter-skelter stage pyrotechnics and high irony back to Australia. Of course they had great songs too, and they continued to attract huge crowds, as well as making two more albums, before folding in 1984.
Rodeka, Parker, Gibbins clearly have their creative feet planted in more than one era. They are now writing and recording songs to attract publishing company interest. RPG have a sound production team in place, which includes producer/engineer/musician Ross McNab at the Sweetway Studios in The Catlins, where all the songs are recorded. Mastering is done at Studios 301 in Sydney.
One of Mother Goose’s biggest songs was I Can’t Sing Very Well, which in 1981 won New Zealand’s most prestigious writing award, The Silver Scroll. RPG are confident they can write songs okay too.
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