On Friday night, Adelaide Trent Worley will appear as himself, in the flesh, warts and all at the Crown and Sceptre to launch his aptly named new album.

Supported by Sean Kemp, Kylie Brice and Charlie Monsoon, Trent is celebrating the release of his latest offering with a unique concept.

The album is raw – every song was recorded in the first take.

The idea behind Warts ‘n All stemmed from Trent’s recent adventures in America where he recorded in Madonna’s old bedroom, played a song in Jack White’s recording booth and crossed paths with Adelaide singer Sia.

“I didn’t realise how much the trip inspired me until I started collating this record,” he says. “I recorded one of the songs on my last day in New York and that was in the first take. I did four takes, and halfway through the fourth take I buggered it up and they said ‘Come and have a listen.’ So I went to the other side of the glass and they said the first one was the one.”

“So we took the first one, and then the week after that when we were in Nashville, I went to Third Man Records and did it in the booth there, and that’s obviously one take as well. Then I had a couple of demos in my computer and I realised they’re all one take so I made that the theme. I did six songs later on and made sure they were all the first and only take.”

Trent has put together the launch in the spirit of the album to create an intimate atmosphere, and a great night out.

“Kylie Brice is going to be there. I’ve met her a few times. I’m looking forward to seeing her play. Kylie is a really positive person and she’s always really keen to play,” he says.

“Sean Kemp is playing because he inspires me. I was having a rough trot about six months ago and he kept asking me to play gigs with him. He just got me going again. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know. I probably wouldn’t be releasing this album. He’s such an inspiration. He’s been around for so long. He’s a hard worker, he’s a good guy, and he helps everyone.

“And Charlie Monsoon are just a frickin’ awesome rock band. I’m playing acoustic and Kylie and Sean are playing acoustic, and to end with a rock band is my favourite way to top off a good evening. It’s going to be an awesome night!”

Trent Worley is a unique performer, this is a unique album, and he’ll be launching it by playing his unique instruments.

One of his favourite guitars from an extensive collection used to be a can of cooking oil; another memory he picked up in America.

‘It was a can of oil. Now it’s a guitar. I’ve tweaked it and I’ve got it sounding a bit better so I will be playing it for a couple of songs at the gig. I got it from two brothers in America who make them. I found one guitar at a shop over there and then I chased them up online. They make quite a few different ones,” he laughs.

In addition to the oil guitar, Trent has an antique Maton, which he says helped him to write one of his favourite songs on the album: an ode to Adelaide singing sensation Sia.

“A real favourite of mine, because it’s so open, is called ‘See Ya’. That was from when I was in America and I saw Sia walking down the street. I didn’t know where I was, but it turns out I was on Broadway in New York. There were thousands of people walking past and I saw this face and I thought, I know that face; it was kind of like she was an old friend or something. Then I realised it was Sia and she gave me this massive smile because she saw me looking at her,” he says.

“It was the most beautiful smile. Then I remembered she’s from Adelaide, so I’m allowed to go and say hello because we’re Adelaidians in New York! But by the time I turned around, I watched her disappear into the crowd. I walked back to the hotel and I pulled out my 1954 Maton. Some people say the songs are in the guitar, and for some reason, this riff came out and I wrote a song about what happened. It’s different from anything I’ve done before.”

Warts ‘n All, is Trent’s third album, and while he’s pleased with the way it sounds, he doesn’t think he’ll record in this way again.

“I probably wouldn’t do it again but I’m pretty happy with it. It feels good. I’ve never been so relaxed about an album coming out. It’s so me. There’s nothing to hide behind, so I’m a little bit vulnerable; but at the same time, it’s definitely showing myself truer than any of the other stuff I’ve done,” he says.

“You can produce stuff so much now, and I feel like I’m going against the grain of everything that’s happening at the moment where it has to be perfect. This is going ‘Fuck it. It’s about the music, not all this crap.’”

For Trent, music is about soul and telling stories, and Warts ‘n All is just that; it’s an honest account of moments in a musician’s life.

You can hear all about it at the Crown and Sceptre, 308 King William Street, Adelaide on July 31^st. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are $10.

By Libby Parker
Photos supplied
Story originally published in BSide Mag

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