By Russell Bennett
HILLS singer, guitarist and songwriter Eddie “Groove Eddy” Cole will launch his new CD, Overload, at Burrinja Café in Upwey on 3 September.
Groove Eddy will join forces with a backing band of Nigel Picknell on drums, bassist Joel Hulme, vocalist Amber Rose and violinist and vocalist Judy Hamilton.
While Groove Eddy’s music career is currently full of promise, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Dandenongs resident.
He left school at an early age “heavily infected with the music bug”. “I had some skill on the guitar and I could hold a tune,” he said.
“I talked my way into my best friend’s band. We had lofty ambitions and played some gigs but we soon imploded.”
Groove Eddy then led the life of a “drifting hippy traveller”, taking dead-end jobs, busking and performing at open mic nights.
He saved enough money to record a high-quality demo to send to major record companies in the UK but “it just wasn’t my time and nothing happened”.
He took a job in a hospital collecting rubbish and dirty linen to support his young family but maintained some level of involvement in music by releasing gospel albums through his Pentecostal church.
Groove Eddy decided to make an album aimed at the world beyond the church, I know what’s going on.
An EP called Mellow followed and Groove Eddy’s airplay steadily increased.
His most recent releases are the jazz-infused 2008 album It’s the Apocalypse, Baby and the 2009 recording of a live benefit concert called Full on Gospel.
Tickets for the Overload CD launch at Burrinja will be available at the door. Call Burrinja on 9754 8723 for more information.
