Dobbyn at Civic: \u2018It\u2019s like a church for me\u2019<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges of Parkinson\u2019s, Dobbyn says he\u2019s still coming up with musical ideas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can spot a really good idea, and it\u2019s usually like when I\u2019m in a hurry, or just about to leave the room, or I\u2019ve gone out for a leak. In the middle of it, I\u2019ll go \u2018ta-da!\u2019 and then run back into the studio and try and capture what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s also working on a \u201clyric book with anecdotes\u201d. Asking artificial intelligence (AI) for a good title of a memoir, it suggested Beside You [the name of his 1998 hit].<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich I thought was quite clever, but then it said [the Split Enz song] History Never Repeats. I thought that was very funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
On last year\u2019s \u201cwonderful\u201d Selected Songs tour, Dobbyn says he was reminded how people own their own version of his songs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just reminds them of tough times or good times or whatever.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always scan their faces, just imagining people\u2019s stories. I can glean so much from their faces in terms of what their story might be. Through the gig, I\u2019ll be speculating what so-and-so\u2019s stories were and how they\u2019re related to the other person there … It\u2019s a game I play.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a musician, you\u2019ve got to love people, Dobbyn reckons.<\/p>\n
\u201cTravelling around New Zealand, playing theatres. To me, that\u2019s bliss … I genuinely do love the audiences and love the people. You can\u2019t beat it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much negative stuff around. In fact, most of it is designed to make you feel less than human. Demanding your humanity is an important thing for me, and demanding the best of your humanity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat involves community. When you\u2019re playing music, it\u2019s right in the middle of the community, and you can\u2019t forget that. It\u2019s us, you know \u2013 not us and them.\u201d<\/p>\n
At his Selected Songs Encore event on July 25, Dobbyn will be joined by an eight-piece band, including his son Eli Dobbyn on percussion.<\/p>\n
The 96-year-old Civic Theatre \u2013 which inspired Dobbyn\u2019s 1993 song Palace \u2013 is \u201calmost like a church\u201d for the legendary musician. It also brings back some \u201cwonderful nostalgic feelings\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe used to come to town in the old diesel buses along T\u0101maki Drive and walk up the street holding each other\u2019s shirt tails. There was an American milk bar halfway up Queen Street where they had booths and a jukebox and all that, and we\u2019d get huge milkshakes in aluminium cans.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was there for Marlon Williams\u2019 gig, and it was magic, you know. If I could do half as good a job as he did, I\u2019d be very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n