SELF-CONFESSED musical hermit Shannon Wakefield is going to be dragged into the limelight again.
The ex-Ruteger singer/songwriter has been out of the scene for a while, and has only just rekindled plans for a relaunch.
Then, out of the blue, Sony records let him know 15 of his tracks will be in the new Southern Cross Ten TV show, The Shire, which starts on Monday.
“I had no idea it was coming,” Shannon said.
“It’s going international, and on DVD too.”
Shannon comes across as pretty grounded about the whole thing, though admits the cash flow increase would be good.
“I’m not really part of the music scene in Bendigo, the TV show will give my music maximum exposure, but I’d probably rather stay at home writing or be in the studio,” he said.
“The songs they’ve used are ones I’ve written and released myself a few years back, when I was actually doing gigs.
“Funnily enough I think I will be getting back into live shows next year.”
Shannon said he’s paid his dues touring with Ruteger, so this new exposure is not unearned.
“We were together for eight years, we had a record deal, and worked really tirelessly for not a lot of reward.
“So I decided to hang up the guitar.”
Shannon felt the need to take some time away from music, which had consumed his life for some time.
He was also able to refocus on family.
Self-taught Shannon first picked up the guitar at 18, and as he puts it, is still learning.
“My guitar is the best relationship I’ve had,” he said.
“It’s therapeutic for me.”
Shannon describes his musical tastes as eclectic, listening to anything from soundtracks to industrial metal.
“I love deciphering music,” he said.
“I listen to it phonically and mathmatically. You work out songs are quite mathmatical.”
At the moment he’s working on a heavy melodic metal concept album, whatever that may mean, alternative country and standard rock.
There are plenty more genres in the pipeline too.
Shannon said the extra exposure the TV show will give him will be beneficial.
“It’s not so much for me out touring,” he said.
“But I will be able to write songs for other artists.
“I get more joy out of creating music as opposed to the notoriety of playing live. I’d be quite happy writing songs and nobody knowing who I am.”
Shannon said it’s not unusual for songwriters to take a back seat in the industry.
“There are a lot of writers out there.
“The guy who wrote all the songs for Dr Luther and a load of songs for Katy Perry, I don’t know what he looks like.
“I don’t what the guy who wrote all the songs for Robbie Williams looks like either.”
Shannon sees it as working on something you are passionate about, without the public profile.
He hasn’t written for anyone else – yet.
“It’s definitely something I want to do in the future, either with an established artist, or someone younger taking my songs,” he said.
“You would get the payment from that song without having to travel for 24 hours to get to play a gig for one hour.
“I like being a hermit, I would quite happily stay at home.”
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