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Jason’s musical life began at the age of 9, when he told his
mother that he wanted to learn to play the piano.
Ever-the-encouraging woman, his mother took him out and shopped
around for a respectably priced second-hand upright piano. He
began piano lessons shortly after and continued them until the age
of 12, when he took a break for a year. He resumed piano lessons
when he turned 13 and started high school, playing in the year
level class band and such. He continued piano through high school,
and still plays now from time to time.
He picked up his best friend’s guitar at 14, laying it across his
lap and plucking the strings in quite a shabby fashion. However,
he persisted, and learnt the basic chord structures and such. He
received his first acoustic guitar for his 15th
birthday, and bought his friends old electric guitar at 16. The
two started jamming together on Metallica songs, and as time
progressed, writing their own material. During this time, he was
introduced to the “Metallica: Cunning Stunts” DVD, which showcased
a live Metallica concert. He noticed the booming low-end that came
from the bass playing of Jason Newsted, and was instantly hooked.
For his Year 12 music ensemble, he took on the role of bass player
in band “Last Son”, even though he had no prior experience. He
practiced relentlessly with his band-mates, Charles Young and Luke
Ide, and the practice seemingly paid off. Last Son’s final
performance moderation gained a
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17/20, and everyone who viewed it (and heard it outside the
auditorium) mentioned the flawless booming bass. It was then,
merely 8 months after taking it up, that Jason was cemented as a
bassist first, then a guitarist and pianist.
During 2003, friend Joel Sprigg gave Charles and Jason a copy of a
self-written, self-performed and self-recorded 7 track EP called
“What’s With All The Soup… Mary?” by Schickel. Not expecting a
lot, Jason took it home and listened to it, and was very much
surprised. Apart from the below-average recording, the songs
definitely sounded good. They were impressed. In December 2003,
Joel asked both Jason and Charles to join the band, and the two
jumped on board instantly. The rest, you could say, is history.
December 2003 to August 2005 have seen Jason flourish musically,
with permanent residency in Schickel, and also performing in
comedy trio “Fat Amber” at his Year 12 valedictory in front of
1000 people at the Adelaide Town Hall, playing in front of 500
people at the Aberfoyle Park High School Music Night at the
Noarlunga Theatre, and collaborating with friends for musical
birthday presents for close friends, presented to them on CD, most
notably Myphallica’s “The Sound of Chucky” and “Tara! The Musical”
by The Hairy Nipples. He was also briefly involved in cover band
“the Jeasles”, however that was short-lived by the drummer moving
to Queensland.
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