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From a surgeon’s operating theatre donning medical robes with actor Russel Crowe to heading centrestage to get a music venue rocking and back … and forth … ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Marcia Hines is on the road to resuscitating and putting new life into her acclaimed music career.
Never mind that Hines, a household name, is now over 60. With inspiration and guidance from legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, Hines has broken a 20-year hiatus to release her new album of original songs. Amazed? No pun intended. The ever-affable former Australian Idol judge has released her album called Amazing, taking the curtains off and baring and sharing her life’s intimate details.
In a phone interview with the Weekly from her Sydney home, Hines says a good writer is always bound to write about his/her life.
‘‘This is exactly what I am doing, sharing my inner-self, the life I have led, the ups and downs, all that I have put in my songs.
‘‘It’s [the new album] is an expression of love, laughter, tears, that’s all it is, and I share all that with my fans, my audience.’’
And a highlight of the album is a film clip of her single Remedy (the one featuring an emergency room), directed by Crowe. The Academy Award-winning The Gladiator star also joins in singing, replete with his famous growl.
Asked to explain the choice of medical robes and an emergency room set up, with only eyes visible, and then nurses in their uniform dancing to her pop beat on the stage, Hines says it’s ‘‘Russ’s’ idea … I just went along with it’’.
‘‘It [the scene of Crowe and Hines exchanging looks at the operating table] just looks sexy, those eyes, it’s cheeky and cute and I love it.’’
She says she had previously worked with Crowe on his album seven years ago.
Hines’ other collaborators on the album are musicians Tom Diesel and Ron E. Jones. Hines and Diesel are co-producers and the three are the equal partners in song writing.
Reflecting on how she came up with the album plan, Hines says: ‘‘Joni Mitchell [during a meeting last year in the US] said to me: ‘I hear you want to do an album’. I said ‘yes’, and she said ‘why don’t you? Do it’ and it just went from there. She is a great influence.”
Hines says she met these ‘‘two very good people, the boys’’ – Diesel and Jones – and it just took off from there.
‘‘We just jelled and working together has been amazing. I learned a lot and we sat down and wrote 15 tracks.
‘‘We are just family now, very close. We worked for seven months, six days a week, from 10am to 6pm, in my Sydney apartment.
‘‘It’s been just magical.’’
The musician, regarded as the queen of pop and who has been in the industry for 40 years, has to her credit 18 albums and 29 singles. She has sold more than 2.6 million albums and had seven top-10 singles.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Hines was brought to Australia in 1970 by entrepreneur Harry M. Miller to star in the stage production Hair, which became a hit.
‘‘I decided to move here [Australia] as more work followed.’’
Hines’ other hit stage shows include Jesus Christ Superstar, Jerry’s Girls, and Big River.
Her top albums include Marcia Shines, Shining, Ladies and Gentlemen and Discotheque.
Hines, who had a top five single Fire and Rain, a cover of the James Taylor classic, is at home with varied genres of pop, disco, R&B, jazz, gospel and funk.
Asked whether she will again team up with her daughter Deni Hines, with whom she performed in the single Stomp! In 2006, she says ‘‘Yes, of course, we will’’.
She says Deni is busy working on her new album.
‘‘She’s been working on that for 18 months. We will work together again once she gets free.’’
Reflecting on her long musical journey, Hines says she has ‘‘absolutely no regrets’’.
Now she is all tuned up hit the road again for her national tour with a six-piece band, led by Diesel, beginning on July 31.
Tour dates, details
The first Victorian destination is Frankston, on August 21. The venue is Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston. Details and bookings: 9784 1060 or www.thefac.com.au
In Melbourne, Hines performs at The Palms at Crown on August 22. Phone 1300 795 012 or visit www.ticketek.com.au
