Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Bill Tolson, Bill Tolson Music 2020.
Bill Tolson has been around the Melbourne music scene for a very long time.
In his life to this point he’s been a record store owner, involved in music management, set up a music label, performed as a solo artist and in many bands (the best known being Bill Tolson & The Learners) and he even went to school with Aussie music legend Nick Cave.
Like all artists the COVID-19 shutdown has forced him to seek other ways to maintain his presence in the music scene, and it’s also provided inspiration for new songs.
In a way the coronavirus has acted as an additional metaphor for stuff the Bill has been processing.
Prior to the current shut down Bill had experienced a number of turbulent years that would shake most people’s faith.
In 2014 he lost his father and the following year his son Connor Tolson (also a talented musician – Riders Of Sin) died in a suspicious house-fire.
All parents know that the loss of a child is an affront to the natural order, they are not supposed to go before us, and Connor’s death has had a profound impact on Bill.
It’s noticeable in his music.
You can hear him processing his grief through many of his songs such as New Life, written pre-COVID in 2019 and Immune and I’m Rocking Alone both released this year.
Bill sums up I’m Rocking Alone this way; “Whilst this song also relates to our current lockdown and the isolation felt by many, for me it’s just an angry outburst of grief personified and thrown on 2 minutes and 45 seconds of a Stones blues type riff.”
It’s a good song, the riff has the required amount of swagger and the vocal carries the torture and hurt contained in the lyrics.
Music can be cathartic and I suspect that it is for Bill.
Many artists will confirm that their best work has occurred in troubled times.
If you haven’t come across Bill’s work before I suggest you look him up, he’s put out at least four albums and a number of singles there’s also plenty of stuff on YouTube to watch.
