What has Dave Gleeson from The Screaming Jets been up to lately? OR Three Aussie rock legends walk into a bar!!

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Join Cheryl Lee - That Radio Chick on STILL ROCKIN' IT for news, reviews, music and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musician

Dave Gleeson pulls over in a car park to chat with us while on a mission to buy his son's birthday present – a perfect snapshot of how this rock legend balances family life with his enduring music career. Now considered an adopted South Australian after 20 years in the state, Dave beams with pride discussing his 17-year-old son's musical talent.

The veteran rocker delivers fascinating insights into how established artists are navigating today's music landscape. "The last album we did cost us 70 grand," Dave reveals, explaining why The Screaming Jets are shifting toward releasing singles rather than full albums. This pivot represents a significant change for career musicians adapting to the streaming era – maintaining relevance through periodic releases while avoiding massive upfront production costs. Fans will be thrilled to hear Dave still has a country album in development, following up his beloved first solo effort.

The conversation turns to his upcoming performance with Australian rock royalty John Swan (73) and Kevin Borich (78) at The Gov. Despite being the "baby" of the trio at 56, Gleeson shares their relentless passion for performance. "I'd hate to be told I couldn't do it anymore, rather than deciding I didn't want to do it anymore," he reflects, revealing the deep connection these veterans feel to their craft. Their show promises an electrifying mix of Screaming Jets, Angels, and Party Boys classics alongside rock standards from AC/DC and more. 

Dave also mentions the "supergroup" Fabulous Caprettos with Jack Jones and Rai Thistlethwayte, who'll be performing seated shows – a format that allows for storytelling between songs but would feel restrictive for his more raucous rock projects. 

Join us for this candid conversation that captures the evolving journey of one of Australia's most beloved rock personalities. 

What has Gleeso been up to lately?  Let's find out!!

Get out when you can, support local music and I'll see you down the front!!

Visit: ThatRadioChick.com.au

Episode Transcript

Cheryl Lee (00:05):
That Radio Cheek Cheryl Lee here.
Welcome to the Still Rockin itpodcast, where we'll have music
news, reviews and interviewswith some of our favourite
Australian musicians and artists.
These two likely lads, DaveGleeson and John Swan, are back
together, again for one nightonly, and this time they've
brought their mate, Kevin Boric,with them.

(00:27):
Supported by the Rob PippenBand, they're at the Gov at the
end of next month playing allyour favourite rock songs from
each of their bands over theyears and a shipload of crowd
favourites.
We were lucky to catch up withDave Gleeson as he was en route
to buy his son James hisbirthday present.

(00:49):
Don't miss it.
If you're in Adelaide, I'll seeyou down the front.
To catch up on podcasts fromother favourite artists, simply
go to that radio chick.
com.
au.
I'd like to welcome you to theZoom room today from his local
car park, Dave Gleeson.
Thanks for joining us, Dave.

Dave Gleeson (01:08):
Hey, Cheryl Lee, how are you yeah?

Cheryl Lee (01:10):
well, thanks, we've got a great gig coming up to
talk about Before we do I don'tknow if you know my husband's
from a farming community inVictoria and he said the most
important question I have to askyou today is about the weather
on the farm.
How are you going with the dry?

Dave Gleeson (01:28):
Well, it was lovely to get a bit of rain the
other day, but we're very luckythat we have a bore and a spring
that runs through our property,so we've been able to water
what needs to be watered, butour lawns are all brown and yuck
, so it's been a pretty longtime without some good rain.

Cheryl Lee (01:46):
I hope we're at the end of it now and we should
start getting a few more rains.

Dave Gleeson (01:51):
Yeah, yeah, I mean , when I first moved to Adelaide
I hated the cold and the rain,but I've become a true South
Australian now, and winter'scold and summer's hot.

Cheryl Lee (02:00):
How long have you been here now?
It's over 20 years, right.

Dave Gleeson (02:04):
It's 20 years.
We moved here.
My daughter's about to turn 21this year.
We moved here when she was sixmonths old.
So yeah, 20 years.

Cheryl Lee (02:12):
We've absolutely, you know adopted you as a South
Australian son.
Now there's no escaping it.

Dave Gleeson (02:18):
No, that's right.
No, both my kids are very, veryproud South Australians.
My boy was born here.
He just turned 17.
Got him a nice new drum kit forhis birthday.

Cheryl Lee (02:29):
So yeah, I'm 17 as well.
Number five, my youngest son.
He is playing the keyboards.

Dave Gleeson (02:37):
Well, we've got to get these kids together.

Cheryl Lee (02:39):
They can have a jam.
I kept going until I got one Iliked.
As much as I tried with thefirst four, none of them had an
ounce of musical ability like meRight.
But this one can hear a songand play it on the piano Like
where did that come from?

Dave Gleeson (02:57):
I'll keep you.
Both me kids love music.
Only one of them is playingmusic, Bella.
She loves going and seeingbands.

Cheryl Lee (03:05):
Yeah, good on her, a woman after my own heart.
You've got a whole lot of stuffgoing on.
As usual, dave, there's no restfor the wicked, so you've
obviously been pretty wicked.
Yeah, you've got some stuffwith the Jets, some stuff with
the fabulous Caprettos, and then, of course, you've got this
Huge gig coming up.
The Jets have got the BrokeBarbecue Festival in June, on

(03:26):
the long weekend.

Dave Gleeson (03:27):
Yeah, we've only done some very sporadic choreo
playing with the Jets lately.
We did a couple of shows overthe last four weeks and then,
yeah, not much until the end ofthe year.
We're just kind of we're doingsome recording, doing some
songwriting later on this monthand, yeah, hopefully we'll get
some songs out of it so we can.
You know, it's all differentnow, sure, with, uh, with doing

(03:49):
albums.
I mean, the last album we did,professional misconduct, cost us
70 grand or something like that, and it's very hard to make
that up through album sales.
Obviously you can make up thethe difference between the
recording costs and that bytouring.
But uh, yeah, we're kind ofembracing this new model of
record a couple of songs, getthem out there, get people kind

(04:09):
of just keep people knowing thatyou're still alive and still
out there making some new music.

Cheryl Lee (04:14):
You're actually the second artist in two days to say
that exact same thing, and Ithink that's what the Super
Jesus did as well.

Dave Gleeson (04:21):
Yeah, a lot of the bands are doing it now Because
I've got a country album I wantto do as well, and I think it's
more country's still moreamenable to actually bringing
out albums, whereas rock, look,it depends, I guess, where you
sit in the scheme of things.
I mean, obviously, the bigbands.
If Foo Fighters bring out analbum next week, it'll be

(04:42):
massive and you know same goesfor a lot of bands.
But you know same goes for alot of bands.
But you know you just kind ofyou've got to find where you can
make the most impact and uh,yeah, look, I love making albums
.
It's you know what makes bandsbands as far as I'm concerned.
But kind of, you know, promotethe touring and and get people
bums on seats.
You know you are listening toStill Rockin it.

(05:04):
The podcast with Cheryl Lee.

Cheryl Lee (05:07):
I think I've asked Dave every time I've spoken to
him the last half a dozen timeswhen is his next solo country
album coming out?
I didn't dare ask him this timebecause I didn't want him to
think I was nagging, but youheard it first here.
Folks, it is a thing, it's inthe works.

(05:28):
Here is a song from his firstsolo album Wanted man, those
rusty train tracks, get yourtissues.
It's a beautiful song, getslots of spins on my radio show.

Dave Gleeson (09:46):
I'm actually I've got a bit of a jaunt going on
because of that.
I'm a bit of an ambassador forthe Airlie Beach Festival.
So myself and Katie and thekids, we're all flying up to
Airlie Beach for a week on thehouse of the Queensland Tourism
Association.

Cheryl Lee (10:01):
You're lucky, but do you need another daughter then?
So that's the Screaming Jets,and I Googled the fabulous
Caprettos to get the date, andyou come up as super group.

Dave Gleeson (10:15):
Yeah, look, I'm very lucky to be involved in
that.
I mean Jack Jones, one of thegreatest singers, slash
guitarists.
The country's produced RaiThistlethwayte just an amazing
musician.
It's unbelievable to be in hispresence and we've done it over
the last couple of tours withRussell Morris.
He's been there from the start.
But Russell's given up, he'sdecided he's had enough of the

(10:38):
industry and he's just going toenjoy his retirement.

Cheryl Lee (10:41):
So you've got Joe.

Dave Gleeson (10:42):
Joe Camillieri.

Cheryl Lee (10:43):
Wendy.

Dave Gleeson (10:43):
Matthews is doing some as well.

Cheryl Lee (10:45):
And I'm so glad you know I'm off for a month in the
US on the back of a.
Harley doing Route 66.

Dave Gleeson (10:53):
Are you now?

Cheryl Lee (10:53):
I'm glad that you got your people to speak to my
people, your gig with Swanee andByridge at the Gov.
I'll be just back for, oh, andthat's the thing, the Fabulous
Capretos.
You are at the Hindley StreetMusical and it's seated.
You're getting a bit posh now.

Dave Gleeson (11:11):
Yeah, I don't know about seated gigs.
I mean we've done a bunch ofthose type of things and it's
all right in its place.
I mean with the Caprettos it'llbe good because we all kind of
share stories and stuff likethat on stage.
I mean there's quite a bit ofbanter that goes on.
So it's all right to be suitedwith the Caprettos, jets not so

(11:33):
much, angels not so much.
I mean we did some stuff withthe Angels where we did like
theatres and stuff.
People just want to rock outwhen they hear that type of
music.
So it makes a little bit of adifferent experience.

Cheryl Lee (11:47):
Exactly.
This won't surprise you.
My tickets for the HindleyStreet gig with your Caprettos
is row A, seat 13.

Dave Gleeson (11:58):
I'll see you down the front, so you'll be in front
of where all the action'shappening.
You'll be a front row seat forme playing tambourine.
Yeah, that's it.

Cheryl Lee (12:06):
So the dates for the Fabulous Caprettos, the super
group 10 dates in July, Adelaidethe 25th, still rocking the
podcast with that radio chick,cheryl Lee.
The great Kevin Borich from theLa-Di-Da's and the Party Boys
and the Kevin Borich Express isjoining up with Gleeso and
Swanee and he also recorded asong with the outgoing Capretto,

(12:31):
Russell Morris, on his recentDuets album.
And here it is Call a Friend.
And then we're back to sayfarewell to Dave Gleeson from
the Screaming Jets and formerlythe Angels and the Fabulous
Capretto's and Gleeson, SwanBorich hey there.

Dave Gleeson (12:48):
This is Russell Morris, and I'm with Cheryl Lee.

(15:37):
Oh, that's amazing.
I mean, obviously Swanee andKevin Boric's relationship goes
back a long, long way.
Kb has to be the coolestlooking rocker in town.
He's got his shirt open.
He's got his cool chest hangingout.
He rips out the guitar likenobody's business.
It'll be such an asset to havehim there on the night.

(15:58):
It'll be unreal.

Cheryl Lee (15:59):
Does he actually know what he's got himself in
for Dave?

Dave Gleeson (16:04):
Look, he knows Swanee better than I do.
I'm sure they know theirlimitations.

Cheryl Lee (16:11):
Have you been on the stage with Kevin before?

Dave Gleeson (16:14):
I reckon I have.
We did a bit of a party boysthing.
It wasn't the official partyboys, but it was a thing that we
did in Sydney and I was luckyenough to share the stage with
KB there.
Oh man, I mean, in our firstband we used to play the La Di
Da song.
I'm Going to See my Baby.

Cheryl Lee (16:33):
Tonight I'm Going to See my Baby.

Dave Gleeson (16:34):
So yeah, to be sharing the stage with a legend
like him and Swanee.
I mean, I saw Swanee onCountdown a little while ago and
he had all the moves, oldSwanee.

Cheryl Lee (16:44):
Yeah, cool Dude.
So John is 73, kevin is 78, andyou're the baby at 56.

Dave Gleeson (16:53):
I'm not even in my 60s yet.

Cheryl Lee (16:54):
No, last time we spoke, you had had a couple of
health issues.

Dave Gleeson (16:58):
I'm just checking Do you still reckon you're going
to be?

Cheryl Lee (17:01):
rocking it in 20 years like these blokes.

Dave Gleeson (17:05):
Yeah, I reckon I am.
I mean, I look after myselfmuch better now than I used to.
I have, you know, three days aweek on the drink and four days
off, so that's I've turned acorner there.
But look as far as lookingafter yourself so that you can
still do it.
That's the main thing.
I mean, I'd hate to.
I'd hate to be told I couldn'tdo it anymore, rather than

(17:26):
deciding that I didn't want todo it anymore.

Cheryl Lee (17:28):
Kevin and John have both agreed, so I think I'm
going to be catching up with youfor a TV interview, like last
time, perhaps in the rehearsalspace for an episode of Rider TV
, when the three of you were allin our same town at the same
time.

Dave Gleeson (17:43):
Excellent, that'll be great.
I mean, yeah, I could just sitthere.
When I do interviews and I wasthe same with John and Rick
Brewster I generally just sitthere enjoying the stories
they're telling.

Cheryl Lee (17:55):
The ones they're allowed to tell.

Dave Gleeson (17:57):
Yeah, yeah, of course, the ones that won't get
them cancelled for somethingthey did 40 years ago.

Cheryl Lee (18:01):
Yeah, exactly, we're really looking forward to
seeing you guys at the GovFriday the 30th.
I'll probably still have jetlag, but I'll be ready to rock.

Dave Gleeson (18:15):
Well, thanks, yeah , I can't wait.
I mean the songs that we do.
Obviously there'll be some jetsand some songs that everyone
knows 24, and we throw a fewangels in there, and then, of
course, we just pick a bunch ofsongs that we know the crowd's
going to love and we're going tohave a great time belting out
Some Aka Daka, some Aka Daka.
Oh, definitely Aka Daka.

Cheryl Lee (18:35):
Yeah, there'll be the Party Boys, I'd imagine.

Dave Gleeson (18:38):
Yes, definitely.
Yeah, I mean people forget.
I mean when I was touring withthe Angels and a guy, clinton
Braddock, who used to be theirtour manager to the Party Boys
or used to be their roadie, hereconciled 72 weeks in a row
during that time of the PartyBoys' success, with John
Brewster and Swanee out thefront.

(18:58):
So I mean people forget justhow massive that touring entity
was.

Cheryl Lee (19:05):
That's nearly 18 months non-stop.

Dave Gleeson (19:07):
I know, I know it's wild.

Cheryl Lee (19:10):
What kept them going ?

Dave Gleeson (19:12):
Well, one could only wonder

Cheryl Lee (19:16):
Thank you, very much for pulling over in the car
park and having a quick chatwith us today.

Dave Gleeson (19:21):
No worries, cheryl .
Sorry, I had to do that.
As I said, it's my boy'sbirthday tomorrow.
I had to rush down and pick himup some extras for his drum kit
, so I was caught on the hop.
Sorry about that.

Cheryl Lee (19:33):
Not at all.
You know what?
The most important job thatyou've got to do today is dad.

Dave Gleeson (19:38):
Yeah, that's right .

Cheryl Lee (19:40):
Oh, not just today, every day, every day.

Dave Gleeson (19:43):
Yeah, that's right .

Cheryl Lee (19:44):
You'll never have an argument from me.
I appreciate you spending aquick few minutes with us and
I'll see you when I get backfrom the US.
I'll see you down the front.

Dave Gleeson (19:53):
No worries, you have a great time over there.

Cheryl Lee (19:55):
Thank you, I will.
I'll see you at the rehearsal.

Dave Gleeson (19:58):
No worries.

Cheryl Lee (19:59):
Bye for now.

Dave Gleeson (20:00):
Cheers.
See you, Shelley.

Cheryl Lee (20:01):
I've got to go back to work.

Dave Gleeson (20:02):
Okay, bye.
You are listening to StillRocking it the podcast with
Cheryl Lee.

Cheryl Lee (20:10):
Well, what else can I play but the party boys to
take us out?
And here they are,coincidentally with an ACDC song
, their version of Let there BeRock.

Speaker 1 (20:27):
Back in 1955, man doesn't know about a rock'n'roll
show.

Cheryl Lee (20:31):
I know that, yeah, you're with Cheryl Lee, that
radio chick.
Thank you so much for joiningme on the Still Rocking it
podcast.
Hope to catch you again nexttime.
Get out when you can supportAussie music and I'll see you
down the front.