Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens returns with first new album in eight years

His fascination with what are now called UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena) is shared in the collage art cover of Shimmer, his first new studio album in eight years. The 64-year-old rocker, who grew up on the 60s and 70s sci-fi television classics featuring silvery flying saucers that transported aliens to earth and humans into space, said he saw an unexplained object pulsating across the sky while on holidays in Hawaii several years ago. “I’ve always been intrigued by what’s up there, the stars, UFOs. I could say I’ve seen one, well I’ve see something I couldn’t explain,” Stevens said. “A number of years ago in Hawaii something flew across my vision going in an upwards trajectory, and it wasn’t an aircraft. It was pulsating, it was a very strong light. “I’ve always sort of thought there’s got to be something else. We as humans, we are too arrogant to think we’re the only ones; it’s a big old galaxy up there.” The lead singer of Noiseworks, and INXS for three years after Michael Hutchence’s death, is a rock warrior who prefers life on the road to the recording studio. It was while touring with Rod Stewart a couple of years ago and hanging out with the British rocker’s longtime keyboardist Kevin Savigar and guitarist Emerson Swinford that a plan was hatched to regroup in Los Angeles to write together. Stevens found himself inspired by love, loss and redemption as he worked with his new writing team on crafting songs that could fit with his extensive catalogue of hits. The love songs, including the gorgeous Your Bubble, are no doubt inspired by his partner of almost a decade, billionaire businesswoman Heloise Pratt. Stevens said he didn’t find it tough to put a new spin on pop music’s oldest muse. “Not when you’re in love. When you’re negative and you fall out of love, that seeps out you too. And I’ve been through all of those emotions,” he said. “I’m a pretty porous person so I guess instead of going to a shrink or whatever, my guitar and my songwriting is my own shrink, it helps me deal with whatever problems I’m going through. Or capture the things that are going great. “So songs like Your Bubble are just a way of putting more positive, beautiful songs into the world. This album has got a couple of dark songs on there but otherwise it’s a really happy album because I’m happy.” Stevens fears he is among the last of a dying breed, the rock troubadour who will play anywhere that people will come to see him. He is a staple on mini-festivals alongside his mates Jimmy Barnes and Kate Ceberano and seems to be on a perpetual loop of Australia with his own tours or opening for international acts. “The live musician, we are a bit of a dying breed in a way, coming from the era when live music was so prevalent. I’m out there doing it because I can, because I’m fit enough and I love to perform, I love singing,” he said. “And I love the joy that it brings to people. And when you’re older, you’re not sort of brought down by all that other extraneous stuff. It’s just for the sheer love of performing and playing.” To celebrate his return with Shimmer, and his love of gigging, Stevens called up a couple of mates to join him on his own mini-festival tour called the Summer of Love Rockfest. As well as Wolfmother and Screaming Jets, he will pick an emerging band to open the shows. “We’re all got the same billing, the same (font) size on the poster; I hate all that crap that goes on, on those big festivals, where some act’s name has got to be bigger and everyone else is smaller – it’s a big wank,” Stevens said. “People want to come and see the bands, so put their names up, all even, no one’s bigger than anyone else. I’m very grateful that they want to come out and tour.” Shimmer is out now. For all Summer of Love Rockfest dates and to buy tickets from October 10, go to jonstevens.com