Q & A with Avalon Drive’s Damion Page

Brisbane band Avalon Drive crushed fans when they split up in November 2008, but the time is right for a reunion. The lads will play one last show at the Hi-Fi Bar on February 5. I caught up with lead singer Damion Page to talk about the show, Avalon Drive’s heyday, and how the Queenslanders are giving back to their city after the recent floods.

You disbanded in 2008. Why was the time right now for one more show?
People change. I needed some time and a break to get back to basics with music. As much as it pained me back then to disband, I back my decision up 100%. I don’t think we should ever have to sacrifice our love for music for something you aren’t 100% happy with. Music is an extension of me and nothing felt right. Come 2011, everything is feeling great and we are pumped about everything that is happening.

How are you feeling at the prospect of playing together again?
Doesn’t feel like we ever stopped, the energy, ideas are all still alive. If anything we have more of an understanding of what we all need from playing music and embrace absolutely everything that’s put out there. Onstage is going to be electric, always has been.

You’re playing again in front of your hometown audience. How important were the people of Brisbane to your success?
My god how Brisbane backs their own bands. It’s simply amazing and still astounds me how alive Avalon Drive fans were and still are. It’s nuts. We are so fortunate and we are so grateful for it. We never ever truly got to thank everyone; this is our way of doing that. By bringing everyone into one room, singing the same songs. Without our Brisbane fans and friends behind us, it just wouldn’t have been the same.

I’m sure this show will be extra poignant considering everything Queensland is going through at the moment. Have you or any of the other members of the band been directly affected by the floods?
I think all of Australia has been affected. It’s certainly made me realize how fragile life can be and I think I can speak for most people out there when I say how important your friends and family are. We decided to give all our profits from this show to those affected by the floods and hope that Brisbane gets back to being beautiful Brisbane ASAP. A few members were caught in the midst of the drama but no story can compare to the tragedies some of our neighbours have faced with the loss of their loved ones. Too hard to put into words I’m sorry.

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Move Over Avalon Drive, Damion Page Gets Acoustic with Words Versing Verses

Remember Avalon Drive? This Brisbane band was doing some great stuff, but then disappeared almost as quickly as they came on the scene. The band’s frontman Damion Page has happily moved on though as part of the new duo Words Versing Verses.

Damion has joined forces with guitarist Kevin Leggett for the acoustic driven double act.

“All of our old things, all of our roots have brought us to doing what we are doing now,” Words Versing Verses explained. “We haven’t just abandoned everything. We’ve just kind of moved on from it and taken what we’ve learnt. I think this is more of a release for us.”

It’s early days, with the band releasing their first EP earlier this month, but already they’re building a steady buzz with one sold-out show under their belt.

Words Versing Verses will play a home town show at The Zoo in Brisbane on August 12. Fans around the rest of the country should just sit tight, as the duo will announce national dates soon.

Image used with permission from Kieron Douglass Photography