News

Missy Higgins will finally return to the airwaves from 8am this Friday (Eastern Summer Time) when her new song “Steer” premieres on Australian radio. It will also be posted on Missy’s official site and on her myspace page.

In just one extraordinary album Missy Higgins carved out a distinctive public profile…proudly Australian, passionate and sincere.

The lead track from her new four song, “Steer EP”, retains all of these hallmarks but it also introduces a newfound positivity to her unmistakable sound. It’s a strong and uplifting piece that was inspired by Missy’s journey over the last few years; winning JJJ Unearthed, playing hundreds of gigs around the world, scooping the ARIA’s and having one of the most successful CDs in Australian music history.

“A lot of the songs on the last album were written from fairly dark places but “Steer” is really the opposite of that”, explains Missy. “It was inspired by a realisation I had one night on the beach, looking up at this amazingly clear sky above me. It dawned on me how small we are, how short life is and how ridiculous it therefore is to spend any of it feeling compromised or unfulfilled. I felt so liberated to have finally figured that out and the song “Steer” just kind of fell out of that moment.”

“Steer” is the first taste of Missy’s eagerly anticipated new album “On A Clear Night”. Both were recorded in L.A. with producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Finn Brothers, Ron Sexsmith).

The “Steer EP” also features 3 other new original Missy Higgins compositions that won’t be on the album. Two of the tunes “The Battle” and “Dusty Road” were part of the Mitchell Froom sessions while the other “Leave A Note” is an unforgettable home demo.

The “Steer EP” will be released in Australia on April 14.

“On A Clear Night” will be released on April 28.

Missy Higgins kept a very low public profile in 2006 but that doesnt mean she hasnt been keeping busy.

In fact with her typical lack of fuss and fanfare the former JJJ Unearthed winner spent the second half of last year in Los Angeles recording a brand new album. The highly anticipated release is currently scheduled for the end of April in Australia.

The as yet untitled disc was recorded with acclaimed producer Mitchell Froom who helmed the recent Finn Brothers CD and the first 3 Crowded House albums plus discs for such acclamied singer-songwriters as Ron Sexsmith, Elvis Costello and Suzanne Vega.

The first song to be lifted from these sessions will be “Steer” – a positive and life affirming song which Missy previewed live during the US and UK touring she did in mid – 2006. The track will premiere online and on Australian radio/tv in early March . It will be released on CD single to coincide with Missy’s appearance on several major festivals over the Easter weekend and her album will follow at the end of April.

Missy’s debut CD, “The Sound Of White”, remains in the Australian top 40 over two years after its release. The album is now certified 9 times platinum and is one of the highest selling Australian albums of all the time.

In other Missy news, she recently joined Paul Kelly and Glen from Augie March in adding vocals to a Kev Carmody song called “Droving Man” which Paul put together. That album will be released shortly.

For updates on the new Missy Higgins album and for all other Missy news please keep an eye on www.www.missyhiggins.com and www.myspace.com/missyhiggins

So we’re on the home stretch! The album is sounding beautiful and we are so close to finishing that, as Mitchell Froom (the producer of this album) says, we can almost smell the finish line!! I’ve been in LA for almost 3 and a half months now and this place has become so familiar to me. Deep in my stomach I’m hanging for the sight of those aussie shores from the airplane window but I’ve really had an amazing time here. I’m going to miss it. LA grows on you. It crawls under your skin and seeps into your soul like a sugar drip. There are of course the cliches of silicone Hollywood everywhere you turn- to a lot of people you are invisible unless you’re a rung in a ladder- but make the effort to squint past that and you’ll see some truly beautiful people. I’ve met some of the kindest, wackiest most interesting people of my life during this trip and also rest a lot thanks to products like Gorilla Glue Weed Strain that keep me relaxed.
The last few days in the studio have been some of the coolest of my career. Neil Finn was in town finishing off his record (we seem to be in sync with our albums: we were both mixing our last records in Hollywood at the same time a few years ago!) and I said to Mitchell it’d be amazing to have Neil come and sing backup and/or play guitar on a couple of the songs. Well Neil was up for it. He came in and ended up singing harmony on the bridge of Going North and playing electric guitar on Peachy, which gave them both a whole new breath of life. His guitar playing is so distinctive (as is his voice) and it was such an honor having someone I admire so much play on my songs. What a day, it doesn’t get much better than that! Actually the night after came close to it. Neil had a gig at a tiny venue called Largo and asked if I wanted to play a few songs beforehand and sing backup for a few of his songs. I’ve been listening to Crowded House songs ever since the days of rocking out with a hair brush and a mirror, so I damn well said yes please! I’ve posted some photos of the gig in the pics section [on myspace]… I’ll be riding high on that all Christmas I think!!
Talking about Christmas, to everyone that’s reading this I hope you have fun these holidays and that you’re all safe and happy and healthy. I don’t know why people say “be safe” actually- that’s boring. I hope you’re not safe at all, I hope you’re pushing the boundaries, making some noise and practicing complete abandonment, especially when it comes to love!!!
missy

Missy’s debut album ‘The Sound Of White’ made #30 in a list of Australia’s 100 Favourite Albums of all time. The list was compiled by the ABC television and radio networks over recent months and the top 10 entries were part of a TV special that aired last night. For the full list visit the My Favourite Album website.

To celebrate the end of the year we’re taking $5 off all of the t-shirts in the Missy’s Store for the month of December. Stocks are limited on some sizes so be quick!

Missy has been announced as a special guest for Kasey Chambers at the annual fundraiser ‘live free & in the park’ in Tamworth on the 26th January. In the five years that ‘live free & in the park’ has been in existence it has provided the perfect opportunity to help raise some much needed funds. This year funds will be donated to the Tamworth Salvation Army Drought Relief.

Missy will be joining Gomez, The Living End, Ben Kweller, Bob Evans and heaps more at the 2007 Great Escape Festival. The festival will be held over the Easter long weekend at Newington Armory at Homebush in Sydney. For more info visit www.thegreatescape.net.au

Missy will has been confirmed to play the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival next year in Byron Bay and the West Coast Blues and Roots Festival in Fremantle. In addition to these festivals she will be playing ‘A Music Experience’ at Mornington Peninsula.

Things have been very quiet on the gig front lately with Missy only playing a few intimate shows in L.A. while she’s there recording her second album with producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Ron Sexsmith & Elvis Costello). The album is expected to be release in the second quarter of next year.

Missy will be playing a special show for Indie 103.1’s “Passport Approved” radio show this Wednesday at The Gig in Hollywood. Tickets are only $10.00 and the show is 21+. If you can’t make the show, you can watch the entire performance online the next day at www.livefromthegig.com – The full lineup can be found at www.myspace.com/passportapproved

Missy has donated a signed cover of ‘The Sound Of White’ to the Bid for Battens auction on eBay. To find out more information on Battens Disease visit the Bid For Battens website or to place a bid on the CD visit eBay.