Tex Perkins Talks Becoming Johnny Cash, Creativity In Music, And How The Industry Has Changed

This morning Billy caught up with music icon Tex Perkins ahead of his headline performance with the Fat Rubber Band at A Hitch to the Sticks Festival.

Tex has been a figurehead in the Australian music scene for 30 years as frontman for The Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon, and more. 

Tex talked becoming Johnny Cash as he's toured the Man in Black shows for over a decade to sold out audiences around the world, adding that the role was a very natural fit for both his vocal style and his personality.

He also reflected on the ways that the Australian music scene has changed, for better and worse. 

"Technology has allowed people to not pay for music anymore, so that kind of destroyed the music industry as we knew it. But I've gotta say the music industry as we knew it kind of deserved to be destroyed."

Tex spoke about creativity and the motivation behind making music, stating, "You've got to keep recording music and writing music, because if you're a creative person that's what you do... It kind of got to the point where you don't really expect to make money out of selling music. You just want people to hear it, and then hopefully that translates into people coming to see you." 

Hear the full chat with Tex Perkins below... 

A Hitch to the Sticks Festival will run from Nov 1 - 3 at the Rodeo Grounds, Wangaratta. Get your tickets here.