Unexpected signs of life

A living in Melbourne story:  A couple of months ago while meandering along Ivanhoe’s high street, Upper Heidelberg Road, I casually took in this sign on the bin. I kept walking – thinking so how about that – Joe Cocker is coming to Melbourne.

Then reality hit, didn’t Joe die a few years back? (2014 in fact)

I returned and reread the sign. While that was definitely an image of Joe Cocker, other text revealed the truth. A nine piece band was to perform at a local venue with a Joe Cocker type band. And next question was – where?

That answer I looked up at home. To my surprise there is a recording studio up the road from Ivanhoe in Heidelberg West that also has a small performance space.

The studios have a long history in Melbourne under their former name Studio 52 of Collingwood. They have now moved to Heidelberg West and changed their name to Empire Music Studios.

There is a report about them online (see below) that makes for fascinating reading – if you are interested in the survival of recording studios. Music is alive and well in Melbourne!

And the Empire Music Studios are where it is at!

And a final comment on that poster with Joe Cocker. At the time of the original band , The Shelter People, Leon Russell was part of Joe Cocker’s band.

Here’s an image of Leon Russell in 2009

The part owner – sound engineer at Empire Studios has taken on the persona of Leon Russell – he could easily be a second Leon Russell. Or is the reality that Leon has returned in the form of the engineer at Empire. That’s him below to the left.

More about Joe Cocker. (1944 – 2014)

About Leon Russell  (1942 – 2016)

the report on Empire Music Studios,  

more about Empire Music Studios

It is an impressive achievement for owners Paul Higgins and Trevor Carter.

And a good news story.