Carus Thompson
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Carus Thompson

Acoustic legend Carus Thompson and his wife recently welcomed their second child to the world and it is safe to say their children have become the leading inspiration behind an exciting new chapter of music for him.
“About nine months ago I just started writing music, which I hadn’t done for a while. I’d just been focusing on being a dad and then obviously doing all of my touring and stuff,” says Carus. “Then basically we’ve ended up in this little place. It’s a little hard to play guitar at nights and we ended up doing this granny flat out the back for my mother-in-law. I ended up going out there in the evenings with a glass of red and started writing songs again, so I’m pretty excited about a new album next year and playing a lot of new songs on this tour now!” he beams.
Carus has enjoyed over a decade of touring his original, iconic acoustic tunes. Originally from Fremantle, Thompson made his charge on the Australian music scene alongside many other artists of the region including the John Butler Trio, eventually finding his current home within Victoria and settling with his young family and greatest inspiration.
“You can write about a song with family and make it ring true; if you haven’t had these experiences properly it’s very had to write about. Good songs get close to the essential human spirit, so storytelling and songwriting is what I do – you’re trying to tell stories about human beings and everyday experiences.
“I think when you’re younger and you haven’t had kids, having a child is a really big thing. Most people in the world do it and if you’ve had that experience I think that there’s a whole bit of your storytelling you can’t tell because you haven’t experienced it yet,” says Thompson.
Untapping a new source for songwriting, Carus seems eager to get back out on the touring circuit and show the world his newfound inspiration. He takes a moment to reflect on other artists that he is now able to relate to on a whole new level.
“I’m a really big Bruce Springsteen fan and I love the way he tells sometimes very simple stories; unpretentious stories, just about working-class people or just people going about their lives. If you tell those stories right there’s an ethnicity and intensity to it and I don’t think people have really taken that approach to songwriting within Australia so much, especially from my generation.
“With these songs I’m just writing more simple suburban stories of the Australian experience,” he says.
Carus is embarking on a whole new set of shows, including a residency in his hometown of Freo, which he is very much looking forward to. “I’ve always prided myself on being able to ramp the crowd up and entertain and really try to bring a pub rock energy to my shows, whether it be acoustic or a small venue with everyone sitting down,” he laughs.
“I love that feeling when a gig finishes and you’ve played some slow songs, you’ve played some medium songs and you’ve played some rockers, and everyone’s on the dance floor and they’re a bit sweaty and they’ve had a few beers and you’ve had a genuine experience as a collective.”
When&Where: Wolseley Wines, Torquay – October 19 & The Piping Hot Chicken Shop, Ocean Grove – November 1
By Abbey King