1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: The Wiggles acknowledged the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: our respects to elders, past, present and emerging. 4 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 2: Welcome to Wiggle Talk, a podcast for parents. I'm Simon Price. 5 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: I wear the color red, and. 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 3: I'm Locky Gillespie and I wear the color purple. 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 4: Oh hello, Locky. 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 2: You know today we're joined by someone who, well he 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 2: doesn't really need much of an introduction, the original Purple Wiggle, 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 2: known as the CEO of Snooze. 11 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 4: That's right, Jeff Fat, Yes, Jeffy. 12 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 3: Before there was a skivy or a purple shirt or 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: a big red car, Jeff and Anthony were playing in 14 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 3: pubs together, in the Cockroaches. That was their group name, 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 3: Long Night's Loud Crowds and not a Wiggle in sight. 16 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 3: But then somehow that all turned into a band for 17 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 3: children that ended up touring the world. 18 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 2: Incredible story. Before he talked to Jeff, you just mentioned 19 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 2: that they used to play in pubs together, Anthony and 20 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: Jeff and Anthony's brother John and Paul in the Cockroaches. 21 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 2: Jeff is about to do a gig with Anthony's son Antonio, Yes, 22 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: and john Son, Seamous and Jeff's going to be playing 23 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: the keyboards in their gig, which I think is hysterical. 24 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 4: Isn't that amazing? Amazing? 25 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 2: So they so Johnson's son, Yeah, Antonio and Seamus and. 26 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 4: Jeff, they've got a good keyboard player. They really have 27 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 4: got a good keyboard player. 28 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: Is funny all these years later they were all in 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 2: a band together, and now he's going to play with 30 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: their sons. 31 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 4: Wonder if he knows the songs are going to play. 32 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: Knowing Jeff, you just have to know the key, hear 33 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: the key, you know the key, and then he just 34 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: play it. Yep, you know exactly what's going on. I mean, 35 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: they're probably playing unchained melody, so he's probably he probably 36 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 2: knows that. I don't have Shamus of no the words 37 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 2: to it. But you know, I would love. 38 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 4: To be at that show, bigodes. But isn't that beautiful? 39 00:01:59,160 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 4: There is? 40 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 3: You know, that's Jeffy, always happy to help out, just 41 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 3: wants to play music, jump on the keys. 42 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 4: I think he plays. 43 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 3: He goes on cruises, doesn't he Now, Yeah, there's like 44 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 3: he just loves music, cruise cruises. 45 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: They and yeah, there's all these keyboard players, and they 46 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 2: all talk about, you know, different chord structures and minus seventh, Yes, 47 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: I mean that that sounds like a wonderful week away. 48 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 4: Doesn't it? Or major seven wiggles music. 49 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: Major seventh sess where we don't go mina very often 50 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: on our audiences, not the chords or the. 51 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 3: Keys, no skeleton scats and G minor though. 52 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 2: Well, that's it's a lot special yep, isn't it Yep? 53 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 3: That was controversial at the time using a minor. 54 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 4: It was a good song. Yeah, it is a great song. 55 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 4: I say so myself. 56 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 3: Well, Jeff's story, everybody is one of full contradictions. He 57 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 3: says himself that there are two Jeff's, the quiet one 58 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 3: you see off stage and the one who comes alive 59 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 3: under the lights. 60 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 2: And while he might have been the shy wiggle, he 61 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 2: was also one of the most recognizable faces in children's 62 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 2: entertainment in the nineteen nineties. That was a time where 63 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 2: you didn't see many Asian Australians on screen. 64 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 3: But Jeff has never set out to be a symbol 65 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 3: of anything. He just wanted to do what he loved 66 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: and that was making music with his mates. So today 67 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: we're talking about the early days, the two sides of Jeff, 68 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 3: a few funny stories from the road, and what it's 69 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 3: like to look back on three decades of the Wiggles Magic. 70 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:26,519 Speaker 3: Let's talk to Jeffy Simon. 71 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 4: You. We better wake you up first. Welcome to Wiggle Talk. Jeff, 72 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 4: Wake up, Jeff, you're missing all the fun. Now wake up, Jeff. 73 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 5: Before that day through, can you keep that noise down. 74 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 5: I'm trying to sleep well. 75 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 3: This is an exciting moment. Please welcome to wiggle Talk. 76 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 3: Everybody listening, Jeff Wiggle, Hello, Jeffy, Hello, the last of 77 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 3: the Ogs. Yeah, you've been asked for a lot really 78 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 3: what Yeah, people want, people want to hear from you. 79 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 4: Yeah. 80 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 6: Yeah, I don't like to say much. 81 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 4: We know that, so better so we'll do a lot 82 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 4: of talking on this podcast. 83 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 3: Jeffy welcome. It's lovely to see you. It's always lovely 84 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 3: to see you in Wiggletown. And I want to start 85 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 3: with asking you about this. You've said before that there's 86 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 3: two Jeffs. Yes, there is Jeffy you and then there 87 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 3: is stage Jeffy, which is larger than life, loud, colorful, 88 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 3: which is the opposite to who you really are. So 89 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 3: how did you reconcile with the two parts of yourself 90 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 3: throughout your wiggle life. 91 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 6: Yes, the two jeffs my normal Jeff Yes is sort 92 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 6: of sort of now, although I am slightly larger yes 93 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 6: in life than I normally am. 94 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 4: Yes. 95 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 6: Doing an interview, Yes, but the other Jeff doesn't like 96 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 6: to be on camera Jeff. And but to reconcile that, 97 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,359 Speaker 6: it's interesting. I guess I given the wake up Jeff 98 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 6: Mantle was a way of concealing the real Jeff. So 99 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 6: I actually had a role that I could play without 100 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 6: having to show too much of my real self. 101 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 4: Was it kind of Anto that picked up on that? 102 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 4: Is that? Is that right? 103 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 3: And did you talk about that at the time really 104 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 3: early on, like, look, I'm not that comfortable, yes, Or 105 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 3: did he just go, hey, come on, I've got something. 106 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 6: Well, well, he Anto is really good in being able 107 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 6: to get the best out of people, so I'm sure 108 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 6: that he was aware of that, and it's just his 109 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 6: ability to be able to put together a show and 110 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 6: get the best out of people. So, I mean, originally 111 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 6: I think it was wake up Anto. Did you drive 112 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 6: a big red car? Initially I did, I was the 113 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 6: original big red cards drive. 114 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 2: And then I had heard that story that once they 115 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 2: changed it to wake Up Jeff, they realized it wasn't 116 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: a good idea. Not a guy who falls asleep randomly 117 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: to be the one guy. 118 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 6: I'm not a very good example. 119 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: That's probably class these days. That's bad modeling. Yes, it 120 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 2: is modeling behavior. Yeah, but that would be Jeff. 121 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 6: No, never, never anyway that the role of the wake 122 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 6: up was. I embraced it. 123 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 4: Of course. 124 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 6: I loved it. And I could just close my eyes 125 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 6: and basically tune out. Yeah, and without having to reveal myself. 126 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 2: But also one of the most popular moments as well 127 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: for an audience. 128 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 6: Yes, it was because it is such an empowering thing 129 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 6: for young children to be able to have over a 130 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 6: grown up. 131 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. Now, going back, you were in rock 132 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 2: bands in the early days, many, Yes, many. So you're 133 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 2: in Abound the Cockroaches with Anthony and his brothers John 134 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 2: and Paul. Yes, how did you meet up? How did 135 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: all that come about? Okay, so, because Anthony was quite 136 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: young then, yes, he. 137 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 6: Was still at school, yeah, as were the other Field boys. 138 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 4: Yeah. 139 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 6: Okay, So around about the year nineteen eighty, I was 140 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 6: playing in a rockabilly band called the Roadmasters, and we 141 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 6: would play pretty well every week. This whole venue call 142 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 6: the Strawbery Hills Hotel and also the Oxford Hotel in 143 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 6: Oxford Street. Anyway, the boys used to get out of 144 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 6: boarding school on the weekends to go and see bands. 145 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 6: And it happened on this particular weekend that I was 146 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 6: confronted by Anthony with a cassette tape. Now this was 147 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 6: a bit later he actually I met Anthony, and then 148 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 6: two weeks after he came along with cassette recorder to 149 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 6: interview me. 150 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 3: So wow, as it just as a musician. 151 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, Anthony loved music, so he wanted to 152 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 6: know a bit more. I guess he was somewhat intrigued 153 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 6: by the fact that there were two Chinese guys in 154 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,559 Speaker 6: a rockabilly band with myself and my brother. 155 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 4: My brother was on. 156 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 6: Bas and I was playing keyboards. Wow, that was the 157 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 6: That was the fascination that Anthony had. But Anthony always 158 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 6: loved music, any form of music. 159 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: Soon, yeah, and so that's how you first met. And 160 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 2: then so how did the Cockroaches come about from that 161 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:10,679 Speaker 2: first meeting? 162 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 6: Okay, so how I ended up in the Cockroaches was 163 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 6: at the time I was also hiring aut PA systems 164 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 6: for bands in the city bands mainly, and then the 165 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 6: Cockroaches were playing gigs themselves and they needed a PA system, 166 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 6: so they came along to see me. And so this 167 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 6: was on a few occasions, and then there was another 168 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 6: occasion where they they needed me to take the PA 169 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 6: up to Newcastle for a gig and I was somewhat 170 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 6: a bit reluctant because of the distance, and I said, look, 171 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 6: I'll do it if I can play keyboards. 172 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 4: Yes, make it worth the trip exactly. Wow. 173 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 6: So yeah, I didn't want to be waiting around for 174 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 6: a PA, and so you played that night I did 175 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 6: in Newcastle obviously went well. 176 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 4: Then well, I. 177 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 6: Guess they needed a p a rather first keyboard player. 178 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 3: So going back a bit, did you have a name 179 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 3: for yourself back in that band for him to come 180 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 3: and want to talk to you. 181 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 6: It was a very select audience, I mean music in 182 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 6: the punk era. 183 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 3: Soa when did you start playing piano? 184 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 6: I started learning grade piano at the age of about 185 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 6: six r and then I discontinued at about grade three 186 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 6: because I cannot read music for the life of me. 187 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 3: And then you just learned by listening to well after. 188 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 6: That yeah, more are you? 189 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 2: You're an incredible keyboard player. What did John Field call 190 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 2: you the zombie with. 191 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 6: Because I'm so laid back and chill. The real Jeff 192 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 6: is laid back and chill. 193 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 4: Well let's talk about that for a seconds. 194 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 2: So that's a difference in between performing for adults as 195 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 2: a keyboard player and then ending up in this world 196 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: performing for children where you probably could no longer be 197 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,599 Speaker 2: a zombie with fingers. You had to have a different personality. 198 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 6: You had to engage the children more. Yeah, so I 199 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 6: had to be a bit more larger than life. 200 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 2: And so did they then sort of guide you and 201 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,439 Speaker 2: teach you along the way of okay, don't phrase that 202 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 2: the dialogue you would use for children and and talking 203 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 2: to the audience. 204 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 6: Yes, there was a lot of that in actually speaking 205 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 6: to young children. So it was quite a learning process 206 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 6: over ten years before. Exactly there's always fullback. 207 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 4: Did you pull that one doing an interview and it 208 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 4: got too tricky? You just. 209 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 6: I mean, actually you can go back to the the 210 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 6: countdown days. I actually drew on that character. Then Anthony 211 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 6: and myself were doing a thing to camera. I think 212 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 6: it was an introduction or something, but I was asleep 213 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 6: at the time, and he wake me up to start 214 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 6: doing the introductions. 215 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 4: And now here's Tony and jeff cockroach, Jeffrey, wake up, 216 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 4: wake up, Jeffy. Hey, yeah, Seana lag did you like it? 217 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 4: I liked it? 218 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 6: Gee. It really has has its history there. 219 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 3: Do you remember the first kind of Wiggles moment you had? 220 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 6: The first major Wiggles moment I had would have been 221 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 6: a preschool that we did, my very first shows. I 222 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,239 Speaker 6: don't recall too much about those, but the first traumatic 223 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 6: moment would have been I think we were doing our 224 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 6: first public performance at Westfield in Chatswood, and I was like. 225 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, did you always get nervous? Even you know you 226 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: did it for twenty years? Was there always a sense 227 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 2: of anxiety that came with it? 228 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 6: Not after a few years you settled in. Yeah, my 229 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 6: first experience in playing in a band, all that sort 230 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 6: of stuff stuff, Yeah, you feel a bit anxious. 231 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 2: That reminds me of you lucky early days, Like it 232 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,439 Speaker 2: would be backstage waiting to go on and be practicing. 233 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 4: Hi, I'm lucky. Hi, I'm lucky. There was a few nerves. 234 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 6: There's a few, there's there's two Lockyes, I totally understand that. 235 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, there are similarities between the not as good a 236 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 4: piano player. 237 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 6: But that's why no way you are, you are. 238 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 4: Not at all. 239 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 6: I can't read for nuts. 240 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 3: That's you can play amazingly. And there is such a sound, 241 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 3: isn't there to that original wiggles? Yeah, you guys had 242 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 3: such an amazing thing. 243 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 6: We're trying to be as poppy as as we can using. 244 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 4: What what fingers you have? 245 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 7: What? 246 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 6: Yeah? I mean they're very simple but hopefully catchy licks 247 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 6: that I would improvise on. 248 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: So yeah, but there's something quite complex in simplicity, isn't there. 249 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 2: It's easy, it's easy to feel it's. 250 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 6: So difficult to make something which seems simple. 251 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 3: You know, we still talk about when you start, and 252 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 3: he still gets brought up in interviews about you know 253 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 3: you asking Anthony how long will it take? But what 254 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 3: what did it feel like? Obviously weren't aware back when 255 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 3: Anthony asked you to come and was it the first 256 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 3: album to come and record? 257 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 6: He wanted me to come down to the studio to 258 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 6: play on the children's songs that they'd written. That's right, Yeah, 259 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 6: And I still lasked him how long that was going 260 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 6: to take? 261 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 4: Yes, thirty four years. 262 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 6: I'm going. I wanted to get back to my house 263 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 6: renovations at the time. 264 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 4: Yeah. 265 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're famous for your house renovations. Yeah, they take 266 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 2: thirty four Is that true? You lived out of one 267 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 2: room basically for quite a while while you're renovating. 268 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 6: I had this old weatherboard house and I had the 269 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 6: whole side of the house off with a tarp hole 270 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 6: and over. 271 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 2: It, and I was sleeping in the room that was off. 272 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 2: And that's when the Wiggles were at their height. 273 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 6: Yes, yes, I was having cassettes and CDs delivered to 274 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 6: my porch when I was away. They would leave it 275 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 6: in a box on the porch some of the days 276 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 6: when you could. 277 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. Now, being Chinese Australian, did that ever come into play? 278 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 2: Did you recognize that as part of the group, part 279 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 2: of the Wiggles, that that had any impact with an 280 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 2: audience as you know now, where it castivate Wiggles to 281 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 2: reflect the world that we live in to you know, 282 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 2: and to be more relatable to our audience. 283 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 4: Did you ever think about that. 284 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 6: Look at the time, I never crossed my mind at all. 285 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 6: But in hindsight you can only analyze what has gone on, 286 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 6: and it really shows the impact that being Chinese Australian. 287 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 6: The impact that that has had on our audience, particularly 288 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 6: for the Asian community, whenever they would see like an 289 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 6: Asian person on screen, they could relate to that and 290 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 6: it made them feel important. 291 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 2: And would you have people coming up to you and 292 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 2: talking to you about that? Quite a lot more the 293 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: relatives than anything else. We were saying this where everyone 294 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 2: around the world, a relative would turn up yep at 295 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 2: a venue and say I'm a relative of jeffs. 296 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 6: Everywhere. 297 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: When we went from four Whiggles to eight Wiggles and 298 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 2: we went through the diversity and everything we're trying to achieve, 299 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 2: and I was doing an interview and they were talking 300 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 2: about this is a big move for the Wiggles. You're 301 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 2: diverse and woke and all those kind of terms have 302 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 2: been thrown around, and I said, hang on a second. 303 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 2: Whiggles had Jeff for twenty years. And the interview was like, oh, oh, 304 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:08,359 Speaker 2: that's right, I think because the Wiggles were just the Wiggles. Yeah, 305 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 2: it was really interesting. He had to kind of take 306 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: it all back and go, oh, yeah, actually, the Wiggles 307 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: have always been It's just that it was never signposted, 308 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 2: or wasn't you know, it was just. 309 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 6: It's just a very gradual thing that became more popular. Yeah, 310 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 6: it's just the we became part of the furniture. 311 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right. 312 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 2: You did the show Who do you Think You Are? Yep, 313 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: Now that goes back into your family's history. Yeah, that's 314 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 2: what the mean that the premise behind the show. How 315 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 2: was that experience? 316 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 6: Initially when I was asked to do it, I was 317 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 6: in two minds as to whether or not to do it, 318 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 6: because that's I would have had to what I thought 319 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 6: was reveal the real Jeff. Yeah, so there was no 320 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 6: care the play. But I think the fact that it 321 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 6: was the carrot of being able to find out my 322 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 6: roots that really took me along there. So I rolled 323 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 6: the dice and you did it absolutely absolutely? Yeah. 324 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 4: What did you find out about your family? They didn't 325 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 4: know about. 326 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 6: I sort of had an inkling that my great great 327 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 6: grandmother was from the UK or somewhere in that area. 328 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 6: But it's the detail that they are able to find 329 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 6: or to discover, to be able to confirm that was 330 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 6: great for me. Plus the other things with my grandmother 331 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 6: where she came from. There were lots of lots of 332 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 6: areas that were really I loved finding. 333 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:43,719 Speaker 4: Out about it. 334 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 2: You from casino, yep. And I remember when we would 335 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: tour together in the past. Somehow we were always having 336 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 2: to go via casino, so you could sign some documents 337 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: just around the corner. 338 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 6: Well, that's where my family company is. That was either 339 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 6: signing documents or back in the early days, called in 340 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 6: the casino to pick up more stock for on the road. 341 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, so you were kind of a big part 342 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 2: of the merchandise and everything. You designed some things. Yes, 343 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 2: you studied industrial design is that? 344 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 4: Yeah? 345 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 6: But I never practiced it. I just love the course. 346 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 6: I'm a very hands on, practical sort of a person. 347 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 6: I like building stuff with my hands. And back in 348 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 6: the day, I designed the Dorothy the designer. 349 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 4: The designer. 350 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 6: I think the dinosaur hat, yeah, with the teeth and 351 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 6: the back shape. 352 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, we brought it back to to come back. You're 353 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 2: aware of that, you might know. 354 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 6: I haven't seen that. 355 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 4: I haven't seen the latest ones as yours. You also 356 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 4: made the or the zebra, is that right? Zebra? Yeah? 357 00:18:55,200 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 6: Spots, so the hand puppets for that zoric and fill 358 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 6: the platypusey and who else was there? 359 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 4: The horse or the zebra filled the platus, and it's 360 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 4: not the Dalmatian. 361 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 6: That's some trivia. 362 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 4: They're still in a box here though, your hand puppets, 363 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 4: we still have them. Well, well, well sewn. 364 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 6: I'm quite handy with a sewing machine. 365 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 2: Didn't you your PA system? Didn't you build them out of? 366 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 2: What did you make them? 367 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 6: Well? I didn't actually build them. My brother actually was 368 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 6: behind that with another guy who actually designed them. But 369 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 6: they were made out of fiberglass, white fiberglass, so the 370 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 6: cabinets looked like washing machines, so so they were nicknamed 371 00:19:52,400 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 6: washing machines? Do they sound good? Theomin cycle? How did 372 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 6: you get being shy? How did you cope with attention 373 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,159 Speaker 6: and popularity that came with the Wiggles just in your 374 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 6: day to day life? 375 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 4: How did that? How did you manage that. 376 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 6: In my day to day life? Because I mean the 377 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 6: Wiggles were really only identifiable to young children and perhaps 378 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 6: the parents, but only with our coloreds. Gives on. I 379 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 6: tended to fly well, we all tended to fly under 380 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 6: the radar in our everyday lives because we weren't wearing 381 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 6: the colors. 382 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess it's probably a little different now too, 383 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 2: because of social media. We're all a bit more exposed 384 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 2: to day to day life, and you know, you were 385 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 2: being seen on TV or on stage and that was 386 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 2: kind of it. 387 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 6: Yeah, and that's why I stay away from social media. 388 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 6: If I can, do you surf anymore? I still surf. 389 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 6: I hardly have a surf in Sydney, but when I 390 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 6: go up to Byron Bay, I usually surf. 391 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, a few years ago you had a pacemaker 392 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 2: put in. Yep, you were driving the car at the time. 393 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 6: I was driving a vehicle and I actually fainted while 394 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 6: I was driving and I went into a tree, but 395 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 6: there was no No one was injured, myself included, and 396 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,439 Speaker 6: so it was recommended by Paul paul Field at the 397 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 6: time to get checked out. I was somewhat reluctant to 398 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 6: do that because I felt okay. So as it turned out, 399 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 6: it indicated that I was having an irregular heart rhythm, 400 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 6: and so it was recommended that I have a pacemaker, 401 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 6: and so I said, yeah, let's do it. 402 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 2: There a massive difference, There was a There was a 403 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 2: huge obviously living with something you had no idea that. 404 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 6: Yeah, And and I actually was feeling quite tired all 405 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 6: the time running up to that. 406 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 4: That's quite funny. 407 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 6: Isn't it Ironically, Yes, but I just put it down 408 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 6: to aging. 409 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's you've aged well though, you really have, You 410 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 2: really have. Jeffy hardly changed. 411 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 4: You know. 412 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 2: We'd go on to Jeff would go have his little bags. 413 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 2: He had this little routine and have his fold up bike. 414 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 2: He would go off and you do your thing. 415 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 4: You have your own little thing going on where we're all. 416 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 2: Faffing around with the massive bags off busses, and I 417 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 2: tried to minimize my baggage. 418 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 3: Tell us about that quickly and physically. It's incredibly impressive. 419 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 3: Like we're talking, we're going away for a long time 420 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 3: and we've got big suitcases. You have what like a 421 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 3: little carry on and mainly the bike. Yeah, a fold 422 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 3: up bike. Slept under in terms of clothing really well. 423 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 6: We used the Tour of the US quite a bit, 424 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 6: and so we had tour buses and but we also 425 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 6: had facility over there to wash clothing and stuff. So 426 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,440 Speaker 6: I didn't really need to take too much stuff. Yeah, 427 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 6: just a week's worth of monday's. 428 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 4: Stuff. Yeah. 429 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 6: So you hardly ever wear your cities and so you 430 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 6: don't need a lot of that sort of stuff. 431 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 4: Yeah. 432 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 6: So that enabled me to travel quite lightly, but also 433 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 6: take my folding bike, which enabled me to get away 434 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 6: from the tour bus or the hotel because you know 435 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 6: you're stuck there. 436 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, sometimes you live nowhere. I don't know if this 437 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 2: is true. You had quite a collection of hotel soaps. 438 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 4: I'm still using them. 439 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 6: That's a great little look are you're picking up the soaps. 440 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 4: And then well now now that I will have them 441 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 4: on the walls. 442 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 6: You know, the good times are good. 443 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 3: You take a little GoPro or a little taken a 444 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 3: photo every single. 445 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 6: I've been taking a photo every day. I may have 446 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 6: missed one or two days since nineteen ninety. 447 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 4: Far out and used to come out for the listening. 448 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 6: Now well, back in the day, it used to be 449 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 6: the old click and take it down to the shop. Yeah, 450 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 6: to get developed. But that was the first ten years 451 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 6: it was doing that, and the reliability of cameras then 452 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 6: was a bit if he so batteries would fail and 453 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 6: things were much not as developed as they are now. 454 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 6: I went digital in about the year two thousand. I 455 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 6: carry around a go Pro because it's so small and 456 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 6: easy to put in your pocket. 457 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 4: Do you look back on them? 458 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 6: I usually have a flurry of looking back yeah, so 459 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 6: like for the first ten years that they're more I 460 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 6: get more of a nostalgia out of those because they're 461 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 6: the hit and miss ones. You don't know what you're 462 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 6: going to find when you get them developed. And because 463 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,880 Speaker 6: of the early days, the formation days of the Wiggles, 464 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:56,159 Speaker 6: there's a lot of key moments that were captured with. 465 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 2: The documentary that came out. Did you provide photos for 466 00:24:59,000 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 2: the documentary with it? 467 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 4: Did they ask you? 468 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: Maybe they should have because by the way, everyone, no 469 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 2: one's ever seen one of these photos. You've been tagging 470 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 2: them since nineteen ninety we have never seen with the Wiggles. 471 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 6: Doco, I put them out, but not for the who 472 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 6: do you think you are thinking? 473 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, that was relevant for the Wiggles. Yeah, yeah, Should 474 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 4: I do it now? Yeah? Yeah, I take a photo. 475 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 6: Take a photo. 476 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 4: Yeah, here at the pod Okay, okay, here we go. 477 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 4: Here's the goro. 478 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 6: On switch has got a very wide lens, very wide. 479 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:40,440 Speaker 4: Am are you there? Yeah? Yeah? I think there we go. 480 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 2: There it is photo of the day with Jeffrey and 481 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 2: no one will ever see it and so but we've 482 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 2: got it. 483 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 4: We've captured it. Just in case. 484 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 2: Your health has always been really good and you've always 485 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 2: looked after yourself really well and been very active in 486 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 2: the pacemaker. But I keep thinking, so Murray's had heart surgery, 487 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 2: had a kaiak caress. 488 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 4: I mean, it's not looking good, is it. 489 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 2: We're all getting older, isn't that? It's interesting though, isn't it. Yeah, 490 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 2: did you have a plan for your life? Where did 491 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 2: you think all those years ago the direction of life 492 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 2: would go. You can't have ever expected that it would 493 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 2: it end up in children's music and heading down this path. 494 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 4: Now. 495 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,880 Speaker 6: When I was at school, I didn't really have any 496 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 6: idea of what I wanted to do, and I started 497 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 6: a course in economics to be an accountant, but I 498 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 6: dropped out of that. I don't have the academic ability 499 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 6: for that sort of thing, and so I finished that, 500 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 6: and then I took up the industrial design course, which 501 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 6: it was more more suited to what I love doing. 502 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 6: I love design, I love building stuff and doing stuff 503 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 6: with my hands. So apart from that, I could never 504 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 6: see myself being in a collar and tie nine to 505 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 6: five type job. And I never really knew what I 506 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 6: would be doing in my life. I just tend to 507 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 6: like to go along with the flow of things. 508 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I guess that openness is how you 509 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 2: ended up where you ended up, because you were just 510 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 2: willing to try something, to experience something, to give something 511 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 2: a go, to help someone out, to record a few songs, 512 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 2: do whatever, you know, just as part of life's journey. 513 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 2: And somehow, you know, the Wiggles came along and became 514 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 2: one of the biggest children's bands in the world. 515 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 6: And so I have been extremely fortunate and lucky. 516 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, and we are too, Jeff, from what you all 517 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 4: started all those years ago. And what I think is 518 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 4: interesting about this. 519 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 2: We have a perception of a children entertainer being larger 520 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 2: than life and being loud, and you know, but the 521 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 2: philosophy of the Wiggles, which you embrace and embodied, is 522 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 2: very gentle. We speak very honestly to our audience. And 523 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: I think you well, along with Dorothy, if you want 524 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 2: to talk of popularity within the Wiggles, were probably the 525 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 2: most popular Wiggles and it is because of that softness, 526 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 2: that gentleness that children related to. And I think that's 527 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 2: a real testament to yourself and also to the Wiggles 528 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 2: as well, that we hopefully speak to children in a 529 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 2: language and a dialogue they understand and just be ourselves. 530 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,399 Speaker 2: And because you were yourself and you are yourself is 531 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 2: why it resonated so well with the audience. 532 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 6: And I think that also extends to the current Wiggles 533 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 6: trying to be as true to your natural personalities as possible. 534 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 4: How do you feel about the Wiggles now? 535 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 2: And now that you're sitting back and watching there's eight 536 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 2: of us now where hopefully continuing on. 537 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,239 Speaker 4: You know, your legacy, How do you feel about it now? 538 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 6: I'm loving it. 539 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 4: I'm not. 540 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 6: Val retired, building building timber ducks or something. 541 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:00,479 Speaker 4: What does your days clot now? 542 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 6: What does jeff do well at the moment? I'm I'm 543 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 6: I'm fixing up furniture and stuff. 544 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 4: Great. 545 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 6: I enjoy cooking. I swim every day. 546 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 4: He's still renovating. 547 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 6: No, there's always ongoing ongoing, not renovations, but prepares things, refinements. 548 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I love doing that. Well, we've loved having you on. 549 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 2: We will talk today, Jeffy. Thank you for coming in. 550 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 2: It's always so good to see you, and thanks for 551 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 2: taking the time to chat with us today. 552 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 6: Well, it's not as harrowing as I thought it was 553 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 6: going to be very enjoyable. 554 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 4: Glad. 555 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 3: Thanks Jeffy, Thanks jeff Well, he's the original purple Man. 556 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 4: He really is. He's such a lovely person. 557 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 3: Jeff obviously have been around Jeffrey so much and it 558 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 3: does kind of take me back a bit, but how 559 00:29:57,360 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 3: how shy he really is. 560 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've often witnessed him out and people come up 561 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 2: and sort of talk to him, and of course he responds, 562 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 2: and he's generous and kind and all that, but it's 563 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 2: not something he ever feels comfortable with or likes to 564 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 2: be in the limelight or and he always much prefers 565 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 2: to be kind of more in the background. And he's 566 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 2: happy for always being happy for other people to take 567 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 2: the limelight and get the accolades, get the applause. 568 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 4: He was just happy being a musician. Yeah. 569 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 2: What a great musician he is too. He's unbelievable. But 570 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 2: you would never know I'm him. But he's just such 571 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 2: a humble and generous person and so kind and just 572 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 2: you know, we don't see him enough. No, he's around 573 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 2: Willtown every now and then, but you know it's always 574 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 2: lovely when he comes from and play piano. 575 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 4: Please, that's right. 576 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 3: A lot of people talk about his piano playing. Yeah, 577 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 3: still he run into he's so great yeah, well, like 578 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 3: world renowned is piano playing. But he would never talk 579 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 3: about himself like that ever or think about himself like that, 580 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 3: I don't think. But the impact he had, and you 581 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 3: know we've spoken about with the other O G Wiggles, 582 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 3: the impact they all had over children and families lives, 583 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 3: which still continues on today because as we know, children 584 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 3: grew up with the Wiggles and now bringing their children 585 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 3: to the shows and watching the Wiggles. So it is 586 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 3: really a full circle moment for them being able now 587 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:23,840 Speaker 3: to sit back and watch and how thankful they are 588 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 3: that it still continues today. 589 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 4: We still hear wake Up jeffs, don't we Yeah? We 590 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 4: did around Yeah that what's that other one? Not now? 591 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 4: Jan No, what's a TV? Anyway? 592 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 2: What I'm saying is wake Up Jeff is part of 593 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 2: Australian you know, saying and across the world, America, everywhere. 594 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:44,239 Speaker 4: I love him. 595 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 3: I love on tour. Sometimes when Anthony's walking. 596 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 4: Not happy, not happy, it's not up there with Wake 597 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 4: Up Jeff. I can't remember. 598 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 3: You know, we're walking through somewhere and they accidentally get 599 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 3: wrong that they think Anthony's because that's just that's how 600 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 3: popular that catchphrase was that Anthony's walking down the shops 601 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 3: or something and someone yels out, wake up. 602 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, I know they all get wake up, jeff. 603 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 2: E. 604 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 4: We just got that guy. Yeah, but thank you, Jeffy. Yeah, 605 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 4: thank you. 606 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 2: I'm not sure if we've told this story in the past. 607 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 2: We might have done when Anthony and Jeff were helping 608 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 2: out of their car and they had to put money 609 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 2: in the meter and Jeff's last name is fat and 610 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 2: that you would call him fatty, and Anthony yells out 611 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 2: to Jeffy goes, hey, Fatty, you got nick coins, and 612 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 2: the lady turns around says, oh, sorry, I happened. 613 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 7: That was so No, No, we weren't talking to you. 614 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 7: We watched Jeffrey's name's Jeff fat we call him fatty. 615 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 7: She answered, that's terrible, but that's thank you Jeff for 616 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 7: coming in. Thanks Fatty. 617 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 3: Yes, if you grew up watching Jeff or your children 618 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 3: have fallen in love with the Wiggles since, we hope 619 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 3: today's chat gave you a new appreciation for the quiet 620 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 3: genius behind the purple shirt. 621 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and if you'd like to see more of Jeff's story, 622 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 2: you can watch his episode of Who Do You Think 623 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 2: you are. It's on SBS on demand. It's a beautiful 624 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 2: look at the family history that shaped him. 625 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 3: If you're enjoying wiggle Talk, please rate and review the show. 626 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 3: It really helps other parents find us, doesn't. 627 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:13,960 Speaker 4: It It sure does. 628 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to wiggled Talk, a podcast for parents, 629 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 2: See you soon, Goodbye.