Q&A with Dragon frontman Mark Williams ahead of Sunday's festival closer
SAVANNAH SOUNDS
BUSINESS FEATURE
Aussie rock legends Dragon are set to close out the Savannah Sounds festivities this Sunday, May 24. Newsport caught up with frontman Mark Williams to chat about his history with the Sheraton, what it’s like stepping into such a legendary rock legacy, and why the crowd ends up doing most of the singing these days.
Jamie - Newsport: Are you excited to head up to Port Douglas to close out the festival at Rex Smeal Park this Sunday at 7.45pm
Mark Williams: Yeah, it’s fantastic to be heading up there again. Being the ones to close out Savannah Sounds for the weekend is a real buzz. I haven’t been to Far North Queensland for a while, and I always love it up there. Personally, I go back decades with the region, I used to come up and play at the Sheraton Resort right when it was first built, doing a lot of solo gigs there in the early '90s. There’s a really nice history and connection there for me.
Jamie - Newsport: Are you planning to come up a bit earlier to enjoy the festivities?
Mark Williams: Yeah, we're coming for the weekend. I think John Stevens is on the evening before, so hopefully we can catch up with him and say good day, he’s a good friend of ours. And Sneaky Sound System! I haven't seen them for ages.
"I’m just so thankful that we’re all still doing this at our age."
Jamie - Newsport: What has the band been up to lately? Any recent shows?
Mark Williams: We've done quite a bit back in New Zealand recently; there have been a few festivals going on over there. It’s like a hop, skip, and a jump for us, we’ve already been over three or four times this year. Otherwise, we've been playing around Australia. To be honest, there are so many shows I can barely remember the calendar! We just open it up and go, "Okay, time to get to the airport."
Jamie - Newsport: What is it like nowadays to still perform and be together as a band?
Mark Williams: Well, we actually live quite far apart. So, we basically have our band meetings in the airport departure lounge! But when we do get together to perform, it really is like a family reunion.
Jamie - Newsport: You’ve been the frontman for Dragon for about 20 years now. What was it like stepping into that role?
Mark Williams: There is no denying that Marc Hunter started something really amazing. I stepped into it when Todd Hunter called me out of the blue wanting to start the band up again, and I accepted immediately.
I knew I was stepping into a massive legacy, which was a challenge, but I just wanted to carry it through in my own shoes. It has really become a true continuation of the band.
Jamie - Newsport: Multiple generations are now singing along to Dragon songs. How does that feel?
Mark Williams: I still can't believe it. At our last festival in New Zealand the entire front row was just kids going absolutely for it! It was superb.
It did take a while for people to accept the transition, though. The first ten years of my 20-year stint was a bit of a struggle. It could never be exactly what it was originally, and I never intended it to be, but the music itself is undeniable, and that’s what carries it on.
Jamie - Newsport: For this Sunday, which song are you most excited to perform for the crowd?
Mark Williams: Usually, we end the night with Rain, and it’s just an awesome experience because of the crowd participation. The beautiful thing is that a lot of these songs don't even belong to us anymore, they belong to the audience. We just play the first few chords, and the crowd takes over and performs the rest.
For more information and the full line-up of Savannah Sounds, visit: savannahsounds.com.au
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