http://marshallokell.com/
Psychic or sceptic, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a man born
under a full moon, on a Good Friday the 13th, must have ‘ something
‘ to answer for? Well Marshall Okell is certainly up to ‘
something ‘. As his timely arrival into the world set precedent,
there’s certainly nothing ‘ ordinary ‘ about it. Aptly named
after two of music’s greatest rock/bluesmen (Jimi ‘Marshall’
Hendrix and Johnny ‘Dawson’ Winter) Marshall Dawson Okell was born
on April 13th, 1979, into a Rock n Roll arena, with a guitar case for
a crib. His father Glenn was a Melbourne based rock-n-roll guitarist
and Marshall’s greatest lifetime influence, nourishing his son’s
musical appetite with the sounds of Hendrix, Winter, Muddy Waters,
Little Feat and AC/DC. Nestled amongst the roaring sounds of his
father’s amplifiers, the young Marshall found his groove and a
musical sensation was born. Growing up on the NSW far North Coast,
Marshall’s stomping ground embraced the pumping surfing scenes of
Lennox Head, Byron Bay and Ballina, where he fostered a strong
connection with his local environment and the community. Pre-destined
for a life on the stage, Marshall’s first band, ‘The Immortal
Flames’, was formed at age 11, with successive groups including punk
and hard-rock bands, ‘Noosphere’ and ‘Spirit’. By the time he
had reached his 19th year, Marshall had already established himself as
a seasoned musician, having supported hundreds of older bands and
played nearly all of the live music venues in the region. Upon
reaching his twenties, Marshall’s musical horizons began to expand
and his band ‘Marshall and the Fro’ emerged. Marshall took with
new passion to song-writing, singing and developing a soulful, earthy,
mojo-blues slide guitar sound – a talent he has become synonymous
with. Alongside his musical pursuits, Marshall completed a BA in
Social Science, as well as a Dip Ed in High School Teaching at
Southern Cross in 2006, where he spent time tutoring special needs and
indigenous children. In testimony to his life and connection with his
local community, Marshall’s songs carried with them not just a sense
of raw emotional power, but a social message that communicated a deep
affinity with the true spirit of his home ground. His love for his
family, friends and wider society was evident in the passion with
which he sang, and also made continual social commentary on and off
stage. ‘Marshall and the Fro’ released two albums and an EP
between 2005-10. The first self-titled full album in 2007, ‘Marshall
and the Fro’, set the stage for a new wave of pumping surf mojo
roots and blues, including the hugely popular tracks ‘Get Up’ and
‘Thongs’. The second album ‘Friends for Life’ followed suit in
2010 and began a distribution deal with ‘Only Blues Music’.
Marshall and the Fro graced the stages of festivals including
Bluesfest, Woodford, The Quiksilver Pro and more. Having become
established as the quintessential sound of the Aussie surfing mojo
blues, the band enjoyed an illustrious period of touring and airplay,
featuring on international surf film scores, receiving multiple awards
and collecting a loyal fan base along the way. In 2011 Marshall and
the Fro parted company, with the band dividing their time between life
on the road and home. Marshall, being the ever-roving musician, opted
to continue with his touring lifestyle and a new period of musical
self-exploration began. 2012 heralded a year of heartbreak for
Marshall as he struggled through his father’s ongoing battle and
eventual loss to terminal cancer. This was compounded by the tragic
death of his close friend and co-producer Brian ‘Birdy’ Burdett,
who was killed during the making of Marshall’s posthumously named
third album. The making of ‘Birdy’ drew upon the raw emotion and
inevitable pain that enveloped Marshall during this time and gave rise
to a more soulful, mature approach to song-writing. It carried with it
the influence of Birdy’s mellower, Paul Simon/James Taylor-esque
sound and saw Marshall embrace a deeper, more rhythmic musical style.
Now in his 30’s and with up to 200 live gigs a year as part of his
repertoire, Marshall has developed into an Aussie rocking bluesman
like no other. His ever expanding list of musical accolades includes
awards for the 2012 ‘Best Blues & Roots Artist’ at the Oz Music
Awards. He has also been a winner of the of ‘Album of the Year’,
‘Song of the Year’, ‘Best Male Vocal’, ‘Best Protest’ and
‘Best Blues & Roots Artist’ at the NCEIA Dolphin Awards. Having
worked his way through no less than five tour vans, an unwavering
dedication to the stage and what can only be described as some time
‘off the rails’, Marshall boasts a live crowd-following that puts
most working musicians to shame. He has played alongside the likes of
John Butler, Ben Harper, Wolfmother, Buddy Guy, The Cat Empire, Jeff
Lang, Gomez and Xavier Rudd. Annual trips to the snow have seen him
playing gigs up to seven nights a week for more than three months on
end. His period of grieving in the years following ‘Birdy’
stripped him back to basics and injected a hefty dose of reality to
his song-writing and musical heart and soul. Arriving in 2015, his
development as a musician is starkly evident in his fourth album
Sipping on Rocket fuel. Picking up Best Blues at the NCEIA dolphin
awards Sipping on Rocket fuel draws Marshall back to his roots and
shows a record full of bounce, boogie and lightning bolts of mojo
music. Its the album Marshall always wanted to make, drawing on his
dads old playlists and a million kms of touring in old smelly Toyota
vans!!! With years of playing now under his belt, Marshall has made a
notable return to the music of his youth, combining his love for
legendary Soul and Blues singers like Little Feat, The Allman
Brothers, Hat Fitz, Mavis Staples and Muddy Waters, with his
undisguisable Hendrix, 70’s Woodstock sound. The result is a deep,
raw, honest, dirty blues sound that grabs you by the throat and then
sooths you with a sweet honey tasting musical medicine. There are pure
guts, sweat and emotion in his latest material that leave you
exhausted and elated in their wake. For those loyal followers that
have watched him play over the years, Sipping on Rocket fuel heralds a
more honest interpretation of who this man is on the stage. His
guttural energy needed capturing and canning in record form and his
latest album has done that and more besides. As with his previous
recordings, Marshall enlisted the help of fellow musicians and friends
‘The Hussy Hicks’ Leesa Gentz and Julz Parker, as well as band
members Nicolas Lemits, Ben Cox and Tracy Stephens in the making of
the new album. He describes his time in the studio with his company as
a period of “Great, soulful, natural expression with no protection
and a great team to throw ideas around.” Some of the material has
been ten years in the making, with additional song-writing input from
his university friend and creative writing influence Matty Cummins.
There’s a distinct evolution in his writing style and the obvious
passion for his life, loves and ongoing social commentary is there for
all to hear. Be warned. Marshall has emerged with a new level of
addictive, heart and mind altering musical energy. This guy doesn’t
just make music. He’s a roaring powerhouse of a man, and this album
will get under your skin, into your blood and course through you like
a visceral super-high of the likes you won’t come down from easily.
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24/11/2019 Last update