Josh Deeble quit music and alcohol to save himself

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Josh Deeble quit music and alcohol to save himself

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Josh Deeble quit music and alcohol to save himself

November 6, 20236 min read

Sunshine Coast musician Josh Deeble spent his 20s leading alt-country band The Wild Comforts until alcohol forced him to stop.

However, after a hiatus from the music scene he became restless.

So he did what most troubadours do: he picked up a pen and his guitar, setting his sights back towards the stars.

In July, he recorded an EP with some new and old friends, creating his most lush and dynamic work to date.

“Somewhere Between The Light” showcases the best of his songwriting, elevated and coloured in by a new band.

With a swag of new music, the 36-year-old will hit the road in January with fellow songsmith Zac Gunthorpe, and Brisbane alt-country band, Mexico City.

But before he heads off he plays at Nambour, Ashgrove, and Burleigh Heads (details at end).

Josh Deeble speaks about his return to music

How did you know you needed to take a break from music?

I have struggled with substance abuse at different points on my musical journey. It is a well ingrained aspect of the industry, and at some point, I couldn’t separate that side of things from music, so I ended up quitting music to save myself.

Coming back to music, years later, as a much better well-rounded human, I realised that it’s entirely possible to be an artist or write a great song without suffering or being out of your mind. You just have to create the right persona for yourself and be very careful who you idolise.

What do you hope for the future of music on the Sunshine Coast?

More venues, more music culture, more support for original music, and less than four hour sets of covers everywhere. It will be interesting to see what Nambour does with its new music precinct status.

What do you love about playing music?

Out of all the arts, music is the one that can hijack your emotions the quickest. Paintings, films, novels all take hours to change your perception, whereas a song can break your heart and put it back together in seconds.

Why did you choose to play music?

I became obsessed with the idea of the travelling troubadour; getting by with nothing but a head full of songs and an acoustic guitar. I also needed a front for why I drank and smoked so much.

What instruments do you play?

If I’m at home writing, just my trusty Takamine acoustic. If I’m gigging, my Japanese Telecaster. For some reason the more guitars I own, the less songs I write, so you can see why I avoid guitar shops.

Where did you grow up?

I moved from Broken Hill to the Sunshine Coast at 13. Moving from the desert to the beach as a new teen was one of the best things that had happened in my life, up until that point.

Where did you grow up?

Alternative country is probably the closest reference. The “C” word is such a dirty word and I hate 97 per cent of what people call country music. But like most genres, there is gold amongst the rubble.

What are your biggest musical accomplishments?

Recording The Wild Comfort’s second album with the legendary Bill Chambers was a highlight. And surviving Melbourne has to be an accomplishment also. Basically every gig I play, I’m terrified of performing but there is no greater kick that I’ve found.

Do you have a day job as well?

I tried the full time muso thing, but I got so tired of being poor, so yes I very happily have a day job.

What led you to where you are now?

Well I’ve had a massive break from music but I keep getting pulled back. You can only resist gravity for so long.

What’s the biggest gig you’ve had?

The Espy Gershwin Room, it was a wild night!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Who knows, I’m very nomadic, but my main creative goal right now is to finish the novella I have been working on for the last few years, and once that is done, write a novel. More music obviously, but I don’t have any plans to “make it” whatever that means, I’m just gonna keep putting music out and playing gigs.