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NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
TIM PRINGLE JUST LOVES TO GIG
TIM Pringle has sage advice for the many younger musicians playing around the Central Coast.
“Never slack off when you’re playing,“ Pringle said.
“You never know who is watching and where it may lead you to.”
It’s advice that Pringle originally heard from a fellow musician and countryman, Neil Finn.
Finn imparted similar words when asked how his new band Crowded House gained its first record deal after his previous band Split Enz disbanded.
A US producer had once seen Split Enz on the stage and recognized Finn when he was trying to find a record label for Crowded House.
Hard work paid dividends for Finn and Crowded House and also for Pringle, leading him to have a cracker of a year in 2013.
Pringle loves gigging around the coast and further afield.
He particularly loves playing in his home town of The Entrance, where fans can catch him at The Greens The Entrance on Friday at 7pm and at Ourimbah RSL on Friday, January 31.
Back in September, he found himself playing in the same suburb where Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix first got their start— Greenwich Village in New York.
And it was all thanks to a guy from Woy Woy who spotted Pringle playing in a bar in the Thredbo few years back.
“That guy had booked me to play for him and his family and friends several times since,” Pringle said.
“His next party was in New York City, and he needed me over there to play.
“It was 30 or so Aussies all there for one of their fortieth birthdays.
“There was I, a Central Coast boy in the Big Apple performing on the rooftop of the 60 Thompson Hotel where they were all staying.
“I stayed in Greenwich Village and it was just such an awesome experience.
“Unfortunately, I could only be there for six days because I perform at weddings and I had two weddings booked at either side of the New York trip.
“It was a real eye-opener too because there are few countries other than Australia and England where you have cover bands playing in pubs.
“Apart from the odd Irish pub, America doesn’t have a big covers scene”
“Staff at this rooftop restaurant, plus other patrons, couldn’t believe the big Aussie party going on near them.”
“It was a surreal experience.
“Honestly, it was just like Alice in Wonderland. The weekend I was in New York, I was like, ‘OK so Stevie Wonder is doing that free concert in the park tonight and I just walked past John Mayer and Katy Perry who were going into an Italian restaurant’,
“It’s just a thriving scene.”
Pringle says he can’t say “no” to such trips. It was not the first time he has been spotted and whisked overseas to entertain and Pringle said 2013 was an amazing year.
“In March, I was also spotted plating in Ettalong Beach Club and consequently flown to New Zealand for a wedding.”
Pringle was truly delighted with the opportunity for the visit to NZ, as that is where he hails from, so it was homecoming.
“So the moral of the story is you never know who’s watching and what it may lead to. Ha ha.”
When Pringle is not performing solo, he is leader of The Crowdies, a tribute band which pays homage to Crowded House and Split Enz.
Press story
CENTRAL COAST STEPPING OUT
GET OUT Press story with James Tydd
Tim Pringle trivia
Where: Iguanas, Gosford waterfront
When: Every Tuesday night
CENTRAL Coast musician Tim Pringle has finally found a way to combine his musical talents with his love of interesting and quirky facts.
The hard-working musician hosts a music and trivia show at Iguanas Waterfront Bar, at Gosford, every Tuesday night.
The idea came about one wintry Tuesday while entertaining diners at the venue.
“I was doing my normal solo show singing to diners, when I decided to throw in a few quiz questions to amuse the audience and myself.” Pringle said.
“From there, it’s grown to a regular weekly trivia and music night.”
He said the trivia encompassed not only music, but a whole raft of subjects, aiming to keep the information useful rather than useless. And when it’s time for a change of tune, Pringle performs acoustic versions of songs from AC/DC to James Taylor.
“It’s trivia questions, then a few songs, then trivia, songs, trivia and songs,” he said. “The whole idea is to make the dining experience a little different.”
The nights have attracted a bevy of Central Coast businesses who compete each week for weekly prizes.
“I look forward to the odd tied score at the end of the night so we can have a paper aeroplane competition to find the winner,” Pringle said.
“People get quite serious about folding a paper aeroplane when meal and drink vouchers are up for grabs.”
Pringle performs free while hosting trivia at Iguanas every Tuesday from 7pm.
On Thursdays, he also performs music and trivia at the Lakes Hotel, The Entrance, from 7pm.
EUROPEAN SOJOURN
COVERS MUSICIAN BACK FROM ABROAD
TIM’S GIG
Tim Pringle Duo are performing at The Entrance Sails Stage on Sunday from 11 am – 3 pm
UNTIL recently, Central Coast-based musician Tim Pringle never performed outside Australia and New Zealand.
So when the opportunity came up to perform in Europe, he jumped at it.
“The European experience takes the cake,” he said. This year, he has performed at weddings in Australia and Switzerland, and played gigs in Hungary, UK, France and Italy.
He also did a Queensland tour with his tribute show to Crowded House and Split Enz. He has written and recorded original songs but specialises in covers.
Pringle runs a music booking agency and has been offered a teaching position at TAFE. He is happy to field questions from aspiring artists on tim@crazyhorseentertainment.com.au
TIM PRINGLE
Where: Club Toukley RSL and Iguanas
When: On Friday at 7pm and Sunday at 12:30pm
ONE of the Central Coast’s hardest working solo acts Tim Pringle will play two local venues this weekend.
Pringle has mentored Central Coast musicians and used to run a weekly trivia and music night at Iguanas and Gosford.
Pringle performs acoustic versions of songs from AC/DC to James Taylor. With a repertoire of more than 350 songs, he is happy to take requests at his shows.
And for a man who has only been on the Central Coast a few years he has certainly made his mark.
Pringle has opened concerts for Dragon, Mental As Anything and played shows with members of the Choirboys and Rose Tattoo.
Pringle said his secret was in his ability to sell himself.
With a sales background that ranged from direct selling to managing a large retail furniture store, Pringle has mastered the art of telephone “patter”.
What’s more, he believes in his product.
“Artists are artists but if you’re going to be self-employed you need to have those other skills, like the ability to manage money and promote yourself if you’re going to make it work,” he said.
“That’s what I’ve done.I’ve worked really hard to make it work.”
His bookings have taken him to the Snowy Mountains, Star City Casino and to Queensland island resorts, but he loves nothing more than to kick back with a Central Coast crowd and that’s exactly what he will do this weekend.
Pringle plays gigs on Friday and Sunday, first at Club Toukley RSL at 7:30 pm and the Iguanas at 12:30 pm.
Inquiries: www.timpringle.com.au
CENTRAL COAST STEPPING OUT
GET OUT with Richard Noone
Tim Pringle
Venue: Gosford Sailing Club
When: Sunday at 2pm
MANY musicians whinge about a lack of venues or not enough work around to sustain them full time- but not Tim Pringle.
The singer/ guitarist averages 13 gigs a month, or more than three a week.
His secret lies in his ability to sell himself.
With a sales background that ranged from direct selling to managing a large retail furniture store, Pringle has mastered the art of telephone “patter”.
What’s more, he believes in his product.
Relocating to the Central Coast last year, Pringle telemarketed himself to every venue he could.
As a result, he lined up so many gigs he had to start farming them out.
“Artists are artists but if you’re going to be self-employed, you need to have those other skills, like the ability to manage money and promote yourself if you’re going to make it work,” he said.
“That’s what I’ve done, I’ve worked really hard to make it work. “
In addition to being able to get his foot in the door, Pringle is flexible. He performs acoustic versions of popular songs from AC/DC to James Taylor.
While he can adapt his playlist to suit a mature mid-afternoon RSL audience or a wild night in a crowded alpine pub, there is one creative principle he will not compromise- he has never used backing tracks.
“There are very few live acts left these days,” he said.
“Nearly all my peers use electronic backing music and I’ve been told any times by agents that I’ll never make a living playing without backing.
“I’ve had to prove them wrong and have been playing three to four shows a week ever since.“
Pringle’s performance at Gosford Sailing Club on Sunday is free.