Who am I and what am I doing?

I’m an award-winning songwriter, singer and guitar player, now based in Naarm (Melbourne, Australia) but originally from the UK. I’d call myself a folk singer and I’m certainly influenced by traditional folk music, but most of what I play and record is original material, more in line with the contemporary styles of the 1960/70s UK folk revival. Some of it is personal, some has political or social content, some just story-telling. Sometimes sad, but occasionally humorous.  All of it, I hope, is imbued with poetic expression.

It’s been nearly 20 years since I released my first album, Desire Lines. Since then I’ve helped raised a family, worked a day job, played around the festivals and the campfires, sung in numerous choral groups, survived a heart operation, retired, started a folk club in Hobart, moved around a bit. Now at last I’m finally ready to make another album. I’m doing this now because, let’s face it, I’m getting old and soon it might be too late! I think I’ve got some good songs that I’d like more people to hear.

So how can you help?

It costs a lot to produce a decent album and I need help with meeting these costs. I’m not asking for donations – just for you to order copies of the CD or a digital album in advance. There are a few different bundle options available in the Rewards list and they're all designed for you to get full value in return for your pledges.

What can you expect from the new album?

First of all, If you’re not already familiar with my music you can listen to Desire Lines at https://tonyeardley.bandcamp.com.au/desire-lines (you can also buy a digital copy there, but it’s out of print on physical CD). 

Here’s what a few reviewers said about Desire Lines back then:

The new album, provisionally entitled Memory Box, will be simpler than Desire Lines, sparer, with fewer extra musicians, but there will still be some tasteful accompaniment, possibly including flute, low whistle, mandolin, harmonica and cello, as well as vocal harmonies. There are likely to be 12 tracks, all originals except for my setting of the W.B. Yeats poem 'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death'. Other songs will include 'Sally Cross the Water', which won me the Alistair Hulett Songs for Social Justice award in 2016, and 'Game Over', which was a close runner-up for the same award in 2024, as well as audience favourites such as 'Fallow Field', 'Loneliness Is a Refuge' and '21st Century Algorythm’n’ Blues'. There will also be a booklet with full lyrics and artwork.

The album was conceived on unceded land of the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin nation in St Kilda, Naarm, and is mainly being recorded in Canberra on unceded land of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples. I would like to pay my respects to the elders, past and present, of all these peoples and to acknowledge their deep and abiding cultural links to these locations.

I expect the project to cost close to $7000, including recording/mixing/mastering, fair payments to a few musicians (in spite of kind offers I don’t expect people to do this all for nothing!), CD replication/digital download cards and booklet printing, postage and Pozible fees. I'm hoping that the campaign might raise a significant proportion of this amount, but I’m a novice at crowdfunding so I’m starting with a more modest target of $3500, to cover most of the first stage costs of recording/mixing and musician payments, with the possibility of stretching beyond that if the target is reached in time.

The challenges involved

I have other necessary calls on such funds as I have these days, so I need to raise a fair bit of the cost of the album in advance through this campaign, but it doesn't come easily to me to ask people for money. I hope you find that you'll be getting something of value in return.

I am also often beset by a lack of self-confidence in my skills and abilities as a performer, especially now in my later years when my voice - never the very best to start with - can be under some strain. Reassurance from others helps, but rarely expels that little inner voice of doubt. However, I am immensely grateful to be able to work on this project with Craig Dawson as recording engineer and co-producer, combining great technical skills with huge enthusiasm for music, including mine. It's a real boost to confidence to feel that with a small group of other musicians also committed to my material we can get the very best out of it. Big thanks to them. Also to Bruce Watson and Ruth Hazelton for helpful advice and info on this crowdfunding thang.

Let’s make it happen so delivery can take place in time for Xmas 2026! I'll keep supporters posted as recording progresses (maybe with some sneak previews).

(Thanks to Sy Burville, Tilly E, Snez & Simone Dawson for photos and Tilly for video)