Rampage Demagraffix CD

' He adds with a smile, 'At the time.

'Growing up on a steady intake of blues, jazz and folk records, Gaunt describes his upbringing as 'very nomadic.

' Born in Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, his family moved to the deep desert of Alice Springs and eventually settled in Perth, Western Australia. Located on the shores of the Indian Ocean, Perth is considered to be the most isolated city in the world. In fact, it's closer to Singapore than Sydney, but not really close to either of them. Because of this, 'People from Perth have always fought to stand on their own two feet politically and artistically because we are so far from the rest of Australia,' he explains. But there is something magical about that isolation that seems to have bred an incredible music scene. In fact, Perth is frequently referred to as 'the new Seattle.

' Bands like the Sleepy Jackson, Eskimo Joe and the Panda Band have already made headway into the American music scene, and Nathan Gaunt is poised to go next. Once called 'the most underrated songwriter in the country' (Rockus Magazine, Australia), Nathan Gaunt has been playing throughout Australia since he's been old enough - or at least looked old enough - to get into clubs. As a solo musician, he says, 'There's nowhere to hide when I'm on my own. It keeps me honest.

' His honesty has paid off:'Gaunt doesn't just perform, he puts on a show. He reaches out with his undeniable energy and enthusiasm, making it almost impossible not be infected...he combine(s) the swagger and attitude of Cash and Elvis while all the time sounding like Robert Plant's lost son.

' (X-Press, Australia) 'Nathan on his own is truly breathtaking...' (The Metior, Australia)'...an undeniable talent for penning a tune that spans the influences of many world music genres, Gaunt cemented his place as a brilliant performer, and a conductor of musical flair and emotion.

' (Hype Magazine, Australia)His work has paid off too. 'Gaunt is one of those bizarre music industry studies; an artist who has acquired a massive fan base through sheer hard work, playing nearly every night of the week...and making a fine living out of it too - contrary to popular belief, a rarity in this business.

' (X-Press, Australia)So, how did Nathan Gaunt get here? Let's take a short trip down memory lane...His first instrument was the piano. 'Enjoyed playing; hated learning. I got whacked with a ruler on the hands constantly because I sucked at it,' he laughs. Nathan picked up his first guitar after he saw Jimi Hendrix play on late night TV. After taking three lessons, he decided to teach himself how to play. 'The whole point was to play things I liked - or wrote myself - instead of doing finger exercises,' he says.

He must have been a good teacher, as he has gone on to win four WAMi Awards (the Western Australian Music Industry's version of the Grammy) for 'Best Guitarist.