LOUIS BURKE | Culture | CONTACT
Two hours south east of Betoota, in the former steel capital of regional south west Queensland, one Mt Quilby resident is having no trouble finding work in this economy.
Although the town has their fair share of musicians who are one day all going to leave this brackish backwater in the dust, lonely Paddy Kiernan is the only drummer in town which makes him about as vital to town life as rainwater.
At the time of writing, Kiernan is a drummer in four local rock bands, as well as a swing big band, wedding band, cover band and in an enigmatic analogue-acapella group.
Additionally Kiernan has also played the Little Drummer Boy at the annual Mt Quilby Christmas Eve & Men’s Mental Health Crisis Meet Point every year since he was six.
Forty years later. Keirnan is still giving the tubs a thump as he is more needed in his rural community than franchised takeaway outlets, entry level jobs for young people and qualified primary teachers.
“They asked if I could teach music down at the local school on Tuesdays,” stated Keirnan, referring to Mt Quilby Public School & Pawn Shop.
“I told them I can’t because on Tuesday arvos I have two band practices on at the same time. I’m hitting a snare in one room and riding a cymbal in another, I can’t be stomping a kick at the school, that is surely the limit.”
More to come.
