Rob Carrick says: Time has been rushing past since our 2007 album release “Ned, Che and a captive audience” and so 2012 seemed the right moment to place another offering at the altar of Australian popular culture. “The Songwriter’s Pie” has been baked using ingredients from some of Sydney’s finest independent musicians and takes a look at our collective journey on the road of life with a little swamp blues and punk rock added to taste. Matthew Hirst dishes up his signature rockin’ drum beat across the album and is the foundation of the sound and feel of the record. Matt can be heard on all tracks except (5) & (10). Always up for a drum session, Matt is the secret ingredient that made this record possible. Rick McCullagh is the definition of what it means to be a lead guitarist and in full flight is a sight to behold. Rick’s soaring lead guitar style is the centrepiece of tracks (2), (7), (8), (9) & (10). Tom Hubble has a swamp blues style all of his own and gets down and dirty on tracks (4), (9) & (10) and is the one and only “Professor of the MOSH” ! Chris (Chop) Woodforde brings a sax-driven horn section dimension to “Crossing the Dateline” and “Go this Distance”. Chop is just so West Coast. Paula Punch is a standout delivering a haunting vocal improvisation on “The Grasslands” and that recording session with Phil and Paula at Poolside Studios Annandale will be forever etched in my mind. Stuart Ziegler is the purveyor of the super-clean lead sound and is the perfect counterpoint for Paula’s vocal on “The Grasslands”. Stuart has a penchant for neck-bending sonic effects which can be heard on this track. Alistair (Ajay) Johnson is a rhythm guitar specialist with his band the HEADLINERS. Ajay showcases his talents as well as a classic 60’s Telecaster and amp combo on “Travelling slowly on the Night Train”. Scott Myles is the rhythm funk-star behind inner-west indie band VICTA. Scott teams up with his fellow compatriots Kendall Banfield – Marrickville’s finest singer-songwriter and VICTA drummer with special guest Simon Corben on bass in the groove on “I Never”. Lloyd Simmons is the drumming engine behind Central Coast band NVR2LATE. Lloyd drills into the heart of the blues on “Swine Fever” which is a perfect companion to the chaos of “D-D-Different Man” and a fitting finale to the album. The Nephews and their friends can be heard shouting and hollerin’ in the Professor’s MOSH pit. Love to my beautiful Indie for the support and the rock photography in San Francisco and for “Crossing the Dateline” with me so many times – Until we meet again – keep the love in the room! Cheers Rob.