Magpie Diaries

The first taste of the long-awaited Magpie Diaries debut album has arrived.

'When Love Comes', typifies the laid back sound and wry poetry of writer Magpie Johnston's music. To celebrate the release of the first single, Magpie Diaries are playing a series of shows throughout July and August 2018. See dates below.

MAGPIE - MAIN POSTER SMALL [UPDATE FOR AUGUST]

Magpie Diaries is the authentic folk musings of singer-songwriter and Dashville founder Matt "Magpie" Johnston.

Alluding to an era well before their birth, Magpie Diaries have a sound born from the ‘70s. Bathed in inspirations provided by acts such as The Band, Neil Young, Grateful Dead and Van Morrison. It's dreamy Americana country mixed with a rockier alternative. Whilst the influences are evident, the approach is very much unique. It's the simplistic, candid story telling approach which reflects Magpie’s enduring spirit.

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BIO

The band title and songs centre around the unique mind of singer-songwriter and Dashville founder Matt ‘Magpie’ Johnston.

Matt committed to being a resourceful trojan hosting music festivals in his parents front yard since 2004, had somehow acquired a working pseudonym as the Magpie, due to his nature of swooping in on anything tangible that would potentially provide service to the festival site.

In the winter of 2012, after the sudden tragic passing of a close friend, Johnston began the Magpie Diaries project as a way of coming to terms with the loss. The emotional journey led him to revisit past musical escapades and written memoirs, where he pieced memories together in order to play a special solo show at his favourite pub in the world, the Junkyard.

Fast forward to July 2018, together with his wife Jessica on drums and vocals, national treasure Lyle Dennis on lead guitar, Chris Dale on bass and special guest Cassie Bofinger on tenor saxophone, the band known as Magpie Diaries are excited about the prospects of touring the east coast of Australia throughout July and August in support of this first official release.

Another version...

Born and bred to be the Dashville man, he grew up on the same rural property where he now hosts some of the best weekend outdoor parties Australia has to offer. Generally consumed by festival creation and the “running of the project”, it was the desire to play music that started it all.

It’s been a rollicking 13 years since the first Gum Ball was held, where he first stood on stage alongside his brother Dan in their teenage rock n blues outfit Johnny Real & The Lovemakers. Over the years, just as the audiences have grown, so has Magpie and his musical vocation. Through development within the all-star band the Dashville Progress Society, his brotherhood with Baghead and his beautiful drumming wife Jessica, he is slowly but surely working his way towards sharing a collection of personal music that tells his story within this crazy world. Originally Magpie Diaries was a performance concept where Magpie set out to compile and perform all his random writings amongst various books and scrap paper, from time spent travelling, under the influence or in solitary confinement in the back shack at Belford as a teenager. The songs are old soul, unique and somewhat timeless, some are new, some are about 18 years old. One thing is for sure though, a catalogue of music has begun that will appeal to anyone who enjoys laid back music from the heart.