MARK Lizotte, otherwise known as Diesel , knows how hard it is to survive in the music industry.
The US-born singer-songwriter said he remembered having to pawn things so he could buy himself some new guitar strings in the early days.
But the buzz that courses through his veins whenever he performs has always made the hard times worth it.
``It's always that ever-dangling carrot,'' he said. He said every band had a similar story. ``At times you feel like a salmon swimming upstream.
``But soon [the band] was so busy that we didn't have time to think about how broke we were.'' For Diesel, music and the high he gets from performing his music, was as essential as air, food and water.
He said it was almost medicinal for him.
Although Diesel enjoyed success as a soloist, he also loved interacting and performing with his band. After a host of albums under his belt, Diesel is proving to be one of Australia's hardest working artists. He is presently putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming album, Coathanger Antennae , which is expected to be wrapped up this month and released in early 2006.
Diesel started his national tour with six gigs in Western Australia last month.
He recorded his latest EP, Postcards From The Moon , just before the tour and decided to give it away to fans at his gigs as a thank-you.
He will perform at Cardiff Panthers on Saturday November 12, before heading up to north Queensland. Postcards From The Moon has four tracks, one of which is a sneak preview of Coathanger Antennae .
The EP can be obtained only by going to one of Diesel's upcoming gigs.
He said fans could expect to hear some of his older songs, as well as songs from Coathanger Antennae .
``It's really fun mixing them up with the new songs.'' The shows are ever-evolving, with some of the most widely known songs getting reworked every night.
Diesel was inspired by his saxophone-playing father who would bring home different instruments for the family to play.
As a result, music was an instant passion for Diesel.
When he recorded his DVD The First Fifteen Live '89-'04 last year, he invited his father and two brothers to play ``on the horns'' during the show.
``It was great to return the favour.'' Diesel's two children are also developing a love and appreciation of music.
lw5 ``They really can't help it at our house.'' He said he would never pressure them to go into the music industry because he knew how hard it could be.
``For me it was just resonating inside me.
``I still feel for bands who are struggling.'' Tickets for the show at Cardiff Panthers on November 12 are $25. They can be purchased by phoning 4954 9188
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