PEOPLE OF CALIBRE: DON WEST

THE FRONTMAN.

“My hobby and my job is kind of rolled into one, you know? Playing music for a living, that’s pretty fun. And all the perks that come with entertaining, of course.”

If you ever find yourself on a road trip with Don West, you’ll likely have the windows down and blues playlist featuring classics from J.J Cale, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters on repeat.

Though Don West’s music taste might seem like it’s from a past time (think anywhere between the 50’s to 90’s), it makes sense when you consider that Aretha Now was the first vinyl Don ever saved up for and bought himself. In fact, Ray Charles was the first album Don remembers hearing throughout the house.

A lover of blues, soul, country and rock, both Don’s music and personal style carries its own nostalgic and vintage elements.

“[I] started learning standalone blues chords, and started writing songs to blues chords,” Don says. “You know, I was a little angsty kid writing poetry.”

The Sydney-based musician is spending the day with CALIBRE, and from the moment he walks into the room, his presence is commanding. From his 6’5” frame, to his tattoos and combed back hair, he looks every bit the part of a frontman. Whether he’s sporting a denim shirt and jeans, or sheer, knit shirt, Don is unmissable.

Like Don, El Primo Sanchez, the Mexican Bar in Paddington we’ve chosen as our first stop, is vibrant, vintage and full of character. Here, we sit down with Don where he tells us about the first show he ever played, his songwriting evolution and his onstage style.

“My first gig was at Metro theatre, I believe” he reflects. “I’d been on stage, you know, for a few years prior, but it was my first time up front, you know, and singing songs that no one’s heard before. And you never know what the reaction will be.”

Though Don’s found his place as a frontman now, there’s always a level of pressure when performing new music to crowds. “I sing about my experiences,” he says. “And it’s like… every time you sing one of your songs, that’s singing your diary out for everyone to hear. Which is personal, but an outlet.”

Flash forward a few years, and Don has a new album in the works. With Bill Withers as a huge source of inspiration, the album was “recorded all analog, set everything to tape, [with] real instruments.” Including horns.

“We kind of just broke down to these old soul records and [said] let’s do it, let’s record one… and we did. Now it’s made and now I don’t know what to do myself. Now I’m going to start touring,” he tells us.

When he stops to reflect on how far his music has come since his first gig, Don knows it’s been a journey. “I look back on [my first record] now and it just seems so thrown together,” he shakes his head. “But, you know, shows growth doesn’t it?”

Like his music, Don’s stage style is constantly transforming as well. “You change and you grow and you evolve and yeah, we’re human beings – ever changing,” he reflects.

As we move on to Busby’s Bar, Don styles a black suit with a simple singlet and black sunglasses. It’s a classic, yet striking look reminiscent of what he might wear at a gig, or when shooting a music video.

Though he often looks to old-school movie stars for inspiration and enjoys performing in something timeless, Don’s equally known for his spontaneity on stage. “Sometimes I get the band in their 70s gear: collars, big pants, high heels,” he says. “You’ve gotta make it feel like an experience, look like an experience, as well as sound good”

When it comes to his personal style, Don finds sartorial inspiration in anything, from vintage fashion, to George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s Ocean’s 11 characters. Though one non-negotiable he has when it comes to clothing is the fit. “When I put on an outfit, it has to fit right. And it’s often hard to find clothes that fit right, but when they do, it’s perfect,” he says.

Building an outfit can also be difficult when you don’t know where to start, but not for Don. Having nailed the process, Don prefers to find a key piece, like a pair of pants that fit really well, and build his outfit around that.

Armed with new music, a tour on the horizon and charismatic signature style, it’s clear Don is gaining momentum. But in the face of so many achievements, how does he define success?

“You can’t measure [success]... You can just ride that wave, you know?” Don tells us.

“You know, I remember.. My managers asked me, what do you want? What do you want from being a musician? This is before I released any music. And I was like, ‘I want people to sing my songs.’ That was my idea of success. And now people sing the songs and you know, I reached that milestone.”

The goal posts often shift, and Don knows that success comes in many different forms. “I don’t know what I want,” he laughs.

“If I just keep making music that I like, you know, you make music for yourself, that connects with people… and however far that takes me, that’s where I’ll go. And that’s… that’s the journey ahead I believe.”