Brett Garsed is one of Australia’s most respected guitarists, best known for his time in the John Farnham band. Hardcore guitar enthusiasts will also know Brett from his fabulous fretboard skills on his two solo albums and recordings with Nelson, TJ Helmerich and many others. Brett has also just released couple of fabulous guitar technique books including one on Hybrid Picking and another on Legato. Work on a slide guitar book is currently underway too. These books are available at https://guitarvivo.live/product/legato-mastery-by-garsed-brett/
Melbourne music fans will have the opportunity to see Brett in action over the next couple of months with a couple of exciting projects including Paul Mason’s ‘In honour of Jeff Beck’ at Bird’s Basement on July 4 and then with Horizon, an amazing new rock band at the Evelyn Hotel on August 8, when they will be playing their debut self-titled album in full. Horizon is the Australian rock band led by composer and singer-songwriter Lee Bradshaw, which not only includes Brett Garsed, but the original album recording also features the late, great Stuart Fraser (Noiseworks), whose final recorded performances appear on the album.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips had the pleasure of sitting down with Brett Garsed at Wick Studios in Brunswick to chat about his current projects, career and gear as our Musician of the Month for July. Photos by Jason Rosewarne.
MORE ABOUT BRETT GARSED
Brett Garsed was born in rural Victoria, Australia and began playing guitar at age 12 after hearing Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore play “Speed King”. After about a month of initial lessons he continued to teach himself and formed a band comprised of his two cousins and a mutual friend and began playing live.
His main influences were Blackmore, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour and Jimi Hendrix. This later expanded to more diverse styles such as Leo Kottke, Rory Gallagher (his main inspiration for slide guitar) and Edward Van Halen.
After playing for about 5 years, Brett decided to take classical guitar lessons for about a year which encouraged him to expand his right-hand finger picking technique, which was already beginning to develop.
Brett’s playing style always revolved around left-hand legato from day one: “I don’t know why I started playing that way, it just seemed so natural.” This eventually led him to the music of Allan Holdsworth, a life-changing experience for most musicians. Hearing Holdsworth introduced him to new sounds and possibilities which in turn exposed him to more fusion oriented artists such as Larry Carlton and Scott Henderson.
In July of 1985, Brett was featured in Guitar Player magazine’s “Spotlight” column, which was devoted to exposing new talent to the rest of the world. This encouraged Brett to give up his job as a licensed plumber and pursue a career as a professional musician, prompting him to send demo tapes to as many record companies and management companies as he could find. “I wasn’t looking for a record deal. I just wanted to get into a good band.” One of the tapes was heard by Ross Fraser of the Wheatley Organization, which led to an audition for a short tour by Australian superstar John Farnham. Farnham, at this time still a member of the Little River Band, was planning a solo album and invited Brett to be a part of the project. The resulting album, Whispering Jack, went on to become the biggest selling album in Australian history, followed by sellout tours of Australia and Europe.
Brett continued to tour and record with John until early 1989 when he was invited to the US to audition for Nelson, a band led by Gunnar and Mathew, sons of the late Ricky Nelson. The audition was a success and the resulting album, After the Rain, went on to sell in excess of 3 million copies and yielded a national #1 (“Love and Affection”) as well as 2 top ten follow up singles. In early 1990 Brett also recorded Centrifugal Funk for the Mark Varney label Legato Records, an intense guitar album featuring Frank Gambale and Shawn Lane.
For most of ’91 Brett toured the US with Nelson, and spent ’92 recording Quid Pro Quo with Chicago-born guitarist TJ Helmerich after the duo decided to sign to Varney’s label. With Nelson on a seemingly permanent hiatus, Brett and TJ pursued their career promoting Quid Pro Quo, which featured Bobby Rock on drums, Gary Willis on bass and Paul Mirkovich on keys. Greeted with critical acclaim worldwide, the pair recorded the follow up album Exempt in 1993. In ’94 Brett also filmed an instructional video for REH/Warner titled Rock Fusion which covers, in detail, his unique approach to guitar improvisation.
Other recording projects include the Uncle Moe’s Space Ranch album featuring TJ Helmerich, Gary Willis, Dennis Chambers and Scott Kinsey, the Tapestry album which was released under the band name “Mojo” and features Ric Fierabracci on bass and Kofi Baker, son of the legendary Ginger Baker on drums, and most recently his debut solo album Big Sky with Ric returning for bass and production duties and Toss Panos behind the drums.
Brett is now living in Australia again after 14 years in Los Angeles and completing the record breaking “Last Time” tour with John Farnham which went for an unprecedented 7 months.
MORE ABOUT THE HORIZON PROJECT
The music that Horizon delivers highlights stunning guitar work, dynamic rhythms, and evocative vocals. David Carr’s engineering is rich and dense, capturing the full essence of heavy rock with incredible depth. The guitar tones of Stuart Fraser and Brett Garsed (John Farnham) are nothing short of exceptional, cutting through the mix with precision and power. Completing the sound is the dynamic bass work of Rich Panaia (Christine Anu, Aaron Schembri), whose urgent, driving presence anchors the rhythm section, while Angus Burchall (John Farnham, The Black Sorrows) adds a relentless energy that propels each track forward.
The album’s release had been delayed to allow for the passing of time following Stuart Fraser’s death in late 2019. Out of deep respect for his legacy, the album was quietly completed and shelved, awaiting the right moment for release. Now, with the blessing of the Fraser family, the album is finally set to be shared with the world, marking a significant moment in both the band’s journey and in Australian rock history.
The Horizon album kicks off with ‘Primitive’, a track driven by a bluesy riff and long slide intro, setting the stage for the band’s powerful sound. ‘You Know Who I Am’ brings full-throttle intensity with its syncopated rhythm and soaring chorus. ‘Hey Brother’ captures the essence of early 1970s Australian rock, reminiscent of Stevie Wright’s “Evie (Part I)”, with a 1970s flanger effect over a part of the mix. ‘Forever On My Mind’ showcases Lee Bradshaw’s impressive vocals paired with beautiful guitar work.
‘I Will Be King’ offers a Beatlesque mid-section with a Mellotron, blending pastoral elements with hard rock. The first single taken from the album, ‘Sex And Love’, blends heavy rock with psychedelic undertones, evoking the sounds of both Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden, while the track’s music video offers a rare glimpse into the band’s creative process. Filmed and directed by Gary Robertson (Jarrah Film) the footage will also be part of an upcoming documentary, slated for a late 2025 release, on the making of the album through the eyes of its visionary writer, singer and producer, Lee Bradshaw.
‘Monkey On My Back’ draws lyrical inspiration from Cold Chisel’s “You Got Nothing I Want” and Cheap Trick’s “Dream Police”, adding tension and rebellion to the track’s atmosphere. ‘My Only One’ is a reflective ballad that offers a brief meditative break before ramping up into heavier territory. Finally, ‘Head Like A Hydro’ closes the album with its blistering guitar solo and urgent rhythm, capturing the spirit of Horizon’s raw energy. The track serves as an intense and symbolic finality to the album. With its scattergun rhythmic drumming, bass, and heavy guitar work, the song’s ending unleashes a sense of chaos and fury, representing the band’s determination and the ferocity of the record.
The Horizon album is a cornerstone of Australian rock history and deserves to be recognised alongside the genre’s most iconic works. It is available now and has also been released in limited edition 180-gram vinyl, numbered and in a gatefold sleeve, as well as Compact Disc and Digital formats. Additionally, Horizon will return to the stage for the first time in years with a special live performance on Friday, August 8, 2025, at The Evelyn Hotel (Fitzroy, VIC).
Watch the ‘Sex And Love’ video (documentary preview): https://youtu.be/bL43of4b6o4
Order the album and buy tickets for the live show: https://horizonmusic.com.au (official band website)