As Australian Musician’s Musician of the Month, Pseudo Echo’s Brian Canham reflects on a career shaped as much by curiosity and instinct as by technology and reinvention. From his earliest memories of strumming a plastic guitar as a toddler and watching his multi-instrumentalist father work through jazz charts, Canham’s musical path was set early, albeit one driven more by ear than formal theory. That intuitive approach would later become central to the sound and spirit of Pseudo Echo.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips sat down with our Musician of the Month, Pseudo Echo’s Brian Canham to discuss his career, gear, the upcoming national tour celebrating 40 years of Funky Town and an appearance at the unique Wanstock Festival at the Shoppingtown Hotel, alongside Canadian music legends Loverboy!
Photos by Jason Rosewarne. Thanks to Empire Studios once again for the location.
MORE ABOUT THE BRIAN CANHAM INTERVIEW
Canham traces the band’s origins back to his teenage years, cycling through various line-ups and styles before discovering the synth-driven identity that set Pseudo Echo apart from the pack. The band’s embrace of drum machines, sequencers and early analogue synthesisers gave them a polished, “already-a-record” sound that made them stand out on stages and in studios alike. Their name itself emerged organically from the pages of an ARP Odyssey manual, an accidental yet fitting symbol of their hands-on experimentation.
A major focus of the conversation is the enduring impact of Pseudo Echo’s cover of Funky Town, now marking its 40th anniversary. Canham recounts how the song began as a loose encore jam, sparked by memories of hearing the original in Melbourne clubs, before audience reactions turned it into a tour highlight and, ultimately, an international hit. Despite resistance from American labels wary of disco’s reputation, the band’s stripped-back, synth-heavy reimagining won over critics, radio, and charts worldwide.
Beyond chart success, Canham shares vivid memories of the band’s global profile in the mid-’80s-from chaotic sampler failures on MTV-recorded shows to rehearsing alongside Def Leppard at Top of the Pops, and trading compliments with Letterman’s musical director Paul Shaffer on American TV sets. These moments underline both the excitement and fragility of touring with cutting-edge technology at a time when synths were temperamental and unforgiving.
Looking to the present, Canham explains how Pseudo Echo in 2026 has been revitalised with a newly re-shaped six-piece line-up, including female guitarist and backing vocalist, bringing fresh energy and colour to the live show. While authenticity remains paramount, the current tour is bigger, more theatrical, and more dynamic, “Pseudo Echo on steroids,” as he describes it, balancing nostalgia with renewed vitality.
He also discusses his deep attachment to guitars, both sentimental and practical, from regretfully sold ’80s Strats to battle-scarred instruments tied to pivotal career moments. His current stage setup reflects decades of refinement, blending modern reliability with the expressive flair his music demands.
Creatively, Canham is far from slowing down. He’s deep into producing Machine, a remix project that reimagines Pseudo Echo’s catalogue from a musical rather than club-driven perspective, personally reshaping chords, textures and arrangements while preserving the band’s unmistakable identity. With DJ-led performances and immersive audiovisual concepts also on his bucket list, Canham remains focused on evolution rather than retrospection.
Ultimately, Canham says his greatest pride lies in having built Pseudo Echo into a lasting cultural brand with music that instantly connects across generations. Four decades on, that sense of recognition and resonance continues to define both his past achievements and his future ambitions.
PSEUDO ECHO DATES
SAT 21 MARCH: PSEUDO ECHO PLAY WANSTOCK (SHOPPINGTOWN HOTEL, DONCASTER) with Loverboy (Canada), Machinations, Standing Room Only, Daydreamers https://www.wanstock.com.au/
TAKE ME TO FUNKY TOWN TOUR 2026
FRI 06 FEB – THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA [TICKETS]
SAT 07 – ROSEMOUNT HOTEL, PERTH WA [TICKETS]
SUN 08 FEB – THE RIVER HOTEL, MARGARET RIVER WA [TICKETS]
FRI 13 MAR – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Chris & Jaron Natoli)
SAT 14 MAR – SOUNDLOUNGE, CURRUMBIN QLD [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Chris & Jaron Natoli)
SAT 28 MAR – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC (Feat. LOVE ANGELS Dancers) [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Chris & Jaron Natoli)
FRI 12 JUN – FACTORY THEATRE, MARRICKVILLE NSW [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Elaskia)
SAT 13 JUN – HORNSBY RSL, HORNSBY NSW [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Elaskia)
FRI 19 JUN – ATHERTON HOTEL, ATHERTON QLD [TICKETS]
SAT 20 JUN – DALRYMPLE HOTEL, TOWNSVILLE QLD [TICKETS]
FRI 17 JUL – CHELSEA HEIGHTS HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Chris & Jaron Natoli)
SAT 18 JUL – COMMERCIAL HOTEL, SOUTH MORANG VIC [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Chris & Jaron Natoli)
SAT 17 OCT – THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE VIC [TICKETS] (Special Guests: Chris & Jaron Natoli)
SAT 14 NOV – FORTH PUB, FORTH TAS [TICKETS]
SUN 15 NOV – LONGLEY INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, LONGLEY TAS [TICKETS]
