In the 80s, Chris Doheny was known as frontman of local hit-making rock outfit Geisha. However, Chris has since forged an even more successful career as a solo singer, songwriter and producer. In fact, Doheny’s first ever solo release in 1994, ‘More Than A Game’ is a song which has become an AFL football anthem. It’s apt that 20 years on, Chris has released a special anniversary version of the song during footy finals month.
‘More Than A Game’ began as the theme to Channel Nine’s acclaimed AFL Footy Show which began that same year. It remains arguably the longest running unchanged theme for an Australian television show.
“TV Producer Harvey Silver had been coming to my shows (when I was front man for Geisha) for years and approached me one night about getting involved in the making of a theme for the pilot of a new sports show for the Nine Network which was to be called The Footy Show” explained Chris.
“Harvey introduced me to the main songwriter Darren Sanicki and award winning producer/writer Josh Abrahams and together we recorded what is now known as More Than A Game.”
“The sessions were quite intense, as we all wanted to convey the feeling that the three of us, Harvey, Darren and myself felt about not only AFL football, but sport in general. I remember quite clearly that when the time came for me to do the main vocal; we recorded it at Sing Sing Studios in Richmond.”
“I had my 2 year old daughter wearing her Richmond footy jumper for the day and she quietly sat behind me in the vocal booth playing with her toy footy not making a sound while I sang the vocal. That gave me the impetus to really put my heart into the main take having her there with me. “
To celebrate 21 years since the release of More Than A Game, Doheny has recorded a special version with mostly acoustic instruments all played by himself, such as 6 and 12 string guitars, violins, violas, Hammond B4 organ and piano and even a footy.
‘More Than A Game is available on iTunes