Music runs deep in the Reilly Family. Damien first started to play the piano at the age of 3. As Damien says:
“As far back as I can remember music has always been a very large part of my life. My mother, Elisabeth is probably my biggest influence with her wide taste in Jazz. My mother is still a crazy jazz aficionado and still actively playing the piano today. My sister, Caitlin is a successful artist in her own right and my brother Gerard, was always the resident family drummer when ever a family jam was happening when we were growing up. With all this music around me it was no wonder that I ended up immersing my life with all things music. This is something that I will be eternally grateful to my family for having the wisdom to make the more artistic things in life important. At the heart of all of this experience I learnt that melody is the heart of every song and the lyrics are the blood that floats through that fills the body with the song writers message. Everyone hears a song in their own unique way.
Some people look back at their youth and think that I could have done this or done that, for me I spent most of my teen years either in the garage at home jamming or playing guitar, in the house playing with the family, in my bedroom listening to the latest bands of the day as loud as I could or with my brother or friends jamming or in the music room at school. At a very impressionable age I was fortunate to meet a man that I would regard as one of the greatest musicians I have ever known, Mr “Papa” George. He was by far one of my greatest mentors and influences in my early years while I fumbled around with bashing out a beat on the drums or developing basic songs at school. Thanks Papa George for the music.”
For the past 25 years Damien has focussed his energy on building his record label, “Blue Pie Records”, into one of Australia’s leading independent labels. Damien’s life today is now totally immersed in music, from production, writing, playing to driving and overseeing the global expansion of ” Blue Pie Records”. As Damien says: “Dreams can come true and I am really grateful for all the amazing musical experiences that I have been able to enjoy over the past 30 years and I still consider myself just a beginner that was blessed with some great luck and some great musical genes.”
Damien has worked with many leading artists around the world and has personally been involved with over 40 + top 40 charting albums and singles to his credit in Australia, the USA, UK and parts of Europe. Some of the artists that Damien has collaborated and worked with in either a recording, production, or as a session player include: The OUTpsiDER, Tony Hatch, Petula Clark, Rusty Anderson ( Sir Paul McCartney Band ), Dino Jag, Barry Crocker, Oohlala, Sahra, Caitlin, Southpaw, Resonator, Total Karnage, Gordon Waller, Southpaw, The Linzi O Band, Myron Dove ( Santana Band ), Serge Ermoll, Ray Vanderby, Peter and Gordon, Peter Asher, RatFinc, Sarah Saunders, Dale Bozzio, Bone Angel, Stephen Wrench, Indigobelle + many others.
Damien is an accomplished musician, guitarist, percussionist, bass player, and producer and now lending his dynamic voice to cartoons. Damien’s songs have been licensed to numerous film sound tracks and TV shows.
You can see some of the many films and TV shows on the Planet Blue Pictures website. Damien’s production skills are constantly in demand. If you would like to get in touch to talk to Damien about your new project then please email damien@damienreilly.com