South West Life

The process for meeting someone in our people stories is usually to track them from an achievement or event they’ve been involved in.  It could be that we see them somewhere and think “that’s interesting”, and pursue it from there.

Every so often a person is referred to us and we know little about them.  After that comes the awkward phone call “hi, this is Dave, can we meet?  No I don’t know what we’ll talk about but I want to find out about you”.

David Goldberg was one of the last type.  The phone call had been made and the initial feel was enthusiastic.  The information had been offered that David had a range of things that he was involved in, and they all sounded exciting.  So off I went, notebook in hand, on a spectacular winter’s day, to meet this really excitable guy and ask questions.

Symbols seemed to be the order of the day.  I didn’t know what to make of it, but I arrived at the bright red front door... Chinese Restaurant?  Fire Station?  Turns out that it seemed the guy is just into bright exciting things.  Then Phil answered the door.  Massive, empty house, big bloke with my accent wearing a striped robe, who left me to go and get the short bearded guy, also in a robe (and elastic sided farm boots).  OK, I’m not sure what this is all meaning, but the feel is welcoming rather than simply wierd, so we talk.

David Goldberg is a Messianic Jew, which is a person who conforms to Jewish law, but believes that the Messiah has already come and His name is Jesus.  The robes are a prop, he explains, that allow him to talk to people from all walks, including those who see modesty as important and find the general population confronting.  It means he can talk about what he believes to orthodox Jews, but there’s a message of peace there too for Muslims in our society, he listens to what they have to say and is about building bridges.  When people he has listened to ask him about his way of living and fitting into the broader society he can talk about how excited he is about his life, and pretty soon we got onto that for South West Life.

David Goldberg is a Rock and Roll artist.  I haven’t listened to the show, but he does a one man band presentation that takes in the history of the classic rock era.  He proudly notes his recognition by the Vietnam Veterans Association for support he’s given the troops, and “We’ve gotta get out of this place” is one of the standards that places him in the era that stretches back 40 years, but still finds currency in pubs across the land, or at events like Geographe Bay Sailing Club’s race week.

While his robes gain him entre`to many orthodox circles you’d imagine that they’d look out of place on a rock n roll stage.  David doesn’t skip a beat and it seems neither do the crowds.

David’s background in the Rock industry show up in other things that he does.  He is a record producer and has a studio in Melbourne that is run by partners, but he travels there to work from time to time.  When he was on a fishing holiday here about three years ago from business interests in the eastern states, he got as far as Dunsborough and felt that he had to stop there, and he’s lived mostly in a caravan park for three years.  There have been a few trips back for business and friends coming over to help him out on projects through that time.  In the same time frame David has built a mastering studio in a coaster bus, run his one man band, and woven himself into the local fabric, with roles as a judge in the South West Idol competition and on the Boyup Brook Country music awards.

Next January he’s booked to play “Art in the Park”, part of the Busselton Festival.  A number of local community radio stations have asked him to screen local content, and with someone with some industry knowledge allowing a gateway into radio airplay, it’s hopeful that local artists can get a start with the exposure.

So to the massive house.  Just a few kilometres from Busselton a new venue has been secured and is being developed.  It’s envisaged as a retreat for stars who might come to the South West as part of a trip to Perth, or on big gigs like the Leeuwin Concerts.  Links with MGM and his own networks through the producing business offer him a flow of clientele.  The 5 acres that will be Hope Gardens are being reconfigured and will get a mastering studio, three luxury suites, and have on hand a butler, chef, security, a limo, a boat, and as far as we can tell, hot and cold running everything.

The venue will only run as a star’s retreat occasionally, so its day to day life will include service as a function centre, and plans are afoot to offer traineeships in the music industry and in hospitality.  David can certainly talk up a storm and he intends to do a lot.  It’s easy to get taken up with all the things he’s doing and intending to do, and expect to see it all come through.  Whatever cynics say, he’s got runs on the board and that must surely come from the enthusiasm and skill he’s put into earlier projects.

This is clearly a people story, not really about the guy’s business.  We’ve met him and he preaches love and understanding, I’m behind that 100%.  He backs what he is doing and has great dreams and vision for the region.  He wants the dream to work for everyone, there are pieces of it for young people, the disabled and disadvantaged, and there’s hope for most of us who wonder whether Australia is getting less generous and our determination for a fair go is weakening.

And for me, the guy does pub rock the way I remember it.  Peace, Love, Rock, I can’t think of a combination more likely to make me say “welcome to the region David.”