Iain ‘Fred’ Smith, 47, has been part of peace-keeping missions with the Department of Foreign Affairs since 1996, but he has also felt compelled to sing.
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When working as a diplomat in places like Afghanistan or East Timor he is known as Iain. When on stage performing at gigs like Kiama’s Folk By The Sea he is Fred.
“If you’re driven to do it you must do it and I am. Songs come to me when I try to go to sleep at night and I need to write them, so I do, and I need to play them,” he said.
“It’s much an affliction than anything else but I do enjoy it, I enjoy writing. It’s interesting to find out what’s inside you … there’s a mystery to it.”
Often the two vastly different endeavours have crossed over but he has never “forced” his song-writing.
Smith wrote many songs about the peace process while posted in Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, many of them in Melanesian pidgin, and released to the public on cassette.
At the time he was also hosting a regular radio program in the region.
I haven't forced anything, I write songs that need to be written.
- Iain 'Fred' Smith
Smith believed his use of music helped make a difference and aided locals to feel more “comfortable” with Australians.
“When we came into the island Australia’s reputation was a bit tarnished but by the time we left people trusted us and had a sense we were just people,” he said.
“It made peace fun.”
Like the mindset of many musicians, Smith believes music is a universal language and can bring people together. His most memorable gig was the middle of a war zone in Afghanistan.
It was New Year’s Eve 2010 and the event at a military base in Tarin Kowt affirmed the value of music, Smith said.
“I got together with an extraordinary band of Kandahar musicians … where we basically hammed on a whole bunch of tunes and then had a whole room just dancing,” he said.
“Afghans, interpreters, US soldiers and Dutch nurses, it was an incredibly mixed group of people moving around to a strange hybrid form of music.”
Smith is looking forward to his September visit to Kiama as he’ll get to “connect” with a bunch of people he wouldn’t normally mix with.
“One of the great things about festivals is people show up and take their chances on things they wouldn’t otherwise bother to open their minds to,” he said.
Smith joins more than 50 other acts to take over Kiama Showgrounds and surrounding venues across September 22 and 23.
For tickets visit: www.folkbythesea.com.au
Download Fred Smith’s new album in September www.fredsmith.com.au