ToneGym Hero: Dale Brimblecombe

Arcade lights and gold-flecked fretboards - His world blurs neon dreams with six-string poetry. Fueled by childhood stereo soundtracks and a lifelong pursuit of musical obsession, he rewires nostalgia into new sonic futures. Dale Brimblecombe is this month's ToneGym Hero!

How did you first find your way into making music?

My parents always had the stereo running hot when I was growing up. Albums such as Neil Young’s ‘Harvest’ and Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’ are burned into my brain and always bring back warm memories of being a kid and feeling like time was endless.

Music was always present but my obsession with it kicked in when I was around 10 years old.I remember seeing the cover art of AC/DC’s ‘Blow Up Your Video’ record and thinking it was the coolest thing ever: Angus Young smashing through a TV screen with his guitar, fist raised in the air. I nagged my parents to buy that record for me and then I was away. I soaked up all the vivid imagery of ‘80s heavy metal: big hair and pointy guitars. When my friends and I wanted to dress up as “heavy metal dudes” for book week, my mum made a fingerless leather glove with studs, just like Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue.

I moved on from hair metal, but that level of obsession never really wavered, and I ended up studying classical guitar performance for four years after leaving school.

Aside from music, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy?

My kids often ask me “what’s your favourite thing in the word to do, dad?” and, invariably, I answer with “swimming at the beach with my kids”.
Aside from that, my other youthful obsession that never really left is arcade gaming and, over the last ten years, I’ve restored a bunch of machines with the help of my friends and dad. It’s a fun, geeky hobby that brings together woodworking, electronics and computer tinkering. I love seeing kids play my machines at the local café/bar that hosts them.

What’s something you're surprisingly good at that has nothing to do with music?

I don’t have any neat tricks like being able thread a noodle through my nose, but I’ve always been good at passionately pursuing my interests to the detriment of having a nice, orderly life!

If you could play or create with any artist, who would it be and why?

Ooh! Right now, it would be St Vincent. She’s an incredible guitarist herself but it would be so fun to be in her touring band, laying down her riffs while getting to watch her do all her larger-than-life stuff up close.

What musical instrument do you love the most, and what makes it irreplaceable for you?

I have a couple amazing guitars that my dad made for me, but my first love is still the gold Parker Fly that I once sent all the way to San Francisco (from Australia) to be modified by the late luthier Axel Rudich. He’s the man that ended up working with Adrian Belew (of King Crimson) on his custom Parker Fly. If I ever lose that guitar, it’s gonna hurt bad.

What daily or weekly habits do you have in place to keep you creating?

I became a bachelor again in my mid-40s and upside of that is that my loungeroom has a line-up of guitars, ready to grab and play on the couch when my kids aren’t home. Improvising to the soundtrack of whatever is on TV is a favourite way to unwind and keep my fingers moving.

What keeps you motivated to continue making music?

Constantly seeking out new music is what keeps me inspired and in awe of other musicians. Like other dudes my ages, I’m nostalgic for the days of records stores and communal experiences (e.g. everyone simultaneously listening to a new song on the radio) but its mind boggling that we can now explore the entire history of recorded music via streaming.
I’m always searching to have my mind blown yet again… and feel inspired to create after it happens.

What song would you choose as the soundtrack of your life?

I turn to it when I’m in in despair and also when I’m overjoyed. It’s just perfect.

What's your favorite feature on ToneGym, and how has it helped you in your musical journey?

I’ve only had ToneGym for a couple months, but I love the whole concept! I always hoped that some clever person would make an aural training app like it and was thrilled when I stumbled upon it. I must give credit to the gamification aspects. Extrinsic motivation is maybe not the purest form, but I can’t help comparing myself to others and trying even harder. If that pushes to me to improve my skills, I’ll take it. I can feel my ears opening the more I use it. Same with SoundGym (which is also incredible!)

What’s something exciting you're working on or looking forward to?

I’ve been working on a musical project called ‘Your Midjourney Fantasy’ with an old friend for the past 18 months. The album is going to be released sometime in September, and I’m really excited for that. Our music is kinda electro pop with extra helpings of guitar. I’m proud of the way we’ve managed to smoosh those two sound worlds together. Hopefully others like it too.

You can follow Dale on his Instagram.

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