Pacing forward

Cricket is the religion that unites our country,and cricketing heroes are looked upon as gods.

Cricket is the religion that unites our country,and cricketing heroes are looked upon as gods. So it is rare that a player from another team becomes popular in the country: he may gain the begrudging respect of the country,but actual liking? That’s rare. Brett Lee is one of these rare ones. Due to a combination of his being a brilliantly talented cricketer and his golden boy looks,Lee was an instant hit in India,and since his debut against India in 1999,when he took a wicket in his first ever over,he has been regarded as one of the finest bowlers of this generation. However,Lee is not only known for his talents in cricket off-field,he is an accomplished musician.

In the city with his band,White Show Theory,to perform at the launch of Arc Asia in Koregaon Park,Lee says cricket is still his main focus in life. At the moment cricket is still a focus in my life as I want to play cricket for Australia in the World Cup in India. I’m also looking forward to play in the IPL in 2011. But music has always been a passion and I always find time for my music in between my cricket.

After initially forming a band with brother Shane called Six and Out,Brett has since then formed White Shoe Theory with Mick Vawdon. He has,of course,also sung a duet with Asha Bhosle back in 2006. Talking about his experiences of music in India,he says,I love Indian music and specially Bollywood. Working with Ashaji was a great pleasure and I had some great fun. On the White Shoe Theory tour,I am out to entertain people with my band member,Mick Vawdon. I’m hoping people will like our rock sound. Which immediately prompts the question: why the name? With a touch of roughish humour,he answers,The name ‘White Shoe Theory’ came about purely by accident. Mick and I were in a pub trying to create a band name and noticed that they were practically the only people in a bar who weren’t wearing white shoes. It was a bit of joke at first,however the name stuck. ‘Six and Out’,that was more of a hobby for me as music has always been a core part of my life. But with Mick and White Shoe Theory,it is serious business.

After a spate of injuries,Lee decided to retire from test cricket,but he is happy with his decision. When I retired from tests,it was a good decision because it gave me time for my music as well. And while both Lee and Vawdon the composers and lyricists of the band,he certainly understands the importance of music. Cricket transcends any and all cultures,so does music, he smiles.

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