From Traralgon to Tatu (TheAge.com.au)Time of publication: 01.05.2003 |
May 2 2003
Troy MacCubbin used to stand on top of a water tank in Traralgon playing guitar to his pretend audience.
Today he plays to millions on late night American television as the lead guitarist in rock band Tatu.
Fronted by Russian duo Lena Katina and Julia Volkova, the band hit No.1 around the world with All The Things She Said, accompanied by a controversial video featuring the pair dressed as schoolgirls and kissing.
Its video was banned from Britain's Top Of The Pops following complaints from family groups.
But the controversy helped sales, leading to speculation that the pair's relationship had been manipulated for publicity.
MacCubbin, 31, takes a simple view.
"It's just two people expressing their love for each other," he said.
MacCubbin's success is the culmination of eight years of study in Australia, a stint on the Latrobe Valley cabaret and pub circuit east of Melbourne and six years of hard graft in Los Angeles.
"It was so much fun and seems like one big dream," MacCubbin said.
"This has been a huge struggle and adventure for me. Six years of living in America, struggling to make rent each month, dealing with immigration and trying to stay here legally and make a go of it. All I ever wanted was to follow my dreams and this is just one more I have achieved."
MacCubbin studied under Tony Calabro in Australia before working the pub circuit to raise money for his move to the United States.
"Troy's decision to go to LA was a gutsy one, a courageous one and I admire him for his efforts," Calabro said.
"If one is to make it in this business, one has to make it in America. Unfortunately Australian talent is not given the support it deserves."
His original plan was to study music in Hollywood but after just three months he became disillusioned and quit.
"The teachers were great but the school was all about money," MacCubbin said.
"You didn't have to be a certain standard to get into the school, which I was led to believe. I was so depressed and disappointed I didn't even want to play guitar anymore. I wanted to come home but pride wouldn't allow it."
Instead, he began delivering flowers, modelling and bluffing his way into acting auditions.
"Los Angeles is full of beautiful people who put in 200 per cent of their lives to chase their dreams," he said.
"I did lots of promotional work, from dressing up in a big jelly bean suit on Hollywood Boulevarde to impersonating Austin Powers for his movie releases.
"Whatever I could do to survive, I did."
He also survived with the moral and financial support of his parents, David and Judy, who said: "It was not hard to give him our total support, because of Troy's overwhelming desire to succeed. He would never have been happy doing anything else."
MacCubbin continued to play in bands but his big break came last August when Interscope Records approached his roommate to set up a band for Tatu.
"They needed a keyboard player, a drummer and guitarist and we were ready to go," he said.
"Interscope came to a show at Viper Room on Sunset Boulevarde and loved what we did. We got the job.
"We played the Jay Leno Show, Craig Kilborn Show, MTV's Total Request Live. There are plans to tour Japan, America, Europe and I'm keeping all my fingers crossed for Australia."
While he's enjoying his hard-earned success, MacCubbin has big plans for his own music.
"Another dream is to get my own original material out there and tour with that," he said.
"I've been writing songs and working on that for a while now and that would be another incredible dream to achieve. But being in the world's No.1 band at the moment isn't too bad at all."
Thanks to ElectraCute.
Source: TheAge.com.au |
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