The Wiggles’ Anthony Field Dishes On Original Lineup’s Upcoming Over 18’s Pub Show

In February this year, The Wiggles‘ original (and best) lineup gave their classic children’s songs a rockin’ reboot while raising money for charity at their first-ever adults-only pub show in Sydney.

The OG Wiggles’ Sydney show raised money for the group’s good mate David Savage, a veteran who was the victim of a suicide bomb and is now in a wheelchair. It also raised money for the Soldier On foundation, which helps physically and physiologically wounded men and women returning from service.

Earlier this week, The Wiggles announced another 18+ pub show in Melbourne for this September in support of Savage and Soldier On, and featuring the original lineup of Anthony Field, Greg Page, Murray Cook and Jeff Fatt. What’s more, they’re planning some big things for the occasion.

Taking a break from recording some bagpipes for the next Wiggles album, the band’s founding blue skivvy-wearer Field, who is still a member of the current Wiggles lineup, speaks to Music Feeds about that whirlwind Sydney show, the special guests to expect at the upcoming Melbourne show, and also confirms another 18+ Sydney show is still in the works (Yus!).

Catch his full chat, below.

Music Feeds: We spoke after the original Wiggles lineup played a Sydney pub show earlier this year, and now you’ve got another show lined up in Melbourne. What made you guys want to do another show?

Anthony Field: Oh Sydney was just so much fun. There was so much love in the room that night, and it’s a bit addictive. It’s very addictive. You get good vibes. It gave us a thrill, so I was on a bit of a high for a couple of weeks after that last show.

Also, the other thing is that we can make some good money for Soldier On, and we helped David Savage out quite a lot, all the people that came did. So it’s worthwhile doing it and it’s a lot of fun. It’s just a fun night for the guys involved.

MF: How do you think the upcoming Melbourne show with the original lineup will compare to the Sydney one?

AF: Apparently the Melbourne one is a real rock’n’roll venue, so that’ll be good. Apparently AC/DC played there in the early days, so now The Wiggles will [laughs].

The current Wiggles — we just played three weeks in Melbourne and we just had the biggest crowds, and a lot of the parents were saying, ‘We want to come to the reunion.’ So, you know, you can’t beat that [laughs].

MF: We’ve been told the Melbourne show will be the original Wiggles with a band and some special guests. Could you explain what that means?

AF: There is of course the original Wiggles, but we have drums and bass, and our backing singers are pretty well the current Wiggles — they’re doing the backing vocals. We have some Irish dancers happening too, because with the original Wiggles we had Irish dancers.

To start the show we’ve got a pipe and drums band which is made up of ex-servicemen and veterans, and I’m playing in that bagpipe band [laughs]. So that’s kind of why we’re partnering with Soldier On again, will all ex-soldiers and veterans, and we’re gonna do it just before all of The Wiggles come on to play.

MF: There have been rumblings that there’ll be another Sydney show with the original Wiggles lineup. Is that happening?

AF: Yeah, it is. That’s going to be another charity gig, for a little girl with special needs whose family is struggling and we just want to help them out a bit.

It’s all up to [Former yellow Wiggle] Greg [Page], really. The last time we played in Sydney Greg took months to recover, and he’s still a bit fragile. We were going to do this Melbourne show and then do another Sydney one the week after, but he just can’t do it, so we don’t know when the next Sydney one is going to be but we might need to space them out a bit.

There’s a lot of demand to do it. The last gig was such a great feeling, which is why I want to do it again. I’d do as many as I could every week if I could [laughs], but Greg has some health problems and can’t do it that often.

MF: Are there plans for any shows beyond the Melbourne and Sydney ones, or are you just looking at those for now?

AF: Because of Greg’s situation, we just sort of take it one step at a time. The good thing for us is that the benefit we get out of it is just a great time, and with our original Wiggles fans. And it really does raise money for a great cause, whatever the cause may be for each concert. It’s a really great time, I have to tell you.

MF: Besides the upcoming shows, is there anything else in the pipeline for the original Wiggles?

AF: I reckon that’s it, the guys are pretty happy with where it’s at. [Former red Wiggle] Murray [Cook] is still gigging around — he does gigs, I reckon he’d love to do more things — but Greg and [former purple Wiggle] Jeff [Fatt] really love doing the shows, and I’m pretty busy [laughs].

MF: Is there anything else you’d like to mention about the upcoming Melbourne show?

AF: To the people that come along — bring your original Dorothy The Dinosaur tails, Captain Feathersword hats and stuff. Brush up on the lyrics [laughs]. Although some of them don’t need to, they just know it all already [laughs].

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The Wiggles’ original lineup performs at The Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne this September. Catch all the show and ticket details below, and a bunch of footage from their recent Sydney show right here.

Gallery: The Wiggles’ Original Lineup 18+ Sydney Show 2016

Original Wiggles Lineup Melbourne Pub Show

Tickets on sale 9am Friday, 15th July

Friday, 9th September 2016

The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne (18+)

Tickets: The Croxton Bandroom