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And of course, those things fade, and then there's the wonderful moments where you feel

    like you're in control, and everything's in slow motion.

    FD:  Joe, I can imagine the stories around the family table that, you know, hey dad, or hey
    grandpa, tell me about the time you played with Ray Charles? But what about, is there a
    book, perhaps, in the life and times of Joe Camilleri? You've still got a long career ahead
    of you, but is there a book, perhaps?


    JC:  Well, thanks for that. No, I don't think I need to do this. No, I've been offered this on
    a number of occasions, you know, and apparently, I have some stories, but I don't really
    think I need it. Well, not at 77, I don't think I know enough. And I think I tell most of the
                                                          things that I know live, and I appreciate that,
                                                          you know, I think that's kind of, that's neat,
                                                          that's interesting, that's kind of; sometimes the

                                                          bands say, "never heard that story before," and
                                                          I've only told it live, and it's only come out of
                                                          what was happening just before it, but no, I
                                                          don't think so, I don't think, I don't have that
                                                          interest.

                                                          FD:    Joe,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  talking  with

                                                          Russell  Morris  a  few  months  ago  about  his
                                                          retirement tour, and I hesitate to ask you the
                                                          question because I hope you never retire. But
                                                          is retirement a plan for Joe Camilleri?

                                                          JC:  No, it's, no, you know, the idea of dying on

                                                          the  bus  still  has  some  interest.  But  I  don't
                                                          understand retirement. I don't, you know, I can
    understand if you can't do it for whatever reason you know. We're all at, you're getting
    at an age where Mother Earth is kind of looking at you. And, you know, you're meant to
    break down. There's so much joy in doing it, you know this, playing is beautiful. It's
    beautiful if you kind of like being there.  Getting there becomes more difficult; you learn

    how to deal with that, you learn how to deal with other things. I just would like not to do
    it; I don't think, I'd think I'd die in the vine to be honest with you.

    FD:  Are you a golfer?

    JC:  No, I used to be in my thirties, but it's not a thing for me, you know. I've got a guitar.
    I want to, at the moment, I want to learn how to play like Elmore James. I want to get his
    feeling, how he plays the slide guitar. I don't want to do it like the rock guys do it; there's

    something beautiful about the way he plays it. I want to get a feeling of that, you know;
    that's joyous.

    I play the piano and I want to play the American Songbook. I'm trying at the moment to
    play "Misty". I can play Misty either playing it on the saxophone or playing a bit of a solo,
    but I want to get inside it, so I do. That's fun for me, and then when I'm bored with that,
    I'll pick another song or I'll play a record that kind of will make me want to get on the

    piano and do something. Oh, that's interesting! What's that? I was listening to Big Joe
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