Bruce Lee may have appealed to our profoundest Zen, loftiest movie star, and most flamboyant martial arts senses when he famously decreed, “Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water.” Wise words. Vague to the point of pristine clarity, like all hypnotically alluring, alarmingly chiselled shape shifters.
When Bruce went on to say, “If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup”, Greg Nunan didn’t know it yet, but he had a red-hot idea forming in his grey mattery depths. What if “be like water” meant “create a beer”? And what if “it becomes the cup” meant, “team up with Bucketty’s to concoct a delicious drop whose hops are free to ferment while my new album infuses the sultry Orchard Road brewery air?”
Confused? Don’t be. It’s as simple as this. Greg Nunan – best known for rocking down the house with his band, “Greg Nunan & the General Jacksons”, sending revelling crowds into conniptions at Brooky’s Bucketty’s, Manly’s Boatshed, and all other venues around our big brown, thoroughly girted land where live Blues soul-quenching rock ‘n’ roll is on tap – has teamed up with Nick McDonald (Big Kahuna) and Tony D’Astolfo (Beer Chief) at Bucketty’s Brewing Co. to create the “Be Like Water” XPA, which also doubles as the title of a track on the upcoming album, “This is a Recording”.
“I planted the idea with Nick while playing him a sneak preview of the track, saying how cool it could be if we had a beer to launch as well as our new album,” explains Greg. “Then a few weeks later, making sure the timing was just right, I posed the question again. Nick said, ‘Yeah #@$% it! Let’s do it!’” The brew was all systems go.
Enter Tony D’Astolfo, Bucketty’s Beer Chief whose supreme talents brought Tawny Grogmouth bubbling to life. “I played Tony the track,” recalls Greg. “And while he was listening, he was writing the recipe to the beer, like he was deciphering morse code!” In the following weeks as Be Like Water brewed, Greg played the album over and over under the Bucketty’s roof, ensuring the XPA evolved with not only the finest hops, but also the Nunan serenaded premium bops. Boom tish.
With all the hard work done, the big question for Greg now is, when does the world get to taste this beer and hear the new single? “The official launch will be on Saturday 2 April at Bucketty’s. Can’t wait!” The beer is an XPA, so the extra pale is ode to the Be Like Water title track, and the extra hoppy will be a compliment to the full rock production of the song. It’s also 5% ABV, so it’ll make you feel good one way or another!
“Taking that first sip of beer to the sounds of the track playing will bring a tear of joy to this mug’s face,” Greg points out, his mug looking gorgeous while trying not to pre-emptively tear up. “It’s been a tough slog for musicians during this Pandemic so it’s all cheers from us with this opportunity.”
Head to Bucketty’s Brewing Co on Saturday 2 April and help Greg, Liam Chandler (drums), Mark Holbert (bass) and Felix Akurangi (guitar) celebrate the beer and single release in style!
Then be back again Saturday 30 April for the release of the full album!
Keep up to date with the band by visiting www.gregnunan.com/general-jacksons and following @gregnunan on Instagram