FORTY five years after he first picked up a guitar in his family's living room in Switzerland as a teenager, Bendigo's Pierre Leeman's rock and roll dream has come true.
The 61-year-old guitarist and vocalist and his Bendigo band Unroolee have recently been signed by United States independent music label Selective Records and are preparing for the launch of their debut album.
Their first single for the label called 'Nothing to Lose' will be released this Friday (July 19).
The much-travelled Leeman, who was born and raised near Zurich, before he moved to London ('to learn English and play rock and roll') and later Boston, where he studied at the premier music college in the US Berklee College, and Los Angeles, has lived in Bendigo since June 2017.
He said the band's signing with the South Carolina-based label was helped by a friend from his former Los Angeles band called Frog Hair.
"I already had 10 songs and the album was finished, but they signed me for a further five songs, the first one which is 'Nothing to Lose'," Leeman said.
"It's going to be internationally available on iTunes and possibly Amazon.
"I am cloud nine as they say."
Leeman, who married Bendigo woman Maria Gillies in 2017, said he had never let go of his dream of being signed to a music label.
"I started in music when I was 16, playing guitar and drums and writing music, and I will be 62 in August," he said.
"I have persevered for sure. Some people say it's all about not giving up, but it's not even about that anymore.
"It used to be about that, now music is just what I do.
"Of course I have had plenty of other jobs, from corporate logistics manager, to removalist services and everything in between."
Unroolee is billed as a blues/rock band, with pop and punk influences, and plays both originals and covers.
The band, which has been together just shy of 12 months, comprises Leeman, Geoffrey Rooney on guitar and vocals, Peter Nelson (guitar, vocal, harmonica), Jason Babbage (bass, guitar, vocals) and Phil Morosoli (drums).
To celebrate the launch of 'Nothing to Lose', the band will play a gig at the Kangaroo Hotel in Maldon this Friday from 7pm.
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