Taken from here :
garlicsmack.blogspot.com/First published in the Gair Rhydd, 12/12/05
Dr Kennedy or: How I learned to stop worrying and love Fletch Alan Fletcher is the most important man alive. He talks to Andrew Mickel about Liverpool, live music and livelier fans
There are many important doctors in the world: Dolittle, Matt, Who. But one bestrides medical history like the colossus he is. Without Dr Karl Kennedy, most people in southeastern Australia would be dead by now.
Of course, he’s just a fictional character. Alan Fletcher is a man in his own right (apparently), and is currently finishing a tour of the nation’s Walkabout’s with his band The Waiting Room. “A lot of people are coming to these gigs to see Dr Karl,” says Dr Karl—sorry, Fletch—“but at the end of it they’re raving to us about the music.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fletch seems tired. Having just come back from a sound check and with just a few hours until the Cardiff gig, The Waiting Room is on their second tour of the UK in a year. Not bad for a band that only formed a year and a half ago.
“Tommy Rando and Chris Hawker [the other members of The Waiting Room] were playing a restaurant that I was eating at one night, and they got me up to sing a few songs with them. Very quickly we realised we were getting on so well that we started writing together.
“Then people over here in the UK found out about us and wanted us to come over.” It’s good to know that we can beat the Australians at something. When it came to fandom, we definitely whoop anyone from Down Under. “In Australia I can’t really leave Melbourne, it isn’t really practical because of my Neighbours commitments. The night we play is primarily a night that UK fans come to. So The Waiting Room is really an untested band in Australia.”
Anyone who was at the Walkabout gig will know how British the band sound, although with an obvious Australian twist of ballsy sunshine. “[We play] primarily Brit Rock. Party music, good time music, music that people like to sing along to. Our own music as well; we do two of our rockier tracks and then a ballad.”
The frankly surreal sight of Fletch singing The Killers Somebody Told Me can pay testament to the perhaps unusual musical choices of the band. “Our own music is quite eclectic, quite hard to describe. A bit like a lot of bands, it’s hard to nail down what a Waiting Room style is.”
But there’s no denying that the music has finally sealed deal in making him a legend, even if he hasn’t realised that himself. “I’m just a run of the mill guy. What’s important for me is to try and meet as many fans as possible, so after the gigs we do spend an hour and a half, sometimes two hours taking photos with the band and punters.”
The music is all well and good, but everyone who knows who Alan Fletch is does so purely off the back of Neighbours, the perennial sunny favourite of students and bored housewives everywhere. “There’s a real gentle humour to the shoe. A lot of soaps and dramas that the audiences here love, like Eastenders, can be a bit heavy. Even the darker characters like Paul Robinson gets a lot of pleasure out of what he does. It’s become quite a happy, easy show to watch.”
Fletch has been a Neighbours star for 11 years now, but the one defining moment for any fan would still have to be Karl and Susan splitting up. Of course if you’re Fletch, then you may have your own favourites. “There was a storyline where Karl was pinching gnomes from Marlene Kratz, which I used to love.”
Maybe he’s been asked the big S questions too much. In his own words, he’s been asked whether they’re getting back together ‘somewhere between one and two million times’.
Well, I don’t want to be the one who breaks the convention. “I can only say that Karl regrets leaving Susan, he knows he made a mistake. But Susan has a new boyfirned, and that becomes quite tempestuous. And Karl becomes involved in that story because of that boyfriend’s health problems.”
Like vampire slayers, to each generation is born just one hero of such legendary proportions. So I guess we should all be grateful that The Waiting Room is touring again in the summer.
EVERYBODY NEEDS GOOD READERS
The more disturbing questions sent in by gair Rhydd and Xpress readers and listeners
Playing a doctor, have you ever been asked for medical advice?
Yes, all the time. And I don’t give it, because I could be sued if I was wrong.
Given the success of The Waiting Room, is there any chance of a resurrection of The Right Prescription?
Well, the whole idea of Karl as a performer with music was years and years ago and unrelated to my own interests. Karl is rubbish as a performer. So it’s quite nice to play someone who’s rubbish, and then go out into the real world and be decent.
Do you ever have aggressive fans, or fans doing bizarre things?
No. The only time had a fan doing something a little strange was when a girl flew from the United Kingdom to meet us, and she only had a one way ticket. And she wanted to live with the Kennedys. But the Grundys looked after her very well, and made sure she got home.
Are you concerned that you are the only medic in Erinsborough? Couldn’t they just forgive Dr Darcy for that whole ‘criminal record’ thing?
Dr Darcy is not going to be allowed back. Well, he might come back, you never know with Neighbours. Karl is very stretched, there’s no questions about that, but he likes to stay busy.
Whatever happened to Cassie the sheep?
Cassie is still sitting in the backyard of the Kennedys and I just did a scene with Cassie in it.
Excellent. And perhaps the most disturbing text message we had it – growing up as a child, Karl and Susan were like parents to me. Splitting up caused me much emotional distress and I’m holding you personally responsible. What would your line of defence be in court?
The poor person I’ve offended should enter a plea of insanity and I’ll enter a counter-plea of insanity. I’m very sorry that we’ve upset that person, and any efforts I can make to comfort that person I’d be happy to give.
Kaz: Oh how I would love to be the offende person concerned.
Alos, if he has filmed a scene with Cassie, that means he was in Susan garden...woo..woo!
Nice interview ;D