Band opens up about Games feud
BRISBANE band Sheppard have opened up about their two-year feud with Commonwealth Games musical director Katie Noonan.
Sheppard, whose second album Watching the Sky is released today, said Noonan had lashed out at the band two years ago calling them “desrespectful and lazy” for not attending the Queensland Music Awards.
Then in April, during the Commonwelath Games, the feud explod- ed when the band criticised Noonan for the $6000 payment they had been offered to perform at the event.
Singer/keyboardist George Sheppard has told the Bulletin it was “a learning experience, to have that blow up the way it did”, but said he did not “regret anything we said”.
He said at the time Noonan slammed the band for not attending the 2016 QMAs he and the band’s core songwriting group – sister and fellow singer/keyboard player Amy and guitarist Jason Bovino – had taken a sabbatical to North Stradbroke Island in order to “reconnect and not let the band fall apart”.
“(Noonan) had no idea what was going on behind the scenes but still used the platform to call us out,” George said.
“We just thought it was all a bit uncalled for. When it came time for us to stick up for ourselves in the Commonwealth Games scenario, we were less likely to be on her side.”
Noonan couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday.