Shannon Noll tries to crack US market

Australian Idol graduate Shannon Noll is launching his assault on the tough US music market, starting with a two-night stand at the infamous Los Angeles nightclub The Viper Room.

The West Hollywood hotspot has hosted the likes of Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Lenny Kravitz and Pearl Jam.

In 1993, actor River Phoenix died from a drug overdose outside the club.

It's a pretty exciting gig for the boy from Condobolin, in regional NSW.

"So much has happened at a place like that, just walking in it hits you like a tonne of bricks," Noll told AAP from Los Angeles.

"It's going to be a real thrill to get my 45 minutes, or whatever it may be, on stage."

Noll is even thinking of writing a song about the experience.

"There's something in that to write about for sure - being a shearer or being a tractor driver and then doing a gig at The Viper Room, I don't think that would happen too often."

The gigs should raise the 32-year-old's profile after his last visit, when he was almost barred from entering the club.

"I went and watched another artist that my management looks after and the doorman wasn't going to let me in," he said.

"I said, 'I'm on the list', and he said 'get to the back of the line'.

"I said, 'that's it, when I do a gig here you're sacked!'

"No, only joking," he laughed.

Since competing in the first series of Australian Idol in 2003, when he was runner-up to Guy Sebastian, Noll has made several trips to the United States.

But this time he is ready to introduce himself to an American audience.

"Most of (the trips) have been just writing, so I've been under the radar," he said.

"This is the first time that I'm doing interviews and promotional stuff, so this trip is like the debut trip to build awareness over here.

"They've been really receptive and I'm really psyched about everything."

Noll is also lined up to perform at Deep Rock Drive in Las Vegas, which hosts internet-streamed concerts.

On January 19, Noll will sing in front of a potential global audience as the first Australian artist to perform there.

The concert will be broadcast live around the world, with virtual tickets to watch the gig costing $US7 ($A7.80)

"It's about bringing talent that's never been on the world stage before to a global audience," Noll said.

"This show goes out on the web in real time, it's live from Las Vegas, so it's scary as hell but I'm really looking forward to it."

Noll also has meetings lined up with American television, movie and music executives later in the month before he returns to Australia.

The singer said the hardest thing about his month-long US stay was being away from his wife and three young children.

While they won't be joining him this time around, Noll said if it all went well he would consider basing himself and his family in the US for periods of time.

"That would be better than spending long periods of time away from my family," he said.

The country lad said he has been particularly impressed by New York and its surrounds.

"New Jersey is pretty cool," he said.

"There's a town of 7,000 people and they're 25 minutes out of New York.

"Even though it would be freezing bloody cold, it's a really nice area.

"And I love New York, New York's great. I love the pizza."

source: http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=451549

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