Music Feeds’ Love Letter To A Record series asks artists to reflect on their relationship with the music they love and share stories about how it has influenced their lives. Here, Loki Liddle – a Jabirr Jabirr man who fronts Gold Coast rock band Selve – has written a deeply personal ode to My Boy, the third studio album by beloved New Zealand singer and songwriter Marlon Williams.
The letter arrives on release day for Selve’s debut album, Breaking Into Heaven. The album was recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London – making Liddle and co. the first Indigenous artists to record a full album there. In a statement, Liddle described the process of making the album as “a big, profound, emotional journey that has taken myself and the band to places and into spaces we never imagined we’d get to tread”. I am really really proud of the album we’ve created, the music, the stories, the messages, the whole wild dream of it,” he said. “We poured all of ourselves into every song and I hope that people listening can find something they connect with among the embers.”
Breaking Into Heaven can be streamed below, with Liddle’s letter following after that and the band’s upcoming tour dates – most of which are free to attend – listed at the bottom.
Selve – Breaking Into Heaven
There are so many records that I could write a love letter to. Libraries and halls and winding mazes of records, spilling out all over time that deserve a heartfelt thankyou and nod. This record I’ve chosen is a surprising one even to me, as there are maybe more classic records that have played a formative role in my teenage years, sparking my desire to be a musician in the first place.
But few artists have played such a significant role in my actual life as Marlon Williams – and this record in particular, My Boy, happened to come into my life at a time when I really needed it, and became somewhat of a spiritual companion during one of the trickier chapters in my life. And that really is what a great record does, right? There are star-crossed lovers, and there are star-crossed records that are destined to play a significant role in a person’s story.
I fell in love with Marlon’s first album back when I was 19 – and, in fact, met my partner of nine years at a Marlon Williams concert, in the very small Soundlounge of the Currumbin RSL on the Gold Coast back when he was still kicking off. Thanks for teeing that one up, Marlon. He kind of has had a cupid role, even in my love life, that has embedded his music as cannon in anniversaries and part of the lore of my relationship with my partner.
While his second album Make Way For Love carved a deep crevice in my heart, My Boy was the one that filled it up with balm. There is a friendly joviality that oozes through this record. The sense of the full-blown becoming and individuation of a deep-feeling man, who has given up any pretense or expectation and has decided to just be his authentic self in its full bloom and maturation. At the time this record came out, that was something that was really healing for me to hear and absorb.
The album is playful and curious, but also extremely insightful. I think it showcases that you can be silly and profound at the same time. Whipping out fun, high-spirited bangers like ‘My Boy’ and ‘Don’t Go Back’, the soothing tropical waves of ‘Easy Does it’, the surprisingly 80s drum machine romances ‘River Rival’ and ‘Thinking of Nina’ and profound soul-punchers like ‘Soft Boys Make The Grade’ and ‘My Heart The Wormhole’, then mixing it all up into one cohesive album, was something that hit home for me. Not to mention daring to brave a sombre Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb cover!
I used to drive from the Gold Coast to Brisbane for work everyday, and there must have been a six month period where I put it on every morning to soothe my nerves and exhaustion, and feel a bit of earnest love from another First Nations musician from across the seas. The language of music is unexplainable – and without going too much into the details of my own life, this album was medicinal to me. It was a friendly shoulder when I needed it, not to mention an inspiration creatively. Marlon’s integration of his traditional language into his music was certainly something I aspired to achieve, too. I’m not exactly sure why, but these are some of my favourite lyrics ever, from ‘Easy Does It’:
Ngã mihi to your friends when they stop calling
Musta missed you one too many times
But it’s on them to get what they need from you
It’s not on you to hold the line
That’s how easy does it
And she does it every time
Easy does it
Yeah, she does it every time
You are an expert in the field of distance
But I bet that I know where you are
You’re on some lonely undiscovered island
My seldom South Pacific star
They just fit right, and I know exactly what he means. It’s a warm hand, connecting you back to the centre. It goes without saying that I loved his following album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, where he stepped into the power of his culture, language and songs completely. In fact, to return to the love story, I surprised my partner for our nine-year anniversary by getting us flights to New Zealand to see Marlon perform this album in his home town of Christchurch – a wild, beautiful full-circle moment.
Thank you, Marlon, for creating this beautiful record. For your dedication to your craft, your taste, your emotion and the spiritual power of song. I am forever grateful for the gift of your music.
Selve Breaking Into Heaven 2025 Tour
- Friday, September 12th – Strange Days Vintage – Gold Coast QLD^
- Friday, September 26th – Princess Theatre – Meanjin/Brisbane, Turrbal & Jagera Country QLD*
- Sat 27 Sep – Gloucester Country Club – Gloucester, Guringai Watoo & Kabook Country NSW^
- Thursday, October 2nd – The Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle NSW^
- Saturday, October 4th – Vic On The Park, Sydney NSW^
- Friday, October 10th – Felons Barrel Hall, Brisbane QLD QLD^
- Saturday, October 11th – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast QLD#
- Friday, November 7th – Lulie Tavern, Melbourne VIC^
- Friday, November 14th – Elsewhere, Gold Coast QLD
* – supporting Winston Surfshirt | ^ – free entry | # – supporting The Delta Riggs
For more information, visit the band’s official website, SelveMusic.com.
Further Reading
Love Letter To A Record: Joan & The Giants On Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Stranger In The Alps’
Love Letter To A Record: End Of Fashion’s Justin Burford On Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Tango In The Night’
Love Letter To A Record: Merpire On The ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Soundtrack
