Glen Hosking
Name: Glen Hosking
Age: 21
DOB: 12/04/79
Location: Melbourne,
Australia
Favourite Tina Songs: Ummmmm, Sixteen Years, Whistle
Down the Wind, Many Rivers to Cross, Les Trois Cloches are some of many. many
favourites, although these are too numerous to mention.
Best Tina Moments: Read Below!!!!
Favourite Tina Cover Art: In Deep, I want to know what
love is.
Rarest Tina CD I own: An original Young talent Time
rendition of 'Macarthur Park', and have all Australian released recordings since that
period.
The Story:
I have been a Tina Arena
fan for as long as I can remember. Whilst I can never remember
watching her on 'Young Talent Time' ( her stint on the show was a little
before my time!!), I was always an avid fan of the show, and enjoyed watching
other former members of the show continue their careers into adulthood.
However, nothing compares to the adulation and respect I have always held for
Tina. I will now endeavour to give my account of my experiences where I
have seen Tina perform live, and the most important, when I met her last
month.
I first saw Tina perform
live in and Australian musical 'Dynamite'. Whilst I was only 9 years of age at
the time, I vaguely remember Tina's sensational voice echoing through the
theatre, and that she was, beyond any stretch of the imagination, the shining
star of the show. When I think of this show, she is all I remember!! Shortly
after that, I remember buying, and listening repeatedly to Tina's first
solo album 'Strong as Steel'. I knew then, and even at a very young age, that
Tina was going to be, and truly deserved to be, a huge star, and that I
enjoyed her music very very much.
I later saw Tina perform
live in the Andrew LLoyd Webber 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'.
I was somewhat familiar with the musical, having been a fan of past Lloyd
Webber musicals, but nothing was to prepare me for what I was about to
experience. Tina's role as the Narrator, a part that tells the story of the
musical in song was perfect for her. She presented the role with great
strength, humour, and professionalism. Indeed, as one review later commented,
her voice has the purity of a church bell. I remember, at interval, listening
to the audience chat around me. The woman behind me said "That Tina
Arena, why she's not a international star is completely beyond me - she is
sensational". I remember at the conclusion of the show, when Tina came
out to take her bow, she got the biggest cheer of them all - it was, for sure,
a sensational and indeed memorable performance.
I continued to follow
Tina's career, and became an even bigger fan after the release of 'Don't Ask'.
I was so happy to see Tina receive some widespread approval, and I enjoyed
watching the album reach the top of the Australian charts, and see her collect
a swag of ARIA (Australian Record Industry Awards) soon after. Not long
after this, I again saw Tina perform live, although this was not at a Tina
Arena concert. I watched her perform the Australian National anthem, and
traditional patriotic song 'Waltzing Matilda' at the Australian Football
League's Grand Final in 1994. Her version of the Anthem, but particularly the
a capella 'Waltzing Matilda was, for me, the highlight of the day!!!
I again saw Tina
perform live in the 'You asked for it Tour'. Again, she was a sensational
performer - I continue to maintain that Tina is one of the finest live
performers in the world. I particularly remember a revamped version of
'Message', and a wonderful rendition of Jimmy Cliff's 'Many Rivers to Cross'
where she accompanied herself on piano.
I was also there - lucky to
be in the front row of the 'In Deep Live' tour. It was again a flawless
performance, and I persisted to wave and gain Tina's attention throughout
the performance. Memorable songs included a tribute to Michael Hutchence
(former INXS singer), 'Bridge over troubled water', and a compelling version
of Sixteen Years which is one of my favourite Tina songs.
However, I will never
forget when I actually met Tina face to face. This event happened at a CD
signing at 'Borders' in December, 2000. I arrived at the venue some 2 hours
before Tina was scheduled to arrive. I was very happy to meet many other Tina
fans in the cue - many who had also been huge fans for a long time. As Tina's
arrival came closer and closer, everyone was talking about what they would ask
Tina when it was their turn to meet her. This was something that I had not
even considered, but I choose not to think about it - I was hoping that when I
met Her Royal Highness, the words would just come to me. At 2pm, the 'host' of
the afternoon came out, and had some promo singles of Tina's Olympic Song 'The
Flame' to give away. Asking questions, she gave them away to people who
answered them correctly. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of one for
answering a question asking the name of the musical that Tina had recently
appeared in. When Tina arrived, she answered a few standard questions from the
host, and then it was on to the signing. Being only the 7th person in line, I
didn't have long to wait until it was my turn to meet my lifelong idol. As the
cue in front got smaller, I was surprisingly composed, and as I moved up to
Tina, I handed her my albums to be signed. She casually asked her my name, and
then went on to sign my CDs. I asked her how her up coming album was going.
She said that it's coming along well, but she's somewhat daunted about the
amount of work that she's got to do. I went on to tell her that she is so
appreciated by the Australian public, and how wonderful it is that she is
doing this, and giving her fans a chance to meet her. She was as delightful,
charming, and down to earth as I expected her to be. She chatted to me as if I
was a lifelong friend, and never tried to rush any of the signees through. I
was thrilled when at the end of the short, but special conversation, she said
'Merry Christmas to you Glen, and also to your family'.
These occasions will all be etched
into my memory forever - particularly the latter account. I will never
forget, and continue to admire, respect and support the sensation that is TINA
ARENA.