Tulsa World: Wiggles Have Landed

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Wiggles Have Landed
Anthony Field talks about life with a popular children's music group

"There's just so many incredible experiences we've had over the years," says Anthony Field of the Wiggles. "One day, I'll sit back and go 'That was an amazing ride in the big red car.'"Courtesy

By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer
Published: 7/26/2009 3:49 AM
Last Modified: 8/10/2009 12:54 PM

Across the globe, Anthony Field’s young fans know the Australian singer as the blue Wiggle — and that he’s always hungry.

On the Wiggles’ hugely popular DVDs and CDs, not to mention its TV and live shows, Field cavorts with his three fellow Wiggles, along with a dinosaur named Dorothy and a pirate wielding a feathery sword.

In advance of the Wiggles’ two shows Aug. 2 at the BOK Center, Field took time out to answer a few questions.

Tulsa World: Where's the most surprising place that you have been recognized around the world?

Field: I'm amazed at some of the places. I think the most incredible place is in China, where people have known who we are I'm amazed that people know us in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I think that's fantastic.

When you worked as a pre-schoolteacher for two years, what was the best lesson that you learned from teaching those pre-schoolers that you took into your life as a children's musician?

I think that children are enthusiastic and excited about their world. As adults, we get less excited about simple things, but children, they want to know about everything that's around them. That's guided me because, as an adult, you wouldn't write a song about fruit salad, but children get excited about their food even more than we do as adults.

I once did a lesson about a vacuum cleaner, and for an hour we had the vacuum cleaner on sucking up dirt. The children loved it Young children are so fascinated with their world. If

we reflect their enthusiasm and excitement, then they won't get bored.

All the kids know that you like to eat — that's kind of your thing — so if I hire the greatest chef in the world and I said, "Cook Anthony anything he wants," what do you order?

Funny thing is, when we first started, I would eat everything. I would eat pizzas. I'd eat the worst food. I'd sing about fruit salad, but I was eating anything — chips, fries, I just loved food. Then I got really bloated. So the last three years, I lost 7 or 8 kilos (15.4 to 17.6 pounds) and I was a lot fitter. So now I've got this philosophy that I stay right away from processed food and eat lots of fruit. So the best chef in the world, he'd probably be wasted on me, because I'd probably have him do a rare steak and some broccoli — with no butter.

You have a few very meaningful tattoos, including the names of your wife and kids. Do you have any ideas in your head right now for any future tattoos.

I do. I want to get an anchor on my chest, because we travel so much, and I live on the water in Sydney, and I've got a boat and I love getting out on the water. But my wife said she'd divorce me, so I might just get a henna one — one that will wash off after a week.

Greg Page (the original "yellow" Wiggles lead singer) left the group in 2006 to fight his disease (orthostatic intolerance). Who took his departure harder, your young fans or the adults?

I really think it's the adults — and some children, of course. From an adult point of view, it was like Mick Jagger leaving the Stones, but from a child's point of view, there's more to the Wiggles than that I'll say Greg had the most unique, beautiful voice that is sadly missed. Sam (Moran) does a great job, too. The songs that we did with Greg are some classics. His voice is the smoothest since Perry Como — and I love Perry Como.

I spoke to (Page) and he's really good. He misses it. He would love to be doing it. He really didn't want to leave, but he just couldn't do it.

In 2007, you were outspoken about dealing with clinical depression. Why was it important to share that with the public?

It was my brother who suggested it. Maybe in the '80s and '90s, during the early touring, I got very depressed. I didn't really want to talk about it, because it's a very personal thing. He said, "For that reason, why don't talk you about it? It might help somebody."

That's the only reason I talked about it. I still got to look out, especially with my lifestyle — I'm a long time away from home. That's another reason I got my diet together. I was never an alcoholic. I was never a big drinker, but I don't drink alcohol at all. I exercise a lot to keep the endorphins coming in. Keep positive.

If I see myself going down a hole, I'll ring up home and talk. (Fellow Wiggle Murray Cook's) been fantastic He's a good guy to talk to me about it. For a while now, I've been really good.

What do you love about what you do?

There's different aspects to what I love about doing the job. I love the satisfaction of when my children, or what other children have done, where they love the video and they carry the doll of Dorothy (the Dinosaur) around. I think, "Wow, we created that. And kids are loving it." That's really rewarding, especially with my own children coming to the show and enjoying them.

There's just so many incredible experiences we've had over the years. One day, I'll sit back and go "That was an amazing ride in the big red car." By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer

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