Byron Bay’s own intergalactic hero, the Space Cowboy, is known worldwide as a master of extreme feats. The most awarded Australian in the Guiness Book of Records returns to his hometown to show off his celebrated skills. He spoke to Echonetdaily about his freaky lifestyle.
Many of us have followed your story and know you have been a local here all your life and started performing when you were a kid on the streets of Byron Bay but for those who don’t know you, how would you describe yourself and performance style.
I’m an extreme performance artist and I specialize in feats of the mind and body. This is my passion and I have studied and trained in various techniques to accomplish my acts. I’m best known as a sword swallower and perform many variations of this art. I have 34 Guinness World Records and this obsession of mine has allowed me to attempt many crazy stunts. I am a street performance world champion and perform a dangerous juggling act on a giraffe unicycle. I am also very fascinated with mentalism, psychology and illusion and this is one of my favourite genres to perform, reading minds, telekenisis and other seemingly supernatural effects. There’s a lot of variety in what I do, ultimately I love to entertain in bold and unusual ways. I hope to inspire people to explore their own passions no matter how bizarre and most importantly celebrate how unique we all are.
What have you been up to since you last performed at the Byron Bay Community Centre?
Life has been extremely busy and I haven’t managed to get back in a while. Personally, I’ve bought a house and had a baby but, unlike most, haven’t settled down. Last year I spent the European summer running a Coney Island-style boardwalk sideshow right on the Southbank in London and I got to invite some of my favourite freaks to come and perform: Garry Stretch, the man with the stretchiest skin who can cover his face with his neck; The Great Volitinis and their incredible electric show; modified marvel from USA, The Lizard Man (we’ve had him out here in Oz with us too). There were also fire eaters, snake dancers, pain-proof wonders and human blockheads. I filmed a bunch of stuff with Guinness for Officially Amazing and my partner Zoe L’Amore and I performed on the Italian Guinness World Record show in Milan. I’ve also been on China Guinness World Record TV show.
Back here we did an awesome rock ’n’ roll pantomime at Woodford Festival’s Frankenstein Freakshow, a Halloween season at Movie World’s Fright Nights, and most recently Sideshow Wonderland, our very own grind-style freak show at Adelaide Fringe Festival in The Garden of Unearthly Delights.
Is it true that you are the Australian poster boy for Guinness World Records?
Well I have more world records than any other Australian has held before recently Chris Sheedy from Guinness World Records awarded me the title ‘Australia’s most prolific record breaker’
What can we expect in this show that we haven’t seen before?
I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Some of my favourite stunts from the past and some new twists and effects you will have to see to believe.
What’s next for The Space Cowboy?
I’m working on a series of webisodes with my long-time buddy Hammish McKormick from Carnival Cinemas and we are making a pilot for a new TV show that I hope will be out soon. It’s great to be at home where I have access to my large workshop where I am constantly inventing new props and training for new stunts.
Do you have any special messages for the people of Byron Bay?
I’ve travelled the world far and wide and I can honestly say we are some of the luckiest people alive to be living in such paradise. It is truly the perfect creative environment to manifest our potential. See you at the show.
The Space Cowboy performs at the Byron Bay Community Centre on Saturday April 25, 7pm, and Sunday May 3, 3:30pm & 7pm. Book your tickets at the box office: (02) 6685 6807 or online at: www.byroncentre.com.au. For more details go to: www.thespacecowboy.com
I like the space cowboy
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