The Wiggles founder Murray Cook reveals the big problem with the original band: ‘We could have done better’
Original Red Wiggle Murray Cook revealed the hardest part about his time with the iconic children’s group on Thursday.
The 62-year-old, who left the band in 2012, said the years he spent on tour took a toll on his personal life as he would be away from his family for long periods of time.
‘We could have done better. I remember my young son saying, “I don’t like music because that’s what distracts Dad,” he said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
In recent years, The Wiggles have lightened the burden of performing by expanding the four-piece band with four more artists: Evie Ferris, Tsehay Hawkins, Kelly Hamilton and John Pearce.
Elsewhere in his interview, the musician revealed that he and fellow original Wiggles Greg Page, Jeff Fatt, and Anthony Field didn’t earn as much as fans might think.
The founder of The Wiggles, Murray Cook, 62, (pictured) has revealed a major problem with the original band
“For one year, we grossed $50 million. People think, “Oh, divide that by four and it’s in their pockets,” which just isn’t right,” he said.
“We had a large workforce, we had overheads that many bands didn’t… Our TV series was really just advertisements for the live show in many ways.”
Murray was a founding member of The Wiggles, creating the group with Greg Page and Anthony Field in 1991.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Murray said the years he spent on tour took a toll on his personal life as he would be away from his family for long periods of time. (Pictured in 2006 with bandmates Greg Page, Jeff Fatt and Anthony Field)
In 2012, he left the group alongside Greg and Jeff Fatt, with Murray replaced by the new Red Wiggle Simon Pryce.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald in 2017, Murray said people are often shocked when they discover he can play instruments.
The singer also added that he hasn’t missed The Wiggles’ hectic touring schedule, which could span 300 concert dates a year.
He also revealed that the original band members didn’t earn as much as fans might think. “For one year, we grossed $50 million. People think, “Oh, divide that by four and it’s in their pockets,” which just isn’t right,” he said
Murray also previously explained how he is sometimes disrespected as a musician due to his history as a child performer.
“The problem with the Wiggles connection is that as a musician you don’t always get taken seriously,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
Despite this, Murray claimed that fans change their perception of him once they see him perform on stage.
“That old attitude has changed when people see me perform and all the fans went crazy when I came on stage at Splendor in the Grass because they all grew up with me,” he said.
Original Red Wiggle Murray Cook (pictured in 2008) previously explained how he is sometimes disrespected as a musician due to his history as a child performer