TRACKLIST
A FEW WORDS
Cheersquad Records & Tapes is proud to announce the release of Joy, a brand new 4–track EP available by Stephen Cummings on limited edition cream 12 inch vinyl EP, black 12 inch vinyl EP and digitally on 21 November 2025.
Joy revisits songs originally recorded at various times between 1971 and 2021 by four iconic Australian acts — Spectrum, Pel Mel, Jess Ribeiro and Dag — but here they are reborn through Stephen Cummings’ interpretations, newly recorded in 2025.
Produced by longtime collaborator Robert Goodge, these versions carry Stephen’s unmistakable voice and presence, enriched by an extraordinary ensemble:
- Stephen Cummings — vocals
- Leah & Andi Senior — harmony vocals
- Robert Goodge — acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboards
- Sam Lemann — acoustic & electric guitars
- Graham Lee — pedal steel
- Bill McDonald — bass, keyboard sounds
- Michael Davis — drums & percussion
The EP’s four tracks span five decades of Australian songwriting:
- Living in the Balance (Dusty Anastassiou, 2021 – originally by Dag)
- Unfamiliar Ground (Jess Ribeiro, 2015)
- No Word from China (Jude McGee & Graeme Dunne, 1980 – originally by Pel Mel)
- Fly Without Its Wings (Mike Rudd, 1971 – originally by Spectrum)
The result is a record that bridges generations of Australian music with fresh intimacy and resonance. The dreamy harmonies of sisters Leah and Andi Senior add an ethereal texture that lifts Cummings’ interpretations into luminous new territory. Joy is both a tribute and a reinvention, breathing new life into remarkable songs and carrying them forward in Stephen Cummings’ deeply personal style.



