KELLY BECOMES RELUCTANT MOVIE STAR

BARRELLING blue waves, the smell of suntan lotion, an icy cold beer from the Esky to wash down the fish and chips -- within the first verse of Paul Kelly's new song Roll On Summer captures the essence of Australia's favourite season.

Like Max Dupain's photos and Russell Drysdale's paintings, Paul Kelly's songs have often documented the many facets of summer from cricket and Christmas to bushfires and balmy nights.

"I notice my summer songs when I'm singing in England -- that's when I become more aware of the references to the beach and summer,'' he said. "Roll On Summer was going to have that feel right from the start.'' While most of Kelly's legion of fans would be expecting an album from the legendary songwriter around this time of year, film projects have dominated his creative energies in recent months.

Kelly makes his movie acting debut in Every Night The Moon, which was shot in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia and directed by Rachel Perkins.

Renowned for being the complete workaholic, Kelly, who also produces and writes for other artists, found film-making a time-consuming experience.

The notoriously shy performer needed to be coaxed into joining the cast despite having already written for the film.

"We spent five weeks making the film and a lot of that was getting something to happen,'' Kelly recalled.

"I was persuaded to be in the film. When Rachel came on board as director, she thought I should play the part I wrote. So she screen tested me and I got the part.

"I was kind of hoping someone else would do it. I wouldn't want to do film acting all the time but I really enjoyed it and the process was fascinating.''

Kelly has also written music for that film and another Australian movie to be released next year.

Celebrated for the hits he has written for several high profile Australian female performers, Kelly has also spent the last 12 months working on new songs for Kate Ceberano, Kasey Chambers, Christine Anu and Renee Geyer.

"They were looking for songs and who wants to say no to writing for those voices?'' he said.

The down-to-earth artist pens most of his classics in the kitchen of his Melbourne home before heading out to the garden shed to his studio to record them.

"The kitchen can fit more people -- the shed is pretty small," he laughed. "A lot of stuff gets started in the kitchen before we move into the shed to get it down -- you can only fit two people at a time in there otherwise it gets pretty funky pretty quickly."

Kelly is also preparing to head out on tour again with his side project, Professor Ratbaggy, supporting him.

Playing two sets with two different bands may sound like a juggling act but Kelly said the situation has its advantages.

"I support myself so I get to drink two lots of beers,'' he said.

"I really like playing with Ratbaggy and we haven't done a lot, so it was time for some more shows."