Q & A with Joe Mungovan

Australian singer/songwriter Joe Mungovan has released a new filmclip for his track, 'Again', the 3rd single from his recent EP 'Way Down South'. Having already played sold out shows across the country this year, Mungovan will be bringing his indie/folk tunes back across the country in September, October & November for his 'What Am I Doing To Myself Again?' Tour, with Joe appearing at Black Box Theatre in Nambour on September 30.

We caught up with Joe quickly with a few questions...

Hi Joe, so… what exactly are you doing to yourself again? (Couldn’t resist that one - ‘Again’ is a beautiful song, mate)

I’m touring around Australia in my van (his name is Rodger) playing shows, drinking too much red wine and hanging out with my pals.

You’re at the first part of an extensive 18-date national tour, and there’s quite a few dates that are very close together… so what’s your down time ritual during the tour?

I love to read books, cook and garden.  My mum and I built a veggie patch together which is rad.  I try to do as much writing and recording as possible.  I also try to get out to my pals gigs because there are a bunch of really talented dudes and chicks that I am lucky enough to call friends.

Your first single, ‘My Jumper’ got the attention of the J’s, but it is the associated clip that really interests me… the cardigan appearing on different characters in the clip and their own journeys.  So how does this relate to the lyrical content of the song (you’ll have to excuse me, I’m lyrically-impaired… I even get the lyrics in my own band’s songs wrong)?

I like to think that songs/film clips can relate to each individual differently depending on their own experiences of life.  I guess the idea we were trying to get at with the jumper was that it is a visual representation of love.  In some cases it works out and in others it doesn’t.

You did one of the ‘Tram Sessions’ in Melbourne. What was that like?

I did tram sessions a couple of months ago and it was rad.  I got a few friends together and we jumped on the tram and I played a few songs.  It was a very different experience to most shows because I usually play shows on stationary stages.  Luckily I was sitting down to play or I definitely would have fallen over – I’m quite clumsy haha.

Before you were strumming, you were drumming (until a nasty skateboard spill in your early teens forced you into a wheelchair for four months).  Did you do the drum tracks on your recordings at all?

Yeah I play all the instruments on my first two EP’s.  I still love drumming and playing around with different rhythms.  It definitely plays a massive part in my songwriting and my guitar playing as well.

Ok, namedrop time… you played pre-show for Neil Young, Gotye, Paul Simon and Sting.  Most of us already know that Wally (Gotye) is a relatively quiet and damn well nice bloke, but did you meet the other three, and if so, which one was the most interesting?  If not, which one would you have wanted to have a sit down with?

I did not get to meet any of the bands because the pre-shows were just in the foyer of the Entertainment Centre.  I think I’d have to go with Paul Simon though.  I’ve always been so intrigued by his style of songwriting.

Thanks for your time, Joe. Have a fantastic tour, and we’ll be seeing you at the Black Box Theatre in Nambour, on September 30.

Catch Joe Mungovan on his "What Am I Doing To Myself Again?" Tour, when he comes through to the Coast and plays Black Box Theatre in Nambour on September 30.

'Way Down South' EP is available for download through iTunes now.