Ash avoiding the cheesy stuff
Ash avoiding the cheesy stuff
May 28, 2009
Section: Afterhours
BRENDAN CRABB bcrabb@laketimes.com.au
ASH Grunwald said one of the keys to successful songwriting was to stop questioning yourself.
“Thinking slows you down and stops you making good music sometimes,” he said. “You’ve got to be self-conscious enough not to do cheesy stuff but also not be too self-conscious that you can’t let yourself go.
“A lot of my lyrics come from my subconscious. I’ve written about 40-50 originals now and I’m starting to be myself and trust my instincts more.”
Grunwald is clearly adept at not over-thinking things too much; his groove-based, bluesy/roots rock having won him scores of loyal fans across the country.
The Melbourne based singer/songwriter is a self-confessed road warrior, spending lengthy periods in tour both here and overseas. The release of his new single Fish Out Of Water, the title track from his latest album has given him another excuse to hit the road again.
“You have to love it (touring) if you’re a musician, otherwise it won’t work out,” he enthused. “Sometimes when I’m overseas it does start to feel a bit like work. I love the people and it’s still fun, but when I’m in Australia I just have a ball on the road.”
He also said one of the advantages of being a solo artist was the sense of freedom that it gave him when playing live.
“Eighty percent of what you play night in, night out ends up being similar, but the good thing is that you can do whatever you feel like and go in any direction.”
Grunwald also encouraged fans to follow him around on tour through his online blog, which can be found online at the www.ashgrunwald.com website. The blog includes photographs, stories and anecdotes from his tours.
“I’m really fascinated by the way life is changing as a result of the Internet and increased communication,” he said. “I love being able to showcase the amazing diversity of things that you experience on the road.”
Ash Grunwald
Wollongong UniBar
Thursday, May 28
