Jonny Amoral, whose latest release “Pizza Mind” is a punk, grunge rebellion, sat down with Happy to talk music, gigs and lyrics
Amoral, known for his daring live shows and unforgettable stage presence, has been rocking out hard since the ripe age of thirteen.
Relaxing after the release of ”Pizza Mind’ before he gears up for the drop of ‘Dirt Nap (Love’s Got A Shovel)’, Amoral reflects on his unique musical process, from quick songwriting to home studio recordings.
Having grown up on the remote land of Kangaroo Island, Amoral has had plenty of time to perfect his craft, and it’s culminated into an extreme, complex and gritty sound, full of searing guitars and heavy beats.
To get a taste of what goes on in Amoral’s mind, chuck on ‘Pizza Mind’ and have a read of his interview below.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
AMORAL: Planting cactuses or cacti, whichever one it is!! So a relaxing day. Musically, I’m currently writing new music, with the intention of dropping a full album in the new year!!
HAPPY: Tell us a little about where you’re from. What do you love about it?
AMORAL: I grew up on Kangaroo Island, an extremely isolated little island off the coast of South Australia. It was like growing up in paradise, I LOVED it!!!
The beaches are amazing over there & you usually get the whole beach to yourself!
HAPPY: Your sound is an epic blend of punk and grunge. How did your journey into music start?
AMORAL: My family don’t play instruments but they love music; I always had music blasting at any chance growing up, also going to concerts.
My family loves live music so that was passed down to me. When I told my parents I wanna play guitar, they got right behind me & I was on my way!
I began jamming with my friends when & wherever we could find the space.
Music room every lunch, my shed or my mates shearing shed on weekends.
Playing bad Nirvana & Silverchair covers…Not much has changed!!!!
HAPPY: Who have been your biggest influences?
AMORAL: Mainly 90’s grunge growing up, the whole Seattle grunge movement had a HUGE influence on me.
The music, the messages within the music, the aesthetic, it all just resonated with me.
I loved the way those bands wrote lyrics, very poetic & very powerful!!
Incubus are another band that I’ve never stopped listening to, they take you on a journey with their albums.
Lately I’ve been loving Bilmuri, his quirky songs are so catchy!!!!
HAPPY: What was the production process like for your latest single ‘Pizza Mind’?
AMORAL: I record everything in my own little home studio, it’s nothing special but gets the job done for my creative outlet.
Then I hit up one of my best mates Liam Hanley to polish it up & master it.
HAPPY: You’re known for your high-energy shows and incredible stage presence. What is it about performing live that you love, and when did you know that it was something you wanted to do?
AMORAL: As long as I can remember to be honest. I went to a Pearl Jam concert then an Offspring concert within a couple months when I was about 10 & they changed my life.
From then onwards, forget about it!!! All I wanted to do was music!!!
I’ve been playing gigs since I was about 13, blue light discos & local footy clubs. Sometimes the occasional country pub!!
My first band was actually called “Amoral”, so that’s where I got the name from. Amoral isn’t my real last name, FYI.
HAPPY: Your upcoming single is called ‘Dirt Nap (Love’s Got A Shovel)’. Can you take us through that title and let us in on the meaning?
AMORAL: The title is perhaps a little over the top!! I guess the title means “You’re sleeping in the backyard tonight”!
It’s an old tale that everyone has seen or can relate to. A person getting treated like dirt by their partner but they don’t really care. They know about it but continue to let it slide.
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HAPPY: What was the inspiration behind ‘Dirt Nap’?
AMORAL: I guess seeing the previous scenario play out with friends. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, ‘Dirt Nap’ is a love song. Some people actually like this dynamic in their relationship. As long as it’s not too extreme!!
HAPPY: You have gritty and hard-hitting lyrics in all your songs. What’s your songwriting process like?
AMORAL: I try not to take too long writing lyrics, I treat them more as journal entries. If they’re a little messed up & confused, that’s ok, that’s how I was feeling that day or time I was writing the song.
There’s nothing wrong with that!! I used to spend an eternity writing lyrics & they didn’t necessarily turn out any better!!
HAPPY: Looking ahead, what’s coming up? Do you have shows planned for the ‘Dirt Nap’ release?
AMORAL: We have a Launch show at Low Life Basement Bar in Adelaide on December 6th. Got a bunch of mates in February Clouds, Throwaway & Late Night Lies playing the show. Gonna be a fun night!!!!
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
AMORAL: Hungry Jacks, the beach & my cat!!!
