Amidst the middle of her whirlwind debut Australian tour, folk troubadour Irish Mythen takes some time out to chat about her tour and stature of folk music.
HAPPY: So this is your first time playing in Australia, did you have any expectations of what to expect before the tour?
IRISH: I actually played in WA before but this is my first time over this side of the country. My expectations were high but were completely blown away after the first part of the tour.
HAPPY: And then how has it been so far?
IRISH: The people I’ve met, the rural places I’ve seen, the shows and the audiences….It has been truly amazing. It is a tour that will stay with me forever
HAPPY: There was a lot of buzz following your performance at Woodford Folk Festival, what was that experience like?
IRISH: I can not yet put into words The Woodford experience. The right words haven’t come yet. Spiritual? Exotic? Amazing? Wonderment? Music? Love? Once in a lifetime? Where do you start? I will write a blog about it eventually but for now I am still walking around in a daze about it (laughs).
HAPPY: Would you say your Aussie audiences differ at all to Canadian audiences?
IRISH: No not really. The same love of music, the same respect for the musician, the same loyal support for supporting merchandise sales and the like. The same wicked sense of humour. They’ll both take you down a peg or two if yer getting cocky (laughs).
HAPPY: Well you’re also well known for some on point banter. Is that something you’ve always been able to do or is it something you’ve picked up from performing?
IRISH: I have always been able to do that. That’s my parents and brother and sister for you. They are all far quicker than me so it was a great apprenticeship.
HAPPY: And on the flipside to banter there is heckling, have you ever dealt with that?
IRISH: Hecklers to me are people who are looking for attention and need a hug…so I generally point that fact out and they shut up pretty quick.
HAPPY: Folk music in Australia has seen a resurgence in the last few years as it has mixed more with pop elements. What are your thoughts on the evolution of folk music? Speaking of, do you have any favourite Aussie folk artists?
IRISH: Folk music has always come back in to fashion but it never really changes, like the ethos of what folk music is. Music of the people….songs people can relate to, cry through, laugh through, get worked up about or just plain flip out and have a dance to. That vein has always run through folk music since the very beginning. That will never change. Other styles of music will always float in and out of what folk music is but folk always stays the same. I am very proud to be an entertainer in the folk genre
I love The Starbord Cannons. They are on high rotation for me. I am currently working on a version of one of their songs called Horses Stay Behind. Wonderful song. I’ll start putting that into my set in North America for sure. All Aussie roots and folk artists are great and I enjoy listening to a bunch of them.
HAPPY: Nice! Well before we wrap up there’s one more thing for me to ask you. At Happy we like to speak about what makes us giddy, so what makes you happy?
IRISH: In no particular order the following; Life. Love. Music. Food. People. The Ocean. My Dog. My Partner Randell. Star Wars.
