Shaun Kirk

Amidst yet another tour around Australia, we had a chat with high energy, blues and soul singer Shaun Kirk, and we were feeling a bit of deja vu, having talked to him only a few months ago under similar circumstances.
Hey Shaun, thanks for taking the time out to chat with Forte, how are you and what have you been up to?
Thanks for having me again. I’m doing real good, busy gallivanting around the country as per usual.
Last time we talked to you, you’d just released Steer the Wheel and were about to embark on another tour to New Zealand, how did everything go?
Fantastic! The crowds had grown since I was there last time, which is all you can ask for really. The response was amazing and I also got to head to the south island which was new territory for me. Mind blowing scenery!
It seems whenever we talk to you you’re in the middle of a series of shows. Do you get to spend much time with family and friends?
I try my best to catch up with people as much as I can. I think it’s important to try and balance things but admittedly I think I am somewhat addicted to playing gigs and keeping on the move…
We loved that you’re setting out to record the whole film clip for ‘Two Hands on the Wheel’, how has it been going so far?
It’s a fantastic little side project for me! I’m a pretty creative guy, but I think if you put all your creative energy into one single medium (e.g song writing) it is easy to burn out. So it’s great to have something different to focus on and learn about. I’ve caught some great moments so far and I’m hoping to give people a unique insight into the life of a troubadour.
Is it hard at all making time to sit down and record each bit?
Not really, I’m focusing on catching natural moments on the road, rather than sitting down in front of a camera and miming. So most of the shots are as simple as setting up the camera and letting the moments come.
You’ve even done the odd bit of busking here and there, is it good to be getting back to performing on the streets?
Yeah! It’s good to play with no real pressure. To be able to sit and talk to a passer-by between songs and not have to worry about the audience getting impatient. Busking also acts as a bit of a rehearsal for me personally as I don’t get much time elsewhere.
How has the crowd responded to your new album performed live?
Great! It’s a good feeling when you can’t actually tell what the favourite song on the album is because everybody is requesting something different. This seems to be the case with this record.
You’ve done your fair share of touring Australia and now a bit of New Zealand, is there anywhere overseas that you’d love to do a tour of?
I’m really focused on getting to the USA right now. My management who are based in LA are working hard to make it happen. Fingers crossed!
Thanks again for having the chat with us, is there anything you’d like to add before we finish up?
Thanks for your support Forte, as well as all the punters out there who are getting behind my music! It means a lot to me! I hope to catch up with you all at a show very soon 🙂
Release: Steer the Wheel available at all good retailers now
When&Where: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne – November 30