A Quick Chat with Joe Mungovan
Congratulations on the release! For anyone hearing about Preparing For Lift Off for the first time, how would you describe the EP?
Thank you! It's definitely the most upbeat, energetic music I've ever written. It's fun, thought-provoking and a little bit cheeky. Lyrically, it's really about trying to find where you belong and holding onto the people and moments that make life feel meaningful.
The title Preparing For Lift Off is pretty evocative. What does it mean to you, and why did it feel like the right name for this collection of songs?
It really embodied where I was at while I was writing these songs. I wanted to leave behind a lot of frustration and feelings of alienation, in the hope of finding somewhere I could genuinely connect with the things that mattered most to me. Sometimes you need to gain a bit of perspective before you can move forward, and that's what Preparing For Lift Off represents.
The songs explore love, belonging, nostalgia and searching for where you fit. Was there a particular moment or experience that tied everything together?
There's a lyric in one of the songs that sums the whole EP up pretty well:
"Drop me off in outer space, and I'll escape the human race."
I think we've all had moments where the world feels a bit overwhelming and wished we could hit pause for a while. It's about wanting enough distance to work out what actually matters.
Sonically, the EP sits somewhere between indie rock and modern indie pop. Which artists or records influenced the sound while you were making it?
I found myself looking back at all the indie rock I grew up listening to in the early 2010s and trying to blend that with some of the newer artists I'm really inspired by. Think Phoenix and The Strokes meets Balu Brigada and The Jungle Giants.
You collaborated with Ben Stewart, Robby De Sa, Thomas Porter, Aodhan and Izaac Wilson across the project. What did each of those collaborations bring to the EP?
A bunch of seriously talented friends who all brought their own flavour and perspective to these songs and the sonic world they live in. I'm so grateful to work with such incredible people.
Your music often balances upbeat, energetic production with reflective lyrics. Is that contrast something you consciously aim for?
Absolutely. It's a balance I'm always chasing. I want people to have the best night at the show, but I also want them to leave with something to think about. I want the music to feel like those drunken conversations about life that somehow happen at three in the morning at a house party with the people you love most.
The artwork was created by Thom Roberts. How did that collaboration come about, and what do you think his artwork adds to the world of the EP?
I was staying in a hotel after a show and decided to head downstairs for a late-night swim and sauna. The lift doors opened and a group of people jumped in who were also heading to the pool. One friendly bloke said hello, we got chatting, and it turned out to be Thom Roberts. He and the Studio A team were in town celebrating his exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
We ended up talking in the sauna, and I went to see the exhibition the next day. I was completely blown away by his work.
About a year later I'd finished Preparing For Lift Off, and there was only one person I wanted to help create the visual world around it. I was absolutely stoked when Thom said yes.
You've just sold out your hometown EP launch. How does it feel to finally share these songs live after living with them for so long?
I honestly can't wait. These songs have been part of my life for such a long time, so finally getting to play them live feels really special. Starting with an intimate hometown show before taking the full band out on the road feels like the perfect way to launch the EP. Kiama has shaped me so much, both as a person and as a songwriter, so sharing this moment there means a lot.