Hamish Downie’s Five Questions With Matt McManamon
Editor Note: Hamish has another in his series of Five Questions With…
Hamish came up with this idea because he was accumulating too much material for his Famous News Sushi column and asked if he could do these mini-interviews. Why would we say no?
Thank you Hamish for being such a trooper for us. We really appreciate all for your hard work.
Let us know what you think of these interviews in the comments below.
TGG: Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
MM: I’m Matt McManamon ex frontman of The Dead 60s, former one time touring guitarist with The Specials, now turned solo artist & purveyor of ‘Scally Folk’
TGG: Could you tell us about your new album?
MM: My new album, which is my debut solo album entitled ‘Scally Folk’ is out now, the album itself is a mixture of power-pop, classic Merseybeat, & Celtic infused soul. The whole album is autobiographical, and offers an open and candid reflection on the definitive moments life has dealt me. Lyrically I always write with an unflinching honesty. It’s fair to say it is a departure from the style of music I have been associated with in the past, but for me that was precisely what I aimed to do. I think it will surprise a lot of people, but I believe it will be a nice surprise.
TGG: We have a lot of indie creators who read the website, so I have to ask, what’s the secret to longevity in the creative industry?
MM: For me, being true to yourself and having the confidence to write and release music is key. Stick to your own path, and don’t be swayed by the latest fad or craze. Write from the heart and be honest, and don’t ever stop trying no matter how hard things may seem. If you want something bad enough you can make it happen. Positivity is incredibly important!
TGG: Who is your biggest influence and Why do you think so much good music comes out of Ireland?
MM: As a proud Liverpool-Irishman, the two places that are close to my heart (Liverpool & Ireland) would have massively influenced me, I think location/places can have a massive effect on creativity & songwriting.
Music is in Ireland’s DNA, we’re a nation of scholars, poet’s, artist’s & musicians. It’s simply in our blood, plus having the knack to tell a good story over several alcoholic libations most definitely helps!
TGG: How can we best support you (where can we buy your albums, follow you on social media etc)?
MM: Buying an actual physical copy of the album massively helps, I know in this digital age we live in streaming is often the easiest & preferred choice for many, but….the fact of the matter is streaming rips off the artist(s) & songwriter(s) , the percentage of revenue created by streaming for the artist is a pittance and quite frankly is an insult. So by buying physical whether it’s a vinyl or a CD, ensures that a
fair percentage of revenue reaches the artist. Also support live music and buy tickets for gigs. Live performance is the life’s blood for many an artist.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MattMcManamonMusic
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mattmcmanamon/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MattMcmanamon
https://mattmcmanamon.bandcamp.com/album/scally-folk
TGG: Thank you so much, I hope everyone goes out and gets this great album!
data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRJOTtAsK8u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
