Matt Lunson
Oz guest: Ireland may not be top of the tourism parade these days, but we're still in pole position when it comes to charming the pants off visiting musicians,. Many artists have fetched up here from all corners of the world, and been so enchanted by the craic they've decided to stay. And though we secretly wish some of them would go home, we've largely given our musical immigrants a good, old-fashioned Irish welcome. Tasmanian singer-songwriter Matt Lunson came to Dublin for a weekend trip and immediately packed up his guitar and moved here. Since then, Matt has made a name for himself on the Irish gig circuit, sharing the stage with the likes of The Frames, Bell X1 and Damien Rice. Can't be too long before some lazy hack dubs him the Aussie Josh Ritter. Oops!
Hoff man: Born in raised in Tasmania, Matt showed an interest in music from a very early age, listening to his parents' and sister's records (everyone from Glen Campbell to Black Sabbath), singing into a makeshift microphone, and performing a piece from Oliver! at a local contest. His teacher, Miss Vaughan, "made music fun" for the talented eight-year-old, and he promised her that, if ever he recorded an album, he'd name it after her. When he reached his teens, Matt joined a Tasmanian covers band, then headed for Sydney, where he joined a local rock band, Hasselhoff. Influenced by such Aussie indie luminaries as The Saints and The Birthday Party, Hasselhoff cut a rug on the Sydney rock scene, and you can still find some of their stuff on the odd compilation or live bootleg.
Home work: When Lunson arrived in Ireland, he swopped the punk-flavoured rock for a more mellow, acoustic style, just the kind of thing the denizens of Dublin liked on the musical menu. He played the singer-songwriter nights in the International Bar, bagged support slots with Jack L, Juliet Turner and Kila, got married and had a daughter. Matt recently returned to Tasmania to record his debut album, where he could be inspired by the "unbelievable natural beauty" of his home. With few outside distractions and few musicians to work with, the multitasking Matt ended up recording most of the instruments himself. Completed in Dundalk with the help of Dave Geraghty from Bell X1, the album features such simple, melodic and often poignant tunes as You and the Stars, Too Many Friends, Not Quite Right and Perfect Air. If you listen carefully, you might just hear the single, Softly Spoken Boy, on your local radio. And the album's title? Miss Vaughan, of course.
Road runner: Matt Lunson will be hitting the road supporting Mundy in Clonakilty next Tuesday and Wednesday (the 29th and 30th) and in Cobh next Friday (April 1st). Miss Vaughan's launch gig will be in the Temple Bar Music Centre on Wednesday, April 20th.
