Interview with singer-songwriter Ruth Mundy

                  Resistance is built of love, and where these dangerous times will take us depends on those who are carrying the light into the dark. Ruth Mundy takes up the call of her political-musical forebears, Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg, Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez, to speak truth to power. The title of her debut album, Don't Be A Monster, says it all. Be decent, be good, be brave. "It’s other people’s response to my songs which can save me," says Ruth, "it reassures me that I’m doing something worthwhile, and also reminds me that other people are struggling with the same stuff and that we are all looking out for each other." Songwriters like Ruth Mundy are needed now more than ever. Every added perspective of compassion and resistance to the tapestry of our world is but the price of our humanity. Will we pay it forward, will we stay human, will we refuse to be monsters? It might be uncertain, but Mundy's songs wager that it's worth the risk to find out what we're made of; heart and spirit, or darkness and cruelty. 


AHC: What has this journey in music, so far, been like for you, the highs and the lows, and what life lessons do you feel you've picked up along the way?
 
Ruth: I love being a musician, and sometimes I can’t believe my luck that this is how I make my living. It can definitely be hard, and sometimes when I have a bad gig, or don’t get paid much, I get all over dramatic and think I’ll have to give it up. But then I’ll have a lovely gig with a brilliant audience, or someone will get in touch to say they’ve bought my EP and they like it, and then I remember that, actually, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing.
 
My musical journey so far has been one long learning curve, and I’m guessing it’s going to go on that way. I used to think if only I could write good enough music, that was all that mattered. And luckily I think my music is constantly evolving and improving. But I’m also realising that there’s a lot more to it than the quality of the songs I write. I’m not trying to get rich from my music (which is fortunate!) but I do need to earn enough for it to be sustainable. For that to happen I need to be confident that my music has value, and is worth performing and recording and promoting. I need to keep developing my skills in all those areas. And even then, whilst I hope it gets easier, I suspect it’s always going to be tough.
 
AHC: What first drew you to music and what was your early musical environment like growing up? Were there pivotal songs for you then that just floored you the moment you heard them?
 
Ruth: My dad always had country music playing in his study while I was growing up, he loves a song with a story and I definitely absorbed that early on. And then I’m grateful to my brother for introducing me to the music of people like Sinead O’Connor, The Cranberries, Levellers, Skunk Anansie… political music. My mum listens to a lot of power ballads (nothing wrong with that, Ma!) and I think the influence of all three of these things is pretty clear in my music: I write story songs about love and loss, politics and protest.
 
AHC: Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote or played? Or that first moment when you picked up a pen and realized that you could create whole worlds just by putting it to paper?
 
Ruth: I’ve always written songs, the first one I can remember was called ‘Midnight Feast’ and I wrote it when I was 6 (the first line goes “Midnight feast, but I haven’t any food”. So I guess you could say I was a child genius, right? Right…?). At 15 I got a guitar, which probably sounded better than my old Fisher Price keyboard. Probably.
 
I never particularly felt like I could create worlds with my music. I’m quite literal - I wrote detailed and specific songs about the world around me. And it took me a long time to write anything that I thought was any good, or that I thought anyone else might ever want to hear.
 
AHC: Which musicians have you learned the most from? Or writers, artists, filmmakers, teachers/mentors etc?
 
Ruth: I feel like I must’ve learned at least a little something from every musician I’ve ever met or listened to, so it’s hard to pick the ones who have been the most significant! I can say, “I wish I wrote songs like Leonard Cohen” or, “Josh Ritter is the most engaging performer I’ve ever seen live” or, “Devon Sproule is my favourite guitarist” but I guess that’s the answer to a different question. I’m grateful to all the amazing local musicians who look out for me here in Wellington where I currently live. They’ve helped me get gigs, given me support and advice, and just generally been lovely while I settle into a new country and a new music scene.
 
AHC: What do you think makes for a good song, as you're writing and composing, is there a sudden moment when you know you've found the right mix, that perfect angle of light, so to speak?
 
Ruth: I’m slowly learning to trust my own song writing, but I still find it very hard to know whether or not I’ve written a good song. I always swing between thinking it could be my best song yet, and thinking it’s actually the worst song anyone has ever written! It’s all about the lyrics for me, and I always make sure every word is heard - I feel like I lay everything out in every song. So if I can sing it to someone else without cringing at my own words, that’s usually a sign that it’s alright. When I’m working on a new song - especially if it is political - I hope to tell a story which is engaging and which gets people on side. If it does that, I feel like it’s a good song.
 
AHC: Do you consider music to be a type of healing art, an imperfect vehicle through which to translate, as close as possible, a feeling, a state of rupture/rapture, hope lost and regained? Does the writing and creating of the song save you in the kinds of ways that it saves us, the listener?
 
Ruth: I find writing songs, and performing them, makes me feel very vulnerable, and often deeply sad. It would probably be better if that process was a good outlet for me, if it was cathartic and somehow healing in itself. But if I’m honest, it’s other people’s response to my songs which can save me, or be healing for me. I guess all musicians love applause and hearing that their songs have touched someone or helped someone in some way, and that is definitely true of me. Feeling heard and supported and appreciated is crucial. It reassures me that I’m doing something worthwhile, and also reminds me that other people are struggling with the same stuff and that we are all looking out for each other.
 
AHC: What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town? On-tour, on-the-road?
 
Ruth: A couple of years ago I did a little tour on the South Island of New Zealand, which has become my favourite musical memory. The tour manager and the other artist (Abby Wolfe) have become such good friends of mine. I remember driving through spectacular scenery, drinking coffees, busking in the sunshine for extra money, going to tiny towns which are all about fishing and hunting but where our hosts would still make us beautiful vegan food. Stopping by lakes and mountains for lunch, laying out homemade bread and chutney on the car bonnet and making sandwiches. I’ve pretty much forgotten about getting sick in a shared hostel room, pool cues being thrown at the stage, people miming out various ways of killing themselves during my set, and us leaving all of the tour money on top of the car and driving off. A couple more years and I won’t remember those parts at all! Good times.
 
AHC: When you set out to write a song, how much does 'where the world is' in its current moment, culturally, politically, otherwise, influence the kinds of stories you set out to tell?
 
Ruth: It’s everything, really. Sometimes I still write straight up love songs, or songs about friendship, grief… pirates… but mostly I write protest songs. I can only write about what I care about, and increasingly I find that the things breaking my heart and mind are political more than they are personal. Sometimes when I’m feeling like a pretty big deal I think I’m writing songs to raise awareness of certain issues, but, realistically, I’m just writing them to stand in solidarity with the people trying to make the world better. Plus because my brain is full of these things, when I sit down with my guitar it’s just what comes out.
 
AHC: Do you have any words of advice or encouragement for other musicians and singer-songwriters out there who are just starting out and trying to find their voice and their way in this world? What are the kinds of things that you tell yourself when you begin to have doubts or are struggling with the creative process? Or what kinds of things have others told you that have helped push you past moments of self doubt/creative blocks?
 
Ruth: Well, I’m trying to get better at taking people’s compliments at least as seriously as I take people’s criticism. One mean comment about my guitar playing, my voice, or - worst of all - my lyrics, will stick with me for months on end. Whereas I forget the compliments just so quickly. So I guess if anyone wants my advice, it’d be to soak up those good moments, believe the compliments, listen to the people who you respect rather than the ones who want to give your their unsolicited criticism of everything you’re doing, and just generally look after yourself!
 
AHC: You just released your EP Don't Be A Monster last month, could you talk some about this record, how long did it take to write and put together, what are the binding themes of this work are for you personally? Do you have any new projects moving forward or ideas that are percolating for the future?
 
Ruth: I recorded my EP on my own in my living room. It felt like it took forever but actually it was just a few weeks. And I think all the crises of confidence were the most time consuming thing! I had already written all the songs long before I started recording, they are tried and tested, but when I felt like they were being set in stone I panicked a bit. Like, this song will now always be this recording, it can’t develop or change anymore. That scared me. But actually I’m kind of proud of the end result. It’s a little collection of songs which all in some way reflect the theme and the title of the EP: Don’t Be A Monster. I think most of us are good people, even if life screws some people over. A lot. If we can act on our kind impulses not our fearful ones, be considerate rather than divisive, we can avoid contributing to other people's suffering. We can not be monsters, basically. I’m working on recording a new album called Love and Protest, which is just a fairly accurate description of itself. Or it’s a call to action if you want to read it like that (do)! ​


For more visit www.ruthmundymusic.com
Don't Be A Monster available now via ruthmundymusic.bandcamp.com