How would you describe your music?
When I started I was very much influenced by traditional blues music.
When I started there was a great blues scene in Melbourne, near where I lived and so that’s how I grew as a musician early on.
The longer my career has gone on I’ve begun to incorporate more electronic influences, it keep things interesting.
What’s with the dub-step influences on your new album?
I like big, evil sounding drops and while I don’t necessarily appreciate or understand the overly poppy aspect of a lot of his music, Skrillex really delivers those massive drops. It’s something that I just like, I guess.
Excited for Festival of the Voice?
Absolutely. It’s in a wonderful location [The Rocks, Sydney Harbour] and there are some fantastically diverse and talented artists on the lineup.
Plus it’s on Australia Day! I’m really looking forward to seeing Gurrumul in particular.
Festival or pub/club gig?
Because I tour so much I play a lot of pub gigs and they’re definitely fun, but you can’t beat the rush of headlining a festival and playing to a big crowd.
Did you finish the song you were writing for that Arnie movie?
I was really bummed out because I wrote something, the producers seemed to like it, but in the end they went with someone else.
Catch Ash Grunwald at Sydney’s Festival of the Voice (the rocks.com.au) on January 26 (Australia Day)
