Steve Gunn Plays Two Songs and Talks Touring, Philly Record Stores & His Roots In Skate Punk
July 14th 2017
Ted Dwyer
Despite ten years of consistent touring, Steve Gunn has never visited Australian shores until now.
He jumped behind the mic with Alex Pye on Mornings to talk about life on the road, his new record ‘Eyes On The Lines’, and his early experiences in music, before performing two live songs in the studio.
From his teenage days in the New York skate punk scene, to playing in Kurt Vile’s band The Violators, Steve Gunn’s experience in music is long, diverse and prolific. He’s toured almost endlessly, including opening for Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo in Washington D.C. on Trump’s Inauguration Day, and yet he’s still managed to release fourteen records in just ten years. Some are collaborative, with artists like Hiss Golden Messenger and Kurt Vile, others solo.
Alex quizzed Steve on the new album’s subject matter, the film clip he made with British folk music legend Michael Chapman and his love of being on tour. They also delved into his roots in punk and hardcore, and his teenage touring years, which he described as a “really important experience for me, because it put the bug in my brain as far as how music can work and where it can take you”.
Listen above, as he chats about the importance of the quality radio programming and record stores in his hometown of Philadelphia, plus a special live performance of ‘Ancient Jules’ and ‘Milly’s Garden’.