Hot on the heels of his first single ‘Goodbye Hobart’, Newcastle singer-songwriter James Reynold releases his solo EP this week.
“‘Goodbye Hobart’ is the name of the EP as well as the single,” James says. “It seemed to be the most fitting title considering it was written in Tasmania. Ultimately, the songs are re-articulations of themes around being lost.”
The EP is the result of “a foolish, childish decision to drive around with $800 in my bank account for a month in Tasmania, living off nothing. Festering.
“The whole trip was to get as far away from Newcastle and as far away from everything as possible – to completely isolate myself. I didn’t have a goal of trying to heal or grow.
“I was trying to forge this weird thing in my head where I go away and detach. Come back and be this barren dude who hangs out and has nothing going on. I was idolising that idea.”
James emphasises this wasn’t a glamorous, soul-searching journey. “It was a weird and somewhat masochistic time.
“I definitely don't want to sentimentalise anything. I don't want to sound like another sad, white dude who plays acoustic guitar and sings. There's a certain vernacular that's associated with this style of music that I really don't like.”
Fortunately, he’s feeling much more chipper these days. “I'm not in that headspace anymore. I went back to Tasmania in December when the EP was finished to shoot a music video. We shot the whole thing and it didn't get used because I don't want to attach too much personality to too negative a headspace.
“I don't look back fondly on it. Nonetheless, it’s deserving of being voiced and being performed. There is an element of catharsis.”
James is a reluctant troubadour – a singer-songwriter who shuns genre tropes, including the ‘solo’ part of the job description. “I'm trying to involve as many people as I can in whatever music I'm doing, whether that’s arranging instruments, helping with the writing, bringing in friends. I’m trying to reach out to people.
“At the moment I'm playing in a sort of punk band I've been involved with for three or four years. I love this band! I'm still absolutely committed to them and always have been.”
He has no plans to venture too far from Newcastle in the near future. “I don't think about Europe or America at the moment. There are a lot of things I want to do in Australia and plenty of good people making it happen. There are successful singer-songwriters in Newcastle I look up to.
“One thing about Australia, it is harder. There are a lot of new songwriters but not a big new songwriter market.
“Too many people give up after a year, and move to Melbourne or London. They say 'that's it, I can't make it happen here' and leave without really trying. The market is saturated, but it's a bit careless to say 'well I've had a couple of releases and they're not getting a good response'.
“It's about building your own community and making it happen. You've got to be in it for the long haul.
“That said, none of the people who've 'made it' started out to make money or please people. They did it for themselves. Releasing [the EP] is a nice feeling but I write music for myself. The whole thing could be totally bogus as long as it makes sense to me.”
