Band man: Shaun Kirk plays songs from his new blues album at Torquay and Geelong next week.
ERIN PEARSON
FROM gangster rap to chart-topping blues, Shaun Kirk’s transition has been far from typical.
The 23-year-old Melbourne musician said a chance encounter nine years ago changed his life path from destruction to dreamer.
He’s now touring the country with new album Thank You for Giving Me the Blues.
“I was into all that stuff, right into gangster rap when I was 13, 14, 15 and hanging around with the wrong crowd,” he said.
“When I was about 16 I discovered the guitar. Mum put one on my bed randomly and a year later I broke my ankle really badly, so I had to find something to do with my time.
“After that I went to a few Melbourne open-mic nights and did my thing, which turned into little paid gigs and the rest is history.”
Kirk said he could still fondly recall the trials and tribulations of being a budding young musician.
From $30 gigs to three-hour unpaid shows, Melbourne’s music scene provided a tough learning curve.
Kirk said incorporating six different foot instruments into his performance gave him credibility.
But he assured fans he was much more than a “one-man band”.
“I play stomp box, tambourine, high hat, cymbal, kick and snare drum with my feet while playing the harmonica, guitar and singing, which makes me sound far better.
“It’s funny, though, when people come up to me at the end of a show and tell me they like my footwork.
“That’s usually something reserved for sportsmen.”
Shaun Kirk plays Torquay Hotel on Sunday and Geelong’s National Hotel next Thursday.
