25TH September 2019

CELEBRATING INDIGOOD WITH ASH GRUNWALD

Diving deeper into his lyrical content, Aussie blues hero, Ash Grunwald’s passion for environmental conservation becomes apparent.

Nine studio albums and five ARIA Award nominations later, Ash Grunwald has become a household name with a positive message to share.

Who is Ash Grunwald?

Acclaimed as one of Australia’s finest storytellers and live performers Ash Grunwald is set to release a new album in 2019, Mojo . A modern classic blues record which features The Teskey Brothers, Joe Bonamassa, Kasey Chambers, Mahalia Barnes, Terry Evans, Eddy ‘The Chief’ Clearwater, Harry James Angus from The Cat Empire and Ian Collard.

The album will coincide with the release of Ash’s first book, Surf By Day, Jam By Night (published by Pantera Press) which is released on August 19th. The book combines Ash’s two passions – music and surfing.

From heavy wipe-outs to heaving crowds, the book gives an insight into the minds of true legends who have mastered the artforms of surfing and music. Through conversations with Kelly Slater, Steph Gilmore, Jack Johnson, Dave Rastovich, Jaleesa Vincent, G. Love, and many more, Ash discusses flow states, jamming versus shredding, style, transcendence, fear, career longevity, growth mindset, mindfulness and what it’s really like to live your dreams.

Surf By Day, Jam By Night is an inspiring book that encourages us all to look inside ourselves and chase the things that truly make us happy.

If a new album and a new book wasn’t enough to keep Ash out of trouble, he also works tirelessly alongside his wife Danni doing his part for the environment on their Clean Up The Coast initiatives, whereby beach clean-ups are organised where Ash is on tour. Conscious of the impact of single use plastics, Ash and his wife created Earth Bottles, a range of re-usable products including drink bottles, coffee cups and straws. Recently, Ash launched his podcast, Soulful Conversations, which sees Ash talk to a range of inspiring and interesting people, including John Butler, Ziggy Alberts, Kim Churchill and Harry James Angus (The Cat Empire).

You’re a busy man at the moment! A new album and book! Tell us a bit about each of them and how they came about/what they’ve been inspired by?

We held back the album release to coincide with the book, the album has been five years in the making and I recorded a lot of it in LA. There are a lot of special guests and lifelong heroes on there from The Teskey Brothers, Terry Evans, Eddy The Chief Clearwater, Mahalia Barnes, Joe Bonamassa and Harry Angus from The Cat Empire. A lot of great blues talent from American and Australia. The book was a labour of love and spent most of last year doing it, it’s called ‘Surf by Day, Jam by Night’. I interview 15 professional surfers who love music or musicians who love surfing. The book documents a lot of my life along with some revelations and change in 2018 for me.

Tell us a bit about your history with music and how it’s become such a big part of your life.

Music has always been a big part of my life, I started playing guitar when I was 10. In my early 20’s I set out to become a professional musician, I’ve travelled the world many times over playing music and it’s just been one hell of an adventure. Although it has taken across the globe performing too many different crowds I feel like I’m at the start of something new in my life as a musician.

What’s your ultimate creative process?

I believe that to really give creativity a chance, you need to create often. Not everything that you do is brilliant. I find that when I’m in good habit - songwriting a lot, practicing a lot and focusing more often it’s when I come up with my best work.

How crucial is it to have a good pair of jeans in your wardrobe or on tour?

Jeans are ubiquitous, everybody has a pair of jeans on tour. Jeans are the essential uniform of rock n roll, country and folk. All parts of my life I’m wearing jeans on and off the stage.

Tell us about the 15trees partnership you’re involved with?

The partnership is a great thing, we’ve made a commitment to plant a tree for every ticket sold - $4.50 goes towards planting a tree. It’s something I’m so proud to be doing as it’s an issue that’s incredibly close to my heart. I don’t think people realise that deforestation is such a big issue in this time of climate change. It’s also something a lot of meat eaters should think about, because when we’re driving through the country looking at these lovely paddocks that used to be covered in trees.

Planting trees is a really good start to regressing a lot of environmental issues, so that’s what we’re doing!

Do you have any other positive action projects you’ve worked on/working with? Any highlights?

I am ambassador for a company Zero Co who are aiming to eliminate single use plastics all around your home - in your laundry, bathroom and your kitchen.

Of course my wife and I have a company called Earth Bottles that is aiming to eliminate single use plastics by water bottles, coffee cups, straws, lunch boxes, toothbrushes and use a little single use plastics as possible. As we know plastic lasts forever it doesn’t breakdown it breaks up. It gets into our fish, into vegetables then we ingest it, it’s choking out world.

I’m involved in trying to stop the Adani project ahead and ruining our Great Barrier Reef, I’ll be playing some shows for stop Adani campaigns.

Why is it important that the textiles industry improve their production processes?

It’s important for the textiles industry to lift their game as it is for every industry. I think we are all becoming more aware because we have to. The number of people on this planet is going up exponentially and the standard of living in some of the bigger countries like China and India among others is going up which is great.

But if they adopt the same practices that we have in the developing world the whole planet will be screwed. We all have to wake up now or we’re done for it in some ways, in every business people have to life their game. What Wrangler are doing with the Indigood range is fantastic!!

Do you think people are becoming more aware of what goes into making their clothing? What should we be doing to improve the situation?

I think consumers are becoming more aware across the board of what goes into every aspect not just clothing but the things they do purchase.

It’s becoming a value add that they are not wrecking the environment because they are very concerned about the environment, they know that the way the practices have been can’t go on. I think it’s a great thing and it’s a good sales point for a lot of business that they are doing their best to be as sustainable as possible.

Favourite Indigood item?

I love the Indigood gear - it’s been a while since I’ve had a RAD denim jacket and I’m really enjoining rocking it!!

Something new you discovered recently?

Speaking of denim and denim jackets - I’ve never considered myself to be a country music guy but I’m just loving the voice of Chris Stapleton recently.

His got two songs I love, one’s a happy love song and one’s a sad love song. One’s called Tennessee Whiskey and other one’s called Whiskey and You

What are you currently listening to/reading?

I’m currently reading “Becoming Super Natural” by Joe Dispenza and a handful of music song writing books.I’ve just read two books by Rupert Sheldrake about the science of spiritually and listening a lot to The Black Keys new album.

Check out some of Ash’s latest tunes below:

‘Aint My Problem’ (Featuring The Teskey Brothers)

‘Whispering Voice’ (Featuring Kasey Chambers)

Find out more about Ash and tickets to his upcoming shows here