109: Ian Munsick

Singer-songwriter Ian Munsick joins me for Episode 109. I talk with the Wyoming native Munsick about his rich blend of Western & Frontier grit and clever & charming pop sense, splitting time between Wyoming & Nashville, navigating the co-writing world of country music, how he collects his songwriting ideas, coming from a family of musicians & songwriters, and what he has on the horizon and his forthcoming full-length album, Coyote Cry.

This episode's presenting partner is Desert Door Texas Sotol and The Blue Light Live.

Interview Transcript

Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.

Thomas Mooney 0:02

Hey all welcome to new slang. I'm music journalist Thomas Mooney. This is Episode 109. And we kick off the week being joined by singer songwriter Ian Munsick. In grew up way out west on a ranch in Wyoming. And even now he tries to split his time between Wyoming and Nashville. And I think that rural upbringing really had an impact on his songwriting, and both subject and narrative and in how he approaches songwriting. There's a gentle and compose pace to his storytelling style and vocal delivery. And what I've liked so much about Ian's music is how his perspective often comes just left to center. And he's typically pretty comfortable and bold coming from that place. It's neither forced or shoehorned mood either. His songs have these strong infectious hooks that never quite leave you. And the rich Sonic palette is typically informed by those giant western sky hues, and bold, earthly textures throughout he blends those really strong attributes to create something new and fresh all together. During this one we talked about being raised in Wyoming and coming from a musically rich family, the songwriting and feel of some of his early songs, what he has planned for his forthcoming record, coyote cry, and navigating the CO writing world of Nashville and country music. Today's presenting sponsor is desert door Texas Soto. If you know anything about me, it's probably that I'm from the heart of West Texas and absolutely love everything about West Texas. And that's really why I love desert door so much. You may be asking yourself what exactly Soto is. Well, it's a premium spirit that similar to a tequila or a Moscow, but for my money, it's a little bit more refined and smooth. There's a sweetness and faint hints of vanilla and citrus and it's also as versatile as your garden variety vodka. At its core desert door is authentically West Texas, they go out and harvest Soto plants from the wild and bring them back to their distillery over in driftwood, Texas. So next time you're at your local liquor store, get a bottle of desert door. For more info, check this episode's show notes. If this is your first time listening to new slang, I strongly suggest hitting that subscribe link. If you just did, I'm giving you a virtual High Five right now. New slang is over on iTunes, Spotify, Google podcast, Stitcher, radio, and basically any and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Go check out the new slang merch store. Grab a koozie some stickers, buttons and magnets. Any bit helps, I'll throw a link into the show notes. And if you're into playlist, go check out Tom mooneyes cup of coffee and the neon Eon playlist over on Spotify. The neon Neon is for all your nostalgic 90s country needs, which there's going to be more neon Eon related stuff coming your way pretty soon. And then Tom loonies cup of coffee is a regularly updated mix of new Americana and country music. It's also a really great hint as to who I have coming up on the podcast. So yeah, go follow those. Alright, I think that just about does it for this little intro here is Ian mansik. Yeah, man, uh, it's been really like I've been really wanting to get you on on here. And I guess I was like, when I first heard you, I heard the first EP you did and that's long courses are faster was just kind of just an intoxicating kind of song. Like it just felt like you had to put it back on it so what I find so interesting about that song is there is all this pop sensibility to it. But then like it's also you're not afraid of like swaying at all. Like, Tony I just part of like growing up in in the West.

Ian Munsick 4:01

Yeah, man. I mean man, I always like to get to put a stamp of of the west on all my music man just because I feel like it's the most under represented area of Country Music Man and, and there are so many country people out there. In fact, that's almost all there is man. There's no real urban areas. I mean, there's a handful but nowhere near the East man or anywhere else really in, in a country man. So I always like to stamp it robe because I'm man, that's just where I'm from. And I'm trying to reach more people and expose it because deserves more representation and country music I think.

Thomas Mooney 5:11

Yeah, like, that's what I, what I hear from your music is that, like you do have like, it's like you're unafraid to try anything out. Like it's both like the twain Enos people like always kind of veer away from being 20 but like, that's what country music sounds like, you know. And then at the same time though, you're you have so much of the, the pop sensibilities like you just have really great. Like, I don't know, like even like, for example, like you know, on this new record you have coming out, you put out the Fleetwood Mac cover dreams. Yeah, I love that is like is as good of a, a pop song ever. Right? And you you mix and blend those, those two kind of worlds together so well.

Ian Munsick 6:00

Oh, man, thank you. Yeah, man. I mean, I'm probably the like you in that I grew up listening to like, everything, man. But the thing that I always come back to is country music, whether that be bluegrass music, or Western swing music or Honky Tonk classics, or, you know, I mean, it's just country dude. And so growing up in, in a world where Spotify and iTunes and MTV is on all the time do we just get all this music from all over the place, man. And I also have two older brothers, so I was always stealing their albums and just inheriting all of their music, man. So I think that kind of the pop Enos comes from pop music, but I'm able to blend it because I grew up on a frickin ranch. Man, I grew up in the middle of nowhere, Wyoming, where the country music is as pure and true as it can get, man. So, um, yeah, man, just the collision of those two, two worlds is something that I always strive for in my music.

Thomas Mooney 7:19

Right, you and obviously, you come from a family of music, the mansik boys. The family band, like that's obviously something you're born into, like, what was it like growing up with, with family that just had music all around and instruments and, and songwriting and what was

Ian Munsick 7:41

that? Man I, it was a, it was crazy, man, I cannot help but think that I'm just so lucky and blessed to have grown up in that manner at a young age because not only did it help my music, but it also creates another layer of relationship with your family man. And that did it just really just the best of both worlds for me. And Manny was cool. I just remember. My dad is a fiddle player. And he used to play for us all the time. And so that's why I just have to have fiddle in like almost all of my tracks dude, because it always takes me back to Wyoming and it takes me back to where I'm most inspired to create. So, um, man, I just, I was so blessed to grow up with two older brothers who I could always be like, Oh, man, I want to be as good as you I want to be as good as you any and you always kind of have the competition to strive to make each other better but then to also just have it be but not a competition and just do your own thing because it's what's your brother and your dad so they all love you anyway, you know? So man, I was just really lucky dude really lucky to have grown up where and when I did,

Thomas Mooney 9:17

right? You know, I always think about how people who grow up around who have parents who are into the arts in in any kind of art setting. It makes it it breeds a ground or an atmosphere for their kids to not be scared of you know, getting their emotions out. And like so much of what music or art in general is is getting your emotions expression. And did you feel like that was like just say, you know, it was just so much It wasn't easy to express yourself growing up in in ways that that like most people Maybe don't necessarily go that route they, you know, it's worse or something or

Ian Munsick 10:07

totally dude. Let me Yeah, man. Um it's kind of weird. And this is kind of the first time that I'm really thinking about this, but um, you know, just kind of like an open conver sation, I'm not the most, um, you know, like I don't always have, wear my heart on my sleeve. Because I think that that is kind of the cowboy, Western, and keep your head down and get the, get the fucking work done. And don't complain about it. But then I also had the release of being able to write music, and then there's something weird, where if you have a melody, and you speak, it's all good. It doesn't really matter what you say, people aren't gonna judge you on what you say that they're gonna judge. Just kind of I don't really even know how to explain it, but they're gonna receive it. In a way, that's not just words, you know, they experience those words. So that was always I'm always just kind of having that at a young age enabled me to, to just observe the world and then go write about it. Mm hmm.

Thomas Mooney 11:40

Yeah, I think like, sometimes it's so hard to, especially when you're young, it can be so hard to find those words, find the whatever you're feeling find those words to express your parents, you know what I mean? Like, you still have like, the, the the experience for starters, but you don't have like, the, the vocabulary to like, tell the how you feel. And it feels like when you have like that artistic expression you can or that artistic gift or whatever the case is, that that setting, you can put all that emotion and energy into that. And then maybe like, your parents can see that and go, Okay, I get what you're saying I can understand your, what you're trying to sell. Obviously, you it one of the things too you do is like you have so many, you're a multi instrumentalist, right you can you play mandolin, and Banjo and stuff like that helped. Maybe like expand your songwriting palette, like comment songs, where you're not necessarily just playing on a guitar, like maybe you're, you're thinking about how it comes out with a banjo? Because, like, obviously, you you play all these other instruments, as

Ian Munsick 12:55

well. Yeah, man. Um, I definitely think that in terms of writing, man, I'm always kind of the music will always inspire lyrics. For me, um, and then obviously, they'll be conversations and stuff that I have, but man just to be able to pick up anything that doesn't sound like a guitar just over and over again, you know, because that's what everyone's used to, it just will take it to a different place, man, you know, so even if you play the same notes on a banjo as you did a guitar, one might take you to Los Angeles, and the other one might take you to North Carolina, like, even though it's the same thing, it's it's just a different texture in the brain. And it just takes you to a different place, man. So I always think that, uh, that being able to just mix up my songwriting process, both musically and just where I'm at is always inspires new ideas.

Thomas Mooney 14:11

Is that something that you try to intentionally do or is it sometimes more like, Oh, I started this song on the guitar, and I've hit this roadblock. Let me try and switch it up and try it out here and something else? Or do you more or less trying? constantly? I guess maybe challenge yourself to like, hey, let's start on this instrument, the piano or mandolin or what? What do you try? What's your well, man?

Ian Munsick 14:37

Honestly, man, I usually start them on on the guitar, just because I know that that's where it's all gonna come back to you, man. It's just me. An audience and a guitar man. And if you can make a song sound good, then then you're gonna be okay. You know, like, you can throw all the mandos and didgeridoos on there and stuff. But at the end of the day, it's going to come back To you, and either a guitar or a piano or just one instrument, right? I mean, because that's where songwriting is stripped to its purest form. So man, that's kind of how I like to start with, with the actual writing, and then I usually go into the production mode in the studio man, because I'm a studio rat, dude, I can stay in here for hours and never see the light of day and be okay. Man it and then that's kind of where, where I'll go after that is just, you know, throwing on all the all the other stuff on there.

Thomas Mooney 15:46

Obviously, like, songwriting is, it's never something that, like, you can just wake up and started at nine o'clock and write a song every day at nine o'clock. But do you try and have some kind of routine built up? Or are you kind of more? Hey, I've got all these ideas. I collect ideas as they come and then once it inspiration hits, okay, now I can try and do it. what's what's more your, your style,

Ian Munsick 16:12

man, you know, um, there was years where were, you know, peda, back? When I first started, keto, right, well, not even after I first it was kind of like the middle chunk. And, man, it kind of always goes in. In routines, like, it'll come when I'm writing a song every day or every other day, like I am right now, and then kind of go on for a few months, or even a few years. And then there'll be times where I'm where, you know, like, I needed to just escape and let my mind get back to not that mindset, because it will inspire them. The things to go right about later on, man, but to just be able to go experience real life. I mean, like, the kind of stuff that we do every day, and that the people who listen to my music do every day, that just inspires me to then go write more, you know, but man, it just always changes, dude, it's it's always just, uh, you really have to work at it, man. It's not one of those things where, where it's like, oh, man, I'm inspired right now. I mean, that's great. But you should try it right? When you're not inspired. So that when you are inspired, it just makes it that much easier, man, because at the end of the day, it is a craft, right? You have to you have to practice your craft, right, but you just need to do it the way that works best for you, as long as you keep on doing it is the important part. You know, just keep on.

Thomas Mooney 18:03

Yeah, I, as a journalist, what I've, I guess, like young journalists will come to me and ask, like, what I need to do. And my thing is always, like, start a blog and just like start writing, because, yeah, it may it's not going to be good at the beginning, or like it made, like, it's gonna, like you have to practice. Because what's gonna end up happening is like, you want it to be one of those things where once you do start getting good, or once you have this idea, like you want, you don't want to have to then figure out, oh, I'm really bad at typing, or you know what I mean? How do I like, it's, by that point you want it to be, we're all that mechanical aspect is easy. Like, you've got that under control. And like, you're able to harness the time, like the actual, like physical, like, you're not physical, but like the actual time to actually write, to write under a deadline, or whatever the case, and I feel like that has to be part of, of writing in general is getting to know like, Oh, I needed I write better under the circumstances. So whenever that inspiration hits, you're able to actually like, use it.

Ian Munsick 19:16

And capitalize on it. Absolutely. Absolutely, man. Dude, I was always, every time that you're inspired, like, even I was in classes, like in college and in high school and stuff. And I was in class, like, Damn, I'm inspired right now like that. Like, I have a melody in my head. And I know that I'm gonna forget it if I don't put it in my phone right now. So like, he's got to just do it real quick. You know, like, if you're inspired, you got to ride that train, man. Because who knows what it could could turn into. It couldn't be your best work ever. You know, but you just boom, then it's gone. Which is crazy, because it's, it's neither here nor there. It's just all up here, man. It's all in your brain. And then you have to get that into a medium where other People can experience it. So yeah, I mean, it takes practice that takes work.

Thomas Mooney 20:09

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Ian Munsick 21:44

man.

I think that I write better in Nashville just because I write a lot with others. And they are great writers, you know, so if you do your craft with people who are really good, you're going to get better at it and you're going to be inspired to write more and become a better writer. But that being said, I get my inspiration from Wyoming, you know, so they're equally as important but if I stayed in Wyoming my whole life I would I would like not really want to write songs every day. I would just right when I like I'm inspired to, but when I'm in Nashville, my Oh shit. I'm in Nashville for a reason. Dude, I gotta grind. Let's grind this out so that I can move back to wild man, dude. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 22:39

no, I was gonna say it's, it's so funny. Like, I always kind of appreciate it growing up in West Texas. But like, I couldn't wait to get out. Now of course, I only moved to Lubbock, which is like still in West Texas, but like now, I always go. Can I should I just move back now should like can I just like go back? And it's so weird. Like, how, when you're 1815 you're like, Where's the where's the highway out of town? Let me get out of here. And then like, at some point, you just you're kind of going you know, it wasn't too bad down there. Maybe

Ian Munsick 23:15

living under your parents roof to man and all that free food every day that I love that bro, that was the best. Yeah, man. It's crazy how that is dude. But I mean, I always think that you know your life. It's good to see the places that you want to see. But at the end of the day, you you want to spend the majority of the time where you want to spend the majority of your time you know, so if that's in West Texas, go do it man cuz you ain't gonna be here forever. You know, so, man, I'm trying to work my ass off here so that I'll be able to live back out there and not feel like I missed out on anything or, or, or that I didn't give it 110% of my effort to do this, you know, so um, yeah, dude, but Wyoming is just an inspiring place, man. Just the earth in general, is inspiring. And you know, I can a Tennessee it's cool. I like woods and rivers and lakes. But man, you got mountains and woods and rivers and lakes.

Thomas Mooney 24:30

Yeah, man, one of my things is always just like, just being able to you don't feel in my opinion like what I love so much about West Texas is not feeling I guess like you just feel the openness, the openness.

Ian Munsick 24:49

Totally. You can you feel like the for sales, dude. Yeah, I love it.

Thomas Mooney 24:55

Yeah, and like just there's something about just also knowing There's not like, so many people in the like, in a class claustrophobic kind of way. Being able to like, you can just if you wanted to, you could just walk and never be found for, you know, an hour or a day or a week or whatever the case is, right? That's all Yeah. That makes it feel better.

Ian Munsick 25:24

I know. Same, bro.

Thomas Mooney 25:25

So obviously, you got this record coming out like what's like the the plan on on this full length? What are you? What's the, what do you expect? Yeah,

Ian Munsick 25:35

man, I'm good. I wish that I could tell you our exact plan, man. But um, we have some big news that's coming out here in a few weeks. That's going to kind of make make it all make sense that have you been holding off for this long? And kind of scattered it out, man. But um, dude, I wish that I can expose it right now, man, but I gotta wait a couple more weeks. But man, I just cannot wait, dude. I know that we have more music coming out in September. I can say that. So I'm excited about that. And and I'm excited for the rest of the album to drop soon after that. I can say all that.

Thomas Mooney 26:24

Yeah. Now you said you you love being in the studio and finding all like the, the accent and the textures that make a song more lively and full. How long was this record? Did? How long did it take for for this record to kind of come together and all that?

Ian Munsick 26:42

Yeah, man, we uh, we started the writing and recording process the beginning of 2018. And then I made the first half of the album to that year, and then man, we kind of uh, we cranked out the rest of the album in the beginning of 2019. And then we kind of wrapped it up at the end of the year, and then we dropped first two tracks in January and then another two in April. So um, man, it's been it's been about two and a half years since we started it, but but I've had the record done for about a year now. Which is crazy to think about man that I've had it for a year and I still haven't dropped. Cut the rest of it. But uh, man, I'm really excited to kick it off of mine and into yours. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 27:38

it's always one of those things that I talked about with artists is like, the, like for fans, you you kind of like you release the record. And it's the fans are like, excited about the songs. Oh, I love this song. I love that song. I love whatever the case. And you know, it's been for you like, like you said, like you've had it a year. Then of course, like with the recording with the song read like you've been around the songs for a long time now. And it's always this weird mix of like, you release a record. And but you're already kind of already moved on to the next thing. Oh, yeah.

Ian Munsick 28:13

Crazy. I know, man. That's actually wild. I know, dude, I know. Cuz the person. I mean, I put out horses are faster originally on YouTube in 2013. So and then I re put it out in 2017. So by the time that I was out, people thought that that was me, them and I was actually five years older already. You know what I mean? So a wild thing to think about and this and this album, you know, it's already two years old for me, but it's brand new for everyone else. So that's me two years ago and I've been working on stuff for the past year that's me in the past year, you know, so that's crazy and it'll probably be out in a year or two it's like right wild man. But um dude I just know with the way that the world is going right now I'm creating and releasing music is easier and more in demand because people can't go see live and so they're streaming they're working from home they're listening to music at home all day instead of just in the car. And now that the car like we're able to drive you know that's gone back up to so it's just constantly consuming Music Man so we got a you know, as artists you have to keep up with that but still maintain the quality of your music. You All

Thomas Mooney 30:00

right, you know, I was gonna come back to the the horses are faster you know it has those kind of those bookends is that like kind of inspired by your dad? He said he was a fiddle player and all that.

Ian Munsick 30:12

Totally yeah man. Yeah man, Pat's actually him on the album dude. Okay. Yeah, that was that was one of the first projects that I took getting to the studio that I was like, Man, I'm, I'm gonna drop this because it's me. It was just me and my dad, we made the whole thing down in, in our home studio that my dad had to record his kind of singers, songwriter stuff. And yeah, we just held up in a little room for for a few days just got knocked out, man, but it was pretty special man just having having my dad on that. And, you know, like, I'll always be able to go back and play that and then hear my dad and just be taken back to to Wyoming and the boys and in the West, you know? Um, so yeah, man, that was a it was it was for sure. Inspired by my dad. And you know, like, I kind of had that hope, a guitar lick thing going. And I was like, Man, this would sound way, way better. Get my dad on that. And then that's kind of how I did. I was like, man, I can hear that. And I was like, Dad, what are you doing the next three days? It's like, I'm, I'm with you, man. So, so we knocked it out in? Yeah, man. I I honestly, it's a song that, uh, that looking back on, I never would have thought that it would get as popular as it has. And obviously, it hasn't gotten extremely popular. But um, but man, I it's just one of those things that like, man if you have a feeling in your gut, but it doesn't. It's not a standard route, or it's not what people are used to hearing. If you have that feeling in your gut, then you just got to do it. You know? And I'm glad I did.

Thomas Mooney 32:13

Yeah, like I said, like, the first time I heard it, it was kind of just like, because especially with those bookends of the fiddle, and like they're, they're very, they're different to you know, like that first one is more like atmospheric, more like, setting the scene. And then you kind of like dip into the song. And then you break out of it. Like, you know, it's just like, oh, man, there's something. There's just it's different. You know, the thing that really caught my eye the first time listening to his was that or my ear, and I'm I but

Ian Munsick 32:49

yeah, man.

Thomas Mooney 32:51

Yeah, well, you know, like, obviously, you we've kind of already touched on it, like mixing those those Mountain Time really like the mountain time. Yeah. Time, right. Like the, it feels like it's a little bit slower paced. Obviously. You get that mountain hare in the wilderness of like, the tree bark in a lot of ways on the songs. How is that? Like the is when you're when you're writing these songs out there? Or like picking up all these ideas? like where do you? How do you typically store or are you like a phone guy? Are you like, I'm going to do something on the phone or you kind of more, you got to write it out or something.

Ian Munsick 33:38

Man usually the like lyrical ideas, I'll put them in my can notes. But men are the ones that always end up being. My favorites are the ones that I just remember because they stick with me. So that means it's like, Alright, it stuck with me. That means that something is is working with a fat, you know, um, but in terms of like, melodies and stuff, dude, I got to write them down on my phone because they're like, in and out, but um, yeah, dude, I just always think that that the ones that just stick with you, or just from my experience, are the ones that like your inner creative being are telling you to write or telling you to get out. You know, prioritize that and then write down the stuff that you know that might inspire you more another day.

Thomas Mooney 34:45

Yeah. Yeah. Like, obviously, like, with right now, the pandemic and everything. You mentioned co writing. Yeah. How is like if you've been doing a lot of CO writing Like on zoom and stuff like that, or like it, what's the man? How's that been?

Ian Munsick 35:05

Dude, it's been good. Obviously, it allowed me to go to Wyoming for a month and still be able to write songs with my favorite co writers, you know, and not be in the same room, which has kind of got my wheels turning like, Well, shit if I can do that. There's a lot of stuff that that can be done on zoom. Obviously, I like to write more in the room. But man, if if it means me being in a being in Nashville in a room, or me being in Wyoming on zoom, you know, that's gonna be like, no, no. Yeah, man, it's been good dude. I've been writing for like, three months on zoom. I've got a lot of songs on on zoom. And he is kind of have to adapt, you know?

Thomas Mooney 36:03

Right. Yeah, the adapting is so it's so strange. like seeing how it feels like we're even though we have this giant pause. Right? Like everything just put on pause. No shows no all like at all of that, right? Yeah, it feels like with the technology stuff, like ramped up so much quicker, like everyone adapted really quickly. And like, you know, everyone knows how to use zoom. Now everyone knows how to use like, all these things that like, maybe they weren't there were foreign with before. And like, it's just like, you know, that's what it's an interesting part. But it's also like, so weird, because, yeah, like you right now, we are far apart doing this interview. But, but then, like, also, at the same time, like, you know, technology stuff can just, like, mess up at any moment. Have you had like that, like, the where you're like, just service drops out? Well, dude,

Ian Munsick 37:05

as you just said that my iPad set in stone 10%. So yeah, there you go. I probably have another 20 minutes on here. And then it's gonna frickin die on me and lag, and then I'm going to go get charged and shit. Like, that happens all the time, bro. And the internet at my house here cuts in and out as well, like, so, cuz that's happened a few times. And obviously, like, writing a song is a pretty intimate experience with the person. So you want to be able that kid to be sure that you like reading the vibe, you know? And the mob on zoom is real to like, you can catch a vibe on zoom. But there's just, it's not the same, you know? And then there's just little like, you know, you can miss one word, your co writer. Right, like, throughout and then it's like, like he didn't get it and then I might have been it you know, and so, so that shit happens, man. But I know that that a writing in person in Nashville too early has gotten some people with the road. So and then they spread it to other people in Nashville. So then it's been like, Well, shit, now we got to wait even longer to get in there. So, man, I don't mind being on zoom and writing. And yeah, man. Yeah, yeah, I think it's all good, man. You got to adapt with the times and just keep on going, you know, keep on creating. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 38:38

I wanted to talk to y'all one more time about our new partners that desert door and offer up a handful of my favorite ways to drink it. Do you a Mexican Coca Cola, have a couple of swigs. Then pour yourself some desert door oak aged in tossing a lime wedge or two. Or how about this pour some desert door into a mug. top off the glass with some ginger beer. Squeeze in a lime or for our you ranch water drinkers out there. Get you a topo Chico. Take a couple of polls off and then pour in some desert door toss and a couple of lime wedges. And now you have a mighty tasty and refreshing ranch water. Remember Soto is as versatile as vodka and has a more refined smooth and a more complex palate than tequila it's rich and balanced and and whatever your go to drink is it'll make it that much better. And again, it's inherently West Texas, it tastes like home. For more info on desert door check our show notes Alright, that's it for Thomas Mooney his cocktail minute let's get back to the show. You can there's so many different approaches on how to do a ko right like what is like your you know, obviously it's different every time to but like what is your typical like your mindset going in you have like a couple ideas jotted down Like, oh, I want to use these for this person, or like, what? Yeah, what kind of, if you had it perfect?

Ian Munsick 40:07

Man, um, I would say kind of, kind of the way that I do it now is, uh, is, um, you know, like, it depends. If it's my first time writing with someone, because if it is, I'll always try and bring in either a title or like a vibe, because I know that, you know, like, if it goes, What if, um, if they like it, you know, like, I always want them to get to have a good impression on me. The first right, but as I get to know, my riders, and you know, like, as I write with people for years and years, and they kind of, can become my core group of riders then manage, it's pretty just free. Jeffrey top man, like, I wrote a song a few hours ago with my buddies, and he was just kind of explaining where he was at with a girl. And then he, he said, Ty title as he was talking, I was like, Man, that's the title right there. Let's write it, you know, so. So it's crazy, man, it can happen. Just like that, as you're getting to know your writer, you know, it's just always trying to keep your ear open, because other people always have the best ideas, man, he's got to receive them, you know?

Thomas Mooney 41:34

Yeah, it's so weird and strange how I feel like there's, like, some of the best songs, the best songwriting teams are based off of all that, like experience with each other, that relationship, that back and forth, and being able to, like, pick up what someone's really meaning. And being able to like really, you know, based off of years of experience, but also at times, I feel like you guys also can do this thing where you go both blindly into a room, and you don't have you can work past all the, you can skip all the small talk and just get right. Yeah, I find that so interesting. How, like, you know, so often we use this, we just go through small talk through life, but like, people have the same feet in the same field can just like skip the small talk and just go directly into these moments. And like, especially in songwriting, like, since a lot of things can be so emotionally tied, you can just skip all of that. And then like, become like, instant best friends. You know, because you guys like something really? Heavy, you know,

Ian Munsick 42:52

totally nude. Yeah, man, you're, you're exactly right, man. It's one of the weirdest things ever, dude. I've gotten great ones with people who I've never met, and then just boom, you're there on zoom for the first time, so you don't even really know what they actually look like. But, but you're just there, like your head on the screen, boom, write us off. And then I had that happened. Like, two days ago, I was in a right and. And I had never, never met either of my co writers. And, and one of them just was going right in and was like, I'm sorry, I'm going to skip all the small talk. I have this idea. And if I don't get it out to 10 I'm going to lose it. I was like, I love this shit. Let's go, dude. Thank you. Thank you. Let's go. Yeah, and we got a song in an hour row. And it's like, boom, done. There it is, you have a great song. And now you have a relationship that is you know, that's, that's cool. Last and it's crazy man. Small Talk is good. Like, I get it but and it can lead to other things. But in a creative way, man, it's it's you just got to kind of go with the flow of it, man go wherever the room is taking you to go, you know?

Thomas Mooney 44:17

Right? Yeah, like I've obviously like there's people that will meet to do a song. And you know, like they they don't even necessarily get into the the meat of writing a song. They get into the like, Let's talk for an hour and get to know then they ease into ad it's just so fascinating. All these different ways, these different approaches. And obviously, you can adapt and try and do different ways for different people and or you're in a different mood, or whatever the case I find it all so fascinating.

Ian Munsick 44:55

Yeah, man it is. And there's every combo in between manners, guys. Who are in the room that are just assholes? Who, who? Cool ask you like, oh, how did you get this? Right? Like, why am I in the room with you today? Like straight up? Oh, and then you have another right where it's like, hey, Pat hits me like, oh man, it's so great to meet you. Do you want me to cook you breakfast? And then they'll make you breakfast and be like, Oh my gosh, what is going on right now? Like, what? I'm not worthy of this and then and then you get everything in between you know, you'd like to get the people who want to learn about you and learn where you're from and, and learn your story. And then you have other people like I said, he just boom, like, I'm gonna skip everything and just go right in for the kill. He did. He's got it'll keep you on your toes, man, for sure.

Thomas Mooney 45:46

Right? How do you do often know, like, after a ride, if you're going to? If this is a song that you're potentially going to record? Or is it is that easy? Or do you often have to like, mess with it for a while? And go? This is for me? Or? This is not really?

Ian Munsick 46:06

Man? That's a great question, dude. Because it's kind of all over the place, man, they'll usually what happens is that my last song I wrote, is the one that I'm most excited about, right? It's like, so so. So what I've tried to do is just wait a while and wait a few weeks, keep on loop listening. And then escape from it for a few weeks, and then come back to it and listen to yours. And be like, Alright, like, is this a song that that I really want to do? Or there's times where it's like, oh, shit, like, you're in the room universal, of course, like, Oh, shit, this is my next song. Like it, and you haven't even finished recording it yet. You know? So, man, that's one of those. That's a that's totally on a song by song basis, I think. But I always just try and err on the side of waiting a little bit and seeing if it's actually the right one. Because I know that I'm going to be writing another one. Tomorrow that might need to be heard. More so than the one that I wrote a month ago, you know, but yeah.

Thomas Mooney 47:29

Yeah, because I can I can see how like, you know, sometimes you finish a song out with somebody. And because obviously, like even running solo, like, by yourself, you can write something and go. I don't know if I'm ever gonna cut this. He

Ian Munsick 47:47

totally did. Oh, yeah, of course. Of course.

Thomas Mooney 47:51

Do you ever go back to like songs that you didn't record? They? And kind of like, pick the good stuff out and like Adam to something else later or something? Is that ever anything you do? Dude,

Ian Munsick 48:05

I used to do that man. Um, usually.

Usually.

Usually, I don't really, like I'll steal like lyrical ideas, but I'll always try and stay away from like, the exact way that I did it. Just to like, always keep on. keep on rolling. Now, that being said, Mountain Time was actually a lyric I threw out in a verse with my co writer and another co writer. And after the write, she was like, man, we, we need to write a song called mountain time. And I was like, dude, I'm there, man. I'm there. So then we wrote that song. So that was technically stealing from my other song. So I guess it's kind of new. But I always try and stay away from it. Unless it's like, asking me to, you know,

Thomas Mooney 49:10

yeah, yeah, that's, uh, cuz I always find like, you know, some writers will overwrite, and like, write stuff to end, you know, because you want to figure out the character or figure out whatever that is. And then you can always cut down and always, like, I was talking to a songwriter the other day about this. And because she was talking about overriding, and like, there's a couple of there's a couple songs where she had like, seven or eight other verses that she was maybe going in instead, and I was like, dude, do you ever go back? Have you ever gone back in like, you know, pluck some of those lines? And she goes, No, I that's part of that song even though it's not used. Wow.

Ian Munsick 49:55

And that's that's interesting, man.

Thomas Mooney 49:58

Yeah, it's It's all like, it's, I find, like the entire artistic process, obviously, you know, interesting. But yeah, you know, like, what, uh, was there a song on this upcoming record that you felt like you go? Man, I didn't see myself cutting this, I didn't think this would make this record. Is there anything that sticks out like that?

Ian Munsick 50:22

Man? Honestly, dude, dreams was kind of kind of that way. Because, you know, like, I never thought one like I've had that. I've known about that song for 20 years, you know, like, it was one of my first ones that are member being like, Oh my gosh, this just slaps but I never thought that I was gonna record it, you know. And then I kind of released that banjo thing of me on social media like two years ago, and then it just kind of grew legs a little bit. So I was like, man, if I recorded this, I think that people would listen to it. So. So that was kind of one that that did. Um, but man with the others. The others were kind of kind of just came and because I knew that I was had in this time frame I was gonna write for an album, you know, so every time I go in this room, I'm writing for this album. So I kind of always knew that, um, that I would be recording the ones that I was, I was writing man. Mmm hmm. You know?

Thomas Mooney 51:46

Yeah. You mentioned doing the, the stuff on like Twitter and in social media, and just like the cover songs a year, you are getting a whole lot of traction with people like doing all these different covers. Like what, uh, what goes into like, Oh, I need to just do a short little clip of what, cuz I'm sure like, everyone loves all these songs. But like, you kind of go Hey, guys, here's my, my version of it.

Ian Munsick 52:17

Yeah, man. He'll be times where, where I'm like, Okay, do I need to like, have have eight of me on stage and playing every instrument, practice hitting out on it, and then and then spending hours and hours and hours doing all this stuff. And then I've had ones that have gotten just as good. Or they actually would just mean a guitar, my iPhone, like playing that. So it's like, shit, man, I spent all that time and this guy the same amount of shit and like, but, um, dude, yeah, man, I was doing it hard for about a year. And then, and then I was like, Alright, I've built a solid. Start on this now. I'm gonna go right this album and the men that kind of just drew away all my effort and energy behind the screen and doing all that stuff, you know, because it's a lot of screen time just recording music and editing music and right. And doing all that and I like to play a big role in that just because I like I know what I want my music to be, you know, um, so man, that that was a fun time, but, but it's definitely a stressful man's social media. Is this a stressful day to just give him like, shit, man, I got to post every two days, three days and keep these people happy and entertained and like engaged in my shit. You know, but all I really want to do is just play music and make music for people, you know, so but it all goes hand in hand. I guess, man.

Thomas Mooney 53:56

Yeah. I I was just like, obviously, every time you posted one you just see it retweeted every every once in a while. So it would always be like on my timeline. You know? Like, okay, man, I get the point. I like, man, but uh, no, I think it's all good. I'm really excited about this new record, man. I think it's gonna be really good.

Ian Munsick 54:20

Same man. Well, dude, I appreciate it. Man. I can't wait to get it out. Dude. It's been a long time to come and do but i think that uh, I think that people are gonna like it dude. It's a little bit of to Nashville and a lot of Wyoming all in one man. I love I love Nashville. Quality of recording man is is unmatched by you know, almost anywhere else besides LA and New York. But um, man, I think that that bringing quality, real country music into the world, um, just needs to be done, man because Cuz Like I said, I think that it's under represented I think that the Mountain West and and the West in general in country music is under represented and man I love red dirt as well man I love a Texas country. I grew up on that shit to you, man. So I love that and I love y'all. And yeah, man, I just can't wait to hear what I've been working on day.

Thomas Mooney 55:28

Yeah, yeah, like I said like, we're like you said right there like the Mountain West like those. It is like that mix of like old cowboy songs and, and yeah, new new kind of new sounds fresh sounds. So I do. Yes.

Ian Munsick 55:43

Yeah, bro. Exactly. Man. You even get it?

Thomas Mooney 55:48

Yeah, hopefully so. Yeah, man. It's been really great talking with you. Yeah,

Ian Munsick 55:53

man. Thank you for having me, man.

Thomas Mooney 55:57

Thanks for listening to new slang. I hope you all really enjoyed this one. Be sure to check out desert door the blue light live Tom's Daiquiri stop on over in the new sling merch store. Hit that subscribe button and be on the lookout for upcoming music news from Ian. Okay, I'll see you all later this week for another episode.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai