Behind the Music: Mitch Burgess' First EP
Mitch Burgess is a Mid-North Coast-based musician who has just released his first EP, Trio. He's been inspired by personal experiences and the people around him to write the music on this record. This is his story.
When did you start playing music?
I’ve been playing the guitar since I was very young. I always played the guitar but then started to sing in the later stages of high school and that melded together into what I’m doing now.
I have all of these ideas and songs, and influences that really inspire me and I wanted to make something of my own that I can use to help push my abilities and dip my toes in the water.
What inspired you with this EP?
A lot of my songs (both released and unreleased) come from relationships. The idea of chasing relationships and chasing love. Two songs are definitely about love or lack thereof.
The idea of kindness and compassion for others is a major value of mine and I believe my music reflects that. I also think that the world around me also really inspires me to create.
Tell us about the production process for your new EP…
My bass player, Scot Aird, and my drummer, Cam Smith, helped me to transform the ideas I had into more robust songs. I didn’t use a producer, but those guys have been in the game for longer than me so they guided me.
I did all of the recordings on my laptop, cut, mixed and mastered by my bass player. I really invested and spent the money and bought the right recording equipment.
How have the past few years (you know, pandemic & all) affected your music career?
I feel like the COVID lockdowns made me less productive because I had more time to go surfing, and not as much pressure to be creative. Once I started teaching guitar and gigging again, that’s when I really got motivated again to write music.
Tell us more about teaching guitar, that sounds really interesting.
I love teaching guitar just as much as I love playing and performing. It’s the other half of my career and I’ll always teach because I love to teach. I teach kids, adults, and any style of music.
I am also a scholar in music, I look deeply into music and music theory. I’m studying for a bachelor of music at the moment.
In the future, I see myself being not only a musician but also a teacher. My influences also teach- like jazz musician Chris Whiteman or Ariel Posen.
Speaking of influences, who influences your music?
It changes all of the time. I’m always listening to different people. Today, it’s Ariel Posen, Albert King & D’Angelo.
We’re all about the Coffs Coast. What’s your favourite place to play here?
I love to play at Surf St Cafe, Jetty Beach House, and Mermaid Beach House was great.
(P.S. Check out Mitch Burgess’s video at Mermaid Beach House from The Coffs Coast Food & Wine Festival)
When's your next gig?
I’m working a lot in Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and the Mid-North Coast but I don’t get to go very far away from that. I’m hoping to change that with the release of this EP. I’d love to just jump in my van and travel up and down the coast and do a few weeks of gigs. All different places.
And would you like to give a special shout-out to anybody?
Thank you to Cam + Scot for helping me to create this EP. Thank you to Nathan Beretta for playing so many gigs with me and influencing me to be a better performer and musician. Thank you to my teacher Glenn Hodges for keeping me inspired.