Who Got Next: Munqs

Corey W. Lawson aka Munqs who hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota is the latest artist to feature on the Who Got Next segment. We catch up with Munqs about his plans for 2012 and a message for new listeners to his music.

SBG: How long have you been in the music game?
Munqs: I have been writing and performing music since the age of seven. I played in various bands that never went anywhere either due to conflicting goals or egos or just plain silliness.
I had taken a step back from seriously perusing music for a few years. I would write and record songs in my bedroom as a method of passing the time, but never really put any weight into it. I always felt like I wasn't ready, or the songs were not good enough, or any number of varying cop-outs.

The first Munqs release, Trial and Era, was a selection of those recordings that I had been sitting on until a close friend of mine passed away. The realization that my time on this planet was finite motivated me to put up or shut up, as it were. I only have so much time, and I don't want it to be spent thinking "what if?"

In retrospect the release is kind of buckshot - all over the place - but it's a pretty illustrated example of an artist trying to find a unique voice, for better or worse, and I think that's something to be proud of.



SBG: Favorite Artist you have worked with?
Munqs: My friend since Kindergarten, hip-hop artist Xavier Marquis, has been a major positive influence for me.
Elements of his production style have definitely become useful when I try to do things outside of my comfort zone.

I play with Xavier's live band, and borrow a few members for the live Munqs sets, bassist Josh Ackerley and drummer David Sellner. I found my keyboardist, Efren Maldonado, on Craigslist.

For the live sets, these guys have become invaluable to me and as time goes on, I hope to also get them involved in the recording process.

Xavier and I are also taking our time with a collaborative project called Happy Kids (our kindergarten teacher's name was Mrs. Happy).


SBG: Which artist has influenced your music the most?

Munqs: As far as influences go, they can vary quite a bit. From Otis Redding, Al Green, and Bill Withers to Radiohead, T.V. On The Radio, and Mike Snow. I can't say one really stands out above the rest. I like Soul, melody and dissonance.


SBG: What can your fans expect from you this year?

Munqs: I'm currently writing material for a new ep due out in April of 2012. The sounds are a bit more cohesive, and closer to the elements of TVOTR and Little Dragon.

SBG: What do you want to tell people that haven’t listen to your music before?

Munqs: I'm always going to be trying to figure myself out as a human and an artist. My music is a reflection of that.


More information about Munqs
www.munqs.com
Twitter:@munqsmusic
www.facebook.com/munqs
Be sure to cop the EP on his website as well. Do it like right now!!! You won’t be disappointed
Favorite Tracks
Banging on Aluminum
Weighs on the Mind
Deal with It