BLaCK CaT MOAN - Interview - Summer 2017

1. Can you tell our readers a little about your band, BLaCK CaT MOAN?

BLaCK  CaT MOAN  is an Americana/Blues Roots Band that coined the phrase, "New Vintage Blues." With St. George Byich on guitar and resonator and TK Mundok on vocals and harmonica,
they bring to life a music that harkens back to early folk field recordings and the Delta.
BLaCK CaT MOAN have been playing Folk, Jazz & Blues Festivals since 2013. In 2014 they opened for American Blues/ Soul singer, Billy Price, and in the summer of 2015 they went into the studio to record their album, “the SAINT, the MUNK & the MOAN," which has received internet radio play as far as Croatia.

BCM took home 2nd place in the Western Pennsylvania Blues Challenge in early 2016 and in August won 1st place in the First Annual Northern West Virginia Blues Challenge, and performed in the 2017 International Blues Challenge, held in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
With inspiration from Robert Johnson, Mississippi, John Hurt, and the recordings from Chess Records, BLaCK CaT MOAN does not mimic other musicians of that era, but rather brings a new vibe to a classic art form. While drawing inspiration from Robert Johnson, Mississippi, John Hurt, and the recordings from Chess Records, BLaCK CaT MOAN brings an entirely new vibe to a classic art form.

2. Recently, BLaCK CaT MOAN opened for the legendary Buddy Guy. How did you get to be the opening act?

What a great story. We did a fundraiser at MOONDOGS in Blawnox back in January to promote our trip to Memphis. We had a beautiful Burlesque Troupe work with us that evening as our opening act and I think we made a great impression. We were set to play at MOONDOGS the weekend before Buddy Guy  with the Burlesque Troupe again, so George and I got together for a rehearsal. Mike Elko, the concert promoter for The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, called MOONDOGS looking for a two piece opening act for Mr. Guy. Ron Esser said he knew just the band and rang me up right then. That was about twelve days before the gig.

3. What did you take away from that performance? 

What I personally took away from our performance with Buddy Guy was that, a room, is a room, is a room, no matter the size or who happens to be filling it at that time. The true stage is inside you, and your true audience is inside you. If I can keep it as simple as that, the house and the audience will always be happy with the experience.

4. There are stereotypes with artists which include lack of income. I know you have been in the art scene for a while. I feel you are talented and respected in both the music and art industry. What advice would you give to break that stereotype? Also, for artists that are just hitting dead ends or hitting points of frustration, what advice would you give to them? 

I do think it's funny that the stereotype still exists and that your family will associate you with a starving artist if you tell them you want to paint or make music. The irony is that the majority of magazines show people in the entertainment world but they are not associated with being an artist - they're a celebrity. Being an artist doesn't mean being on the cover of a magazine, being both regarded for your work and destroyed for your life choices.

There's a perception that it must be all or nothing.
Thankfully , we now how have so many online platforms to exhibit work and promote ourselves;, being an artist can be a more mainstream idea. My advice is simple:, keep being yourself, keep doing your art as honestly as you can, as long as you can, and someone will catch on.

5. What do you want to do next? Who do you want to play with or open for in the future? 

I always want to keep surprising myself. Taking yourself out of your comfort zone forces you try a new approach, so, I plan on exploring.
At this point, the way I currently am expressing myself, with BLaCK CaT MOAN anyway, it would make the most sense to open for or play with Jack White. I have a huge respect for him as an Artist. It will make for a good show, and a Great Collaboration.

You can find BLaCK CaAT MOAN on Facebook, or you can listen to and download the album, "the SAINT, the MUNK & the MOAN" at blackcatmoan.org
  T.K. MUNDOK's artwork can be found on Instagram.