Mighty Oaks All Things Go Interview

International Folk Trio 'Mighty Oaks' and their new single "All Things Go"

Three men, from three countries, combining three part harmonies, resulting in one unique sound. Berlin based indie-folk band comprised of Ian Hooper (US/Ireland), Claudio Donzelli (Italy), and Craig Saunders (UK).

Interview with Mighty Oaks

Question: What inspired the track?

Mighty Oaks: My mother passed away almost eight years ago, and it was the reason why I decided to dedicate myself to music. Dealing with the loss has been a journey, and All Things Go is a song about accepting everything along the way. At the same time, I wanted to put my experience into a story, one that anyone can identify with. This is a love story as well, and it tells that of my mother and father when they met.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Mighty Oaks: Both! Playing live is definitely something we thrive on as a band. The energy of a live show, and the immediate feedback from a crowd is something that we all really enjoy. But the creative process, and being in the studio is also very rewarding, particularly for this last album. Seeing an idea transform into a fully fledged song that we all love is a very exciting feeling. So having the opportunity to create new music, and then go out and perform it, is really the best of both worlds.


Question: Which is your favourite song to perform live and why?

Mighty Oaks: All Things Go became a favourite of ours during our stripped back acoustic shows throughout this year. We performed it at the end of the night around one mic, and it always had a great energy, and a great response from the audience. But we're already looking forward to getting our teeth into the new songs, there's plenty that are going to be fun to perform! I Need You Now, for example.


Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend a show, who would it be?

Mighty Oaks: Barack & Michelle Obama, Eddie Vedder and Robert Plant.

Question: What is the story behind the band name?

Mighty Oaks: It comes from an English proverb: "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow" It was taken as inspiration that if we put our musical talents together, we can go from being small acorns, and develop into mighty oaks!


Question: How did the band come together?

Mighty Oaks: We all met in Hamburg at a small acoustic festival where we were all performing individually. We liked each other's music, became friends over the course of the weekend, and kept in touch with each other, occasionally joining one another on stage to play together. It was only after a couple of years that we took the decision to really join together and start trying to make a go of it professionally.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Mighty Oaks: Christof van der Ven, Tool, Bibio, Bon Iver, Michael Kiwanuka and Jamie Lidell.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Mighty Oaks: That's a tough one, because we all listened to different bands and drew inspiration from them. I'd say that Radiohead, The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and probably Pearl Jam are up there for us all.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?
Mighty Oaks: Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder, Brian Eno, Nigel Godrich or Jay-Z.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Mighty Oaks: It's really dependent on what we're doing. For the last weeks we've been producing the album, so that means long days in the studio, working through the songs together, recording, but also a lot of listening, and giving feedback on what we think's working and what isn't. When we're on the road, then life has a very different rhythm. Most of the time can be spent in backstage waiting around for soundcheck, trying not to eat too much :) waiting for the show in the evening. We try to take the opportunity to get out and run a bit when we're on tour. It's a good chance to generally move a bit, and it's a nice way to see the city we're currently in.


Question: Can you share your socials?

Mighty Oaks: @mightyoaksmusic
facebook.com/mightyoaksmusic
@mightyoaksmusic


Question: What's next for Mighty Oaks?

Mighty Oaks: Lots! Our single All Things Go has just been released. We're about to hit the road with The Lumineers around Europe in November. Then in February-March we'll be on our own headline tour around Europe, followed by a tour in the U.S. throughout March-April. Then we'll be in festival season until September, followed by another tour around Europe in the Autumn. And hopefully some shows in Australia too at some point!


Interview by Brooke Hunter