From frontman of iconic Perth rockers Jebediah, to the smooth sounds of musical moniker Bob Evans, Kevin Mitchell is unequivocally a man of many faces.
Yet behind the alter-ego is the same charming, affable man that has taken the Australian music industry by storm – and unsurprisingly – carved out a loyal fan base along the way.
With three albums under his belt and a fourth, ‘Familiar Strangers’, set to be released March this year, the Aussie singer-songwriter is no newcomer to the writing process.
Off the back of his 2009 critically acclaimed release, ‘Goodnight, Bull Creek!’, ‘Familiar Stranger’ signifies a new musical chapter as the beloved ‘suburban’ trilogy comes to a close.
“After Bull Creek, that era of my life was over, so I came into the album with a clear slate. I really wanted to start again. Familiar Strangers is more of a reflection of my current place,” Mitchell explains.
Indeed, with the recent resurgence of Jebediah, in addition to his new role as father and husband since his last release, it’s easy to see why the Aria-award winner has been a while between drinks.
“It’s been a crazy few years. A lot has changed, so these songs are mostly personal reflections of the last three years of my life. It felt like I was creating a soundtrack as much as an album.”
Despite an impending tour schedule and balancing commitments to three bands, Kevin Mitchell still seems humbled to be able to do what he loves everyday, embracing every opportunity with the type of sportive school boy charm that has made him an Australian icon.
“I never consciously set out to have my finger in all the pies,” Evan’s quips. “What can I say, I’m a yes man!”
“Especially now as I’m getting older, I want to be involved in as many things as possible. You have to keep a stoke in the creative fire, if you let it go for too long it might extinguish.”
‘Familiar Stranger’ follows the recent release of ‘The Double Life’ EP, which saw the veteran musician hit the road for a string of one-shot acoustic shows around the country throughout November.
When asked what lies ahead for Bob Evans this year, Mitchell was quick to the mark with a tongue-in-cheek reply.
“I’m going to be touring my fucking ass off,” he laughed. “I’ve got lots of shows planned. I want to travel all over the place.”
Gold Coast fans can sleep easy, Mitchell assures me, with the ‘Familiar Stranger’ tour set to visit the Glitter Strip in the near future.
“That’s a no brainer, man. It wouldn’t be a national tour without the Gold Coast!”
‘Familiar Stranger’ will be released in stores March 15.
