Chapter Text
It’s not often a kid from a little sleepy town in Indiana becomes an international rockstar overnight, but Eddie Munson doesn’t care about ‘often’. His debut album, ‘The Come Up’, flew straight to #1 in the Rock Music charts, catapulting him into the musical stratosphere.
Today, he’s in LA promoting his breakthrough record.
As I walk toward the quiet back corner of the bar to which I’ve been invited, a whirlwind with a blonde ponytail greets me before I even see Eddie Munson. His manager, Chrissy Cunningham, shakes my hand and tells me to take a seat, he’ll be out in a moment. So I perch myself on the plush vinyl bench at the back of the room and wait. She hovers nearby.
A couple minutes later, a door swings open to my left. When the man of the hour emerges from the bathroom, it’s with hesitant enthusiasm. He rushes to cross the distance between us, hand outstretched to shake mine firmly. He looks every part the heavy rocker - wild dark curls dancing around his face, deep brown eyes lined in black, swamped by a black leather jacket, black Metallica tee hanging from his thin frame, black jeans ripped at the knees. His boots are unlaced, just tucked into the lip by his ankles.
As he passes Ms Cunningham, she reaches out to squeeze his shoulder, and it’s clear the bond these two young wunderkinds have goes deeper than business.
At 20 years old, Eddie Munson has achieved more than some established musicians have managed in his entire lifetime. Not only has he charted with his first album, his first single hit the Number 1 spot within days. Now after weeks at the top, I sit down with him to discuss his meteoric rise from Smalltown Boy to International Rockstar.
Eddie Munson, Number 1 Artist. How are you feeling?
Well that still sounds fucking weird - shit, sorry. I probably can’t swear, right?
You can say whatever you want! Honesty is all I’m looking for.
Awesome. Phew. Thought I’d fucked this up already. What was your question?
How are you feeling!
Like I’m dreaming, honestly. None of this feels real, yknow? Like a couple months ago I was in this little town in Indiana, and now I’m in LA talking to reporters and- I was in a mall a couple days ago and my music was playing? Is that not the coolest shit you’ve ever heard?
Eddie pulls a carton of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and flips open the lid, offering one to me first. Then he lights it, sucking in a mouthful of smoke before letting it out in a long, shaking exhale. He goes through the rest of the packet in the hour we spend together, crushes each one into a tiny concertina in the ashtray when he’s finished.
Pretty cool indeed. So tell us, Eddie. Because I’m dying to know and I’m sure our readers are too - you and Ms Cunningham, you’re more than friends, right?
She’s great, isn’t she? She’s the best person I have ever met, and I love her. But no. We’re just friends. We tried- we dated in High School, but we’re better as friends. And coworkers!
Eddie adds this with a broad smile in the direction of his manager, who’s leafing through a pile of paperwork as we talk, and she flicks her eyes up to meet his, as if she could tell he was looking at her. It’s true love if ever I’ve seen it, but if the ball of nervous energy sitting across the table from me says ‘no, just friends’, then who are we to question him?
Let’s talk about music. What started it all off? Where did Eddie Munson find his voice?
My uncle. We used to listen to The Rolling Stones together and I remember there was something just so…electric, about the way their music comes together. The first time I heard Sympathy for the Devil , I couldn’t get it out of my head for days. Yknow the little ‘whoo whoo’ bits, I was just singing that around the house. My uncle was losing his mind . And then I started getting into Black Sabbath and Metallica - as you can see - when I was a little older, and their music just really spoke to me. It was my uncle, actually, that bought me my first guitar.
Critics have described your sound, your stage presence, as ‘the love child of Bowie and Iggy Pop’, how do you respond to that kind of praise?
They have? Fuck. They’re icons , right? They’re the people you say when you think about success, right? And for someone to say that about my music, it’s- wow. Someone really said that?
They did. Put it in NME, to be exact.
Fuck me .
On that topic, if things are strictly professional between you and your manager, does that mean that there’s another lady in your life? A muse, perhaps?
Eddie laughs before responding, a shaky thing that matches the tremble of his fingers as they pinch the half-smoked cigarette between them. He flexes his shoulders, sits back against the rest of the chair, and sucks in another deep breath before responding.
Nope, no ladies in my life- uh, right now. Unless you count my guitar, that is. She’s like, the centre of my world. Wrote the entire album on her, so yeah. She’s pretty special. But on the actual lady front - no.
You heard it here first, girls! Eddie Munson is single!
Well- Just, uh. Trying to work on my music at the moment. It’s been the most incredible experience, having people listen to the things I’ve written. Everyone’s been so kind and supportive and I didn’t think anyone would even buy the record in the first place but then so many people bought it. So yeah, I’m working on stuff all the time. The last thing I want is to become a one-album wonder!
What’s been the most surreal moment of this whole experience?
Oh shit, that’s a good question. I think, uh, I mean I met Ozzy Osborne last week. If sixteen year old me could have seen that - I think he’d have shit himself.
Very metal! So what’s on the horizon for Eddie Munson?
Well Chrissy’s the one who can see any distance ahead, I just go where I’m told and hope people like what I do. But I’ve got a few shows across LA and then we’re travelling around the coasts - hopefully people will come. Right now though, I’m just so grateful. I know I said this earlier, and I’m just repeating myself now, but I’ve been blown away by this whole thing, and I just don’t want it to ever end. I’m having the time of my life over here!
Eddie adds with a hearty laugh, and some of the uncertainty from earlier has melted away. This feels more like him, like who he is when he’s not ‘Eddie Munson Number 1 Artist’, and it’s endlessly endearing. We speak for a little longer after this, about his favourite movies, about sports - he doesn’t watch many, but doesn’t mind basketball. He asks me questions about my work, shows genuine interest in response.
There have been few times in my career that I’ve found myself genuinely rooting for someone to succeed purely because they’re kind, but Eddie Munson is one of those people. And I think, as Munson shakes my hand once more before his manager pulls him away, I think the kid’s going to go far.