Meet Morgan Shaughnessy | Musician & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Morgan Shaughnessy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan, why did you pursue a creative career?
Pure love and interpretation/storytelling ability. The desire to make others feel blissed out, the way music makes me feel.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As for what inspires me; pure love and interpretation/storytelling ability. I have so much love I want to share, and so many scenes, from nature to a coffee house. I have always found myself able to step into a scene, watching and audio documenting, Zach Morris-style, past, present, and future – walking between raindrops. This enables me to dwell on certain “small” details, notice large thruways and arches, and stand in the middle of sensory experiences. When I make music, I can hear, see, feel, smell, and taste it happening all around me. It’s like a special creative multiverse, or branch of the astral just for me. There, I build my soundscape (or the soundscape is shaped by a scene I set within.) I am then co-creating with an intelligent universe, not to get all theoretical physicist.

Let’s see, what am I most proud of…? I have had to overcome an immense amount of adversity in order to be able to play, and even recorded my entire Debut EP Makeout Scars and Breakout Stars from bed. No one thought I could do it, actually, even my tracking engineer who brought some equipment from home. But as he says “then did it… you hit that note, and just kept hitting them and doing each next thing I didn’t think you could do, and now I trust you”. I’ve struggled similarly with touring at different times (medical leave from playing shows is what led to MSBS) and I’d say my shows are a great deal of fun and love (although I do plan to record my next output in a “real” studio – stay tuned for news on that front!) so I’d point to these things as your answers as to how I’m different and what I’m proud of, how I got here, was it easy, and what I did to overcome it – which is to say, I just did it anyway! But also – listen to your body. It knows. And finally – make it fun no matter your genre; I was passing out glowing bracelets quite awhile before our current era, even at rock clubs.

World, I want you to know: I’m coming for you!!!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The spiritual entryway to Atlanta from the rest of the upper 50, you know you’re hitting the city with her trails of ruby red and diamond white, no statue of the peach from the Centennial Olympics, Varsitjy up high and to the left, and giant MARTA down and to the right. The king and queen buildings will be standing tall to the right.

Start out in Piedmont park, throw some frisbee, play with your dog, catch a Braves game at the Battery. See a show at the Coca Cola Roxy!

Itinerary

Best Mexican- Chi Chi Vegan

2nd hand books- A Cappella Books

Best food truck- Sunshine Alchemy

Best Record Company: Criminal Records

Little Five Points- Explore around for hippies in earnest or hippie tourism, smoke shops, tattoo parlors. Clothes and vintage

Awesome lesser-known bands- Variety playhouse. Great view from just about the whole house due to slightly graded platforms.
Sometimes all there is from which to choose is beer and Mike’s Hard. Pregame accordingly

Specialty grocery store- Sevenada
Krog street tunnel to check out the graffiti
A few locomotive trains run around here I highly recommend watching + flattening a penny

Waterfalls hike: Benton MacKaye Trail, skip Crowder Mountain, hike to Ball Mountain

Drinks: Kimball house,
Bar Vegan

Food:
Upbeet
Flower Child
R Thomas; Vegan options, open 24/7

Buckhead Theater: The old Roxy! My first real show was here. An institution.

Basically a commune, great place
to live (yes there are goats); Goat Farm Cultural Center

An old church converted into a church of rock n roll!-My very favorite venue (and I know how to get in a secret entrance…) – the Tabernacle.
Centennial Olympic park (especially the fountain)
Ferris wheel
Glenn Hotel rooftop bar
Nightclub: Mansion Elan

Midtown/west midtown
Piedmont park
High museum of Modern Art
Alliance theater
Center for Puppetry Arts
Smiths Olde Bar; I’ve played here, Bowie’s played here…

Drunken unicorn – dope venue to play or see live music
King plow arts center right by the train tracks, great for weddings and including…
Terminal west- great for a late night semi-rave
Atlanta Botanical Gardens- now with edible flowers! Beautiful
Jeju – crystal spa, open 24/7/365

Other Highlights

Earthshaking music w/ a variety of ethnic and otherwise unique drums and other instruments with the heads hand stretched on site. My friend used to live in a closet in the back of this building so I got to explore after hours! Tell ‘em I sent ya! For a great guitar setup ask for Eric!

This bowl is worth a million bucks and picturesque views surround this, and the vibe checks in general, along the beltline- Old 4th ward skate park

Bio-hacking- Polar Plunge

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Cameron Crowe, the writer and director of some my favorite films, including my all-time favorite, Almost Famous.

Website: www.morganshaughnessy.com

Instagram: morgfacemorgface

Twitter: Ilovepineapple1

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@idonotexistinnature?si=tbImSEVsAucXb4x4