Moosic: Why did you decide to use your real name instead of a stage name?
Sam Mulligan: I tried out a couple band names when I started my solo-gameboy project, but nothing stuck! And then I got sick of waiting for a perfect band name to present itself. So, I prioritized releasing the music I had been working on and just went with my real name. Was that a mistake?
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I first started writing songs with my best friend in high school, Dave Richardson, as Compost Shark. We were super inspired by DIY, indie, acoustic, silly, punk-y bands and played shows in our backyards and at the school talent shows. That started a few months after I got my first guitar, and we had a lot of fun writing songs to make each other laugh. Dave went on to become an incredibly talented folk singer & songwriter, and I stuck with trying to make people laugh!
How would you describe your sound?
I describe my sound as fun rock music with grungy guitars and little machines. Chiptune rock, DIY garage band with a Game Boy, music for weirdos! Take your pick!
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Some are definitely more apparent than others, but the artists that probably had the biggest influence on my sound are Atom & His Package, Beck, Weezer, and the Beastie Boys. One of my bandmates in college made the observation that a lot of my musical heroes are indie musicians with day jobs, which is also true!
What’s the last song you listened to?
The last song I listened to is “We Need a Bigger Dumpster” by Cheekface. There are many days where I’m just listening to Cheekface albums back to back to back to back.
What’s your source for hearing new music?
I’m lucky that my best friends are big music fans too, so I don’t have to look far for a new suggestion. Jeff Rosenstock has been including recommended albums with his email newsletters, and I’ve found some new faves via that. One of my favorite ways to hear new music is to pay attention to who my fave bands have booked as their openers on tour!
Who is your dream producer?
I think my dream producer would have to be Jeff Rosenstock. I think it’d be really exciting to work with someone who creates such beautiful, honest, urgent music, and I am curious what the result would be!
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
If I could collaborate with anyone I think I’d pick America’s Local Band – Cheekface. They are my favorite band right now, I love what they are doing!
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
Music is so fun. I am motivated by the fun of it, and I can’t stop making it. When I come up with an idea that is a little absurd, I get so psyched to make it real and get fixated on it. A chiptune metal song about eating donuts? A 30-second song about a fictional supermarket that specializes in eels and eel products? A whole album of pizza songs? Let’s goooo!
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
My songwriting process is a little different every time, and I like it that way. Some of my favorite songs start out as just a title or a concept. Then I either freewrite or make a word bubble map or both, try out melodies and fiddle with an acoustic guitar until I get something I think is pretty good, then I’ll will it into being by editing it all down and finalizing the structure. Other times a riff will come first, and then it’s like a puzzle trying to come up with something else that works well with it. Sometimes it’ll take me a long time to finish a song and then sometimes it just happens and I’ll have an idea and write until it’s done in one sitting.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
My favorite way to connect with my audience is at a show! I like talking to people during my sets, it’s fun to get them involved a bit and then chat at the merch table after the show. The easiest way for folks to connect with me is either via my Patreon or instagram – I post more often on my Patreon than anywhere else, and people can join for free!
Connect with Sam Mulligan:
Homepage x Bandcamp x Multi x Instagram x YouTube
What’s next for you?
I’m psyched to release this pizza album (Pizza Forever) on May 15th! Then I’m playing a few fun shows trying to get it out to more people. I’m still figuring out what’s next after that but I’ve got a few ideas!
Bio:
Silly lyrics, grungy guitars, and high energy Game Boy beats are what Sam Mulligan is all about. With an emphasis on equal parts positivity and absurdity, Sam’s goal is to make you smile, but hey, it’s your face and you should do what you want with it.
Based in Western Massachusetts, Sam is putting the finishing touches on his album of pizza songs (Pizza Forever, out May 15 for National Pizza Party Day), booking shows, and creating new video content in 2026. He has been playing his particular brand of lyrical, comedic, chiptune-rock music live since May 2012 and has been writing and performing weird music since 1998.
Sam has played over 100 shows since 2012, in cities from Atlanta, Georgia to Madison, Wisconsin, and performs regularly all over New England. He also has played in the bands My Kids Are Jerks, The Oh! My Gods, sleazy punk band Electric Street Queens, and currently in electro-pop trio Battlemode, and in Compost Shark, with longtime collaborator Dave Richardson.
