The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’.

When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late nights, the singing, drinking and rolling in the grass sessions, the yarns and the hope. Like that time he played a festival on Poland, and witnessed his fiddle player “transmogrified” with Chilean fire singers and his banjo player stuck in a tree with naked Germans, while McGrath escaped a castle via a slide and witnessed a pony and zebra fight under the moonlight with a death metal singer named “Sux”.

“These are all things that happened because surviving a festival is for tourists, we are there to deploy and hopefully never come home again,” says McGrath, who also plays in folk/alt country band The Eastern. “By the time the festival rolls around again we should have been living for a year behind the portaloos in the burnt out rental car, catching water off of leaves in an empty Jameson’s bottle. If this is not the case we are not doing our job.”

If you’re not able to catch him at the festival, he has some other ideas of suitable environments that would suit a McGrath listening session. “It’d be late after you’ve been and seen a smarter, more talented singer and you get home and your defences are weak, and your better senses have been surrendered to a ‘why not’ way of thinking. And about 3am I sing ‘Mammas don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys’ and I remind you of that one time your dad sang it in the Holden on the way home from your aunty’s,” McGrath says. “Either that or leaving the bar quickly when realising it was this fuckin’ guy again.”

Here’s the 10 tracks, from 2am folk anthems to local hits, that make McGrath’s weekend perfect.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Fortunate Son’

When Trump was first elected and was instituting a ban on people arriving from predominantly Muslim countries, I was playing the Auckland Folk Festival and talked about it some and played a pretty ropey version of ‘Fortunate Son’. Afterwards I got lots of messages and emails from people who appreciated what I had to say about it, which was nice and made me think my shit didn’t stink. I even got one from Don McGlashan which I still haven’t replied to, because 1) it takes about nine years for me to reply to emails and that was only seven ago, and 2) I’m too nervous to talk to Don McGlashan.

Anyways, a bunch of emails in, this guy wrote me and said there was “no room for politics” at the Auckland Folk Festival. Next time I was there with The Eastern, we did a whole set of polemic jams just to put the shits up him.

After that gig, someone sent me a message that said liberals were actually part of a satanic conspiracy and I was part of it. I asked them to come and talk to me about in person, but them folks never do.

Enemy Radio – ‘Born Woke’

Another someone on the internet said I was a supporter of oppressive regimes, because I believe in a welfare system, public health and education, and that I was too woke, and that “folk is not woke”. Every time I pick up my Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Odetta, Hazel Dickens, Woody Guthrie records, I think of this song by Public Enemy (sans Flava Flav) and get eager for the fray.

Woody Guthrie – ‘Hard Travelin”

A long time ago, I had a case of the give-ups. I was in Nashville walking in a drizzle and was like “fuck this shit”, when I saw Hard Travelin’ stencilled on a lamp post. Of course, I thought, it’s not meant to be easy.

People say I work hard, not smart, and I say “yeah”. I’m here for the long way around – I prioritise the mission, not my health. I want to check in at the pearly gates and have them say, “there’s nothing left here, he’s worn to a nub, put it in the bin”.

Paul Robeson – ‘Joe Hill’

Mr Robeson is power and grace made real. He is simply unfuckwithable. Here he is singing the song which tells us what folk music is all about. There is no killing what can’t be killed.

Bruce Cockburn – ‘3 Al Purdeys’

When I talk to people in line for a beer or some rice at folk festivals, I hear the good true stories and learn something every time. They generally start by saying thanks for the show I just got done doing, but they always give me way more. One time some folks gave me this song, and I’m forever grateful.

“After a while there is no arrival and no departure possible anymore, you are where you were always going and the shape of home is under your fingernails”.

OOOOOOSSSSSSSH!!!! KABOOM!!!

Upper Hutt Posse – ‘Free Free Palestine’

Dean Hapeta is New Zealand’s greatest folk singer. This proves he is still making important, devastating jams. Mr Hapeta suffers no fools and asks for no quarter. Playing ‘Keep Your Eyes on the Prize’ with him once on stage a thousand years ago is the only time I may have allowed myself to think there was any such thing as “making it” and if there was, then I had.

Utah Phillips – ‘I Will Not Obey’

Utah explains agreement and combinations.

Herbs – ‘Dragons and Demons’

I heard a band of old white rebel bikers nail this once in Hawke’s Bay, because they knew this song was the goddamned truth. It cuts right to the quick of everything we’re wrestling with. It says there is something inside all of us that we will never sell. Hold that thing tight as you can.

Todd Snider – ‘The Ballad of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern’

There’s a lot of killer musicians in the folk world who can out shred you as quick as look at you. I traded my mastery of my instrument for the ability to out talk even the slickest blue grass wizard. Todd reminds me that three chords and a long story will get more than half the job done more than half the time.

The Pogues – ‘The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn’

At Welly fest last year I tried to sing this during the a cappella singing that happens at every folk festival at about 2am. I had drunk too much and stumbled on the words. Luckily the friends of folk singing will always pick up the slack for you.

Rose Tattoo – ‘Rock n Roll Outlaw’

I try to keep the pious, holier-than-thou traps one can fall into when singing folk songs at bay as best I can. Playing Rose Tattoo can help you remember to keep your feet on the ground and what this whole dog and pony show should be about.