“Well, if I’ve had enough wine and if it’s late enough in the evening, my guilty pleasures come out,” he says. “I’ve definitely been guilty of playing more than a few Johnny Cash covers. I only realised this the other day, but whenever I’m a little tipsy, I’m at a party and somebody hands me a guitar, I’ll instantly start playing Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles. It’s a beautiful song so I have no regrets about it, but I never realised before that it’s my go-to. I’m so drawn to those jazz chords, they’re just so pretty, and it has such beautiful lyrics.”
It’s a fine image – Timberwolf perched in a bustling kitchen, spilling wine and strumming tunes – and doesn’t seem all that dissimilar to the figure he presents onstage. He appears quite open, someone who confidently wears his heart on his sleeve, and while this version of Panousakis is a genuine figure, it is by no stretch the complete man.
“My friend was saying how different I seemed onstage to the guy he’d have coffee with, and, well, of course,” he says. “The version of me that you see onstage would be the same guy who is having a heartfelt, emotional chat with his girlfriend. It’s the part that’s able to be reflective and passionate and probably tiringly emotional [laughs]. I love to be relaxed with my friends and have strange philosophical conversations, to sit by the beach and drink an easy coffee. But it’s the heightened part of me that’s onstage, and it’s something that I just can’t be all the time. I’d be completely drained.”
Sincerity and striking an emotional, creative balance seem to be at the forefront of Panousakis’ mind these days. His love of touring has seen him careen across the country many times, and his latest EP, Flux, represents the unexpected journey of this sentiment and sound. While his style will inevitably continue to evolve, the Timberwolf you experience today is as close to the real thing as you can hope for.
“Don’t get me wrong, there are parts of my personality that I keep to myself that won’t ever find their way into songwriting,” Panousakis says. “But what I do share, there’s no part of me that worries about what others are going to think. I don’t like the idea of painting a picture that … let’s say someone listened to a song, and really connected to it. It took them on some emotional journey, or eased them out of a rough time, even if it just helped make a road trip that bit better. I like the idea that if they were to meet me in person, or if they ever read this interview, then there would be no gaps. No holes in the story.
“Of course, some songs allow you to express yourself more than others. But that’s the game. You’re trying to recreate something you felt quite honestly. That always has been and hopefully always will be the driving force behind what I do.”
BY ADAM NORRIS
