AI: Having just attended the EDDIES Awards, it struck me how much our region has so many gifted players. It’s hard to list them all, but I admire Hot Vox Trio, The Hawthornes, Off The Record, Sirsy, and The Lustre Kings, to name a few. Buggy Jive is a monster talent. Mike Kelly and Bob Assini are local musical treasures.
RRX: Cover art is cool. It shows listeners what the artist thinks the album is all about. Because music can be felt visually. If you had to give the public a visual image that you think they would see and just “get” your groove right away, what would it be?
AI: Well, that’s an interesting question. As a graphic designer/illustrator, I create my own cover art. The art is usually designed once a record is completed. I try to distill the basic feel of the songs to the visual. Sometimes, the visuals are directly related to the album title and track, as in my 2021 album, “Children of the Cathode Ray,” there’s an old TV set in the illustration.
RRX: What was the very first reaction to your music, from the first person to ever hear so much as a practice jam or the demo of your first song?
AI: Back in the late 1980’s, I played my younger brother the track for one of my first songs called “There’ll Be A Time,” which was featured on my first cassette EP. He flipped out when he heard it, and it really pumped me up to do more writing at the time.
RRX: With services like Spotify, streaming revenue can be pretty dismal. Without spilling secrets, do you have a promotional mindset or philosophy?
AI: I view the streaming services not as a bankable revenue source, but as a great way to share your music with the world. Streaming is an amazing tool, but we should keep our earnings expectations low. I have CD’s for sale at gigs; though many view it as a dying medium, I think some folks like to buy something tangible. Though I’m not an aggressive self promoter by nature, I think social media is a good way to get the word out about one’s music, and I try to encourage friends to come to my shows, and support local music in general. I would say, get out there with your music, insist on fair payment with gigs, be true to yourself, and those that like it will support it. Oh, and join/support your local AFM Union! It’s a great way to meet people and network.
RRX: Our style comes from the extension of our influences. It’s like an evolution. We’re influenced, and it inspires us to influence. What can you say about your influences, and what you feel you’ve done with their influence as a musician or band? Have you extended their work?
AI: I’m influenced by just about everything I listen to. There’s so much good stuff out there, new and old. That said, I’m partial to music I came of age with, such as The Beatles, Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Byrds, Dylan, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty. I think these people crafted succinct music with great melodies, vocals, hooks, instrumentation, and production. This is what I strive for when writing and recording, and sometimes I’ll get it halfway right, lol.
RRX: With the exception of singing, everyone has an instrument, an inanimate object that has the distinction of being a lifelong friend. Smooth or temperamental, these objects have a character. So pick someone to answer, can you tell us something special about what you play, your technique, your instrument?
AI: Well, I usually play live in a one-man-band configuration; vocals, guitar, harp, kick and snare drum. I do it this way because I try to play as rhythmically as I can, and having percussion helps. I take each element seriously and it can be tricky, and sometimes you can fall off the rails if you’re thinking too much about it.
RadioRadioX