1.0 Are your earliest musical influences the most pervasive or do others break through along the way? The early ones in the formative years are still the Mount Rushmore for me of songwriting….but there certainly have been people that have shown up in recent years that can influence you. Things constantly influence me……the train outside my window, to the man at the counter in a diner…..songs are everywhere….you just sometimes go looking for them in different places.
2.0 Where do songs arts for you, with the lyrical content or the music? Totally varies, sometimes it’s a riff on guitar or a piano melody. Otherwise you get a lyric idea and then try to meld that into a song or melody. They are just different colors, and you need all of it to make a great painting so it matters little which comes first. You’re going to need all of it if you want the song to sing on it’s own.
3.0 What is the first song you ever wrote, do you still like it? did it resurface anywhere else down the line? The first song I wrote was in high school, and we named the band after the song – “Missing In Action / MIA”. Nothing of that song ever reappeared, for good reason LOL.
4.0 How does “Hey La Hey” differ from your past releases? Its a far more restrained album, which I like. The songs breath in a completely different way. Part of me misses some of the frenetic energy of the past albums, but I think it was a big step with not getting in the way of the song too much. Sometimes you try and do too much with a song and you end up kind of choking the life out of it……this album each song breathes on its own.
5.0 How did you approach going into the studio for the record? I never usually have an approach….I’ve learned whenever I go into the studio thinking its gonna sound like one thing….it ends up sounding nothing like I thought it would. I’ve learned to let the song take you and I just go along for the ride.
6.0 What is your favorite song on it? That’s a tough one……if I had to have Bob Dylan hear one song i’d pick “Forgotten”…it’s a song thats spooky and has elements that make me uncomfortable. It’s a song I havne’t heard in quite sometime because of the way it makes me feel. There’ something other worldly about it and I’m not sure if it’s a world I’d wanna be in.
7.0 If you had to make an “Introducing Michael McDermott” EP, what 3 songs would be on it? “Forgotten”, “Charlie Boy”, “The Silent WIll Soon Be Singing” (unreleased song).
8.0 What’s the best part about playing Europe? The people are the best thing. Besides my fascination with Europe as a whole…..the people and how they listen to music is the most inspiring thing. Europe has taught me about myself, it’s taught me how to love and approach life in a different way. I love it.
9.0 What advice would you give to young artists getting ready to tour for the first time? I had a blast as a young man on the road. But maybe too good of a time. I’d say be moderate on the partying. That time of my life nearly killed me and I still have the scars to prove it. Have a great time….but ” dyin’ ain’t no way to make a livin” ( Clint Eastwood)
10.0 Now that you’re a dad, will you have to record a ‘children’s’ record? I sure hope not. Its not something I have too much interest in. I’m writing a book for children/early teens and have thought about a record to accompany the book, but I’m not sure I have any interest in that.
Interview from www.WOBBLEHOUSE.com
