Bob Pressner, Los Angeles rock singer, songwriter promoting his latest album King of Nothing.
How was the writing process for your latest album King of Nothing?
It was a great experience. I did much of the work on my own, then, went into the studio with writers/producers Jim McGorman and Robb Valier to finish the album. We’d work through the titles (they call me the “Title Man”), get the concepts locked in, and record some magic. They are an exciting group of guys to work with.
What were some of the influences used for this latest album?
This album was really inspired by my life experiences…what I’m going through at the moment. There’s a lot of talk of love and loss on this album; it’s a reflection of some things I’m dealing with at the moment. I just try to be as honest as I can and share my innermost thoughts in a way that I think will touch people.
Any tours coming soon?
Not as of now
When writing a song is there such a thing as investing too much time?
I think you spend as much time as you need to in order to write the best song possible. Sometimes that takes a really long time, and that’s ok. Other times you can knock something special out in an hour. I just did exactly that recently when I wrote and recorded a song called “California” in under an hour. It’s a track I’m really proud of. If it’s good, you know it, you stop, you move on. Time doesn’t matter.
What do you think of YouTube as it relates to the music industry?
YouTube has been a game changer for me. I used to play in clubs for 20-50 people. Now, with the advent of YouTube, my music has reached tens of millions of people around the world. YouTube has really helped level the playing field. It’s taken record labels of the picture to some degree and allowed indie artists like myself to gain a worldwide audience whereby that never would have been possible before YouTube’s existence.
Would you say the overall music scene online is getting better with the economy?
Hard to say. Even with the success of YouTube, it’s still a struggle to monetize music today, even if you have millions of fans that subscribe to your channel.
What were your earliest influences?
I studied with a lot of beat poets back in the day, including Alan Ginsberg. They influenced me in terms of writing poetry structure and being honest in my writing.
What could we find interesting in your music collection at home?
I still prefer to listen to a lot of older music from folks who I consider to be some of the great. Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Michael Hedges are a few of my favorites.
Could you describe what goes on in a day in your life as a musician on tour?
I’m not touring right now unfortunately.
Where do you see music in 100 years from now?
I have trouble seeing where music is gonna be next week so it would be fairly impossible to predict that. I think what’s happening with music right now is so interesting because it can’t be predicted. Even the most knowledgeable and sophisticated people in the industry are struggling with understanding the direction music is going in. So, I have no idea is my answer.
Extra Questions for Bob Pressner
Life without music would be: Empty.
Favorite movie: Leaving Las Vegas.
Favorite sport: Baseball, basketball and golf.
Favorite food: Thai
Favorite drink: Coffee
Favorite saying: Have eyes in the back of your head
Favorite car: Old Porsche
Favorite book: The Genesis Code
Favorite band: The Beatles
Star Wars or Star Trek: Neither
PC or Mac: Neither one. I can’t work either
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