– What’s new in the world of Chords Of Eve? Hope all is well.
Things are going well, or as well as they can in times of Coronavirus. So far, the largest impact we’re facing is losing our CD release party to social distancing but this also provides new opportunities to work within the digital world and reach out to our listeners. We are still releasing our EP on April 10, 2020, have a music video for “The Future’s Not What It Used To Be” and the single out on March 27th, 2020 but we are adapting to the rapidly changing world we live in today.
– Let’s talk about your EP “Dear Engineer”. How was the recording experience?
Recording Dear Engineer was a departure from albums I’ve recorded with other musical projects. I did all of the musical composition and brought various vocalists in to bring it to life, primarily Casey Ardmor who makes her debut on this album. In some ways the process was simpler logistically than working with a full band, but it required that much more self discipline and structure. When mixing I teamed up with a long time collaborator/engineer Charles Godfrey who I’ve known since my stint at Sonic Ranch. He helped produce it and came in on some of the drum tracks.
– Where does the idea for the EP title come from?
Dear Engineer is the title track. When I wrote this album, I had a whole story in the back of my head. The story goes that Atlas, frontman for the band Strings Of Atlas, was playing a show in what became a warzone in the dust of Texas. The town was attacked, bombs falling from the sky but by some miracle, he was found alive in the rubble by the Atomic Girls, a league of extraordinary women he encountered along his travels. They lifted him from the wreckage, back to the abandoned hospital in which they set up camp and began rebuilding him with GAAF Tech. His body was badly damaged though, speaking was difficult and it would be months or years before he could learn to play music the same way again. But this hospital, this was where he met C.A.S.E.Y., the android with the golden, human voice. It became apparent that this machine was far more advanced than any of its commercial counterparts. Was it possible that this robot had a soul? The two become friends and thus began their sonic journey into a world divided by humans and machines.
Dear Engineer is sung from the perspective of an android asking it’s creator for guidance in what and how to be. It touches on a core theme of the whole album. We can all connect with that need for understanding and direction to become what we are meant to be.
– When writing a song, is there such a thing as investing too much time? What’s the shortest time you ever took to write one?
I’ve written songs in a day when the inspiration hits just right. It’s hard to push a time construct on inspiration. Sometimes it flows, and sometimes you have to step away from a composition and revisit it later. A song may take a long time to take form. That said when it comes to refining a song you can definitely take too much time if you aren’t careful. If you are a perfectionist and are not willing to let go of something until it’s perfect, then you will never be satisfied
Who was it that said “Art is never finished, it’s just abandoned”?
– Do you consider album artwork as important now that music is mostly downloaded?
I think your fans can tell when you put thought and work into the artwork, vs it being an afterthought. I think it helps set the tone of an album and the story the music tells. I’m big into creating a story with my albums. I came up in the era of music where you still bought physical copies – be it records or CDs – and I value the full experience you get from that. The entire experience you get includes the artwork. These days the experience is a little different but artwork still plays an important role especially when trying to break through the noise on social media to get a release noticed.
Speaking of setting the tone – the concept behind the album artwork for Dear Engineer, done by the talented Tatiana Jitkoff, was to capture the long-running sci-fi trope of the blurred line between man and machine, and what humanity really is. We were inspired by the vulnerability, mystery and timelessness of Vermeer’s Girl With the Pearl Earring, but in a tech infused future. That theme is interwoven in all of the songs of the album.
– What would be some of your main musical influences today? Has it evolved?
There are so many talented people out there who continue to influence our style every day. Portishead will always hold a place in our hearts as one of the innovators of cool. Beth Gibbons has such an amazing voice and the band just has such a good vibe. It’s evolved in the sense that I now cast a wider net in search of music. Phantogram and K. Flay also have styles that we really enjoy. It’s pop but presented in such a dreamy and gritty way, that you feel it more than you hear it.
– Is it important for you to be active on Social Media?
Absolutely! I spend a lot of time managing social media presences, and I think it’s important to have as much authentic connection with your audience as you can, especially for an album like this one. Oddly enough I’m a pretty private person so finding that balance on social media of being open and authentic, but still maintaining a comfortable level of privacy is tricky. There’s also a whole science behind how these algorithms work so you don’t just get lost in the shuffle, so I’m always learning more about that.
– With the music industry shutting down presently. How are you dealing with these issues?
It has been an interesting challenge. Since Chords of Eve is not dependant on live performance, that wasn’t affected too much at first. We had some events planned with artists during SXSW that were unfortunately cancelled. Most recently some of the singles we released this month were lined up for airplay on college radio stations across the country, but with many campuses closing down, that is getting hit too. As far as how we are dealing with it; one day at a time. Everything is so unsure right now it’s hard to plan for anything. Ironically the frustration, helplessness and isolation people are feeling more and more these days is exactly what Dear Engineer speaks to. We’ll just keep pushing the music out there every way we can, and hope it connects with people.
– How important is it for a musician in these difficult times to spend time on social media to self promote. It seems there’s lot’s more live living room broadcasts on social media going on since there are no more concerts?
- I think social media is an important tool right now but not just for promotion. One of the most important things to be as an artist is adaptability. When fate closes a door, find a window, another door, a hole in the wall. I don’t think social media is important in itself but it’s the primary vehicle for expression right now. That is bound to change in the future. The way a musician reaches their audience has a lot to do with the time period in which they exist. At its core, music, or art of any kind, is about connection with an audience. While one may see living room broadcasts as form of self promotion, or a reactive move to stay relevant and financially viable, I see it as a creative outlet and means of communication with an audience.
– What would we be surprised to find in your music collection at home?
A lot of metal and hard rock. Here’s what’s playing in the background right now. Powerman 5000 – they are the epitome of rock and roll that was 10000 years ahead of its time, in the future, when worlds collide.