November 02, 2004

Interview with Mitch Malloy

When I stop to think how consuming a career in music would be I look at the
dealings with the labels, and the struggle to find a line up for the band,
studio time, the cost of production, and so on and so on. So, when I reviewed
the answers to today’s interview with Mitch Malloy I was taken back by the
simple message he delivered through out the questions “I love music” … “Music
is what I do” and it dawned on me that all the struggles of a music career are
just those steps an artists takes along the way to expressing themselves. When
I finished with this interview I felt that something foreign had become familiar
and an artist I was already familiar with became someone that I truly respect
and honored to have had the chance to find out his views and how funny he is.
Enjoy the interview and remember that anything worth doing is worth fighting
for!

1. It is great to have the chance to interview such an exciting and well defined artist, would you take a moment in the beginning to introduce yourself, Mitch Malloy, the man behind the music.
Don’t you mean behind the hair? Whoops … Sorry … Oh that’s right I cut it. So what is there to talk about? LOL
Hi I’m Mitch Malloy the greatest singer songwriter in the history of music. ;>)

2. It is hard to pick where to start with these questions; you have done a lot in your career, so to make things easy lets start by asking what you have been up to recently?
I just toured Europe, mostly the UK and I have been touring the states all summer. I haven’t toured this much since I was 15 on RCA in 92. :>) I’m also busy in the studio making records. I’m working 24/7.

3. Your album Shine starts out with such an energy that the songs seem to be a ride of emotion and simply make my ears smile; is there one song on the album that has a special meaning to you that you could share with us from the artists view?
That’s a tough question as I like more then one. I think “It’s About Love is” cool. I never listen to that CD or any of my CD’s but when I do hear it I think it’s pretty good. For a man of my abilities that is. :>)

4. I understand that another recent album due out is Fluidsol, a new and some say very different sound for you. What was your inspiration for this project and what has the experience done for you as an artist and a person?
I just like making music. FluidSol for me isn’t that different. It’s just what the times are doing. Things shift and change. We cannot stay in the same place for our whole lives we must shift and grow and try new things. To me that is what life and art are about. Fluid Sol just flat out rocks. Pretty simple.

5. Again, you continue to show your diverse talents with a country album slated for the upcoming months. Here again what is your inspiration for this ambitious step and just to cover all the bases … What's next!?
I like to do music. I’m a singer first. And a singer likes to sing different styles. So there you go. I love all types of music. You wont ever hear me doing jazz though. That is where it stops for me.

6. Sometimes it is easy to see who the media or the music itself shows, but less often we get the chance to see the individual behind the music, how would you say each of your albums have shown a different side you?
They are very personal. I would say the first CD was a showing of who I was at that time and the latest one will show the same thing. It’s just music. It does reveal me in a way I suppose.

7. With all of the many projects you have, are currently and will surely be involved with I wonder what activities you enjoy away from the music to help strike a balance in your life?
Listen to you … Talking about Balance. :>) That is a great question but actually Music is the Balance in my life. :>)

8. As an artist that has been successful and by no means followed the rules or maintained in the status quo what advice do you have for hopeful artists looking to have their music played in the homes of music fans around the world?
My advice is don’t take advice from me. :>) Let me just say how flattered and pleased I am that FINALLY an interviewer GETS me and what I’m doing. People are usually challenging the fact that I am doing different things instead of applauding it. Art is movement and change as life is and I am doing that. I am doing whatever moves me inside instead of trying to be something that everyone wants me to be or trying to fit into a box and be just like the one who came before me. I’m not interested in that. I just want to do music I love …Period, and that is what I do. So I guess that’s some advice. :>)

9. There is a lot to be said about your style and charisma, I know that you have listed your parents as inspiration through your life but could you tell us who else has been an influence on you both musically and in life in general?
Wow, I think you should do every interview for me from now on. I’m not sure I can list people? It’s definitely people but it’s more like things and situations and experiences. I just have always appreciated people with grace and class and humor. So I look up to those things and I just hope to be a good guy all the time. I do live my life by doing what I think is right. Always do the right thing. Not just for me I mean do the right thing for everyone involved. I don’t see other people as being separate from me. So I treat them like I treat myself. For instance, would you cut off your little finger? No, why? Cause it’s a part of you that’s why. So if you see all people as being a part of you your going to take care of them like you would yourself.

10. If you had to pick a role in life other than music what do you think you would have chosen, perhaps a career in law like your father or would it have been something different all together?
I have no answer for that as I still think of it from time to time. I cannot come up with an answer.

11. While the world is consistently changing so is music, where do you think music will evolve to over the years to come, and what personally would you like to see as far as changes in the music scene/business?
Well I hate to say this but I don’t think music is really evolving in a good way. I think in some ways it is good but mostly I think it goes backwards. It gets worse. I would like to see it where everyone has a chance to reach people with their music and it’s graded on a talent basis. The talented ones get to continue on and the not so talented ones can keep doing it but they have to do something else for money and don’t get to make a career of it. That sounds really strange and I shouldn’t admit it but that’s how I feel. But then you get into total judgment and who is to judge music? We are, but we are all hearing it differently and that’s the beauty of it. SO … I don’t know? I mean people love The Smiths, people hate The Smiths. It’s a bizarre thing but it’s cool in a way as well. And what the hell am I talking about? LOL. I can’t stand The Smiths. LOL …

12. Now I would like to offer you the stage, a moment to speak your mind, share your thoughts and any closing message to your fans around the globe.
Well I think I have shared a lot already with my personal way of being. I would like to say to the fans that I love music. I love rock music. I love country music. I love all different kinds of music. I think it’s silly to not be open to different things and kinds of music. I very much appreciate the fact that people get something from my music. That is what it’s for. It’s not so I can get rich or have people adore me or whatever. It’s so people can listen and feel something. Feel what the song is saying. I get letters all the time from people that have been moved by the music in a profound way and they thank me for continuing to do it. These are the things that keep me doing it. Knowing that I’m sharing something and it’s getting through to people. That for me is what it’s about and it means everything to me. The fans think they don’t mean anything to the artist and they love the artist but it’s really the other way around. The artist worships the fans. My favorite part of the night is when I get off the stage and meet the fans. I LOVE that.

Posted by Kathy at November 2, 2004 04:25 PM