We did a radio interview and in-studio performance yesterday morning on WNUR college radio, The Folk Show (archive of the show is not posted yet). We were promoting our upcoming show at SPACE this coming Wednesday, Sept 4. A morning radio slot seemed to work out fine for us. I, for one, am a morning person, fortified with a pot of coffee, and a head full of dreams. It was a bit awkward, the studio isn't really set up for live performance, there were three of us, guitar, violin, percussion, we were a bit cramped, huddled around one big microphone.
But the host of the Folk Show, Ron Lewis was quite friendly, he asked some great leading questions. We are not very polished when it comes to talking about our music, our song-writing process, our band history, our creative collaboration. And really if you listen to our CDs we are not exactly a "folk" band, although it is true all of our music starts with an acoustic guitar and two voices. And really, if you pressed me "folk" "rock" etc. are sort of meaningless. We played some songs from the heart. Music.
We just winged it. Decided to speak honestly and let the chips fall where they may. We played three songs that seem from another time and place. The three of them are "story songs," to my ears they sound archaic, older than folk, older than the hills. It's a mystery where they actually came from. What's our song-writing method? Who knows? We start with a glimmer, and run with it. It's always different, every song comes it's own way.
There is a bit of "magic & mystery" about the process. We try hard to just let the creative process flow without analysis or judgement, usually the songs sneak in the door, descend upon us, we try not to engage the "conscious" mind, we do our best to open to the vast sea of the unconscious. It's a bit spooky to talk about, or think about, better to keep the whole process shrouded in the darkness, don't want to do anything to "queer the process." A method of no method.
We heard from some folks who listened to the show on the radio. They thought we were quite "eloquent." Funny. We just put those vibrations into the air. How long do radio-waves live? How far can they go? Will they ride out to the outer reaches of space? Here's hoping they are still vibrating somewhere out into the great expanse. Maybe someone will hear the show and decide to come out to see the band on Wednesday? That would be cool.