What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?

The coolest thing about the latest Broken Promise Keeper album is that it’s an international affair.  Most of the drums were played by Will Jones, an session drummer in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Then I had mixing/mastering consulting by Andrew Gosden, of Cold Room Studios, Brisbane, Australia. I’d met both on an online forum, liked their style, and ended up getting their expertise on album.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

On this album, it’s definitely “Here We Go” which is the kick-off tune.  It’s inspired by the often quoted definition of insanity:   “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result” – well, that resonates with me because I’m stupidly stubborn sometimes.  OK, most of the time.  But I’m getting better as I get older!

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

Well, I had a glimpse of the old-school music industry, circa 1985 or so, when I was about to graduate from college but was in a regionally successful band in the Southeastern US.  We got signed to a label, recorded several records (those flat, black and round plastic things), toured lots of clubs… lots of fun, but not so lucrative from a financial perspective.  Now, you don’t need the “music industry” — what’s left of it is focused on the mega-huge stadium acts like, well, you know.  So the ability for folks like me to record, distribute, and avoid any industry middle-man is a good change.

Who is the best musician in the world nobody has heard of yet? And why will this change very soon?

That’s the downside of the change in the music industry – I’m positive there are just the bestest, sweetest Power Pop bands out there, but I don’t know about them because it takes effort to find them.  There’s no longer any support from the music industry (if there ever really was) to grow new bands, and radio is no help.  So today, as a listener, you really have to make an effort to look for music that turns you on, searching either online with the help of sites like this or better yet by supporting your local music scene and supporting the bands you like.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mix tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Well, I’ve been married for a long time, so this is more of a list of the five Power Pop songs we fell in love with together.  I hope you like high-energy melodic rock from the 80s, all North Carolina or Georgia bands from the Southeast US:

“Love Is For Lovers” – The dB’s

 

 

“Double Our Numbers” – Parthenon Huxley

“Stone Cold Yesterday” – The Connells

“Praying Mantis” – Don Dixon

“Harborcoat” – REM

What’s up for the next couple of months?

I have to get back on the computer and find more sites like this one!  That and start recording again…

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