Robby Miller’s new EP contains 5 flawless pop songs. Melodic, catchy, and polished the right way. Sweet Sweet Music spoke to Robbie about how these songs came about and how you can ensure that a song never reaches the expiry date.
How did this record come together?
I wanted to create this EP for a while! I moved to the States in 2017 and met Matt Marzola. Matt is a very talented musician and producer and one of the easiest people to write songs with. I showed Matt the ideas I had already and we wrote another 10 songs or so together.
When did you decide to start asking for opinions on the new songs?
As soon as possible! We made demos and sent them to friends, played acoustic versions to people. We kept this process going when we were mixing the EP too. It’s important to do and helps detach yourself from the, perhaps, emotional ties to the songs.
You can pick 3 co-writers to write new songs with. Who? … and Why?
Chris Collingwood from Fountains of Wayne/Look Park – I’m a big fan of Chris and his songwriting and I can always imagine the story in my head like a movie or show.
Elvis Costello – There’s a structure and formula to the songs that really resonates. Plus the ‘My Aim Is True’ album absolutely captures the 3 min and 30-second pop song over and over again.
Jenny Lewis – I love both of her latest solo albums and I play them all the time. That’s a good enough reason for me!
Recording music. What’s all the fun about?
I’ve enjoyed recording music a lot more now that I know more about the process and what goes into crafting the sound. I’ve been lucky enough to record in some really cool studios but wasn’t that interested in the detailed production aspect at the time. Now, I’m always mixing stuff and trying to figure out how to dial in better sounds.
You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?
Nice question! I personally like songs that have a story but you might not ‘get it’ the first listen…or you think you do until maybe a few plays or a few years later when that story means something else. I think if a song can carry that longevity then it’s a really great song. I hope mine can do that for people too.
British born guitarist, Robby Miller grew up energized by North American rock music. After spending many years keeping his nose close to the grindstone, starting with performing with his father’s band and then weaving in and out of many teenage punk rock outfits, Robby created a name for himself as a hard working and passionate musician on the local scene.
Robby continued full force with music and joined The Scruff (2014-2017) taking up lead guitar duties on their indie-pop anthems up and down the country as well as writing and recording at Monnow Valley Studios, famed for the Oasis ‘Definitely Maybe’ album.
Robby spent 2 years living in the US (2017-2019) where he joined up with Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper) on two US tours and European shows performing Ryan’s impressive back catalogue and new releases from his ‘Imagine Your Reality’ album. During this time Robby also took the reins on bass guitar performing alongside Joel Kosche (Collective Soul).
Robby’s 20 years of performing, recording but most of all, loving music has allowed him to share the stage with the likes of Happy Mondays, We Are Scientists, D-A-D and Faster Pussycat, among others.
Robby now resides in Ottawa, Canada. Check back here as well as following Robby’s social media platforms for performances and news!