DOWNTOWN MYSTIC
Q: What inspired you to shape Mystic Highway Road Trip as a connected lyrical journey rather than simply a collection of separate songs?
I got the idea for the road trip from the reviews for the Mystic Highway EP last year. Many of the reviewers said it was a great soundtrack for a road trip and that stayed with me. I didn’t think of those songs that way and it got me thinking about a summer release. Also, the idea of playlists. Streaming has everybody talking about playlists and that’s how I kind of see the Road Trip EP. It’s a good playlist for the summer and I think the playlist should have songs that are connected in some way.
Q: The EP often uses roads, skies and movement as symbols. What do those images represent to you personally?
Most of these songs were written during the Covid pandemic when we were in isolation. The songs reflect that experience and wanting to just bust out of the feeling of being cooped up. The idea of movement is a strong symbol because you can feel it in the music.
Q: “Superstar” explores the bond between an artist and the people who grow up with their music. What inspired that idea?
My cousin Gordon wrote the lyrics. I’m not exactly sure what prompted him to write about a rock star. The irony is that I added the “To Sir Elton with Love Mix” and I wrote the song like he would. My cousin wrote the lyrics and gave them to me, and I wrote the music to them like Elton does with Bernie Taupin.
Q: “Live” expresses a strong desire to experience everything life can offer. Were you writing from a personal place when you created it?
I wrote the song from a very personal place and found out how I felt about living. The true story behind the creation of the song is a bit freaky, which is normal for me. LOL
In October 2018 I had my yearly physical and was diagnosed with MDS, which is short for pre-leukemia. I was making these irregular cells called “blasts” and the doctor said my blasts were at 12%, which is considered to be high because at 20%, it’s full-blown Leukemia. The good news was that in May 2019 I got a stem cell transplant that saved my life. A year later in 2020 we were in the Covid pandemic, and I was back to working on my songs. I was having trouble coming up with lyrics for “Shadow Walk”, so I started to work on other songs. I had already written “Live”, but I came up with a final verse and wanted to write it down in my book.
Here’s where it gets freaky…I always put a date down in the book when I finish a song. For some reason, I thought that I had written “Live” in early 2019 before my transplant, a few months after I got the MDS diagnosis. But the date that I had written in the book was January 2018, which was 10 months before I got the diagnosis! When I saw the date, it blew my mind! It was like I was trying to tell myself something months before. It would make total sense to write a song like “Live” after I got the diagnosis, but to find out and realize what I had written 10 months before was truly freaky.
Q: “Losing My Mind (Too Many Times)” introduces a much more disappointed and socially aware mood. What pushed you to write that song?
I just had ENOUGH with everything and wasn’t going to turn my head the other way. The song is about disappointment, and it paints a fairly negative picture, which is why I put in some hope on the last chorus when all the voices hit and the lyrics go from “me” to “we”. I got that idea from NJ RnR philosopher Jon Bon Jovi. I read where he said something like “I believe in WE”, meaning there’s more power when people stand together and I like that thought. I used it in the last chorus to give the song a lift in spirit and end on a hopeful note. The song is written in such a way that the listener can identify with how the lyrics pertain to them without being about any specific situation. They could be about politics in general. Lies and cheap talk, sound familiar?
Q: “Shadow Walk” has a mysterious and almost spiritual quality. Who or what is speaking to the person walking through the darkness?
I had a long answer to this question, but I’ve decided to let the listener come up with their own meaning. I definitely had something in mind when I was writing the song, and my answer would be very specific about it. That’s why I’ve decided not to tell. LOL
I would hate to spoil the song for anyone listening. I created a soundscape for the lyrics and that’s what I want people to hear and feel. What it’s about is left to the imagination.
Q: Both “Shadow Walk” and “Fly” include someone who needs help finding a way forward. Was that lyrical connection intentional?
I think so. We don’t always take responsibility for ourselves. It’s easier to blame our troubles on something or someone else. In “Shadow Walk” the person is being asked questions about what they’re doing with their life. Things seem to be dark. A shadow walk is when a person confronts their dark side and has to face themselves. New Age calls it “shadow work”. We all have a dark side and need to work on it.
Q: “Fly” expresses a simple wish for freedom from work, routine and limitation. What does flying symbolize for you?
I think flying allows you to break free from where you are and get above to see the bigger picture. So many times we get bogged down with things that seem to always be in our faces. Part of the problem is perspective. If we could get some perspective, things might not seem so bad. Flying symbolizes being able to get above everything and look down to see what’s really happening. It also symbolizes freedom for me.
Q: “Somebody’s Always Doin’ Something to Somebody” brings humour into the EP after several serious songs. Did you want the record to finish on a lighter note?
It kind of reiterates what the other songs are about, but in a lighter way. The song is sung with a wink of the eye. You only have to say the title of the song, and you know what it’s about. This is the reality of humanity, and it pokes fun at how it all started. Of course, a woman started it. LOL
Q: What attracted you to using Adam and Eve as the starting point for a song about modern relationships and deception?
I like to use The Bible when I’m trying to make a point. You have to swear on The Bible to tell the Truth. That makes it hard to argue with. Everyone knows the story of Adam & Eve. You can’t get any earlier than that! They’re the starting point. That’s what sells the song. It was the very first time that somebody did something to somebody and that’s all! LOL
Q: Is the final song meant to sound cynical about human behaviour, or more accepting and amused by it?
I think it makes the point that human behavior doesn’t change. No matter how evolved we think we are, the reality is we’ve always done the same things to each other. It’s amusing that the story of Adam & Eve set something in motion and it’s never stopped.
Q: Across the EP, freedom is always desired but never completely easy to reach. Is that tension something you consciously wanted to explore?
I don’t think so. The tension exists in our lives. It’s always present in some form, and I don’t think you can escape it. The world is not a perfect place. The idea of freedom is universal. Everyone wants it and life doesn’t offer it up very easily. If you want it, you have to work for it.
Q: After listeners complete the full Mystic Highway Road Trip, what emotional destination do you hope they arrive at?
I hope it lifts the listeners’ spirits because they can identify with the songs. They can see themselves in the stories being told. I hope when they’re listening, they can feel the music. Rock’n’roll should make you want to move your body and feel good. If you’re in a car and driving, you’ll probably start to go faster. If you’re listening alone with headphones or earbuds, you’re going to move your body. This is great exercise music. If you allow the music in, I think you will have a good time and feel positive emotions. What more could I ask for?
