DOWNTOWN MYSTIC
Q Your lyrics on History talk about stepping into the future by honoring the past. How do you personally balance nostalgia with innovation in your songwriting?
I’m not sure. So much of what I create just comes out naturally. I’m trying to be as authentic as I can be. I’m trying to write the best song in the most honest way I can. I don’t want to cringe when I sing a lyric. My songs have an emotional intensity to them because I want the listener to feel what I’m singing about. If it happens to be nostalgic, so be it.
Q Rock and roll pioneers are portrayed as cultural game changers in History. Do you see yourself trying to spark a similar kind of change with Mystic Highway?
I guess the answer to your question would be yes. I was interested in showing an evolution in my RnR, and in doing so, continue to bring my RnR into the 21st Century. When I first started to do interviews, I said I wanted to bring RnR into the 21st Century, which sounds ludicrous. I soon realized that what is called Rock today doesn’t have a real connection to what is historically known as RnR. There’s a real difference and I saw that my 21st Century jest, was in fact, subtly happening.
Q When you write about the early legends like Elvis, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry, is it purely admiration, or do you feel a responsibility to continue their legacy?
I remember the 1st wave of RnR. I was aware of Elvis being this big thing but was too young to know him like I did The Beatles. I saw Chuck and Buddy on American Bandstand. I remember there was a time when RnR did not exist. Then one day it was on the radio. I still have Buddy Holly mannerisms when I sing. I don’t know about continuing their legacy, but I do feel we all owe them for what they did. They’re called legends for a reason. They were true pioneers in every way. What they did was kind of amazing. Can anybody write a better RnR song than “Johnny B. Goode”? lol
Q Modern Ways highlights the chaos and pressure of contemporary life. What pushed you to write about the overload of technology and modern stress?
I wrote that song when Tele-marketing first started in the late 70s. They quickly became annoying. We didn’t have call waiting yet, so when the phone rang, you answered it, not expecting to have a half-hour conversation before you could hang up. I realized I was going to be dating myself if I sang some of the original lyrics, so I updated them to computers and cell phones. The more things change, the more they stay the same, right?
Q Do you think the “option on the dotted line” from Modern Ways reflects how artists today are pressured to compromise their vision?
I think it’s always been that way. You want to be a star? Just sign here on the dotted line. My favorite line is “you know I can’t live in your world because it’s hard enough to live in mine”. That’s modern ways for artists in a nutshell. In the 70s & 80s, being a musician was cool. People looked up to musicians and artists. In today’s world, not so much. For one thing, the money is not the same and the amount of work is more than ever with having to keep up with social media and online promotion. I often wonder if there will continue to be rock bands in the future because it’s really tough to do now.
Q There’s a recurring theme of resisting conformity in Mystic Highway. Do you feel that rock and roll today is still rebellious, or has something changed?
It became mainstream and lost its edge. Sex, drugs and RnR became a cliché. I’ve always equated RnR with the American Way. It’s about being independent and free. Freedom of speech is a requisite. We love John Lennon for being a “truth teller”. No BS is tolerated in RnR. The mainstream media caved to BS in politics. So I do think RnR can still be rebellious, but it can’t compromise with the Truth.
Q Read The Signs emphasizes urgency and paying attention to what really matters. What signs in your own life inspired that message?
Getting older. Lol Nobody my age is usually considered to be a new artist, but I thought why not? There’s always an exception to the rule and I like to be that exception when I can. So read the signs. If you don’t take action, you’ll never happen. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Q The idea that “time will never give in” feels philosophical. How has time shaped your identity as DownTown Mystic?
Time shapes us all. One day you’re 25 with the world in front of you and then you’re not. 30 years go by in the blink of an eye. WTF?? LOL I’ve always tended to live in the moment, so I don’t notice the timelines that I go in and out of. I’ll read things I wrote in a journal years ago and wonder, who is this person?? I can’t relate. What was I thinking when I wrote this? I can’t remember because I don’t live in the past. It’s always now for me.
Q Mystic Highway seems to warn against being passive in a world that moves too fast. Is songwriting your way of claiming control or clarity?
I like to write about serious topics. I try to capture the essence or vibe of the subject at hand. I’m mystically inclined. I’m a Numerologist so vibes are my thing, and music is about vibes. I guess there’s a certain amount of control because it’s all up to you. As the writer I get to create the world the songs inhabit. My songs take on a life of their own.
Q Lost & Found expresses emotional struggle but connects it to hope. How do you personally turn difficult moments into something positive?
I got into “Channeling” almost 20 years ago. I was interested in talking to a spirit that was in the body of a person. It fascinated me. In talking to the spirit being channeled, known as Dr. Peebles (Google him), I was told that everything that happens to you in life is always working for you. You might not recognize it as such, but I was told that everything and everybody is working for your benefit. So I began to think in those terms. Whenever something would happen that I thought was “bad”, I stopped and thought about how it was of benefit to me. I had to change my POV and when I did, I noticed that there was something positive to take away. That’s how I stay positive. It’s kind of like the adage, “when one door closes, another door opens”. You just need to be aware of it.
Q When you wrote “like dreams on the wind, hope is bound,” were you thinking about resilience in your life or something more universal?
When I wrote the lyrics I didn’t feel connected to them. They just came out that way and I feel like I need to experience what I write about. “Like dreams on the wind hope is bound, that’s when your luck turns around”. That’s magic! It took some time but eventually it happened to me, and I knew the lyrics were true.
Q Your songs often mix struggle with optimism. Do you consciously write that balance, or does it come naturally from who you are as an artist?
As an artist, I want to put positive vibes out in the world because there’s so much negativity around. Everybody struggles. It’s a universal thing. I try to take it to a point where I can be positive because we all find ways to sabotage ourselves. I believe success is how you define it, and once you do, that’s when you start thinking positively. I like to bring that to my songwriting.
Q Some Day feels deeply empathetic, almost like a promise to someone you care about. Was it inspired by a specific person or a broader idea of connection
It’s a very hopeful song. The very idea of being able to comfort someone when they need it most is a beautiful vibe. If I can connect the listener with that emotion then I’ve done something that only music can deliver. If you substitute “God” in place of every time I say the word “I”, then you get what the song is about.
Q Do you see love, in your lyrics, as a form of resistance against the fear and chaos portrayed in earlier songs on the album?
As a rule, I try to get to the real emotion when I’m writing about love, just as I would when dealing with fear and chaos. In the face of fear and chaos, I see love as a form of resistance by holding on to what matters the most.
Q Somebody’s Always Doin’ Something To Somebody has humor but also commentary. How do you find the balance between playful and serious writing?
The short answer is I like to find humor where I can. With this song I was looking at something that was self-evident. Somebody is always doing something to somebody, right? I tried to find the humor in it. I didn’t want to preach. I just wanted to acknowledge that as long as there are people, this kind of thing will always happen.
Q Mystic Highway ends with acceptance of human imperfection. Was that ending intentional when you were shaping the tracklist?
Not at all. It was an afterthought. I had the track (Somebody’s) sitting around for over a year and I wasn’t sure about releasing it. I decided to put it on as a bonus track, not really part of the theme of the EP.
Q Across the album, there’s a movement from history to personal emotion to universal human behavior. Did you deliberately build that narrative arc?
In a way I did. I was trying to make a RnR statement. It was about the music. 4 tracks that blast the listener with intense energy and guitars. Then 1 final track to take it down and allow the listener to chill. The lyrics just happen to tell some kind of story with the songs in that order. The 6th track is a bonus track. It wasn’t part of the songs that came before it, so you tell me if it was deliberate. lol
Q How important is it for you that listeners see Mystic Highway as a journey rather than a collection of separate songs?
I like to have an overall theme for a project. I put a good deal of thought into the playlist for the listener. If they listen to the order in its entirety, they should come away with an experience they might not find anywhere. Then the more they come back, the more they will get out of it.
Q Do you feel that preserving emotional honesty is part of keeping rock and roll alive in the 21st century?
Without a doubt. That’s what made it a potent genre in the first place. Making a personal connection with the listener is an essential part of it.
Q You sing about awareness, connection, resistance, and resilience. Are those values you hope modern rock will continue to embody?
I hope so. There should be more to this music than just selling a brand. People need to make a connection. I said I like to put positive vibes out in the world and those things you mentioned are the reason. If someone is having a bad day and hears one of my songs, I would hope it gives them a lift, or maybe it helps them to see something from a different perspective.
Q How do you hope younger generations interpret the messages in Mystic Highway, especially those who didn’t grow up with traditional rock roots?
It’s hard to say. I would hope that they make a connection to the rhythm of it because that’s what separates traditional RnR from modern rock. There’s a groove that they’re not used to hearing or feeling. As far as the messages go, I hope they can identify with them and see themselves in the songs.
Q What does making “a little history” mean to you today, compared to when you first started making music?
It would be really cool if I could step into the future and make a little history like the song says! My goal starting out was to try to write great songs and make cool records. It took a long time to get to where I am now, but it’s been worth it. I don’t know if I’m making history, but I’ve definitely achieved what I was aiming for.
