Published: August 20, 2010 10:28 AM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight August 2010 Edition
Andy Juhl: Part 2
Andy Juhl
The fact that Andy Juhl is an amazing accomplished Singer/Songwriter is evident when one hears his music, but it is his passion and heart for making music that make him a special treat. During our last interview with Andy, our Webzine discovered some great things about the artist. In this follow up interview, we continue to learn more about the musical world of Andy Juhl as he explains what he has been up to since we last spoke. Here is the online meeting in its entire format for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
Isaac: Let’s get started with this interview. I wanted to thank you for this second interview with our Webzine. How has 2010 been for you so far?
Andy: 2010 has been great so far. My third album, River Light, has finally seen the light of day, which is very exciting. I had the CD release show recently, and that was quite the event. It was by far the biggest production that I’ve had for a show with up to 8 musicians on stage. Besides the standard guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, we had a pedal steel guitar, fiddle, French horn, and backup singers. We recorded the show with the hopes of producing a live album, but I haven’t had a chance to listen to the recording yet. So I will keep you posted on
that.
Isaac: Out of all of your influences, who would you enjoy working with and why?
Andy: I think it would be fun to work with Neil Young. I really like his approach to recording. He tries to capture an emotion or feel rather than note perfect. I’m sure he doesn’t use the ridiculous auto-tune that unfortunately many producers and engineers think is necessary. Anyway, Neil also likes to do a lot of jamming which I also enjoy, as you can tell from my albums.
Isaac: What can you say has been the biggest accomplishment so far with your music career?
Andy: One of the biggest accomplishments has been the placement of two of my songs in the current season of “Roadtrip Nation” on PBS. “We Belong to the Earth” and “The Wind and the Buffalo,” from my last album, can be heard on the show. It was pretty exciting to hear my songs on TV and also on a DVD.
Isaac: A BIG congratulations from Junior’s Cave’s Staff Team on that accomplishment.
Isaac: Are you happy with were you are at with your music career at the moment?
Andy: I am pleased but definitely not satisfied. I don’t think any musician is completely satisfied, that’s why we keep working and try to move forward everyday.
Isaac: What draws you to want to play the type of music that you do?
Andy: Good question, Isaac. There is something about the style of folk/rock music that I play that makes me feel good, I guess. I can express a wide range of emotions by playing quiet, acoustic fingerpicking passages or loud, aggressive electric guitar solos.
Isaac: What do you feel it takes to play this type of music that you play?
Andy: Most of my songs are not too weird melodically or harmonically, but some of them are a bit tricky rhythmically. So some music theory knowledge is helpful for some of the odd time signatures like 7/8. The other musicians that play with me on the album and at live shows are incredible musicians and are able to play anything.
Isaac: How do you handle people in the music industry who promise you things but do not deliver?
Andy: It helps to get things in writing so there are no surprises. There are some shaky people out there in the music industry who have no problem with taking money from desperate musicians. If something sounds too good to be true, it is. It’s kind of amazing how there can be so many thriving companies in the music industry, and yet so many of the musicians that they rely on to stay in business are just scraping to get by financially.
Isaac: If you had the opportunity to do one cover, what cover would you do and why? How would you put your own spin on this cover?
Andy: I haven’t really thought about doing a cover on an album, so this is an interesting question. Personally, I don’t think there is a point for anyone to do a cover unless they put their own twist on it. I can’t think of a specific tune off the top of my head. I could see myself taking an old progressive rock song and doing a solo acoustic version or taking an acoustic song and adding some progressive elements to it. If I do a cover, it will probably be a fairly obscure song that hasn’t been covered much. I don’t think the world needs another cover of “Yesterday” or “Blowin’ in the Wind.”
Isaac: What does it take to be a good songwriter?
Andy: It takes a certain amount of musical knowledge to know what works and what doesn’t. It’s good to know the rules of music and songwriting so you can break them. I am a big believer in unconventional songwriting. I do have some songs that are pretty straight forward and others that definitely are not. Even the more “normal” sounding tunes usually have something different in them, whether it’s an extra measure or weird chord or some mixed meter thrown in. I am kind of a music theory geek, so I could talk about this all day, but most people probably don’t want to hear it.
Obviously, the lyrics are an important aspect of songwriting, but I think that the music can sometimes be overlooked. I feel that the music is just as important and possibly even more important than the lyrics because the music gives the song feeling and emotion. Other songwriters might disagree, but that is my approach.
Isaac: How difficult is it to juggle music, family and work obligation, and life in general? Explain.
Andy: Yeah, this is tough. I have 15 month old daughter, and I want to be around to spend time with her. That’s why I have cut back on touring. Family comes first. The Internet and great websites like Junior’s Cave are a big help to get the word out and keep fans informed.
Isaac: :-)
Isaac: What is your definition of being an Indie artist/band?
Andy: Being an indie artist means freedom. You aren’t being told how to record, what to record, or how to sound. You have the freedom to experiment and do things on your own terms. It sure is an exciting time to be an independent musician.
Andy: I will be focusing on playing shows and writing some new tunes. Maybe some recording. We’ll see. I play in a progressive rock trio called the Pharaohs of Rhythm, and we are working on some recordings at the moment. So perhaps there will be a Pharaohs release in 2011.
