Junior's Cave recently spoke to Bobby Walsh who is musically known as Hope's Wake about his amazing music and its melodic tunes. Guided by his trusted guitar, crafted lyrics, and astounding vocals, Hope's Wake is making intriguing music that music fans will enjoy immensely. Want to learn more about this artist? Check him out in this week's spotlight.
Isaac: I just listened to one of your songs titled, "Treece". What was the inspiration for making this song and your new album?
Hope's Wake: The song describes how even the most wondrous of things can go sour. In this case, it is the story of a once prosperous town of Treece, Kansas that transformed into a ghost town in a matter of decades.
Isaac: Who were your influences?
Hope's Wake: My major influence was Susan Saulny for publishing the article, but Bob Dylan and Rage Against the Machine were definitely good sources as well. While reading the story "Maggie's Farm" began playing over and over like a broken record in my head and I just thought, "I need to write this down."
Isaac: What do you consider to have been the highlight(s) and lowpoint(s) of your career to date?
Hope's Wake: Playing where I once belonged is easily the high point of my passage. There has yet to be a low, however, because I am still in the neonate stage of my career. You know when the most ridiculous things delight an infant? Picture that, but a full-grown man and a guitar.
Isaac: Brief history about your background plus the style of music you play.
Hope's Wake: My past consists of highs and lows and a history in many divergent disciplines outside of music. There are many stories I want to tell. With that in mind, it only makes sense to play folk.
Isaac: How easy is it to gets gigs for you as an artist? What is the live music scene like in your area?
Hope's Wake: It all depends on the venue. In a beach town, most bars would rather hear songs they have grown accustomed to over the years than concentrate on something unidentifiable. Those that are not afraid to delve into unfamiliar territory surrender their ears more often than not. There are great bands throughout the city, but a ditch separates the yielding ears from the closed (which dictates where particular bands play).
Isaac: What do you think of the state of Folk music at the moment? Do you listen to radio much at all? Has the Internet helped music grow or hindered it in your opinion?
Hope's Wake: With bands like the Decemberists, Mason Jennings, Avett Brothers, Okkervil River, M. Ward, and The Weepies, folk is alive and thriving. The radio is not a strong component of my life except for Pandora every once in a while. Most of the songs I listen to are off of MySpace music. It's amazing how many great bands you can find on there. For this reason, the Internet is a great tool for bands. It gives everyone an opportunity to be heard.
Isaac: If you could create a fantasy band - what would be the line-up and why?
Hope's Wake: It would be an entirely female ensemble except for myself. Why you may ask? Well how many bands do you see out there with that cast? There are plenty of female singers surrounded by men, but there are few to none opposite that. I love contradictions. That is why some of my songs have an entirely different meaning than the sound. Sometimes adding a precarious element makes the most sense, if that makes any sense.
Isaac: It does make sense.
Isaac: What CD's do you currently have available and where can they be purchased from?
Hope's Wake: I'm working on an EP right now. It isn't available yet, but it should be fairly soon.
Isaac: Where can fans access your music, videos, blogs, and anything else about you online?
Hope's Wake: MySpace is the best place to check out my music as well as updates on shows. I twitter occasionally, but like I said, it is occasionally.
Isaac: Message to your fans?
Hope's Wake: If you have something to say, say it. If there is something you want to do, do it. It's better to try and squander than to think and wonder. We only have one life without a known end. It's better to live now than to look back later after allowing your heart to rend.
