Published: August 29, 2010 2:10 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight August 2010 Edition
Paul Maged
Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
Paul Maged
From the moment that one hears Paul Maged sing, he/she knows that this artist is the real deal. With a certain level of raw passion and heart that come out in his music, Maged’s lyrics are powerful and intoxicating to the ears. Full of enriching history of what life has to offer, Maged easily translated his personal life’s ups and downs to his musical experience. Our readers of this Webzine will enjoy his style and creativity that make up Maged’s music. In this online conversation with Maged, the talented artist expounds on the musical world of Paul Maged and explains his drive, determination, and fuel that make him want to make music for the masses.
Isaac: Hi Paul, you are living, working, and performing in New York City.
How has the city itself influenced your music?
Paul: Hey Isaac. Thanks for the interview. The city has had a big impact on my music. The first song off my album, In My Time, is called "Twilight Of Youth" and it was heavily influenced by the sites, feel and energy of St. Marks Place which is a street downtown. It’s a very diverse area with many hip, young, eccentric and very out there personalities and stores. I love the vibe of the area and that song is about walking on that street and kind of looking at yourself in the mirror & wondering where did the time go.
Isaac: Your album "In My Time" struck me as unique in that it has a very classic sound but a modern feel to it. How did you strike that balance?
Paul: I'm heavily influenced by Classic Rock but in the same time I love a ton of current acts like The Strokes, Pearl Jam, The Killers, The White Stripes, so it was really about taking in everything that has influenced me & using it to create my own sound and still make it unique. It wasn't a conscious effort to say hey I want to sound like this or that. It just all came out naturally.
Isaac: Time is a very big theme of the album.
Paul: Yes, the biggest. Time passing by. Getting older as a person and as a planet. What we've seen and gone through as a society and a planet is fascinating to me. How I view things through my eyes now versus when I was younger is something I think about constantly.
Isaac: You write from a very personal place. The song, "Janie" is a heartbreaking song. Who is Janie and what is that song about?
Paul: Janie is my mom, who passed away very young from cancer. The song is about her struggle from an early age where her mother died young and she had to take care of her father. By doing so she started to drink alcohol at a very early age, to keep him company while he drank, and that began her downfall.
Isaac: On the other end of the spectrum is a hard driving, angry song, called "The Wild". What is that song about?
Paul: "The Wild is chasing after me. There's no defense, won't leave me alone." The Wild is that side of you where you flip out and lose your shit. It's that uncontrollable anger that takes over your mind. Even though you don't mean it to, you can't help it in that capsule of time.
Paul Maged
Isaac: What is the process you take to write? How do you go from a spark to a completed finished song?
Paul: The melody comes to me first and that's usually derived from some sort of emotion I'm feeling. It could either be the vocal melody or the melody to a verse or chorus and it builds from there. It rarely starts with a lyric.
Isaac: You have listed a ton of iconic music giants as your musical influences. Of these influences, who would you love to work with in a collaboration effort in the near future?
Paul: Billy Joel is probably my biggest influence but the dude hasn't released a new album of Pop music since 1993 so not sure if he'd be up for collaborating. From a source I had heard he had written a bunch of new songs that his band said were just killer but he was having trouble with the lyrics. I would love to help him in that area but something tells me he doesn't need my help. Eddie Vedder is someone else I'd love to collaborate with. He & Billy are two artists who write from the very essence of their soul, which is how I write as well.
Isaac: What’s the biggest challenge of pursuing a career in music?
Paul: Well, the music industry has done a 360 in the last 10 plus years. Major label deals are harder to come by. All they're looking for is the next Lady Gaga which is really more like a gimmick. It sure as hell ain't art. The days of breaking new artists, real artists, are long gone so it's a much more difficult route for bands and singer/songwriters these days. It's more of a do it yourself route you have to take.
Isaac: When did you decide you wanted to take the DIY (Do It Yourself) route?
Paul: Well, there really isn't much of a choice these days. I don't wear a pink wig & high heel boots. For me it's all about the art and the music & I won't sacrifice that. The digital age has been a great vehicle for DIY artists.
Isaac: What are the pros and cons of doing everything yourself vs. working with others in the music industry?
Paul: Well, it depends who you're working with. I feel you have to get some sort of feedback from others in the industry, especially on the music itself. Even friends or colleagues. You need someone who you trust to tell you that stinks or that's great. Someone to challenge your idea's and philosophy.
For instance, I'm recording my 2nd album with an amazing producer, Sean Gill of The Passengerz. The feedback I receive from his years of experience in the industry is priceless. He may have an idea on something of mine that takes my idea to another level that I didn't quite think of. I feel if you're doing it ALL alone, you may find yourself isolated and a bit out of touch with experienced, current & proactive thinking.
Isaac: What is the most difficult part about juggling family life, work, and a music career for you as a performer/artist?
Paul: Time, time, time. Time is relentless and there's never enough of it. At any given time, any one of those areas can suffer. There's never enough time to spend on family and the performing/artist part of it. The work part is the necessary evil. Work is like the loser friend you let hang around with you because he knows the bouncer at the club.
Isaac: What are your plans for the future?
Paul: The future is now. I'm currently writing and recording the songs that will make up my follow up album and it's an extremely exciting process. I feel as if we all evolve in our lives and so does our creative output so the new music thus far is a distinctly different sound and level of songwriting and I can't wait for the album to be completed. I just finished recording a song called, The Stage, which tells the story of a performer who loves their art and will never quit doing what they love to do, until they die. And it's not about the fame or the fortune. It's about the creative outlet and the expression of the art. It's about the process. It's about hitching a ride to a gig, sacrificing other elements of your life for your passion, "The Stage".
Isaac: Paul, thank you for your time and the insight into your creative process. Where can people purchase your album?
Paul: In My Time is available at iTunes for purchase just by searching my name or the title. It's also available at www.cdbaby.com/paulmaged & people can always find more information about me and my music at either www.paulmaged.com or www.myspace.com/paulmaged. One of my new songs, I'm Okay, is actually up on the myspace page.
Isaac: Great. We look forward to hearing more of your music.
Paul: Isaac, thanks. I appreciate your time and keep on rocking.
Isaac: Paul, you are quite welcome. And thank you for being such a kick-ass performer!!
