Episode 264
The Call of Music: Understanding Our Artistic Pursuits
This podcast delves into the profound and transformative nature of music as a calling that transcends mere artistic expression. We explore the experiences of a creative individual who acknowledges the struggle of contemplating a departure from music, only to find inspiration and connection amidst adversity. The discussion reveals how personal narratives and the power of storytelling can invigorate not only the artist but also the audience, igniting resilience in challenging times. Our conversation further touches upon the collaborative spirit in music, emphasizing the importance of diverse influences and communal creativity in the artistic process. Ultimately, we reflect on the notion that music serves as a universal language, fostering connections among individuals from myriad backgrounds and experiences.
Takeaways:
- The journey of a creative often involves numerous instances of contemplating the cessation of their artistic pursuits.
- The significance of music extends beyond the individual artist, resonating deeply with a diverse audience.
- Experiencing the call of music can manifest as an undeniable force that compels one to create, despite attempts to diverge from it.
- The power of collaboration in music can lead to the creation of art that connects diverse communities and perspectives.
- Financial support is a crucial element for musicians, often requiring vulnerability in seeking assistance from friends and supporters.
- The artist's evolution is marked by a blending of various musical influences, leading to an expansive and unique sound that reflects their journey.
Transcript
Just how much it's meant to so many other people, for sure, you know, which is, like, such a dream come true, right?
Speaker A:And, you know, as creatives, like, listen, I've quit music a hundred times.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:It's nothing new.
Speaker A:We're like, oh, you're gonna quit music?
Speaker A:I'm like, music a hundred times.
Speaker A:My lawyers, like, talked me off the ledge so many times, you know, and he's my best friend, but, you know, so it's nothing.
Speaker A:But this was a different thing.
Speaker A:And I think you're so right when you talk about, like, what it is.
Speaker A:I think that what is trying to.
Speaker A:You know, I understand the music chasing you.
Speaker A:I just relate to that so much.
Speaker A:I mean, deeply, too.
Speaker A:You know, I've tried to move away from Nashville to do anything other, you know, like, anything.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, I'd rather pack boxes, you know, in a packing plant, you know, trying.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And you know what it was.
Speaker A:It was me hiding.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:It was me.
Speaker A:It was me trying to.
Speaker A:To.
Speaker A:To hide and call.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Escape the call.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker B:Yeah, man.
Speaker A:So I.
Speaker A:And it's.
Speaker A:You know, it's been.
Speaker A:There's, like, people who started businesses, you know, and the businesses were doing really good before the pandemic.
Speaker A:And all of a sudden, you know, this happened, and I.
Speaker A:You know, I got this one story from this husband and wife.
Speaker A:They were about to close down their business, and then they heard this story that Jimmy told five times on national TV within the stretch of a week, and.
Speaker A:And then they listened to the song, and they simultaneously looked at each other and were like, we're not closing.
Speaker C:And I'm like, that's it?
Speaker A:Yeah, man.
Speaker A:That's really.
Speaker C:That's a huge inspiration to so many people right across the board.
Speaker C:I want to ask you something a little different.
Speaker C:If you could just take us back a bit.
Speaker C:You've released six albums, correct?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:So, I mean, I don't know if you want to go through all of them, but can you talk us through the mindset after completing a couple of these projects at different points?
Speaker C:Because I know right now we've talked about your recent story, but I also understand just being in the space myself.
Speaker C:You put yourself out there as an artist.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:You talked about the conversation that you're having through your music and you're sharing.
Speaker C:What does that feel like on the other side of completion of an album and then having to do it again, like, is just talk us through kind of how you see it and how you've experienced the process.
Speaker A:Well, you know, I Grew up loving everything.
Speaker A:I mean, like, obsessed with music.
Speaker A:I was the kid that listened to music underneath the pillow all night.
Speaker A:My dad was a pastor.
Speaker A:There was no secular music in the house.
Speaker C:Oh, man, we can relate.
Speaker A:Yeah, it was that whole thing.
Speaker A:And I think there's a lot of people that can relate.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And when I first started playing music, you know, I grew up loving, like.
Speaker A:Like old school country music.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But here's what's interesting about old school country music.
Speaker A:It is just one instrument away from old school soul.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:Yeah, you're right.
Speaker B:He's absolutely right.
Speaker A:I mean, like, one instrument away, like one band member, you know, included.
Speaker A:And all of a sudden it's Percy Sledge.
Speaker A:It's, you know, it's.
Speaker A:I mean, even.
Speaker A:Oh, my God, like, even, like a lot of, like, Sam Cooke that, you know, change is gonna come.
Speaker A:I mean, that's.
Speaker A:It's not far from like, what was going on in country music.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So even as a young kid, I was like, I don't see much difference here.
Speaker A:And what happened is, you know, I was making music and all of these albums, I kept just like, bringing in more and more of what.
Speaker A:Of all the music that I loved.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker A:And so, you know, I.
Speaker A:I started incorporating more like pop melodies.
Speaker A:And then, you know, I started incorporating, like, other, you know, ideas.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:You know, To Be Loved was me making more of, like, a gospel album from my atheist friends.
Speaker A:But it's not a gospel album.
Speaker A:I mean, it's not.
Speaker A:It's not a Christian record.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:It's not that.
Speaker A:What I mean is, like, sometimes a lot of the songs are like, they're God songs, but only using human language.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Meaning that a lot of times when people, like, make, like, Christian music, it's an insider language.
Speaker A:You have to.
Speaker A:You have to decode it.
Speaker A:Like, if you didn't know.
Speaker A:If you didn't know the language, you'd be like, what the hell are they talking about?
Speaker B:Lamb of God.
Speaker B:Yeah, Lamb of God on the outside.
Speaker A:Here, clearly, I don't know.
Speaker A:And to me, I'm not down with that.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I think when we start using language like that, we're using it as a way to keep people out.
Speaker B:Fair enough.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Interesting perspective there.
Speaker A:And so what I started doing with Leagues is I wanted to make, to me great music and great art, get people in the same room that you wouldn't think, would, should, or could.
Speaker A:And so I wanted to start making music.
Speaker A:When I looked out playing that, it was a lot more diverse looking than the music that I was writing.
Speaker A:Because I believe.
Speaker A:You know, like, once again, like, if you think about, like, music is the thing that connects all of us, then am I making music?
Speaker A:Am I dreaming big enough?
Speaker A:Am I thinking big enough?
Speaker A:Am I getting outside of me in order for something really special to happen so that when it does, I can look out there and be like, oh, yeah, this isn't a reflection of me.
Speaker A:This is reflection of us.
Speaker A:God, you know, there's a.
Speaker A:Like, there's a bunch of bigger things going on.
Speaker A:And so when I made this album, if.
Speaker A:In case you feel the same, I wanted to make a record with people that didn't look, think, and believe, like, me.
Speaker A:And, you know, like, Dave is.
Speaker A:Is the main drummer on this stuff.
Speaker A:And Chris.
Speaker A:Dave is the only person that Funny Enough Quest Love's ever hired to play on the d' Angelo Records, right?
Speaker A:But Chris is a black dude from the.
Speaker A:From the south side of Houston.
Speaker A:And, you know, like, Brittany Howard from the Alabama Shakes is singing on one of the songs, Higher.
Speaker B:Nice.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And when you hear Chris played the drums on this track before the chorus starts, he does this crazy, crazy drum fill.
Speaker A:And whether he knows it or not, that's him.
Speaker A:That's a poor kid on the south side of Houston saying, listen to me.
Speaker C:That's big.
Speaker A:Yeah, listen to me.
Speaker A:I've got something I've got to tell you.
Speaker A:And that shows up in my.
Speaker A:In the song that I wrote, you know?
Speaker A:And so it's like, you know, there's like, gospel music, like, on this stuff.
Speaker A:There's, like, a song on the album.
Speaker A:Next thing you know, it's a song that I had, like, an idea that I had in my mind if, like, I ever got in the same room with, like, Beyonce, you know, to write, right.
Speaker A:If we're going to dream, let's go ahead and dream, you know?
Speaker A:And I remember thinking, you know, this idea came to me.
Speaker A:You didn't break my heart, you broke yours.
Speaker A:And I was like, oh, that sounds like such, like, Diana Ross in the Supremes kind of, like, thing, you know?
Speaker A:And I was like, if I ever.
Speaker A:And I had saved it for, like, three years.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker A:Or Beyonce.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:You know, it didn't.
Speaker A:You know, obviously it didn't happen.
Speaker A:So I was like, well, you know, I'll just finish writing it.
Speaker A:But it's.
Speaker A:If you listen to it, it's like an R and B song.
Speaker A:There's like, you know, the song next or Love Moves in.
Speaker A:You know, I don't write that without obsessing over Marvin Gaye's what's going on in Sade.
Speaker A:You know, like, I do.
Speaker A:I can see a complete line to that stuff.
Speaker A:But there's also songs where I'm like that.
Speaker A:That doesn't get written without my love and obsession of Bruce Springsteen.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:The influence, you know, like, Slow and Steady is.
Speaker A:Is that.
Speaker A:Is that is me loving Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger and Journey.
Speaker C:Yeah, right.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:You have such a.
Speaker C:I mean, broad collection of inspiration, different types of music that you draw from, all the genres.
Speaker A:I bet you do, too, though.
Speaker C:Oh, definitely.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:We all do.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker C:It's powerful when it comes out as your own music.
Speaker C:It's not their voice.
Speaker C:It's your own voice, your own words, but the influences that kind of take you on your journey and.
Speaker C:Yeah, I love that.
Speaker C:I love that.
Speaker C:You mentioned.
Speaker B:I actually had a.
Speaker B:Oh, sorry.
Speaker B:I had a question just before I forget.
Speaker B:Sorry.
Speaker B:But when you were talking earlier about just, you know, ultimately deciding that you were gonna leave music and you had quit a hundred times, just like I know everyone else has, what kept you going?
Speaker B:Because I don't know what it is.
Speaker B:I don't have an answer to why I even bothered continuing with music.
Speaker B:But what.
Speaker B:What was it that helped you or made you want to just not actually quit and stick around with music for a little bit longer to the point where, you know, you had this incredible opportunity with Jimmy Fallon.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker A:I mean, I know exactly how it's.
Speaker A:I'm surrounded by the most incredible friends.
Speaker A:I mean, I.
Speaker A:I have people that, you know.
Speaker A:And here's.
Speaker A:Here's what's really difficult is this is what, like, people don't want to talk about.
Speaker A:It's like, it takes money to be able to do this.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker C:Yeah, please talk about that.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, let's talk about that.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:This is a conversation that nobody's had.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And so people are like, hey, man, I love the music that you make.
Speaker A:And, you know, thankfully, well, not really.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:What I had to do is I had to humble myself and tell my friends that had means.
Speaker A:I said, hey, I need help.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And you're not the only musician that's probably had to do that over the course of their career.
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You know, and for me, I'm like, no, I don't.
Speaker A:I don't ask for help.
Speaker A:I give help.
Speaker A:But that's ego, right?
Speaker B:100% depends on.
