Interview with Dangerous Toys Singer Jason McMaster
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| Photo by Joe Schaeffer - Atlanta 2019 |
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Jason! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it is greatly appreciated.
CV: The internet
and social media now seem to dominate much of people’s time and activity. With
so many choices, what does a band have to do to stay relevant in today's music
industry?
Jason McMaster: Just try to have a game
going. It is very daunting when you think about everybody who has a band or
says they have a band and it's just some guy on the internet. But I try to just
keep writing songs and throw them out there and try to just turn all my friends
on to it and hope that they'll turn all their friends on to it.
CV: Many critics
have said that today’s artists cannot hold a candle to their predecessors. Do
you agree? Are artists and bands today that different that they don’t measure
up?
JM: Define critic. Everyone's a Critic I guess but I understand what you're
implying…it's important to know who you are writing songs for…are you writing
songs that sound like your old stuff? If so that's fine…are you writing songs
that sound identical or as close to your influences as possible? If so, that's
fine too. If it's good I don't care who wrote it.
"Don't measure up"...that sounds
like a contest, music is not a contest. A younger music fan can also critique
or criticize something new and say the opposite.
CV: Again, with
the rise of the internet over the last 12 years and the popularity
of music and
video streaming sites, fans have access to their favorite artists 24/7. Because
of this, is touring then still a relevant piece of a band's portfolio?
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| Photo by Dave Castillo - San Antonio 1992 |
JM: Hard for startups or bands with waning
popularity to tour. It's expensive. Promotion
is expensive. So, you live your dream to how you can afford it. The days of
real fans waiting in line or camping out for concert tickets or new releases,
are over. It’s killed off a lot of the ritual music once had. But bands we saw
years ago, are now brands. It's a religious experience to see Maiden, Priest,
Metallica. You gotta pay for it.
Best thing to see, is young people learning
rock music on guitar. It gives me hope.
CV: With the rise
of digital technology, how music is written, recorded, produced and distributed
now is in the hands of the artists themselves. This independence has created an
alternative to seeking out big record labels and expensive studios. It’s no
secret that the business has undergone a metamorphosis. But, do you think the
music industry as we know it is in jeopardy of vanishing altogether in the
coming years?
JM: As long as it doesn't turn into a
global karaoke bar with hitting the space bar (on a lap top) over and over, we will be ok.
CV: How important is the connection of the music and the lyrics to the formation of a song in your opinion?
CV: How important is the connection of the music and the lyrics to the formation of a song in your opinion?
JM: You cannot write a melody on the drums
unless you tune them to sound like something else…at that point you need keys
or guitar. Lyrics and melody can come first, or last. It depends on how strong
your tune is. Music can be super basic if the hook is in the vocals. The riff
can also, of course, come first, and birth the hook based on how strong the
riff is.
CV: As a songwriter, does how the audience’s reaction to a certain live set list or a particular song ever play a major role in how you would approach writing new material?
JM: Sometimes, but you can’t rely on just a good crowd and one song. The artist has to make it believable.
CV: As a songwriter, does how the audience’s reaction to a certain live set list or a particular song ever play a major role in how you would approach writing new material?
JM: Sometimes, but you can’t rely on just a good crowd and one song. The artist has to make it believable.
CV: Dangerous Toys has been known to have humorous type lyrics. Is the lyrical content or subject matter indicative of the songwriter’s true personality or can it just be all in fun, and not taking yourself too seriously?
JM: It’s important to make sure everyone is
having fun. Comedians work the crowd and might change the material mid set. It
is good to know your audience, but make sure you're writing stuff that works
for you and who you are within the scope of style.
CV: What do you see to be the driving factor that keeps Dangerous Toys performing? Is it the band’s connection to the fans?
JM: We are a fun live band. We try to play music that works in that realm.
CV: 2019 marks the 30th Anniversary of Dangerous Toys’ gold album debut release. Does the band have anything special planned to celebrate such a milestone?
JM: No, we are writing a new record now and
enjoying it. Let that be the cause of celebration.
CV: So the fans could expect to see a new album coming in 2020?
CV: So the fans could expect to see a new album coming in 2020?
JM: We hope.
CV: With the band’s EMP Label Group signing in 2017, and reissues of several of its catalog titles being released, has Dangerous Toys found a new audience of fans with a younger generation?
CV: With the band’s EMP Label Group signing in 2017, and reissues of several of its catalog titles being released, has Dangerous Toys found a new audience of fans with a younger generation?
JM: Hard to see what kind of numbers you're
talking, but we see young folks at our shows all the time.
CV: Do you see albums still being as important in the digital download age as
they once were? Can artists afford not to release full-length albums and still
maintain a strong fan base, or is their significance much greater than that?
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| Denver 1989 |
JM: A full record or album of material is
what I like to see. An EP can hold you over or distract while you write more
songs. Vinyl doesn't really work is mass quantity. It's just a cool factor to the music, not
really that practical with the world on a device.
CV: Since the band’s formation in 1987, what do you see as the biggest impact on or in the music industry over the last 20 plus years?
CV: Since the band’s formation in 1987, what do you see as the biggest impact on or in the music industry over the last 20 plus years?
JM: Instant entertainment killed video
stores and laptops and cell phones disrupt musical rituals.
CV: What’s next for you?
CV: What’s next for you?
JM: Get up, coffee, make music.
CV: Thank you
again Jason for spending some time
talking and sharing with our readers. I wish you all the best and continued
success.
Check out Jason at:
Official: http://www.dangeroustoys.us/
Facebook:
Check out Jason at:
Official: http://www.dangeroustoys.us/
Facebook:
My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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