Interview with Eoghan and Emer of The Midnight Preachers

August 22, 2020

Interview with Eoghan and Emer of The Midnight Preachers

(c) Garbhánn O' Doherty

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Eoghan and Emer! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

The Midnight Preachers: Thank you for having us.

CV: So many things can define an artist; their sound, their style, their look...even their attitude. What do you think makes an artist unique, even iconic? Is it something more than just the music?

The Midnight Preachers: It’s the complete package. As you say, the music, the presentation, the lyrics, etc…they all contribute to the ‘entity’ that is the musician or band itself. The allure of a confident performance, and confident presentation, and sometimes an “out there” presentation… like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Jim Morrison etc.

CV: Is being a "rock star" still a relevant term in today's music industry? Is it something worth aspiring to become especially for a young, up and coming artist?

The Midnight Preachers: The term rock star has become something of a marketing slogan in today’s world. Many of the ‘stars’ of the 60s and 70s were not manufactured. The idea of being a rock star was probably more closely associated with people who acted naturally…with confidence. Manufacturing that confidence, or faking it to make, etc. is, at the end of the day, probably not going to create a stable foothold in the music industry.

CV: From your experience, does songwriting tend to define the band or does the band inevitably define the songwriting in your opinion? Meaning, can specific songwriting styles or formulas pigeon hole a band over time, creating limitations or does that particular style create a level of freedom and uniqueness?

The Midnight Preachers: We think songwriting defines the band. In our case, we began writing and formulating ideas prior to coming up with our band name, so we may be a special case. Rules can create freedom. There has to be some evolution in the songwriting over time, otherwise things can become stagnant.

CV: Given that there has been so many major developments and changes over the last several decades, would you consider the music industry to be a viable and stable enough environment for new artists and bands to even attempt to make a successful career, or at any rate, a living, in your opinion?

The Midnight Preachers: Yes. The music industry has many different avenues for success…you can teach, play, write, produce, compose, master, mix, engineer, etc. There are many people worldwide who have a stable and sustainable career in the industry who aren’t major successes selling millions of albums, etc. With that said, given the current climate and COVID-19, we think that most industries are probably not so viable in this special set of circumstances. At the risk of sounding like everybody’s parents, having something to fall back on is always a good idea.

(c) Garbhánn O' Doherty

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?

The Midnight Preachers: Confidence. Trend setting artists tend to believe in themselves. We’ve had very little by way of originality in the last 25 years in music. In the 20th century, many decades were easily definable by their music…Folk, Disco, etc. The problem also lies with those money-men who are afraid to push something new because it doesn’t follow current trends. With that said the fact that musicians can produce their own music at home so affordable these days…we’ll hopefully see more originality.

CV: Has digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Has such access, from a consumer standpoint, changed the game for more seasoned artists to find and maintain their audience?

The Midnight Preachers: The available technology provides everyone with a voice and consequently, the negative side is that it can be very difficult to stand out. With that said, we think at least a certain amount of the cream will always rise to the top, and those benefits outweigh the negatives.

CV: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of individual privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion? 

The Midnight Preachers: Yes. Social media can be a wonderful method of doing this…and things like Patreon, giving fans unique access to content, etc. It also provides the artist a way to live their lives and make money in the music industry without having to tour, etc. As long as the artist isn’t using automated responses and bots to reply, hopefully their supporters will be satisfied with occasional responses on social media, etc.

CV: Do you feel music still holds a place in our current culture of social media distancing and instant gratification? Does music still have the same meaning as it once did in our world?

The Midnight Preachers: Yes. Music will always hold a place in society…as it always has. Regarding meaning, we think it depends on the music. We are living in a time of change. Times of change, depressions etc, generally result on some great art…so hopefully we’ll have the next Bob Dylan arrive in the next year or two!

CV: What's one thing being in a Rock band taught you that you feel you would not have learned elsewhere?

The Midnight Preachers: Being a band presents its own set of challenges. You definitely develop patience and communication skills over time.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming post COVID-19?

The Midnight Preachers: What’s next for us is the release of our next single, ‘Mexico’, which will be announced in the next month or so. Following that, we’re going to be recording our debut album and releasing tracks in 2021…and hopefully we’ll be touring when the world gets back to normal.

CV: Thank you again Eoghan and Emer for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
The Midnight Preachers: Thank you so much for the platform you’ve given us. We hope that you and your families are safe and well in these difficult times.

Check out The Midnight Preachers at:

Official: www.themidnightpreachers.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/themidnightpreachers

Instagram: www.instagram.com/themidnightpreachers

Twitter: www.twitter.com/MPreachers

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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.