Interview with Artist and Producer Jeff Black
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Jeff! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
JB: Cheers, thanks for having me.
CV: Do you feel
that it's still possible for an unknown band today to be plucked out of
obscurity and make it to stardom? Can a dedicated core of fans sharing their
music make that possible or has the internet and social media changed the game?
JB: I think very few people just get “plucked” out of
obscurity. That's kind of a pipe dream. I think most of the people who make it
to stardom or some level of fame have been building the foundations of the
career by some means, whether it's by releasing singles, performing covers on
YouTube or Tik Tok, touring the underground circuit relentlessly, whatever.
People don't see the hard work an artist lays down before they get their time
in the limelight.
CV: Do you feel that given the accessibility and social awareness of modern times that a music underground still even exists today as it once did?
JB: What's your metric of being underground? Not
having social media? Being independent? Booking your own shows and tours? Only
releasing albums on Bandcamp, or cassette? The answer is “yes” by the way.
CV: What do you
see as the biggest difference in music and how it is perceived from back say 35
years ago compared to music today? Has both the music and the artist evolved
from your point of view?
JB: Obviously music is discovered and consumed in different mediums, but otherwise I can't answer that because I wasn't even born 35 years ago. At the end of the day, the role of music in people's lives hasn't really changed. Just the way you find it and the fact that you can load it into your cell phone and have it with you at all times.
JB: Obviously music is discovered and consumed in different mediums, but otherwise I can't answer that because I wasn't even born 35 years ago. At the end of the day, the role of music in people's lives hasn't really changed. Just the way you find it and the fact that you can load it into your cell phone and have it with you at all times.
CV: Do you
believe bands and artists who have the biggest impact on fans and other artists
are aware that they are or is there more of a tunnel vision sort of process for
them keeping them somewhat in the dark? Can influential artists see past their
own work to be aware of the ripples they make?
JB: I don't know. I think you probably have to have some sort of tunnel vision as an artist in order to focus on the art. I'm sure some artists' work has suffered because they started thinking too hard about how the public would perceive the music. But some artists have released complete and utter bullshit because their heads went up their asses and they didn't understand what was good about their music to begin with. So it's probably a balancing act.
JB: I don't know. I think you probably have to have some sort of tunnel vision as an artist in order to focus on the art. I'm sure some artists' work has suffered because they started thinking too hard about how the public would perceive the music. But some artists have released complete and utter bullshit because their heads went up their asses and they didn't understand what was good about their music to begin with. So it's probably a balancing act.
CV: Does music need to be influential to be considered worth listening to in your opinion? Or can music simply be just an enjoyable auditory experience devoid of substance?
JB: Sometimes you need something that speaks to your soul and channels your emotions in a profound way. Sometimes you need music that excites you and motivates you in your work. Sometimes you just need some fucking noise in your ears.
CV: The world has
been rocked by the COVID pandemic.
The economy has been sent into a tailspin in its wake, unfortunately.
Bands worldwide have been restricted from performing live, and for some it
seems, restricted from earning a living. How has the pandemic affected
your band? Are you hopeful that 2021 will see many of the restrictions lifted?
JB: Since the pandemic I've pivoted to recording, producing and songwriting. I'm not in a hurry to get back onstage and deal with that grind, to be perfectly honest. I feel bad for my friends and colleagues who are itching to get back onstage and back on the road. It's been hard on them. Thankfully it's not something that I personally have to worry about right now.
JB: Since the pandemic I've pivoted to recording, producing and songwriting. I'm not in a hurry to get back onstage and deal with that grind, to be perfectly honest. I feel bad for my friends and colleagues who are itching to get back onstage and back on the road. It's been hard on them. Thankfully it's not something that I personally have to worry about right now.
CV: What do you
feel artists and bands can do right now to stay relevant, especially in an
environment, such as the present, where performing in front of a live audience
is being restricted? What immediate options do you see available?
JB: You gotta stay creative and think of ways to bring your art and your message across in these other mediums. Whether that means podcasting, live-streaming your rehearsals, YouTube covers, lessons, being funny on Twitter or whatever. But this isn't for everyone. For lots of people, the stage is the glue that keeps them in contact with their instrument.
JB: You gotta stay creative and think of ways to bring your art and your message across in these other mediums. Whether that means podcasting, live-streaming your rehearsals, YouTube covers, lessons, being funny on Twitter or whatever. But this isn't for everyone. For lots of people, the stage is the glue that keeps them in contact with their instrument.
CV: As an artist, what have you learned from the events of 2020? Are those lessons learned different for you as a person than as an artist or are they one in the same in your opinion?
JB: I've learned that quarantine is my natural habitat and that I enjoy working with other artists on producing and mixing their music than I did trying to develop and promote my own band. And yes, my personal life is so intertwined with my artistic and work life that it's all the same for me.
CV: What's next?
What can fans expect to see coming in 2021?
JB: Lots of new songs and music of course. I'm always trying to write and be creative…whether it's for music under my own name, or for someone else.
JB: Lots of new songs and music of course. I'm always trying to write and be creative…whether it's for music under my own name, or for someone else.
CV: Thank you
again Jeff for spending some time
talking and sharing with our readers. It was such a pleasure. I wish you all
the best.
JB: Cheers, likewise!
JB: Cheers, likewise!
Check out Jeff Black at:
Official: https://www.jeffblackmusic.com
Bandcamp: www.jeffblackmusic.bandcamp.com
Official: https://www.jeffblackmusic.com
Bandcamp: www.jeffblackmusic.bandcamp.com
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, 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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