Interview with guitarist John Adams of Love and War
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, John! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
CV: Given so many major changes over the last
decade, do you believe the music industry is a practicable and stable enough
environment for new artists to even consider making it a valid career choice?
Can a level of sustainable success really be achieved in your opinion?
John Adams: The chances of being successful in today’s music industry are very slim. If the end goal is to be “Signed to a Major Label”, being rich and famous with millions of fans, the chances are slim to none!! If these parameters are your measure of success, then it’s easy to get jaded and give up long before you can carve out anything resembling a successful music career as a full time artist. Things have changed since the era of the “Rock Star” mentality. Now days with the Internet the key is to focus on being sustainable. Yes, I think it can be done, you need to have a strong following of true fans, “Super Fans” who will buy ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you produce! That is the focus! Putting your music/merch/whatever you got, if you can get a super fan to pay $5 a month to your fan club, and you have 1000 fans (ex.) that’s $5000 a month for starters.
John Adams: The chances of being successful in today’s music industry are very slim. If the end goal is to be “Signed to a Major Label”, being rich and famous with millions of fans, the chances are slim to none!! If these parameters are your measure of success, then it’s easy to get jaded and give up long before you can carve out anything resembling a successful music career as a full time artist. Things have changed since the era of the “Rock Star” mentality. Now days with the Internet the key is to focus on being sustainable. Yes, I think it can be done, you need to have a strong following of true fans, “Super Fans” who will buy ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you produce! That is the focus! Putting your music/merch/whatever you got, if you can get a super fan to pay $5 a month to your fan club, and you have 1000 fans (ex.) that’s $5000 a month for starters.
CV: What do you see as the biggest change in
the music industry since you first started out?
JA: The Internet…it has ruined the chances of an artist making good money from music sales.
JA: The Internet…it has ruined the chances of an artist making good money from music sales.
CV: How do you see your music separating
itself from your peers and avoiding just being another cog in the wheel?
JA: Tricky question because we are influenced by our peers, trying to be different from anyone else that has influenced you is the age old perilous goal of an artist, is “imitation the greatest form of flattery”?
To be influenced by your peers is common, you admire them and respect what they have done, you do your best to have your own identity and hope you gain fans that love what you do and believe in you!
JA: Tricky question because we are influenced by our peers, trying to be different from anyone else that has influenced you is the age old perilous goal of an artist, is “imitation the greatest form of flattery”?
To be influenced by your peers is common, you admire them and respect what they have done, you do your best to have your own identity and hope you gain fans that love what you do and believe in you!
CV: Has the industry’s many changes affected
how you write music? Has it influenced your songwriting style in any drastic form?
JA: No, we play from the heart…we are who we are.
JA: No, we play from the heart…we are who we are.
CV: Has digital technology led the way for
almost anyone to be a musical artist in your opinion?
JA: With voice manipulations/corrections, sampling…yeah it has opened doors and made it easier to participate and create music. Doesn’t mean they are all good though, LOL.
JA: With voice manipulations/corrections, sampling…yeah it has opened doors and made it easier to participate and create music. Doesn’t mean they are all good though, LOL.
CV: Has music in general been broken into too many
sub-genres? Why do think there are so many classifications of music types? Can
this be confusing for an artist who is looking to build a brand? As well, can
it be confusing for the fans?
JA: As long as there
are people supporting these genres they will always be there. Hard to say why
they are all there, maybe people got sick of the same old thing and just wanted
to create something different. As an artist, it’s important to be yourself,
true to your art, whatever genre it may be. I don’t think its confusing for
fans, when you hear something that appeals to you, you know it, and you become
a fan of it, no matter what the genre.
CV:
How would you define “iconic” when it comes to being an artist or musician?
What do you think makes an artist iconic?
JA: Iconic is being recognized as highly influential, the best! A genius of innovation, whose fan base and music will carry on long after they die!
JA: Iconic is being recognized as highly influential, the best! A genius of innovation, whose fan base and music will carry on long after they die!
CV: Who would you consider to be a modern day
“rock star?” And is being a “rock star” something to aspire to?
JA: The only real Rock Stars, in my opinion, are the ones still around from the glory days of Rock. Since “Rock” is not main stream music, and I don’t follow mainstream music now days, I don’t think there are any.
JA: The only real Rock Stars, in my opinion, are the ones still around from the glory days of Rock. Since “Rock” is not main stream music, and I don’t follow mainstream music now days, I don’t think there are any.
CV: Does music need to have a message to
convey to the world for it to be worth listening to in your opinion?
JA: The message can be in the delivery, volume and intensity alone can move you! People are always looking for a message. I don’t think you need to convey a message to have people listen. But for many it helps.
JA: The message can be in the delivery, volume and intensity alone can move you! People are always looking for a message. I don’t think you need to convey a message to have people listen. But for many it helps.
CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming?
JA: Writing our next record…trying to make some semblance of normalcy from this COVID nightmare!!
CV: Thank you again John
for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure.
I wish you all the best and continued success.
JA: Thank you for this opportunity, may God bless you and your family, stay safe!
JA: Thank you for this opportunity, may God bless you and your family, stay safe!
Check out LOVE AND
WAR at:
Official: https://www.love-and-war.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upannie/
Official: https://www.love-and-war.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upannie/
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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.
Spiritual Counseling and Sessions Available
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