Interview with Founding Member and Guitarist Guy Hinton of Echosoul
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Guy! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.Guy Hinton: First off thank you for talking to me, and appreciate the support in our music.
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?
GH: I will say it’s harder to become a large artist in metal…you really have to build and build your fan base, and to do so requires usually lots of touring, or you have to rely on one single song hit or something that becomes viral to be heard. There is no radio airplay, like the 80s and 90s, to test the water or getting heard in cities everywhere. On the flip side, you can release everything online for relatively little money, and record easily at home, and use the tools the internet provides to share. I guess it comes down to being heard by the right person at right time, but with so much short attention span media, you almost need something that has never been done. I think my approach is just putting the music out and if it grabs on, that’s great, if not, I’m okay with that…so long as when it left my hand I personally feel I did my best to make best possible music I could.CV: What do you see as the biggest change in the music industry since you first started out?
GH: Definitely the Internet…Spotify, YouTube…all great resources but almost need a master class in utilizing them to make them work for you. You can type a category type and locate bands within that parameter…so that’s changed music a ton. I think the major labels don’t have a hold on the community like before. It’s easy to be an independent artist, but also requires all the leg work that comes with it.
CV: How do you see your music separating itself from your peers and avoiding just being another cog in the wheel?
GH: Well, I do think my influences come through in my style of playing, but I do my very best to create things that sound unique. If I write a riff and it sounds similar to something I’ve heard, my mind quickly moves to recreate it and making it unique. I don’t like carbon copy music. There is a 1000 ways to be creative…for me, I usually spend hours riffing from zero to 100, and when my ear is pleased, I head in that direction. In the end, my goal in a song is to build to an arc where the chorus gives you your reward. I mostly start with writing lyrics first which makes certain that your soul is the guide for that song.
CV: Has the industry’s many changes affected how you write music? Has it influenced your songwriting style in any drastic form? GH: Hmm, I would say I write like I did when I was in high school. From an early age, I already was doing poetry and found expression there. I found music as expression, but also found them to be mini stories or a brief interlude into someone’s experiences or beliefs, or thoughts on the world. So I may be better at writing, but my approach hasn’t changed. Now if I have changed one thing, it is that I am writing a song or two on current events which may cater to what the industry favors…perhaps good of bad. One song is about the lack of freedom of speech, one is about political corruptness. Each of those is personal to me, but my most is a song about suicide that is very personal as it deals with a family member I care about. So I guess I do like variety more than anything, if we can separate ourselves...I suppose the personalization may be the biggest reason
CV: Has digital technology led the way for almost anyone to be a musical artist in your opinion?
GH: Well yes in a lot of ways, things like pro tools make it super easy, and Superior drummer helps artists be an all-in-one band. You still need that one thing people care about…meaning! Melody or Emotion inspires, and to me those must be the fabric of good songs. Sure I love those bangers that have raw untamed beat and not much thinking, but maybe just for a workout. For my school of thinking, all the digital tools are just an extension of the inner tools you possess.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?
GH: It can, in one way it’s bad, seems saturated and can get lost searching sub genres. But another thought is there are so many more bands today then there was years ago and styles have changed. So I think having sub styles like Doom, or Melodic Thrash, Progressive Metal or Djent help at least the fans search out their specific taste. I think we fall into Progressive Metal, so we will always be found by fans seeking that out. I suppose there is a plus and minus
CV: How would
you define “iconic” when it comes to being an artist or musician? What do you
think makes an artist iconic?
CV: Who would you consider to be a modern day “rock star?” And is being a “rock star” something to aspire to?
GH: Interesting questions…I would say modern rockstar as being an artist like Lady Gaga I suppose, on the metal side, perhaps Alissa White Glutz from Arch Enemy is probably leading that edge…interactive, social media active, and busy touring schedule. I don’t need to be a rock star…it’s something maybe I would have desired when I was early 20s, but making solid music and collaborating with people like Andy LaRoque and Ripper Owens, etc…is just as satisfying to make quality music I can be proud of…I desire that much more.
CV: Does music need to have a message to convey to the world for it to be worth listening to in your opinion?
GH: Not always, sometimes it can be just release, or a short story, or something personal that someone identifies with. I think good songs are drawing inspiration from life experiences or writing very inspirational or deep meaning subjects. There is a place for all kinds or writing, but those I appreciate the most.CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming?
GH: New album has been finished musically for a while…waiting only on final touches and last songs from vocals, then off to final mix. The songs on “Time Of The Dragon” are some of the best I have done yet! Out of 14 songs, we chose the top 10. First single will be released shortly, and album should hit by September.CV: Thank you again Guy for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
GH: Thanks so much, and keep up the
great work guys, blessings!!!
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https://www.facebook.com/EchoSoulMusic/
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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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