Interview with Terry Miller of the Americana Band Clyde



By Mick Michaels




The Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us! 

CV: How would you describe Clyde’s sound and style and how does that description uniquely convey the music to your audience?
Terry Miller: No matter what I’m "trying" to sound like, what I write usually comes out on the same spectrum, somewhere between country/Americana and noisy rock/punk.  There are some exceptions (Lidocaine), but, generally, this is the case.  It’s satisfying, as a writer, to have the creative freedom to explore the broad spaces we do.  Mostly, I just want to be authentic, not necessarily innovative…just authentic.  Sometimes bands try too hard to be innovative and it’s kitschy.

CV: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how have you made the connection to your fans?
TM: Well, the digital tools available today certainly make it possible.  Whether, or not, that exists as a meaningful connection remains up for debate.  Not so much for a band at our level, but for “bigger” acts, I’m sure it’s tough to navigate around a band’s desire to keep audiences at a proper distance and the audience’s desire to know more about the personal lives of the band.  Like athletes, politicians, and other public figures, this is a nuanced plank to walk. 

CV: Is fan interaction an important part of Clyde’s inner culture?
TM: For sure.  When you’re a largely unknown act (like Clyde) fan interaction is about the only way to organically grow awareness.  When we play shows, I don’t leave the main area.  I interact extensively, not only, with “fans”, but with other band members.  It’s crucial for emerging acts to be accessible.  Mastering the digital fan experience can be a bit trickier than in-person.  Controlling perceptions online takes skill. 

CV: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of personal privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion?
TM: This is becoming increasingly more difficult!  It’s seems like the trend is moving away from the music as art and more towards the spectacle. 

CV: Is music, and its value, viewed differently around the world in your opinion?  If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple views among various cultures?
TM: I think it truly is the universal language.  Obviously different cultures consume music differently.  But, collectively, we live our lives to music.

CV: Do you feel that a band that has an international appeal, will tend to connect more so to American audiences? Would they be more enticed or intrigued to see the band over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?
TM: American audiences aren’t monolithic and that’s the challenge.  Maybe Top 40 Country audiences, in America, would be one demo…Indie another…Pop/Top 40 another.  (There are many).  Any of these would behave differently.  I think digitalization has given way to niches and that constrains a “Beatles” band today.

CV: Has modern-day digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Have the actual lines of what really is an artist been blurred?
TM: Modern tech has given everyone *the opportunity* to present his/her work.  I think, as is the case with all art, tastes are subjective.  I feel like consumers tend to quickly filter through “artists” who are just going through the motions, or their art is simply a desire to be a content creator.  We can tell quickly when an artist has something to say because of inspiration.  Not that either is good or bad.

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?
TM: Nickelback versus Nirvana.

CV: Has music overall been splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in actuality, weakened music’s impact as a whole by dividing audiences?
TM: Wow, good question.  This is a broader societal discussion in my opinion.  Specialization, generally, limits one’s options.  For all the advances technologically, people are forming more rigid clusters.  With respect to music’s impact, I’m not sure if audiences are divided.  There just doesn’t seem to be room for the type of artist who “galvanizes”.  We want safe artists with predictable, “safe” narratives.  Artists of all mediums, music included, have historically been antagonists, agitators to power.  The last decade, or so, has seen that shift tremendously.  Artists are now in judgement of people, peers, and, really, quite friendly to power.  It’s KILLING art. 

CV: What can fans expect to see coming next from you?
TM: We’re working with Animal Farm Music to release a series of singles.  We will be playing some shows regionally and continue writing new material.  The goal is to expose as many people as possible to Clyde!

CV: Thanks again for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.

Check out Clyde at:

https://clyde.band
https://www.instagram.com/clydethemusical/
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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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