Interview with Folk-Grunge Artist Michael Webster
By Mick Michaels
The Cosmick View: Hello, Michael and welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us!
CV: Describe your definition of your sound and style and how does that
definition uniquely describe the music?
Michael Webster: I usually describe the music as folk-grunge…it’s a
combination of all of my influences - ranging from 90’s alternative and grunge,
to folksingers like Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
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?
MW: I think it’s essential to be honest! I run events and gigs as well
as playing at them myself and it’s fantastic to see people coming down to them
week in, week out. Some of my good friends are the people who come down as
well!
CV: Is fan interaction an important part
of your inner culture?
MW: Yeah, definitely. I love playing new songs for people, and getting
feedback on what works, what doesn’t - it keeps you grounded as well.
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?
MW: There’s a difficult balance between privacy and work when it comes
to music. I think that a lot of the time, you’re putting yourself fully in the
public view and it definitely spills into private, non-musical time.
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?
MW: I think not only in different cultures, but even within some areas
- for example, I know some people who don’t even listen to music at all, and
then on the contrast people who are involved in music in some capacity always!
For me, I’d say that it’s an essential part of my life, both socially, for
enjoyment, work, I can’t see myself not doing it.
CV: Do you feel that an artist or band
that has an international appeal, will tend to connect more so to American
audiences? Would they be more enticed or intrigued to see that artist or band
over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?
MW: I think it can very much depend on the band. There’s a lot of
bands that let’s say have a more general sound that could be well-received all
over the world, but then within each population there’s always going to be
people who have different tastes. There’s always an enticement for people to
see acts they can’t see often, for example those who are from other countries,
though.
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?
MW: I think that everyone has the potential to be creative. Modern-day
technology really in my opinion has just made the process of connecting with
audiences much easier - people in other countries, of different classes,
backgrounds and that can access your music simply by the touch of a button.
CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?
MW: Ah, this is a difficult one! I think that even artists who set trends also have a tendency to follow them - it’s very hard for individuals to fully blaze their own trail nowadays. I think the most important thing is for an artist to just be themselves.
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?
MW: Personally, I don’t see genres as, say, barriers for people. I
think they’re a great way to define a sound, but I listen to a huge range of
music and if it’s good, I’m into it. Simply, it’s a definition!
CV: What can fans expect to see coming next from you?
MW: I’ve got an EP out on the 17th of December! I’ve worked proper
hard on it, it’s around 3 years of work in the making. It’s called “a northern
perspective” and you can find it at Bandcamp.
CV: Thanks again Michael for taking
some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.
Check out Michael at:
Facebook: /michaelwebstermusic
Twitter: @mchlwbstr
Instagram: @mchlwbstr
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/337KNnNPPHatcOU7epvTLT
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/michael-webster/4348685
Bandcamp: https://michaelwebster.bandcamp.com/
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