Interview with Folk Artist Reece Sullivan

February 22, 2023

Interview with Folk Artist Reece Sullivan

By Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, Reece! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.
Reece Sullivan: My pleasure; thank you for having me!

CV: How do you process it when others compare or relate you to Bob Dylan? Is there some sort of validation with such a comparison or a level of resentment that comes with it?
RS: There’s not any resentment. I think when we’re talking to the general public; we need those simple comparisons to help people get an idea of what one does. So, I get it. And in the most general sense, I think the comparison is accurate enough. I was and am a Dylan fanatic. He, more than almost any other musician, has had the biggest impact on me. But that said, once you’re even a little bit aware of more folk music, you’ll find that I’m not exactly all that much like Dylan.

CV: What do you think separates you from Bob Dylan musically?
RS: Though we so heavily associate Dylan with lyricism, I tend to view most of his lyrics as more heavily leaning towards an aesthetic appeal. With poems or lyrics, to me, the two ends to the spectrum are aesthetic and meaning. Aesthetic lyrics, as I term them, can simply sound nice or create superb imagery without really knowing or having to know what they mean . . . or without them having a meaning at all. I was almost more heavily influenced - at least in my own thinking, by Lennon’s lyricism on his Plastic Ono album. He’s very blunt and says things that I hadn’t realized could be said so directly before. One could think of his lyrics, “I’m lonely; I wanna die,” to see what I mean. It isn’t exactly imagery or hidden meaning we’re seeing there; it’s as direct as it can be. So, I classify that as more heavily leaning towards meaning rather than aesthetic. I believe more of my lyrics fall under that category, and that to me is something I see as generally different than Dylan.

CV: How would you define pure folk/country to just folk/country? What are the differences in your opinion?
RS: For me, pure folk can be pretty extreme and, I assume, frown on much, if any, production. Some of the stuff Dylan was doing in the beginning, for instance, was expected to be done without even a mic! With country, which is such an odd genre seeing how much it’s changed, I would tend to think of pure country as surely being more along the lines of old country. None of us are too sure of what modern country even is. With “Gethsemane,” unlike my previous album, it’s a purer version of folk in that most of it is recorded as is: acoustic and vocal all at the same time in the studio. That said, I did add organ on a few tunes, and for logistical reasons recorded the harmonicas after the live takes . . . but the spirit of the album is closer to pure folk, without doubt.

CV: The new album, "Gethsemane," is soon to be available. What can you tell us about it? What will fans find interesting about the album upon the first listen?
RS: The album almost didn’t happen. I had planned on working on another set of songs and more fully producing them; that is to say, full band, orchestral elements, etc. But I was talked into trying this out, and I realized it was a good idea once I got going. Plus, being so simple and different for me, it was really fun.

CV: Which song from "Gethsemane" stands out as the go-to track for you? Do you feel that song represents the album as a whole? If so why?

RS: I would likely say, “If You Know What’s Good For You,” or “All the While I Was Away.” I feel the album is largely cohesive, so yeah, I’d say either tune somewhat represents the album on the whole. The production - or lack of, between the songs is so sparse, it’s almost hard for them to not have a similarity.

CV: What do you feel your greatest asset is as an artist? How has that asset benefit yourself and others?
RS: As I’ve grown older, I think I’m a good bit more professional in how I approach things. So, I’d like to think I’m easy to work with. I try to keep things fun and somewhat light. I’d also like to think that I bring a good sense of song craft to the table.

CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from you in 2023?
RS: I’m moving moderately quickly on a new album that I’m tentatively calling, “False Summits.” I expect that to be done sometime this summer or, if I’m lucky, right before summer. I’m excited about these tunes; and they’ll be more fully produced like my previous work. Unlike my previous work, though, I’m working with Charlie Gathe who’s helping with the production. So it’ll be a different sound. I also plan to release a song titled, Song for Edward de Vere, in November 2023, which will be the 400th anniversary of the release of the first Shakespearean Folio, perhaps one of the greatest artistic events in history. I believe Edward de Vere wrote the works - a contentious statement to some, but that’s what the song is about.

CV: Thanks again, Reece, for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.
RS: Thank you very much!

Check out Reece at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reecesullivanmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reecesullivan/
Website: http://reecesullivan.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1HENquz2nFyiFpcsQXSfVq
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/reece-2
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@reecesullivan9985

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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.