Interview with Artist Ian Highhill (Finland)

August 26, 2024

Interview with Artist Ian Highhill (Finland)

By Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.

Ian Highhill: Hello, great to be here!

CV: What do you feel are three essential characteristics, aside from style, genre, or even to some degree technical abilities, a band or artist should possess to help set them apart in thus business?

IH: Determination, perseverance and patience. Too many people think that everything will happen overnight and you don't have to work for it. And they end up going home with their tails between their legs. And also, the only one you should compete with is yourself you shouldn’t be so concerned what others do or what they think.

CV: Why do you think there's been a massive shift and decline in music's overall popularity in recent years? Are streaming platforms really to blame?

IH: No, I would say the decline started with the CD. When people could copy full quality albums for free. And when record companies started sending out full albums [CD:s] to radio stations and other promotions, and albums started leaking out on the internet before they were even released. But greed is probably the biggest reason why music doesn't pay these days, first the record companies and now the streaming services have become way too greedy.

CV: Has modern music become just another disposable commodity to listeners?

IH: When I was a kid, we used to save up money to buy an album for our collections. Then we would run to our friends and tell them about the album and listen to it together. The covers were big, the lyrics were legible, we're talking about the vinyl era of course. We invested both time and money and we also promoted artists by word of mouth. Those records were/is still very precious to us. Nowadays an album goes by with the swipe of a finger and nobody gives a fuck.

CV: The music scene on all levels seems to be in a constant state of flux. Music has found itself splintered in multiple sub sections. Do artists and bands need to reinvent constantly or at least with every release to better appeal to modern-day music audiences?

IH: No I don’t think you have to. And I have to admit that I can't keep up with all the sub-genres in rock/metal music anymore. People seem to spend an endless amount of time trying to find that unique sound: polka, folk, horror, jazz, whatever, metalcore. And one is a faster player than the other. Few invest in writing good songs. A good example of a great songwriter who doesn't care much about genres is Tobias Sammet and Avantasia. In the end it's the song that sells the artist, right?

CV: Tell us a little about your latest release. How do you feel this project separates itself from similar releases?

IH: My latest release 'Gallows' is a journey back to my teenage years when the NOBHM movement started. The album continues pretty much in the same vein as my previous one, i.e. commercial doom/hard rock in the traditional sense. Now with my solo project [Ian Highhill] I finally have the freedom to make the music that is closest to my heart. I was always a co-writer in my previous bands, so we decided on a common sound, I am referring to my previous bands 'Astralion' and 'Olympos Mons'. I always liked 'Black Sabbath' and 'Judas Priest' so I guess you can find influences of both in my sound. But you can also find some traces of my power metal past if you listen carefully.

CV: With digital downloading and streaming seeming to make full-length albums almost obsolete, do you feel audience consumption of music would serve itself better with a "less is more" attitude? Are EPs and singles the way to go these days?

IH: Absolutely. Single releases maintain interest in an artist longer, while also building momentum for the album. In the past, albums were released and promoted for a few months, then that was it. If you didn't have a record label supporting touring, that was the end of it.

I think it's great that nowadays, as soon as you have released an album, you can start releasing singles for the next album, if you know what I mean? And keep the interest up all the time.

CV: Everyone from Elvis and the Beatles to Metallica and Disturb have done cover songs. Do you believe that artists and bands need to include cover songs in their own body of releases as a way to gain a larger portion of a supporting audience?

IH: No, I don't think so. Elvis probably needed it because he didn't write his own material. But the Beatles, Metallica, no! They probably covered songs as a tribute to bands they liked, not because they needed to. A new aspiring artist might benefit from it, who knows? But then there's the risk of being forever associated with that song if it breaks through.

CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from you in 2024 and beyond?

IH: New music, a new album and a handful of singles. I'm also rehearsing for live gigs with my band, so hopefully we'll be hitting the road soon. As always, I have high expectations for 2024-2025 and hope to see you all out there.

CV: Thanks again for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.

IH: Thank you Cosmick View, I appreciate your interest in my music.

Check out Ian Highhill at:

Website: https://ianhighhill.com/

Streaming platforms: https://ian-highhill.submithublinks.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HighhillIan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianhighhill

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ian_highhill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ian.Highhill.Music

Metal Archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ian_Highhill

EPK: https://epk.recordunion.com/ian_highhill

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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.