 Courtesy of the Artist
"As a new artist, I wanted to introduce myself to the world by showcasing my best songs that could collectively live together as one piece of art. If you have never met me or don’t know who I am, and you listen to my album; you’ll have a pretty good idea of who I am afterwards." ~Arkansas Dave
Austin-based blues singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Arkansas Dave will release his self-titled debut April 20. Featuring a wide range of blues-gospel-rock, the 13-track album features “a collection of songs that tell my story,” says Arkansas Dave. Recorded over eight days at Fame Studios with the Swampers, the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section -Will McFarlane, Clayton Ivey and Bob Wray, with horn arrangements by Charles Rose and Jim Horn, the project contains originals such as "Squeaky Clean" and "The Wheel" as well as a soulful cover of Tom Waits' "Chocolate Jesus." Ahead of the release, Arkansas Dave kindly took the time to answer his Essential 8+ where he spoke about drawing on personal experiences in his songwriting, success and struggle, Levon Helm, and much more. Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? I’m not sure I do. I can definitely say that there are a number of people that have impacted me, but no one person has necessarily “taught me how to play music”. I guess my dad is definitely responsible for showing me the ropes; but he basically just gave me the tools and let me run with it. He bought me my first snare drum at the age of 5, then my first set around age 10 or 11, and by the time I was 12 I was playing the drums in church every Sunday. Playing in church was the cornerstone of my musical education; especially since I was playing with people over twice my age. I would have to say that everyone that I’ve ever played with that impacted my musical life had an influence on me as a musician. With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? "The Wheel." I remember writing this song like it was last night. That night, I sat on the floor with my legs crossed and an acoustic guitar in hand sitting in front of my late father-in-law’s altar. My wife being the Mexican/Apache American woman she is, has an altar set up for her father with gifts and a white candle in honor of him. As I played, I watched the candle flicker and burn faster with every strum of the guitar. By the time I finished the lyrics, the candle (which was about ¾ full before I started playing…) burnt out. I never changed or edited the lyrics from that night. Looking back on that experience, I feel that is was a conversation I had with my father-in-law beyond the grave. To me, it was a confirmation that I had his blessing and that I should always follow my light; because no matter what, my wife and I would always have each other. Is there a story behind your album’s title? I purposely self-titled my album, because I wanted the album to be synonymous with me. If I would have given it a name, then I feel if would be a separate piece of art altogether. As a new artist, I wanted to introduce myself to the world by showcasing my best songs that could collectively live together as one piece of art. If you have never met me or don’t know who I am, and you listen to my album; you’ll have a pretty good idea of who I am afterwards. Why did you choose to anchor the album with the songs you did? I’m not quite sure I understand the question, but I feel that the songs that I chose to include on the album tell my life story. Every song has a story, and I try to tell them in the most clever, interesting ways possible. Everything from the lyrics to the tempo down to every note, I try my best to create songs that I enjoy listening to. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? Inspiration comes from everywhere. I feel that as a songwriter, I’m merely a vessel for the song. Songs are everywhere; you just have to pay attention in order to capture it. When/where do you do your best writing? Like most creatives, I pull my inspiration from life experiences, so I never know when the next song is going to happen. Normally, I feel most inspired to write in the “twilight hours”, but again, when inspiration hits, you just have to find a place to stop and write. Nowadays, if I’m out and about without my notebook or guitar, I’ll hum the melody and lyrics into the recorder app on my iPhone… If anyone was to listen to my notes in my iPhone, you’d probably think I was a crazy person. Hahahaha Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination? Most of my material is taken from personal experience. There are a few of my songs based from another character’s POV, but always has my perspective as the narrative for the lyrics. My former band, Father Sky, was a hard rock/ classic heavy metal band that I fronted and wrote all the songs. I feel that within that genre, I was able to create stories, but my Arkansas Dave project consists of more personal material; which I feel gives me more creative freedom because I’m classified in such a broad stroke genre that I think I have a less chance of being pigeon-holed. What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician? I met my hero, Levon Helm, one time, and I gave him a CD of my old band as we struck up a conversation. He asked me about my band and I told him that we were going through a hiatus, but one of the songs on the record I gave him was inspired by The Band. He then told me that ‘when the music bug bites you, you’ll never be able to shake it.’ And no matter how far I go away from it, the road always leads back to music. What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out? Know your realistic value as an artist, and don’t settle for less. Everyone has to pay their dues, just figure out the best strategy and what works for you. There’s no roadmap to success, it only comes through hard work and dedication without fear of failure. You will only experience success through failure; it’s part of the process. What’s your favorite food on the road? I prefer to eat local cuisine whenever I travel. I feel that it’s one of the best ways to experience different cultures, whether that’s regionally or internationally. Do you have any touring tips? If possible, try to bring food, drinks and snacks on the road with you. You’d be surprised how much extra you’ll spend on the road just buying snacks and drinks, simply because you’re bored travelling city to city. What are your “must have” albums for the road? Man, I listen to so much music that it’s hard to decide but I’ll say that I do have a few that are in constant rotation. Definitely, ZZ Top Tejas, Little Feat Sailin’ Shoes & Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, and Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti . How do you kill the long hours in the van? Listening to music, having a laugh with the guys and just anything we can to pass the time What’s the most frustrating thing about being on the road? When something happens at home while you’re on the road, and you can’t take care of the problem immediately...especially when you are several time zones apart. What do you love most about being on the road? Experiencing new cultures through food, music and people. What has been your biggest struggle so far? Just trying to book shows, honestly. The catch-22 of being a developing artist with little to no fan base trying to get gigs versus needing a fan base to book those gigs, by far, is the biggest struggle so far. It just takes someone to take a chance on developing artists to give them their break. What has been your biggest success? Probably being invited to play Montreux Jazz Festival this year. I’m absolutely humbled and excited to be asked to play this legendary festival. What’s your favorite venue and why? I’d have to say Antone’s in Austin, TX. I would consider it my home stage. Clifford Antone, the namesake and founder of the club, was famously known for taking good care of the artists that came through Austin and played at Antone’s. He single-handedly created the Austin blues scene; and it quickly spread throughout the Blues circuit that everyone should play Antone’s cause they treat the artists right. For these reasons, and the level of professionalism that the Antone’s staff and owners show sets the bar high for music venues and why it’s my favorite venue. What’s your dream venue and why? There’s a few, but I would feel completely accomplished if I headlined Red Rocks Amphitheater. I’ve seen some of the best shows I’ve ever seen there - Primus, Flaming Lips and Widespread Panic. It is by far the most beautiful outdoor venue in the United States. If you’ve never seen a show there, I highly recommend it. Who would you love to collaborate with? I think collaborating with Sturgill Simpson or the boys from Rival Sons would be awesome. I think my style would be very complementary with both of those acts. Which song of yours gets the best crowd response? Hard to say, but I think it’s "Bad Water." It has such a haunting, emotional feel it keeps you on your toes. I love playing this song live. What song are you tired of playing and why? Really, I’m not tired of playing any of my songs yet. I think there will probably be a day that I will, but not now. Is drinking at gigs a positive or a negative? Well, everything in moderation, right? I try not to drink too much before playing a show. I like to be on top of my game. Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended? I’ve seen so many concerts, that it’s hard to name just one, so I’ll give you my top 3.
Favorite thing to do on a day off? Just relaxing, playing with my kids and keeping my hands busy. I can entertain myself fairly easily, but I do enjoy just doing things outside - BBQ, fishing, gardening, etc. Do you have a favorite gift from a fan? Don’t think I’ve been gifted by a fan, outside of peer musicians gifting me their music and/or a piece of merch. Have you met any of your heroes? If so, how did it go? As I mentioned earlier, I met Levon Helm once, and he was everything that I imagined he would be. A kind-hearted, genuine man. I will always cherish that conversation and hand shake. Recent release you cannot stop listening to? I honestly can’t stop listening to Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. It’s such an incredible piece of art. I love the production and the songwriting is so good. I really admire how good hip hop artists have the ability to tell stories in their songs that elevate the story in such an intelligent way- Kendrick Lamar is the greatest of my generation to do so in my opinion. I feel that hip hop is a modern day approach to what folk music used to be; storytelling in the art of song. Song (of yours) you wish you would have released as a single and why? I think that either "Diamonds" or "The Wheel" would be a great single; simply because they are unique, cerebral songs that have an overall empowering and positive message. Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off? I’m well on my way to ticking all the boxes, but I hope to just achieve a sustainable career. I’m trying to build my career on good songwriting and honest, hard work; but there are a few things I’d like to accomplish. I would love nothing more than to be able to play the Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheater and the Royal Albert Hall. If I was able to headline those venues, I’d say that I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to do. Website/Facebook/Twitter/Purchase
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