Founding member and lead guitarist of the indie-folk quartet The Show Ponies, Jason Hawk Harris started a new chapter with the release of his solo debut, Formaldehyde, Tobacco, and Tulips. Released on Free Man Records and produced by Andy Freeman (Eisley, Manchester Orchestra), the album comes on the heels of a season of grieving from a personal loss, prompting Harris to regularly refer to his music as "grief grass". His music has a distinct blend of old and new, credited to his ability to write music that respects the tradition of the Americana genres from which he draws inspiration, while always keeping his eye on the future. Here, Harris answers his Essential 8.
Do you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? I’ve had a lot of great teachers/mentors. One that sticks out is a guy named Keith Dixon. When I was an arrogant freshman in High School I tried out for the senior level choir and felt sure I’d get in. I was dumb enough to believe that a little bit of talent would make up for the fact that I was also a total asshole. Thankfully, my choir teacher, Mr Dixon, was wise to my inflated ego, and gave me a hard-nosed talking to. He told me (in so many words) that I needed to get my shit together and that I wasn’t anything special, which is exactly what I needed to hear. I shutter when I think about where I’d be if he hadn’t laid the pain down on me. It changed my life. I was all straight-laces, practice, and “lunch pale” after that. With "The Smoke and the Stars," what was the “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? "The Smoke and the Stars" was a problem song for me. I just couldn’t get the lyrics to feel like I wanted them to feel. Then one day I woke up with this image in my head of this dude chained up and standing in the middle of a wooden shed in the woods filled with one foot of snake-infested water, and well… it all fell into place after that. What’s the story behind your album’s title? Scent is a big trigger for me. At my mother’s funeral back in April, I remember walking into the parlor for the viewing and smelling the formaldehyde they use as a preservative, then hugging a family member and smelling the smoke on their clothes. Smelling the flowers in the midst of those two smells was odd and disorienting. I’ve come to understand those three smells as being what grief smells like.
Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
The answer is all of the above. I write about my experiences quite a bit, but to do that all the time is too emotionally draining for me. It’s like being in therapy for eight hours a day, seven days a week. No one likes diving that deep into themselves all the time. There’s too much dirt and grime down there. Too much to clean up. So I like to mix it up. Do you have any touring tips? Eat a vegetable, damnit. Also, a yeti cooler is just a really practical and smart investment for someone wanting to not eat crap on the road all the time. For me it makes a big difference. How do you kill the long hours in the van? Lately I’ve been alternating between writing, and learning spanish. I’ll probably end up sending a bottle of wine and a thank you card to DuoLingo. It’s one hell of a time filler. What’s the most frustrating thing about being on the road? First place award goes to: being away from my honey. Second place: I like being on the road, but I’m also a big fan of routine. It’s hard to have that on the road. Ironically, I’m my most creative self when my toothbrush stays in one place, and I’m eating the same thing for breakfast every day. Current recent release you cannot stop listening to? I’ve had “Modern Pressure” by Daniel Romano on repeat since it came out. I can’t shake it. Official Website: https://jasonhawkharris.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonhawkharris Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonhawkharris Facebook: https://facebook.com/jasonhawkharris
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