 Courtesy of the Artist
Simon Linsteadt is a singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist from California who has recorded six studio albums and toured extensively performing at venues including The Fillmore and the Great American Music Hall, as well as many festivals including Outside Lands, High Sierra Music Festival, Sisters Folk Festival, and more. His latest album, February, a delicately crafted, passionate nine-track collection, was released in early 2018. Here, Linsteadt answers his Essential 8 and talks songwriting, the story behind February, his favorite spots to eat on the road, and much more.
With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? The song “Vulture” comes to mind. It actually went through many versions, maybe five. There was a version with electric guitar and drums, there was a weird version with a synthesizer, and a few steel string guitar versions. Finally I landed on just nylon string guitar and vocal. This process took months. Once I recorded one, and I had a gut feeling it wasn’t quite right, I had to wait a long while before I felt ready to take another stab at it-- at least a few weeks. Each time I recorded it again the song got a little more simplified and the lyrics changed slightly. When I finally got the right take in September, I knew immediately it was the one. It wasn’t perfect, but it was complete. It was actually recorded on the last day of mixing at Tiny Telephone Studios. I waited until the very last minute and we set up some mics. It was the hardest song to get right on the album. What’s the story behind your album’s title? I rented a space for a month in February 2017 to make this album. I felt that there was going to be some sort of musical upwelling inside me during February. During that month I was a bit disheartened because I wasn’t able to finish the project or get any recordings that I was happy with. I packed up at the end of my stay and felt defeated. During that time I wrote the song “February” which was somewhat of a prayer, or an attempt to summon my creative energy that felt trapped or possibly lost. I ended up recording the album over the following half year at my house. Slowly but surely, and with a lot more patience than I initially had, I made the album and it ended up totally different than I could have expected. What didn’t happen during that month of February was significant, and I wanted to honor what the whole experience showed me. Why did you chose to anchor the album with the songs you did? I tried to arrange the songs to have the album move between two main chapters, so to speak. The first half is more gentle and based around words. A couple of them were like prayers. These were followed by a long instrumental called “The Alien”, which is a bit alienating itself just in how long and open ended it is. This then transitions into a slightly more lighthearted second half of the album with more of a backbeat. When/where do you do your best writing? Sometimes in the quiet of my room, or sometimes I’ll go on a walk and find a place to sit. Sometimes it’s the green room before a performance. When things are moving fast in my life or I’m feeling changes happening, finding solitude amidst the turmoil helps me process and write. 
What’s your favorite food on the road?
Los Bagels in Arcata, California, The Tune Up Café in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and 7 Devils Brewery in Coos Bay, Oregon. Do you have any touring tips? Get sleep, especially if you’re the lead singer. What are your “must have” albums for the road? "Zuma" by Neil Young and "Closing Time" by Tom Waits. What do you love most about being on the road? I love going on a run or a walk through a new city or town in the morning. Touring can be really anxiety inducing for me, so when I get some peaceful time to experience a new place especially in the morning it settles my mind a bit. Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended? I think it was the Bridge School Benefit Concert with Neil Young, Eddie Vedder, Conor Oberst, Paul McCartney, and other great performers. I went with my family and we sat on a big lawn under a tarp because it was raining. It's a nostalgic memory. Website: https://www.simonlinsteadt.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonlinsteadt/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh0v_4Av_3G6lKyutzQ--qw Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/y6uycmd3 Twitter: https://twitter.com/StormyDeep
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