It's Thursday and time for this week's featured interview! This week, we check back in with Adam McElreath, the mastermind behind Big Big Buildings and one of my closest friends. The last time we interviewed him, we got a sense of how he first got interested in music and what some of his musical influences were. This time around, we take a broader scope and go alot more in depth to get the full 360 degree angle of Adam McElreath and present an artist who is in the midst of discovering his true sound with his full length debut release, "Be Not Aglow". Here is the transcript from that interview that I conducted just last week:
First of all, how have you been? It's been 2 years since I last interviewed you, what has happened to you since then?
It's a busy life, Pete. I'm doing
everything at full speed and don't get much sleep. I have a love in my
life and it's inspiring me to live up to my potential, corny as that may
read, it's a thing I accept graciously. As you know, I also work for
the man, so time to create art and music is precious, but I still manage
to hit the mark I want. I'll always be making stuff.
What has changed about the complexion of Big Big Buildings in the last couple of years?
It gets more difficult to explain every day, man. Big Big Buildings,
from the start, has always just me with my hands in a lot of pots. I've
been playing mostly solo over the past few years and it's allowed me to
take so many more considerations in writing songs. I've found that
playing for a room-full of people without a microphone is what I prefer.
I've always wanted my music to be heard on a more intimate level, as
raw and conversation-like as possible. Playing bars can be stressful,
but sometimes I like the microphone I guess. At home, though, I'm
learning how to record and produce my own stuff fluently and it can be
intimidating. There are endless ways for a sound to sound. I hit some
bumps, but it come's pretty naturally and I really enjoy fucking with
noises. So i guess it's complex? The music, the art, the engineering,
the experimentation. It's like a one-man circus or a car crash or
something.
Recently, you just released your first
full length album, "Be Not Aglow". Describe the process that went into
making the album and what was it like?
Be Not Aglow was recorded entirely in my room, which at first, was a
little walk-in closet with no windows and a ceiling fan. My roommates
and I moved from Somerville to Brighton in the middle of the recording
process, so "my room" was a different place, resulting in much of the
album's duality. Be Not Aglow is about being in emotional turbulence so
long, that you're almost convinced that it's all there is. Lyrically,
anyway. Essentially, it's a big chunk of all my intention towards those
I've met and those I haven't. It was the album I've been hoping to make
since I was a kid, so although there's much heartache behind it, it's
hopeful as hell.
Is there one song from this release that speaks out to you among the others? If so, what is it?
Probably "Tasteful Abandon". That's the kind of song I don't even
remember writing. It just met my focus and left my hands and mouth
naturally, and It's a good document of me being honest with myself about
a difficult issue. I have trouble communicating in every day life, and
beat myself up when I can't say what I mean. I'm a mixture of
considerate and uneducated, so it takes me a long time to find the right
words. That song is the right words finding me at an unknowing moment.
In terms of sheer importance, where does music rank in terms of overall importance in your everyday life?
So important. I saturate my life with art and music. Also, I do a lot
of walking, so my headphones are always on. I listen to music all day at
work, and every day I realize how lucky I am for that. Music is like a
mystery that will never be solved and I'm always celebrating it's
existence.
Do you view music as a commercially viable form of self-expression or is it just a way to pass the time?
That's a difficult question. Acclaim and sensation can make one
comfortable, affecting your ability to relate. I do, however, think that
there are many bands that put in what they take out and really work
hard for their acclaim. Everything has merit, and some popular music is
popular for a reason. Some.
Continuing on with that question, do you
forsee yourself achieving any kind of commercial success with this
project and is that attainable?
Maybe in my 50's or something. I'm still learning what I'm doing every
day and I don't promote myself very well. I feel like a man with a
clipboard sometimes, trying to get people to pay attention, but my aim
is only to have people hear my music and see my art. I don't really see
myself being a commercial commodity.
If there's one song or album that defines your whole life up to this point, what would it be?
My whole life? Shit, man. "Roll With It" By Steve Winwood.
What's in store for you next? Any more shows in the future to promote your new album?
I recently was bumped from a show at TT's and was disappointed for a
while until I birthed a simple solution . I am instead having people at
my apartment for a house show, and sending an open invitation to bring
art to hang. My friend and bandmate Steve MacDonald will play a few
songs and I will play a set, answer questions, and take some requests on Saturday March 24th. Email me at: adammcelreath@gmail.com if you're interested in going.
Lastly, how do you want to be remembered? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
No matter what you're doing, you're on the right track.
Thanks once again to my best friend Adam for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview. For more info on Big Big Buildings, head on over to his Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Big-Buildings/128031613904989 and to check out "Be Not Aglow" in its entirety, head on over to his BandCamp page at: bigbigbuildings.bandcamp.com
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