Back with another in my recurring installments of interviews with past Artist Spotlight subjects to see what they're up to right now. Today, we check in with Steve McDonald of The Okay Win who has had a rather busy past year. After releasing their most recent full length "Common Nature" last year, the band has performed relentlessly throughout New England, and reached two of their career milestones in their relatively short career so far when they opened for Kevin Devine at Royale this last October, and opened for Portugal The Man at House of Blues back in April. The band just released their brand new EP titled "Leveled" this past Saturday at a release show at The Lilypad in Cambridge, MA and Steve was kind enough to devote some time for an in depth interview to see what he's been up to now and what lies ahead for the group in the future. And, here is the transcript from that interview:
-How
have things been in the last couple of years Steve? The last time I
interviewed you, you were getting ready to release your split EP with
Big Big Buildings "Two Toned".
Things
have been pretty great. That was just about 2 years ago, and since then
things have just kept going up, both musically and personally. I feel
incredibly lucky.
- How has the complexion of The Okay Win changed musically since a couple of years ago?
Well
since that time, we had a bit of a lineup change. We were a 4 piece
then and our drummer at the time ended up leaving at the end of 2010.
There really wasn't any will and it just felt like the right step. Once
he left though, we officially added two new members, Adam McElreath and
Dave Chardo. Adam is Big Big Buildings, who we released "Two Toned"
with, and Dave had filled in on drums for us before and had been playing
alongside the guys for years. It was a natural fit, and if anything I
was the "new guy". After all was said and done, we are now a happy
family of 5.
- Tell me a little about the band's brand new EP "Leveled" and the concept behind it?
Leveled
is the title track off of the EP. Generally, I just really liked the
imagery and freedom of that word. Finding a balance, tearing apart
you're own inner workings to find some sort of peace, etc. I had written
the song after my Uncle died a year ago. It hit me pretty hard, and
within the band this whole past year we just kept losing major pieces of
our family. The whole concept of grieving was consistently on my mind,
and the fact that a lot of people don't let themselves experience that
moment. People in general often try to block out a lot, whether it's
good or bad. If something good happens, people think they don't deserve
the happiness. If something traumatic happens, people ignore the reality
and it just ends up catching up with you. I used to just be very
passive and keep my emotions to myself, but as I grow older I'm trying
to wear my heart on my sleeve a bit. When it came to the song "Leveled",
I was trying to describe an approach where people just let themselves
feel what they want to feel. If you want to be happy, do it. If you want
to be sad, do it. In the end, hopefully things balance out and it
allows you to process the events better and be at some sort of peace.
When I brought the word to the guys, it was pretty much instantly agreed upon.
We
came up with the concept to allow fans to be a apart of it and
potentially experience something they've always wanted to do
artistically. We gave out each song to a different person and had them
make a video, with no input by us. We also accepted art submissions too.
The goal was to give a forum for people to express themselves, and
hopefully share something they've never shared before, or try their hand
at a medium they've always been interested in. Honestly, we didn't get a
ton of art, and I get it. I was still excited about the project though.
- What is your favorite song off "Leveled" that speaks out to you the most?
I
honestly love them all. Each one has a different feel for me. Maybe,
right now, "Cliff". It's got a nice flow to it and it's so fun to play. I
brought that song to practice and it wasn't clicking, and usually if
that happens we'll just throw it to the side. We kept trying though, and
once it clicked, it just felt right. The whole song is basically about
the "grass is always greener" mentality, and being okay with your
choices.
- How has your music progressed from your first album "We Are Bound" right up until "Leveled"?
I
actually released a record called "Building Hands" before the "We Are
Bound" in the summer of 2008. It was my first album, and was all solo
acoustic, with a couple songs having drums. Since then it's been a
whirlwind, and I've released 5 albums in total, with the last 4 being
with The Okay Win. I recently went and listened to everything in order
and it was crazy to hear the changes.
I
definitely feel more confident overall. Back then my voice was
so...weightless. Not that it's amazing now, but I feel like I've figured
out how to sing the songs I write. I have a better sense of how I want a
song to sound, and each album has been a learning experience too. There
is always room for improvement.
Overall,
the biggest progression was moving to a full band situation. It allowed
me to be a part something that felt great, and we were able to take
some chances that I couldn't do solo.
- Do you like playing as part of a collective group better versus playing solo?
I'd
say the group. There are moments when playing solo is fun. I got play a
show with just Kevin Devine and myself, at my favorite venue, this past
January. For that night, it felt appropriate and really meant a lot to
me on a personal level. There is a sense of intimacy too when its just
you and a guitar. You have a certain freedom, and there isn't much
separating you from the audience.
With
the band though, it's just so fun. To share in that experience with
your best friends is unforgettable. ac yourselves into a car and drive 5
hours to play for no one, or to play the biggest club in your city in
front of 1,000 people. It's a wonderful thing to be able to share those
moments and be able to laugh at it. Plus, I am not the most talented
musician. I feel bad even using that word. Ryan, JM, Adam, and Dave are
all incredibly talented guys that bring something different to the
table. It feels great to be able to put our ideas together.
- Let's flashback to the beginning, when was the moment you realized you wanted to become a musician?
I
was always a really shy kid, with a lot of social anxiety. My friends
were always out in the public eye in some way. One of my best friends
works in the statehouse and is involved in politics, another is an actor
in Chicago, and another is a comedian in Brooklyn. I was always the kid
in the background, which I didn't mind because I always froze when put
on the spot. During high school though, I'd be in my room at night with a
fake microphone, pretending I was on a stage. I didn't play an
instrument though. I had a guitar from when I was 13, but I knew
nothing. It was all a pipe dream.
When
I was in college, I came out of my shell a bit, but still had some
anxiety problems. I wouldn't go to parties, and I would often just hide
in my room. I'd get so in my own head that I'd stay in there forever
just waiting for people to leave so I wouldn't have to walk by them.
During this time though, I got really involved in radio though, which
was a perfect gateway. I got to use my voice, but didn't have to have
people look at me. While this was going on, I was also teaching myself
guitar and kept saying, maybe I'll do an open mic. I never did though.
When
I got out of college I had a job interview for a radio promotions
company and they asked me what my biggest weakness was. I responded with
"I can be shy..." and it was all down from there. Never say that in a
job that requires talking. Haha. It ended up being a pivotal moment
though because I realized that if I wanted to be anything, I had to step
out of myself. That night I went home and recorded two demos, and began
showing them to friends. They were so poorly recorded. All mixed to the
left, and I was barely audible. My fish tank was the most prominent
part of the song, but people were supportive. I kept writing and
recording, and eventually played an open mic. It was a blur, but after
that I was hooked. Beyond the power of music, it has been easily the
best thing I've been a part of. It's helped me in more ways than I could
ever say. Relationships, self perception, etc.
- Do you feel that writing and/or playing music has a therapeutic effect on you?
Completely.
There are times where I get incredibly anxious and just need that
cathartic release. I don't do drugs, and alcohol doesn't really solve my
problems, so music, as cheesy as that sounds, is what does it for me.
You get up there and just rip through this intense set and let it all
out, and at the end it's like a massive weight being lifted. There are
times when it has the reverse effect and you're left feeling a little
empty because now you're not sure what's next, but overall I'd say it
definitely has a therapeutic effect on me.
- When you get up there on stage, what is your one main goal that you strive to accomplish each and every time?
This
will sound mean, but when I first started, my goal was to make at least
one person cry. Not out of being mean, but I was a confused and sad
bastard, and I wanted my lyrics to hit people. Often times, I was able
to too, which looking back makes me feel like a dick.
Now
though, my goal is to just create this energy. I don't ever claim to be
the best, but I definitely think we bring an honest and an energy that
gets lost sometimes in music. I want people to have fun, but I also want
people to feel something. There seems to be this bad rep for writing
songs that aren't just throw away lyrics about nothing. If you write
anything that means something to you, or can be misconstrued as "sad"
then you're depressing and "emo". I think all of that is BS. I want
people to be able to move their feet, but at the same time take
something away, whether it's from the energy or lyrics, and apply it to
something in their life.
-
What have you learned and picked up from other musicians you've played
with over the years that you've applied to yourself both on record and
on stage?
I'd
say the biggest thing is being yourself and being honest. You can tell
when people are portraying a persona, or they aren't being genuine about
what they're saying. As a band, we just try and let ourselves shine
through. People will respond to it, and from experience, even if they
aren't a fan of the music, they still respect it.
- Looking back, is there anything you've wished you' d done differently
with regards to how your music sounded when you first started out?
Not
really. I mean, hearing those songs are tough because I feel like I've
gotten stronger. I mean, that first record came out and I hadn't even
been really playing seriously for a year at that point. That's who I was
at the time though and I have to accept it. I loved, and still do love,
when it's just someone and a guitar.
- Describe a moment when music affected your life so profoundly that it still has lasting effects on you today?
In
regards to my own personal music, and this may because it's so fresh,
but our EP release this past weekend. It was the most fun I've ever had
playing and it was one of those moments I'll never forget. At the end,
my voice was shaking because it was just an emotional moment and I'm
still on a high from it. As far as witnessing other bands though, there
are two shows that stick out to me. Most recently was Bon Iver at
Mountain Park last summer. It was a rainy summer night on the side of a
mountain and that show was beautiful. The rain just kept coming down
harder and harder and I could have cared less. That guy gets some shit
because his lyrics can be non-sensical, or because now that he's big
it's not cool to like him anymore, but that guy is ridiculously
talented. That show felt huge to me. Probably the biggest moment was
seeing Kevin Devine at TT The Bears in June of 2009. I've seen him so
any times by this point, and this past year got to play with him twice
which was insane. That night though was perfect. I was going through
some personal stuff and was in a weird state of mind. I wasn't
necessarily taking the best care of myself, and I was doing some things I
had never done before. That whole show though felt like it completely
narrated my life, and felt like a major kick in the ass to get my shit
together. I still replay the whole thing in my mind on a regular basis.
- What has music given you over the years that you feel you can never repay back and look fondly on?
Too
much to even say. I don't know what I'd be like if it wasn't for music,
and I don't even want to know what i'd be like. It's been everything
for me. It's allowed me to become closer with people, meet new people,
travel, meet my idols, play in these insane spots, laugh harder than I
ever have. Seriously, it makes no sense sometimes. It feels like a
dream.
- Non-musically, what are you up to these days during your time away from the band?
I
don't really live a rock-star life. I live with my fiance near Boston
and we're getting married in August. Work during the day. Tend to my
vegetables. Cook. Walk to the library in town a lot. Try to remain
focused. I'm at a really good place right now so I'm trying to keep it
there, and progress a bit.
- Lastly, what does music speak to you that others cannot directly say?
The
energy is just something special. Specifically, just the sounds, if you
stripped all words away, it still speaks volumes. It's crazy how this
assorted collection of vibrations has such power over people. There are
moments though when a song builds, or this note comes in and it just is
pure euphoria. It's just inspiring and makes you feel like everything
will be ok.
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