I kind of like to think that “On A Night Like This” was written about me but I know that Greyhound, Annie and a few other songs are written about your wife- where else do you get your inspiration from?
Actually, the truth now has finally come out. Now that you’re sitting here, I will finally let the truth free (you heard it here, first) . But you know, a lot of it is other music. That’s one of the things I like the most about listening to other music because you never know what it’s going to do for you. That and I’ve also been able to travel and meet a lot of people and see a lot of new things. That's always really inspiring. I had a chance to go, for two different summers, to Africa. Life and art seem to be the biggest inspirations.
Who is "Adeline" about?
This is really bizarre but I wrote it about the orphans in Africa. Which is, I’m sure, incredibly unsuspecting. It was kids we met at an orphanage, but I didn’t want it to be that obvious.
What’s your favorite album of your own work?
That question is so funny because it’s like picking your favorite kid, which you can’t do. But there’s different things I like about each of them. I really enjoy the first one, Brother, Bring the Sun, because it’s so what it is- attached to me learning how to write songs, and sing, and play. Chasing Mississippi I was kind of falling in love so that one’s a lot about my wife (I'm sorry- your who?)and that journey. Then the new one is probably the most diverse because it deals with social justice and these things I’ve seen in Africa and even over here and then falling in love, kind of a little bit of everything. So it’s a little more scattered. So, I would say it’s the most mature but that’s not to say that I like it the most. But I’m very proud of the new one, I feel as though it’s a step forward-it’s not sort of a step sideways.
Sometimes they say it’s the little things that count, but it’s hard not to obsess over the big things as well- what would you say is your biggest career accomplishment?
I think the biggest one for me is really two things. Anytime that people say that the songs really become a part of their life, that’s fairy cheesy I’m sure, everybody will say that for the right song but it really is amazing. I never cease to be amazed by the fact that something I wrote in a bedroom by myself can become something that means so much to other people. The other thing is just knowing that some of the people that I respect, musically, that those people enjoy what I do. And knowing that the people who have inspired me are inspired by what I do. The people that gave me so much excitement and hope are the people who come to me and say ‘Man, I listened to the record and I really liked it.”
To fans, it always seems like artists achieve rapid success but I am sure your journey involved a lot more work. Can you describe some of the steps that got you to where you are now? Or how your aspirations have changed over time?
I think initially when you start, the goal is you play to anybody- literally- if it’s your next door neighbor, or somebody at the coffee shop sitting next to you, you can show them your website or give them your demos. Not that that changes, but it was okay to bombard people with what I do because no one else was going to-so I kind of had to. So initially, there’s a lot of energy given to mass dissemination, it’s not so much who might even like it. It’s more like, let’s just tell everybody about it and see what sticks and now it’s not that it changes but I’ve just tried to figure out what my demographic is and how I can be writing songs and getting in touch with those people better because sometimes you can kill yourself by trying to appeal to everybody and I think that’s one of the things in my writing that has changed the most. When I write, I’m more okay with doing what I do well instead of trying to do a million different things and be everything to everybody.
It seems like you did a lot of things on your own in the beginning. What made you decide to sign with Razor and Tie?
The biggest reason was that I wanted to get the music out to as many people as I could and I knew that on my own, that would be limited. I can only appeal to so many people or advertise to so many people. So one of the biggest draw for me was when they approached me they said ‘we really just want to push some more money into the machine. We like what you’re doing on the artistic level, but we know that some different things can be done and that your appeal is a lot bigger than that.’ So, they’ve been really helpful with teaching me the business aspect of everything.
It seems that your dedication to Youtube and Blogging had a lot to do with your “underground” success. As your stature grows, do you intend to stay in touch with your fans through these mediums?
I think that’s the biggest time to do it. Access is really fragile. I’m never going to be John Mayer or somebody that has to worry about their privacy but I do think you have to figure out how to let people into your world without overexposing yourself and keeping things sort of a mystery. Because that’s what I’m drawn. I tend to like things I don’t know everything about because there are still things to be explored. Now is probably the time to invest the most in that.
I understand that you have begun performing stand up. Do you ever fuse those two talents on stage?
I try to be really careful with that because the more I play music, the more I want the music to do what it does. But it’s always me- it never stops being me. I’ve given some thought to that but the thing is I’m playing so many shows where people don’t know who I am and I don’t want to be the guy that gets up there and just yaps the whole time. I want to know that people like the songs. That's why I like playing my own shows- I know that they’re there for my music.
Can you talk about your relationship with Matt Wertz, Andy Davis, and those guys?
That’s one of the things that I enjoy about music the most- the community. In Nashville, there’s just a plethora of talented people. So we’ve been in a great place. Matt and I have been best friends for almost five years now. We’re constantly in communication and talking about how we’re doing. That’s one of the most fun things about Nashville- my closest friends do what I do.
Can you discuss your involvement in the Mocha Club? What’s the best way for fans to get involved in that?
I’d love to. The Mocha Club was something that came up on a trip to Africa with some friends. One of my best friends who lives in Ethiopia, came up with the idea to engage with the friends that we were making in Africa and it’s 7 bucks a month and the money will go to wherever you choose. There’s probably five or six projects going on right now and the one that we’ve been benefiting is the one building wells in Sudan. But the thing I love about my involvement is that it’s incredibly empowering. The music thing is a little fleeting as far as the glory of it all and feeling validated by it so I love that me and Matt and our friends are trying to invest in something that has eternal value in it also as opposed to just music and me trying to glorify myself. It’s nice to shift the attention toward something that matters so much more than my music does, to people living, getting to drink water, survive, building new dormitories and orphanages. It started as something I was just trying to get involved in but I think the more that I do it, I think that my music in some ways may be there just to do this. Not vice versa. It’s been really cool and it’s one of those things that, on my deathbed should I be conscious, I think it will be one of the decisions I’m really glad that I made. Because the music thing is just what it is but if you can use that energy to do something really good with it- that’s awesome. And It’s given me so much more excitement to make music because ultimately, the end is not to make me look great, it’s to make sure that people are getting what they need. If you go to mochaclub.org, you can sign up. If you sign up at a show, you get a free CD.
Nothing Fancy- Dave Barnes- as taken by yours truly
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