Simply Six: Mike Stout

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

Yes - When I was 15 years old at a Boarding school (i.e.-reform prison) in a farm town in the middle of Illinois corn country, I went to a place called the Youth Center and saw a band called the "McCoys" who featured a teenage guitar player named Rick Derringer and a young singer whaling on a song called "Hang On Sloopy,"  followed a week later by a group called "Them" with a young teenage singer named Van Morrison. I said to myself: 'there's my way out of this insanity.'

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

Phil Ochs, early Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Bruce Cockburn, Woody Guthrie, delta blues greats like Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Leadbelly, etc and the Beatles - the all time masters of innovation and 3-part harmony.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

 

In 1973, at an International Peace Conference in Montreal, Canada I performed in front of 500 people from 12 countries a song about a Chilean singer and poet, Victor Jara,  who was tortured and murdered after the Sept. 11, Coup d'etat.  There were 20-25 Chilean refugees in the audience who came up to me after the show crying and thanking me for remembering their fallen hero. Also, on July 4, 1974 I performed an anti-war song in front of 5,000 Vietnam Veterans on the Washington Monument in DC to a standing ovation. 

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

 

Music can change the world by changing an individual's outlook, attitude and connections with the world around them, whether the song is about other peoples, nature, unjust or oppressive conditions or just a doo-wop 4-part harmony tune that makes you forget your surroundings. Music can change the world by bringing joy, hope and rekindled spirit into their hearts and heads of all with ears.

 

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Negatively, in the sense that it has made recordings somewhat artificial with less of that live, spontaneous feel; positively in the sense that it is so exact and precise that you must be at the top of your game to stand out and be heard. Software such as "Pro Tools" can make the worst singer sound like gold, and the best singer run of the mill. It forces you to sing from the heart, and not from the throat.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

 

Flip flops - the most open, naked, and easy to remove at any given moment.

Simply Six: Camp Pine Cone

1.    For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

Answer: I really don’t have one defining moment per se. Although he wasn’t a musician, my father was a music lover of all types and styles and always had something playing in the background. He was also quite fond of rearranging and making up different words in order to get a laugh out of me or whoever happened within earshot.  I think that his lighthearted attitude and deep appreciation made me extremely fond of music from a very young age. In addition, my grandmother had a vast vinyl collection of mostly Elvis and Classic Country that I would rummage through for hours, so that was an early influence too.

Regarding singing, well that is a completely different story. Although I consider myself a fairly talented guitar and bass guitar player, I don’t much care for singing. I basically force myself to sing because the song calls for it, and I want to finish the song.

2.    When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

Answer: There is so much good music out there both past and present, that I have a tendency to bounce around a lot. Lately I have been enamored with the new Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti album.  I like the Pebbles Collection quite a bit, The Kinks, Band Of Horses, Sondre Lerche, Broken Social Scene, Son House, Deerhoof, Al Green, a lot of 60’s garage rock, and Classic Country. Guided By Voices is probably my all time favorite.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Answer:  Fortunately I have had the privilege of playing as either a guitarist or bassist in some really fantastic live shows over the years in previous bands. I would say one of my most memorable moments was playing guitar onstage with Guitar Wolf at House of Blues in New Orleans, opening for The Cramps.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

Answer: Hard to say really. For me, it has certainly changed my world and given me something in life about which to be passionate. Regarding influencing current events, I think that if a song with a particular influence rises to the level of mass popularity then certainly it can sway a majority’s perceptions.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Answer: Most folks realize that the record industry as a whole is hemorrhaging pretty bad right now due to file sharing, so I don’t really want to add much to that. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but I guess we will see how all this shakes out.  I do think that the assumption that content should be 100% free is a little misguided and in the long run only leads to more of “you get what you pay for”.

Regarding my career as a musician, technology and the internet have allowed me the ability to do a couple key things that definitely improve the quality, yet reduce my recording costs substantially.  I also believe that the internet is becoming a very important tool for an artist to grow their fan base.  But like anything else, in the end you must have a quality product with a specific target audience in mind that will care about the type of music you create.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Answer: I “like” to consider myself pretty laid back so I would have to say a pair of Teva Mush flip-flops.