Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Luke Pacuk

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

Listening to music with my dad from a very young age. It was the 80s. We used to listen to music on cassette tapes or a reel-to-reel recorder. My dad would buy cassettes, and we mostly listened to classic rock.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

As a child, I always loved singing. Later, as a teenager in the 90s, I got my first guitar and learnt to play it. My dad sorted it out for me; it was a guitar bought from our neighbour. That’s how I started creating something of my own, various melodies of my own. I used to record them on a cassette recorder. And that’s how it all began.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

I started my musical journey in 1999 with various bands. In 2021, during the pandemic, I decided to pursue a solo career. Over these years, I have recorded and released four solo albums: “First Dance”, “Revolution Days”, “Bassynthronica”, and “1983”. In 2024, I also formed a band called Pacuk Band with my son Gabriel, who is a drummer, and two friends. We play songs from my repertoire live.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

I think it’s the sound of 80s rock and pop. My style falls under alternative music, indie rock with elements of synth-pop, post-punk, new wave, and electronic music. I like mixing different musical genres and experimenting with the sound.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

I think I’ve learnt to listen to myself. To not look at what others say or worry about criticism from others. I convey what I feel deep inside through my compositions. If there are people who enjoy my music, it motivates me even more to create.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

Regarding instruments, it’s obviously the bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and synthesisers. I create using these instruments.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

Generally, there is a lot. I don’t have just one thing that I love. I listen to a lot of music every day and I enjoy many tracks. If I had to name something, lately I’ve been listening to the song “Sugar for the Pill” by Slowdive, as well as artists such as St. Lucia, Baxter Dury, Master Peace, and M83.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

Generally, I am quite a sensitive person regarding what is happening around me. I think my ideas come from my own life and experience, from what is happening nearby. There are moments when you fall and moments when you rise. They give me the drive to write songs. Your environment is also important when you are creating. My immediate family (my loving wife and children) supports me greatly. Thanks to them, I can grow.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

I would like listeners to stop for a moment in the rush of life and look at the world from a different perspective. My work doesn’t always provide ready-made answers, but it poses questions about our relationships, society, or what is important in life. I want them to take away the inspiration to search for their own truth.

 What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Music has taught me not to force myself to prove how much I can do. To take off the mask and screw the expectations of critics or other musicians. When you stop stressing and start playing straight from the heart to the listener, your music becomes authentic.

Another lesson from music is accepting being imperfect and authentic, rather than perfect and artificial.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

I don’t have such a place. I am quite modest when it comes to that. I think any stage, big or small, is fine. It seems to me that it doesn’t matter where you perform; what matters is whether someone comes to listen to you and takes an interest in your music.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

That is obviously unrealistic because it would be one of my idols who has already passed away, Freddie Mercury. When I was a teenager, I loved listening to him, and his work inspired me greatly. I grew up on this music. I delved into it very deeply. He was an incredibly talented composer. He wrote phenomenal songs. He was a genius. His voice was incredible. Collaborating with him, even for a moment, would have been interesting.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

My music is available on all streaming platforms.

Spotify:

Apple Music:

YouTube:

I also have a page on Facebook and Instagram. I invite you to follow me.

My latest album “1983” is also available to buy on CD and vinyl at:

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

My biggest dream is to still feel that same thrill of excitement when writing a new song in 10 years’ time as I did at the very beginning, but to do it with the wisdom and skills I have today.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

Honestly speaking, I hope they discover less about me and more about themselves. I am just a messenger. If the music helps them unlock a memory or a feeling, then it doesn’t matter who I am – what counts is what they felt.