Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Hide and Shine

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

I think I remember an orange plastic banjo in my hands, but that could have been a dream.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

I would not call it a “passion,” but rather an “affliction.” There was no choice but to make music. As a young teen, there were drugs and guitars available. I needed both and they complimented each other. I was always attracted to musicians (and criminals!)

What’s the story behind your current music project?

In 2021, I experienced a huge “psychic download” of some 300 song ideas. I started making some solo recordings and became rather overwhelmed. I recall expressing (like a cry to the universe) “Maybe there will be some new people to help make this music!!” I did not want to go it alone. Shortly thereafter my wife told me of a client of hers and said “He’s a music guy. You two should get together.” We did meet and we made a little noise in his studio. I told him that I had some songs that I was working on. He encouraged me to send them. I sent him 50 demos! He was intrigued by something he heard. I thought we might record a few of them for fun, be he said “Maybe we should start a band?” He said it with a question mark at the end, and I questioned it too: “Start a band?” It seemed crazy that anyone would start a band in their 50s, so we did it. I really didn’t expect that we would dive in as deep as we did, nor that we would experience such energy from making this music. By the way, the “music guy” is drummer Michael Chambers. He is a force of nature who is dedicated to getting music into the world. At this moment, we have recorded 47 tracks together. There is so much music and time seems so linear (luckily it’s not! ☺).

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

It’s definitely Rock music. It mainly has elements of 80s, and 90s guitar rock. It’s sometimes big and noisy and sometimes moody. People have said that Hide and Shine has that quality of “I recognize this music, but I can’t put my finger on what it is.” Taylor McLam from the NYC hardcore band Orange 9mm said “It’s like Dinosaur Jr. and Radiohead fucked something.” I love that. But there is also a deep vein of Alt-Country to be found on our records too.

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

I’ve learned to “Let it suck if it wants to.” In other words, I am not writing songs, they are coming through me. So my job is to let the song be what it wants to be, rather than try to make it good. This is an ongoing lesson — to stay out of the way of music as it’s coming through. Just write it down and trust that it will take on a life of its own. If nobody likes it, it doesn’t matter—write more.

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

Guitar, meditation, piano, I Ching, ProTools, PEOPLE!

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I am so weird. I’ve never seek new music. I only absorb it from friends and the people I play with. Our drummer Michael recently sent me the band “Angine de Poitrine.” I’m not a huge fan of loopy, math-like, prog-rock, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the esoteric, the mystery, the other worlds, art school. Where has the mystery gone?!!

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

That’s like saying “How has air contributed to your longevity?” !! I honestly don’t know how making music works. I know some people write songs about their personal experiences. I’ve never done this. I always write the song and then it might remind me of a personal experience. Each song is kind of like a dream. I wake up when it’s done and think, “What the hell was that about?”

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

Hmmm… I don’t really want to impose anything on people. I definitely want them to have their own emotions and hear their own messages. But, I might offer this message: “It’s quite possible that everything is alright.”

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

That I need to maintain my connection to ancient, meaningful traditions/rituals. I had thought that music was just a “creative” endeavor, but I’ve learned to think of it as much more—a necessary contribution to humanity. I’m lucky to have at least three of these ancient traditions in my life: Growing vegetables, cooking for people, and music.

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

I have this weird dream that some tech trillionaire is going to have a spiritual awakening and begin loving humanity, and will want to pour vast resources into things that are truly important — like live music. There will be an endless series of incredible, spectacular, free concerts. I want to play at one of those.

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

David Lynch. He embodied the idea that the “artist” is just a vehicle for passing along images/ideas from the other side. I never found his work “weird.” I find it to be the best translation of what dreams are trying to tell us. He could just reach in and pull stuff from the dream world and show it to us. He also had the most impeccable taste in music.

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

Bandcamp is currently the only respectable way to support artists.
https://hideandshine.bandcamp.com

Anyone that just wants to listen can go to any of the streaming services.
We try to use Instagram for updates/shows/fun: https://www.instagram.com/hideandshineband/

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

We are just going to keep making music. It’s the only thing that ever makes sense. I know the journey will continue. I’m going to keep my eyes, ears and heart open.

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

I hope listeners discover all of the secrets we have hidden.

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