I made it a goal to write really nice things about all the returning 3Ws interviewees, but I'm already stumped. I have written and rewritten this intro many times, and am not sure I'm any closer to matching words and feelings accurately. I'm not sure it's possible. To say I'm a Glen Phillips fan is a ridiculous understatement. As a teenager in turmoil, Toad the Wet Sprocket gave me context for my feelings. I escaped into those songs and felt like they saved me. Through Toad, a dozen solo albums, and side projects like Mutual Admiration Society, Remote Tree Children, and Works Progress … [Read more...]
3 More Ws – Mark Erelli
I'm so excited to bring back the 3Ws interview series on this blog! Getting to ask creative people about their creativity is one of my great joys. So, in addition to bringing new artists into the mix with the original three questions, I thought it would be fun to check in with past interviewees and ask three more. I believe when music is truly thoughtful and hits the right place in our soul, it shapes our perspective. Back in 2000, I ordered Mark Erelli's self-titled album from a Signature Sounds catalog (doesn't that seem so quaint now?) and had the pleasure of attending a live show when … [Read more...]
3Ws – Carolyn Downie
What do you create? I create music in assorted flavors, textures, shapes and sizes. Pieces sold separately. May cause side effects such as relaxation or enjoyment. Involuntary mental or physical movements may occur such as thinking, feeling, humming, foot tapping and dancing. Consult with your healthcare provider before consuming in large doses… :-) Ok joking aside for a bit, I write digital music books, make recordings and also music videos. Right now I have three solo piano albums and a music book & video series for kids, “Piano Traveler”. I’m also working on a … [Read more...]
3Ws- Glen Phillips
What do you create? I make songs, mostly. When I was a kid I was in love with the theater, but by a series of fateful twists music became my job. I love writing and performing just about equally, and I love collaboration. Being a singer songwriter is a peculiar relationship with creativity because you keep returning to your work and reinterpreting it. It's not just one and done - you carry your past with you and get to keep re-examining it from your current perspective. Why do you create? I have a noisy head. There have always been a lot of … [Read more...]
3Ws – Miriam Speyer
What do you create? Mainly songs and drawings. I also try to recreate myself on an as-needed basis. Why do you create? I create because it makes me feel good. It eases my mind and brings me joy. I feel natural and free and close-to-harmless when I’m making music or drawing. It’s great! What do you consume? You know what it is with consuming things?…. I feel like I’m in this strange kind of obstacle course at all times. The idea is to consume things and ideas that are good for me and lift me up and strengthen me, and NOT consume things and ideas that are … [Read more...]
3Ws – Nora Jane Struthers
What do you create? I create compassion. Why do you create? By seeking to understand my most authentic self, by sharing this process and my findings through my songs, and by performing this experience of discovery at every live show, I hope to inspire others to seek an understanding of their own authentic selves, and value others authentic selves, though they may be formed by very different life experiences. What do you consume? Grass-fed organic beef and dairy, The Marvel Universe movies and TV shows, books by Amy Tan, Kurt Vonnegut, and Larry McMurtry, … [Read more...]
3Ws – Forest Sun
What do you create? I write songs with words, chords, rhythm, and melodies. I sing those songs and make them into records. I paint on paper and canvas. I snap photos and share them. I write poems on scraps of paper and in spiral notebooks. I chop, dice, grill, bake, stir and delight in cooking extravagant feasts (and eating them, see the third W below). I make movies and music videos with my wife Ingrid Serban. See her 3w’s right here on Allie’s blog for more about that. We run our indie label Painted Sun Records together, too. Here’s a video of my tune “Morningbird” we just filmed … [Read more...]
3Ws – Chris Partellow
What do you create? I create... many different things! First and foremost I am an illustrator. Then, I'm also an animator. In addition to that I've recently rediscovered making comics. I write songs and perform them with my band in and around NYC. Basically if I find something interesting I'll probably want to try it out to some degree. I'd go on but I'll just stop here. Why do you create? Amazing question! Being able to create, in general, can be so gratifying! An imagination allows your mind to wander into an idea, which basically wasn't there a minute ago, and from there it … [Read more...]
3Ws – Mark Erelli
What do you create? Ostensibly, I'm a songwriter and I create songs. But I've created a lot of seemingly different things over the years. Growing up, I was an avid visual artist and for a long time everyone just assumed I'd go into graphic arts or design of some kind. Then I got really into ecology and started doing a lot of finely detailed pen-and-ink scientific illustration. Then I got a masters degree in evolutionary biology and I had to wield a fair amount of creativity to develop hypotheses and solve problems with experimental design. Though I've been a professional musician for 15 … [Read more...]
3Ws – Tony DeSare
What do you create? I’m a singer/songwriter/pianist and have been writing songs since I was 18 years old. I create music, both songs with music and lyrics and improvised solos in the moment when playing piano. These are two very distinct thrills for me. Writing a song is like having one idea that excites me and spending the next hours, days, months or years putting together a complete sonic picture like someone may work on a puzzle. Then with an improvised piano solo, the creation is a free flow of ideas that are born of the moment with no right or wrong. The last few years, I turned a … [Read more...]