Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: Hi Hanna! Thanks for the interview. I’m from the Western half of the United States. Or more specifically, Arizona/California/Oregon/Idaho. My mother was a songwriter so I suppose that’s what made me want to have music as a career. However, I’ve done quite a few different things to earn money.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: I am mostly self-taught. But I try to get training when possible.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Niacin Library’?
A: My strongest musical influences are probably Jimi Hendrix, Bad Religion and the Doors. Which is hilarious because Niacin Library sounds nothing like any those. However, my work has been compared to Sixto Rodriguez, Joe Strummer and Elliot Smith. Whom I also sound nothing like haha! But I can see why someone might say that.
The name Niacin Library actually comes from a dream my ex-wife had. She woke up one morning and told me that she had a dream where she was in this band called Niacin Library. I just loved the way it sounded. It was always supposed to be a band but my life choices and circumstances lead it to being a solo project. But I don’t go by the name “Niacin Library”. I’m just Richard haha! Niacin Library is my band or project.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘How To Trick A Card’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yes! How To Trick A Card is about overcoming delusion. It’s based around a particular Tarot interpretation where the Devil represents the imagination controlling the individual with the Hierophant representing the imagination being controlled. So yeah, it’s flipping the imagination around to work for you instead of being it’s victim. Devil to Hierophant.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Well, I just released “Live Sh*t Smeared From A Storage Shed – The 2015 Demos” on bandcamp haha! I would recommend starting with the song Matches and Gasoline. The recording quality is awful but I really liked the songs themselves and I cannot duplicate that time and place. It might get to Spotify. I’ve been told by numerous people not to upload shitty demos but I can always re-record them later and now with the proper American Copyright laws in place.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I think my lyrics are probably the key resonating point. And I sound like a standard singer-songwriter with an acoustic. However, my guitar playing is extremely influenced by independent music. Mostly punk. I’m a punk rocker who doesn’t necessarily play punk rock lol. It reminds me of John K. Samson (Weakerthans/Propagandhi) or Jim Lindberg (Pennywise)’s solo material. Or that’s at least a great goal to aim for haha!
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Hmm…I’ve been messing with music since I can remember. I started writing songs when I was 12. So, I don’t expect anything from music. It’s never a thing I’ve been away from or that I can go back to. It’s not something I invest in so I don’t expect a return. It’s how I’ve always interacted with life. I will say that the times I’ve been away from my instrument were times where I was very confused.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Sure! I’ve found that my inspired work is always better than my grinding work. However, you have to keep up your grinding work so that you have some skills when you actually get inspired. Or this is at least how I operate lol. So, step one…I actually do write songs frequently. But they’re usually garbage. And then, suddenly, something will pop into my attention that is completely formed. Words/Melody/XYZ completely formed. And at that point I scramble for my guitar and try to record whatever that is. It’s that mad dash when the inspiration strikes which makes the regular grind so important. Because depending on my musicianship skills of the moment, I might be able to capture that idea or not. And once the moment has passed…it’s no long inspired and then goes back to the grind.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: The most difficult point I’ve had to deal with is just my own laziness.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: When I finally got a royalty check. The fact that people had listened to my music thousands of times blew my mind. It still does.
Follow Niacin Library:
Spotify – YouTube – SoundCloud – Website