Q: Welcome back, Rye Catchers! It’s fantastic to have you with us again. Since our last conversation, a lot has happened in your musical journey. To kick things off, could you share some highlights or pivotal moments that have shaped your artistic path since our last interview?
A: If you are doing it right, the creative process is an ever-evolving one where there really is no finish line or end point – every day I’m alive there is hopefully more growth and maturity that naturally influences my creative work and process. So, I can’t point to any pivotal moments; rather, as I age, I develop and my goal is to always have that translate to the work.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Rye Catchers in three words?
A: My very own.
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: As a relatively under-the-radar artist who does not tour, I don’t presume to have fans, so I will answer by referring to fans as listeners. The honest answer is my listeners have zero impact on my music – I really do this for myself as I think any genuine artist abides by his / her own sensibilities. I make music I want to hear with hopes that others also want to hear it or appreciate it. If that means a lesser audience, so be it – but I am always true to my own artistic ideals and I am a pretty tough judge of my own work.
Q: You have just released your new album, ‘Covers and Concepts’. Is there a story behind it?
A: There is a rather long story, so I will try and abbreviate it. Circa 2019, after many years of musical dormancy, I decided to start composing and producing music on a professional level. I was rusty but also more mature. I recorded at a local Milwaukee studio with local musicians, and the results were okay. A few songs were keepers, but as I kept producing and sourcing better artists from abroad to work with, the songs from 2019 seemed lacking. I therefore peeled off a couple of the original tracks and released them as an EP with a couple remixes to back the originals (that EP is titled ‘Little Things’). I scrapped all the other tracks, ten in all, and re-built them from scratch. With a mixture of cover tunes and originals, those redos became the ‘Covers and Concepts’ LP which I am very proud of – the production values, featured artists and approach better reflect my current standards and production values.
Q: What is your favorite track from the album and why?
A: That’s tough as it’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is. Each song is different and unique as there is a real range of moods and styles. I suppose the Cole Porter cover ‘Night and Day’ in my mind is the most beautiful and complete. First, it’s a timeless classic, one I have always enjoyed for most my years. The singer’s voice matched the mood perfectly and is beautiful to listen to, while the delicate backing music is given a bossa nova twist, making it such a unique cover, completed by gentle but sweeping string arrangements. That one musically is my winner.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the album, ‘Covers and Concepts.”?
A: I produce all my music remotely now, so I record my parts from home on my own DAW, and then template the songs with a strict click track so that the other musicians I work with from abroad can add their parts, one by one, from afar. So it is very deliberate the way I produce; I am creating my own framework, and then adding to it, piece by piece, until I have a fully built tune. In terms of my creative process, especially for my originals, it always starts with a few chords. I like dramatic sounding progressions and I try and save the punch for the chorus and bridge, while bringing it back a bit for the verses. After I have music I like, the lyrics are last and I almost always find my hook / chorus first (I am good at hearing melodies in my head) and then try to pen lyrics that are not overly trite but that also fit into the tune and flow with the chords. The worst part is having to record the rough vocals myself, so that the assigned singers know what to do with my lyrics. There is a reason I do not sing my own songs!
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Rye Catchers so far?
A: I do not perform live (too much time involved and also impossible with most my feature musicians scattered all over the globe) so my focus is producing studio recordings only. Fun fact – Kate Bush almost never played live shows, so it is possible to be a recording artist without tour dates.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: The first track, ‘Creeping on Me’ is a standout as it evolved so much from its original state. It was written in 2019 exactly the way I described above, and I knew it was a fun tune, but it simply wasn’t well produced the first go’ round. The original singer was not a great fit, and the musical performances were slightly pedestrian. Just this year I stripped it down to just a few of my original piano tracks, and rebuilt it from the ground up, even replacing some of my own synth tracks with better ones from home. I then sourced some outstanding world-class musicians to complete the tune. There is immense talent on that track, and it registers throughout. The tune also starts low-key and poppy and then builds by the bridge to a really driving hard pop / rock tune that never relents after that. It has dynamic that I always strive for, and I could not be more proud of the musicians I feature on that track.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Rye Catchers’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: As outlined above, the creative process for me starts with a few cool chords. I know every artist is different – I just watched a Sting interview where he talked about his own process and it was interesting how different his is to mine – where Sting begins with a song concept or title, like ‘Message in a Bottle’ and then builds lyrics before the music, I always have music as the foundation and the lyrics and concept follow. I suspect everyone has different answers to this question with many nuances. But in the end, there is seldom a spark or epiphany that brings a song to be, it is a process that involves tinkering on a keyboard, finding chords, and then a lyrical hook, in my case.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have for Rye Catchers, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: I always want to challenge myself to make the best music possible. I want to be able to hear a song I made years ago and remain proud of what I created (as opposed to wanting to redo it!). It would be a dream to find a large audience, but I think that is a tall order given my approach and also my age. My dream remains to be discovered and perhaps compose music for others, along with getting sync licenses for my work (where versions of my tunes might be used in adverts, etc.). I’m pragmatic.
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