Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I’m a rocker from New Jersey, the home of Rock’n’Roll. From my earliest memory, the radio was always on in the house and I was always listening to music. I’m from the Boomer Generation, so The Beatles had the biggest impact on me to play music. Once I started playing the guitar, I started to write my own songs.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of DownTown Mystic in three words?
A: Vintage yet modern.
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: I have a monthly newsletter and I’m active on social media. I get emails from fans who tell me my music has had an impact on them, and they encourage me to keep making music. They’re very cool!
Q: You have just released your new EP, ‘On E Street (Remix)’. Is there a story behind it?
A: There’s quite a story behind this release. The original tracks were recorded in 1983 and 1984 with Max Weinberg & Garry Tallent, the drummer & bassist for the Rock’n’roll Hall of Fame E Street Band. At the time they were recording these tracks with me, they were also in the process of recording the “Born in The USA” album with Bruce Springsteen. That album would become the biggest of all their careers.
I went in and remixed the tracks at Shorefire Studios in W. Long Branch, NJ where they were originally recorded. I kept Max & Garry’s original tracks, which show them at a peak moment in time, recording outside of Springsteen’s orbit while recording with him at the same time.
Q: What is your favorite track from the EP and why?
A: My favorite track is “And You Know Why”. The remix allowed me to add a 12-string guitar that wasn’t on the original track and finally make the track the way I always wanted. I think it came out the best of the tracks. The song has always had a special place for me because it saved me from quitting music. I had been in a band for 10 years and finally quit to go solo. I was burned out and not happy with what I was doing musically. I seriously thought about giving up on music altogether. It was at this moment I picked up the guitar and began to play the chords that would become “And You Know Why”. It was a magic moment because I had never come up with anything like those chords, and I knew I had to finish writing the song. Once I finished writing the song I got my mojo back. It was after writing the song I got together to record with Max & Garry.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the EP, “On E Street (Remix)”?
A: I went back to Shorefire Studios where the project was originally recorded, working with owner/engineer Joe DeMaio. Joe upgraded the studio when he bought it and knows his room like the back of his hand. We were listening to the tracks and I could see the look on his face as he recognized the sound of his room. He said, “That’s my room!” and I knew we were going to have a good time.
My goal was to update the sound of the tracks, making them more modern sounding and I think we accomplished that. Joe’s expertise was invaluable on the mixes, and I think the reviews point that out. From a production standpoint, I was looking to make the tracks slightly different from the original mixes. I heard things I forgot about because they were buried in the originals. This allowed me to give the parts more space and get a bigger sound overall. I was also able to bring out Max & Garry’s parts more than on the originals.
I’m going to finish the project and release the On E Street Remix album at the end of the year for my annual Holiday Release because there were mixes that didn’t get released on the EP.
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for you so far?
A: There are a few. One in particular, was playing a club in Asbury Park, NJ, the heart of E Street Nation. My band played a set with Garry Tallent sitting in on bass. That was certainly a highlight.
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 on the On E Street Remix EP is a song called “Way To Know”. I wrote it after I had the breakthrough with “And You Know Why”. My demo of it was kind of a mellow mid-tempo track. When I brought it to Garry & Max, they “Bruceified” it. They made it up-tempo and gave it more of an E Street feel. This is the song that started my Sync-Licensing career, getting placed on “The Voice”. I now have over 250 syncs thanks to that song.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into DownTown Mystic’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: I always thought of myself as a songwriter. Then I got into recording and wanted to make great records. This got me into producing and I morphed into a producer/writer. Now the production kind of dictates the songwriting. I hear what the track can sound like in my head when I get an idea for a song. I might not be as pure a writer as I used to be because the production takes precedent.
Once I decide to record a song, the arrangement takes center stage. I will demo the song so I have something to send to the musicians who will play on the session. Once the track has been recorded in the studio, I think about the overdubs. It’s at this point that the production starts to take shape for me. I look at the style of the song. Is it a straight-ahead rocker, shuffle, blues, etc. Now I’m thinking about what influences I have that would be cool to apply to the track. I make all my tracks guitars-only. Sometimes I hear a keyboard on the track, but not too many.
I might have a blues track, which is a different thing for me, and might think about how Jimi Hendrix would play it. In Jimi’s case, it might not be the style of playing as much as the sound of the guitar. Most people won’t pick up on that because the track might not be something they would associate with Hendrix. Adding his style & sound will change the production of the track to something that’s unique. This is the kind of thing I look to do when producing a track. Which of my influences can I bring to a track that gives it something different.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: I aspire to be as original as I can be as an artist. There’s so much music out there that originality is hard to come by. What’s original anymore? This is why DownTown Mystic doesn’t sound like anyone out there. There’s a classic sound aspect to the songs because I use vintage equipment. It can’t help but sound like the 60s, 70s, 80s but the songs don’t fit in those times. They are now…vintage yet modern. It was a dream to be able to compete at the highest levels and I’m doing it. When the people I’m playing with are more known because they’ve played with some of the greats, I know I’m going to be compared to those greats. I have to be able to hold my own because I know that some people love to find faults. It’s a challenge to disappoint them. lol
I’ve been able to realize some of my dreams because of this. I’m making music that gets compared favorably to some of the greats, but it stands on its own. The reviewers have noticed this and they get it. They understand what it takes to make real rock’n’roll and they know you can’t fake it.
One of the other aspirations I have is to put out positive emotional music. My fans know that I’m writing from the heart and have something to say. I don’t shy away from big topics that can be heavy at times because these are heavy times. I have a certain frequency I want to put out in the universe, and I’ve been very successful at doing it with international radio airplay, sync-licensing and streaming. I’ve aspired to bring my rock’n’roll into the 21 st Century and I’ve done it. I’m looking forward to evolving and continuing to release unique sounding music. Here’s a scoop for Bored City…I’m releasing some rock’n’roll for the summer with the “Mystic Highway Road Trip” EP on July 10. I hope fans come along for the ride.
