Derek Day – Another Day

By starrymag | February 26, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I would describe my sound as a heavy rock n‘ soul amalgamation constantly sniffing out for futuristic tones. On top of that, there will always be a strive for oddity and musicality, paying homage to some of the greatest artists who have ever walked this planet.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Some of my musical influences include: Ray Charles, Tom Waits, David Bowie, The Beatles, Rage Against The Machine, T-Rex, Stevie Ray Vaughan, David Bowie, Ween, Queen, Cream, T-Rex, Living Colour, The StepKids, Francis and the Lights, Steve Vai, The Temptations, Sam Cooke, Amy Winehouse, Tina Turner, Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, etc.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Another Day.”

A) “Another Day” is a song about wrongful criticism and the effects it may have both on smaller and larger scales. It encourages anyone and everyone to be as publicly weird and energetic whenever they feel like it, for their own selves. And for whatever “judgment” you received from it, you may pay attention to it or “read about it” some other time, but time is now!  So, we may never get to it.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) Funny enough, I think they relate to the instrumentation as much as they do the message perhaps. The melodies are zingy, wiry, energetic and elastic, giving people fun feelings and energy!

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) The video shows the chaos that exists within the mind of the narrator.  it shows that the world is chaotic enough – perhaps due to the posh judgments of the common collective mind. So, we mustn’t pay attention to it. Otherwise we would go completely insane, which is the road the narrator seems to be headed.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

A) It’s always different for every song. Sometimes one lyrical sentence can spark multiple melodies and rhythms. For “Another Day,” the lyrics, melody and chords all came at once…from a vibe. So, I would say first and foremost a certain feeling/vibe is necessary in order to write a song. A fire to fuel, whether it be immense joy, fresh anger, being hungover, feeling out of breath, having too much energy. In my case, it was exhaustion that wrote “Another Day.”

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music? 

A) I write and produce all of my own music. I play multiple instruments and have a clear vision for the tones and instrumentation for each song. But there is some unreleased material I have written with certain producers for experimentation. That will be released later in 2020.

 

Q) Will there be a full EP or album coming in the near future?

A) I don’t plan for an “EP” in the next few months, but plenty of singles. It’s a specific plan for my audience to grasp what I’m about.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Derek Day performance?

A) Certainly, every musician on stage is WORKING. It’s always a little different every show, but the energy is on a high level – and the musicianship is constantly present.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

A) I truly enjoyed playing England last year – and similarly, states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New York, Tennessee. These places and people very much enjoy and appreciate music. Makes me enjoy it and play harder.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Tom Waits. No matter what genre may be, I feel it would be massive.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

A) I’m actually not listening to any music at the moment. I’m constantly writing and trying to find which sounds are inside of me.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) I’m very much a part of social media. I think it’s a lovely tool to get to know my audience and keep them entertained when I cannot be there in person. I also think it’s important to spread positivity.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) To anyone who supports my music, I would like to say that I appreciate every cell in your body. If you are a fan to any extent, I am seriously YOUR number one fan. I consider us friends, that is why at my live shows I try my best to look whoever is there in the eye while performing.