Old Man Canyon – So Long Babylon

By starrymag | October 26, 2023

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

 

Q) How would you best describe your sound?

 

A) I honestly try not to as much as possible because I typically end up failing miserably, but If I do, I’ll usually say; it’s kind of psychedelic or dreampop with folk elements. I have no idea what it is to be truthful.

 

Q) Who are your Top 3 musical influences?

 

A) My influences are always in a state of shifting in a way but there are some that have stayed consistent throughout my life. I think the most foundational artists were Michael Jackson, just because that’s what was playing around me at home and what first made me want to create things as well. The Beatles were also a huge part of me discovering how music and songs are crafted. They taught me the power of music and the importance of lyrics. In my early teens I got really into Hip-hop and was incredibly inspired by Tupac, Biggie and Lupe Fiasco.

 

Q) Tell us the story behind your latest single “What’s Even Real Anymore.”

 

A) I wrote that song in mid-2021 right at the peak of the COVID lockdowns and was processing how we as human beings, discern truth from lies, in a society where the line between them has become so blurred and twisted. The song is about that inner compass we all have and what we use as our guiding source to decide what is real and not.

 

Q) You also recently released a music video for “What’s Even Real Anymore.” How did you come up with the concept for the music video?

 

A) The videos for all my recent singles were written by Director Geordie Starr and myself. The three videos are a Trilogy, and each show a different phase in the characters journey. The claw machine was a concept we thought would well illustrate the idea of being trapped in a certain mindset and feeling unable to find a way out. Mixed with animation and the expansive desert landscapes, we felt the contrast between the two mediums highlighted the inner and external world that make up each of our realities.

 

Q) Since its release, what has been the overall reaction to “What’s Even Real Anymore” from fans and listeners?

 

A) Everyone seems to be enjoying it, which is always the preferred reaction. Peoples’ excitement really helps get me inspired to play the songs live and make the show an experience.

 

Q) What do you hope fans take away from listening to the single?

 

A) I try to not have too much of an expectation for how it’s going to be received because everyone relates to something for a different reason and has their own perspective, but if they can find something in it that helps them understand themselves or the world a little better, that’s good enough for me.

 

Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need lyrics before you can come up with a beat?

 

A) I typically will start noodling on an acoustic guitar or a keyboard until something jumps out at me and then I’ll plug into a PA so I can start forming melodies and hearing things louder. I’ll often have a drum machine going to help me find different rhythms and keep ideas flowing.

If an idea makes it past those steps, I’ll start recording it. Lyrics often will be my last step and often only fully come once I get the instrumentation finished and I can step back and listen to what the song really wants to be about.

 

Q) How much of a hand does the band have when it comes to the production of your music?

 

A) I write and record everything myself on the albums at my studio and don’t usually have the band come into the equation until we’re going on tour or are going to be playing live. It’s just the way things end up happening thus far, but I would like to try involving others more in the recording process on the next record.

 

Q) “What’s Even Real Anymore” is from your EP So Long Babylon. What are some themes you’ll be exploring with this the new EP?

 

A) The EP explores many themes and is a deep dive into being a human in these shifting times. It’s me asking questions both to myself and the world. What tools do we utilize to find solutions to our problems? What systems that we participate in keep us repeating the same dysfunctional patterns we are trying to escape? How long do we continue to believe the narrative of those in power that have so clearly shown they are corrupt? Why do we run away from what we know will help us find growth and can we ever come to a place where we take responsibility for our own life and stop blaming those around us? They are themes we all can relate to but perhaps hadn’t thought of. The album is really a calming lullaby of inner reassurance that we are all capable, more then we know, of solving all our own troubles and living a life that inspires, heals and transforms the world and those around us.

 

Q) You had a release show for So Long Babylon at the Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver. After the release show, are there plans for an upcoming tour in the future?

 

A) Yes, we are currently planning tours in North America for 2024 and will have some announcements hopefully very soon. We can’t wait to bring these new songs on the road.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters of your music?

 

A) That I love and appreciate all of them dearly and am so excited to see them all at the shows this next year.