5 Q&A With Mike A & The Prisoners Of Routine
Can you talk about any specific themes or motifs that run throughout 'A Hidden Peace?'
While each song may tell a different story, I believe they all share the same overall virtues: conviction, strength, ambition, perseverance...
Basically, whatever troubles you may experience in life, you just have to power through it and move on to the next challenge.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for 'A Hidden Peace?'
The bassist and drummer were recording together in the initial tracking, for the scratch tracks of each song. And it took a few hours to get down the bass and drums. Tony left, and Mie and I then spent the next 8 hours or so on guitars. I guess a couple of hours per song, for 4-5 guitar tracks each song...but after about 11 hours of sitting in a studio, the vocals took only minutes. haha We were full of coffee and sugar and still tired as hell.
Which song do you like the best and why?
Honestly, each song opens up very different emotions and thoughts, for me. I don't really have a favorite. But, people seem to like “Never Free” more than the others. At least, that's what they tell me. And, I guess that song does impress me, cause I was hitting notes I've never hit before.
How do you approach collaborations with other musicians or artists?
There's no particular method for this. You either click with someone or you don't. I've been hanging out with a buddy and a line will just come to one of us, and we'll start writing around it. Sometimes it comes out great. Sometimes it gets scrapped, never to be heard from again. I keep a handful of cowriters who are very good friends of mine, and we seem to write well together. If I ever write with someone new, it won't be planned or forced. I can't force it. It just has to happen.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician?
Musicians are like any other artists. We are given this outlet to express ourselves. I use and abuse that outlet. It's the easiest way for me to speak my mind. Many songs I've written were based on true life experiences. And even the ones that were just made up stories still have some sort of connection to my past or current life. So, I guess the best thing about writing and playing music is artistic expression.
I enjoyed this. It really made me think about why I'm even doing this. Thanks for that! :)