In this interview spotlight, I chat with Ervin Stellar about motivations, challenges, the latest project and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I’m from Grand Rapids, MI, but I left town many years ago. Never really felt like my place, but there are a lot of great people I’m still in touch with, doin’ their thing.
I suppose I’m an “Americana” artist, being that the music is rooted in many different genres of American origin (blues, jazz, folk…and the electrification of). When I was young my mother always had Country on the radio, and I hated it. Then I found myself living in Nashville and drawn to that sound. Outlaw Country, not the Top 40. So my latest album has a few tracks with pedal steel and a biting Telecaster tone, just ripping at the speaker. I went to Jim Campilongo for that.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
This path, because it sounds right to me at this moment in time. But I may switch gears entirely. What’s the point of remaining in one genre forever?
The motivation is something I can’t even define. I don’t know what makes me pick up a guitar in the morning and start playing. It’s something I’ve been doing for over two decades and it’s become a sort of meditation. I get off on “creating”, manifesting an idea into something that others can hear and enjoy or find value in. I’ll do it whether it makes money or not. Gilian Welch says it well in Everything Is Free Now – “we’re gonna do it anyway, even if it doesn’t pay.”
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
I feel like I did this one right. Everything from the musicians to the mastering, nothing skimped. And the songs are stronger. There were sessions with other arrangements and players that simply didn’t work out, and it sucked, but I had to pick it all up and carry on with a new group. I went through a few different mix engineers, getting cold feet with a couple, but ultimately going with Russ Elevado. I knew he would treat the songs with a mellow thickness and analog touch, which was very important to me. You can crank the volume on these tracks and they don’t get harsh, unless your speakers are shit, but that’s a You problem. Mastering was done by Greg Calbi, and we also spoke about avoiding the brittleness that often comes with modern production.
I just wanted to make the best record that I could, in the time and place that I was in.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
The biggest challenge is positioning yourself above the noise. Anyone can publish an album and distribute it. Being savvy about social marketing channels and strategy is helpful, but proper PR is probably most helpful. So you kinda gotta pay to play.
Technology is helpful because I can, with little effort, get my foot in the door (of the online stores and distributors). It’s what comes after that works as a double-edged sword.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Spotify. I’d like to get into making playlists, etc. And I feel like I have more control over that platform than the others. Instagram can be fun too.
Anything else before we sign off?
That is all. Thank you for the interest and I hope you enjoy the record.
