In this interview spotlight, I chat with Noah Gokey about the latest tunes, challenges, technology 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.)
Here on Earth; primarily in the lands of the Holland Purchase, we hail from. It is our favorite land purchase. We’ve played everywhere from Sanborn to Bemus Point. Local history has actually always been a huge influence on our band. We are named after one of the founders of Jamestown, NY, my hometown. I am more accurately from just outside Jamestown, a small neighborhood of a few blocks called Fluvanna, which I always thought would make a killer band name. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be for Noah Gokey. So instead I wrote a song called Fluvanna. It is one of the most deeply personal songs I have ever written. I can probably count on one hand all of the “deeply personal” songs I have ever written, in fact (of the many hundreds I’ve written). While there are certainly some great stories and teachable moments in my own life story, I tend to focus on grander themes like religion, politics, economics, and relationships. Spiritually and politically, I have always been Independent. And I think that’s probably the best way to describe our band. We are independent. No single genre can contain us. So that is where we’re coming from.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
A general obnoxious curiosity and admirable pickiness in musical tastes is what got me started. A rock hard faith that we can do something worthwhile is what keeps us going. Let me tell you, we had band practice last night, just last night, and it was probably the greatest jam I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve had many lineups in this band. Only through years built upon years of work did I find the band I need, the band that will always be Noah Gokey. Never give up. Never let down. Never lose the faith. And if you do, know that all you need to do is find the path. Find the Way. Follow your light. Find your voice. And Speak.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
Many of our prior albums (e.g. The End of the Beginning, Dream American, Reason & Rhyme, The Doubt of the Benefit, etc.) are concept albums, firmly rooted in a specific theme that we attempt to gracefully and artfully portray. This album is what its name, Quodlibet, literally means. It is a collection of lighthearted songs intended purely for the listener’s enjoyment.
Now with that said, and without trying to sound too highfalutin over here, I should point out that Noah Gokey is a Concept Band. We return to many of the themes we present again and again. Most of our lyrics are self referential, that is, they refer to other songs or song titles directly and for a specific purpose (generally to expand on the theme in a different light). Let me give you an example. We have a song called Too Late (Reason & Rhyme, 2018). The lyrics are about losing someone you really love, and realizing all too late that you f*cked things up beyond repair. Another song on the same album, Just Wait, is about biding your time, building up your thing with an eye on the long haul, so that you can pounce when the moment is right. That comes with a word of caution, however. If you put those blinders on completely, you might miss out on some things. One lyric refers the listener back to the song Too Late by saying, “Wait…now, like I said, it’s too late.” That’s probably one of the more overt references you will find. Most are more subtle. Incidentally, we also have a song called The Long Haul that touches on similar themes, but that’s more about sticking to it come what may. All three songs are related. But all three present the topic in a slightly different way. My hope is that if you hear all three together and find that connection, the experience for the listener will be cathartic. There’s an emotional process at play there, different ideas for different moods, different lives. If there is anything we need more of in music, I believe, it’s meaning. There is plenty of meaningless bubblegum garbage available, if that’s what you’re into. But for me, give me something that really makes me think. Something that can actually help me in the way I think about and prosecute my own life. I do believe that my life of searching has provided me some important clues as to what it all means. And I humbly give those clues to my listeners, for what it’s worth. Selah.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
I want to answer this in two different ways that will eventually converge on the same answer, if I may. If anything, the world in general is over saturated with terrible pop music made by machines and soulless songwriters whose one and only job is to Sell. And surely that is a challenge for someone trying to create unique music as an art form. But at the same time, there have never been so many avenues for an independent musician to connect with folks. Now, that might seem a little overwhelming at first, and it is. The only solution for those of us working hard at independent (and DIY in our case) music is to do everything you can. You can promote all day long without spending a penny and usefully grow your fan base, if you have the balls to push your stuff on strangers. The opportunity is there. And I believe strongly that the market is there as well, just waiting for a new generation of independent musicians to buck the system and provide truly meaningful music that at the same time can find commercial success. It is a hard row to hoe. It will not be easy. It requires staying on top of all the social media platforms and communication methods available today, of which there are many, and also those that will exist tomorrow. It’s a constantly shifting battlefield. But if you believe in your art and you are driven to succeed, that is nothing more than boundless opportunity.
The second way I’d answer this question is in terms of production. Twenty years ago, when I recorded an album, we had to price out CDs to try to get the sound out there. Today, I still make CDs but I make them by hand, myself. There’s no sense in mass producing these things anymore. Why? Because I use a service that distributes my music to all the major digital retailers in a simple and highly effective manner and that’s how most people find music nowadays. Twenty years ago, we’d be looking at booking (highly expensive) studio time and pricing out CDs. Today, I can record my own band in my own studio and make our music available worldwide for a minuscule fraction of the cost of twenty years ago. That required me learning how to be an audio engineer, a mixing engineer, and a mastering technician, not to mention a producer, on my own, but for free, on the internet and with the help of my audio interface and software. It took me those twenty years to get here, but I wouldn’t trade it. We make way too much music to pay someone else to record us every time we want to make a new album.
Both of these answers lead us to the same place. The digital music age can be overwhelming and inhibiting. But the other side of that coin is that it gloriously empowers us to control our own destiny, if only we are willing to put in the (massive) work that will require of us to get there. I have no complaints. I couldn’t do what I do today in any other era of mankind. For that I am grateful and happy to put in the work on my end.
What was the last song you listened to?
When writing, I prefer opera. So in all honesty, while writing these responses I have been listening to Side D of Tosca by Puccini on vinyl. More on this in the next answer.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Not vinyl! Isn’t that crazy? I just said I’m listening to vinyl. And I am. But I really don’t get into it and I don’t understand the vinyl craze, no offense to those who swear by it. But give me digital clarity over analogue ambiance any day. I’m listening to it now because it’s the only format I own this old opera on, and I love it. I do wish there was more opera available digitally, but it seems some horrible miser of a publisher is hoarding everything or some equally devious explanation. I love opera. Really. Give it a chance. It’s the most complete art form music has ever given the world. It’s wonderful. And short lived. And life changing. I once recorded an opera called The Random Opera, and good luck finding that digitally either!
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Bandcamp is great in the sense that it’s very empowering for independent musicians (shameless plug-you can buy our CD and our t-shirt there!!!). Of course they get a cut. I hope they do. I hope they make money so they can keep providing this wonderful service that, from my point of view and for all intents and purposes, is a win-win-win. It’s a win for me as the content producer, it’s a win for Bandcamp for getting some cash for making it available, and it’s a win for our fans who can buy our stuff online easily from a reputable company. I love the band Silverchair (the later stuff especially). Now, you’d think you could buy a Silverchair t-shirt for their album Diorama on the internet, right? Probably from their own store, right??? You cannot. It doesn’t exist. How this tragedy came to be I don’t know. I bought a Diorama t-shirt and it was a horribly produced piece of garbage I could have hand drawn on a quality Gildan myself. How is that possible? My own band, who have never achieved anywhere near the level of success of Silverchair, offer high quality Gildan t-shirts with a high quality screen print on them for a low low price on the internet. On Bandcamp. That’s a beautiful thing.
Now, I do have a second part of this answer. Because personally, I don’t prefer or even actually utilize any of the streaming services for music. I have my collection and I do everything in my power to skirt the system and listen to what I want to listen to, whether it’s Tosca or The Kingston Trio or They Might Be Giants or Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers or Silverchair. No one is playing my music. And I’ve already purchased it, I have no problem shelling out the bucks for the bands I love. But I want to own it and do with it what I may, not rent it. The whole Napster “revolution” really screwed over music listeners in that way. All the corporations realized they could make people pay and pay and pay just to rent music. I want to own.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Good people, you can find us anywhere online. Google “Noah Gokey”. We’re on all the platforms (facebook, insta, youtube, soundcloud, Bandcamp, reverbnation, Patreon, venmo??, paypal??? haha). Begin your journey at the tried and true, long running (since 2008!) website noahgokey.com. Or just message me personally. I’m just a guy. I’ll get you the tracks one way or another. Just promise me you’ll come out to a show sometime. 😉
Anything else before we sign off?
Man, you’re a blessing (in the realest sense) to this universe to do this thing you are doing. I can’t thank you enough for being a tireless promoter and conservator of independent music. I’m grateful not only for the opportunity to answer these questions in my long winded way, but also and so much for everyone you help out with these features. This is a big dog fight world and it means a lot to independent musicians like myself who hustle every day just to get that next Spotify play, that next YouTube subscriber, anything, anything my friends, for you to help us out with this modicum of exposure for which I, and if I dare speak for everyone, all of us, are entirely grateful. Thank you.
