TexMex Shaman, a project of multi-talented artist Stephen Watkins, was founded in October 2018. TexMex Shaman offers a genre-defying sound that combines funk beats, intense guitar, smooth bass, and captivating samples into tracks that are at once familiar and novel.
Watkins has been composing and performing for over 20 years. After receiving a degree in music from the University of North Texas, he spent the 1990s playing all over Texas. His passion for live performing helps him create music that is complex enough to be listened to repeatedly, offering new elements and emotions with each listening.
TexMex Shaman has released six tracks on the EP ‘Fever in the South‘. More tracks are being composed to complete a new LP that will be released in early 2020.
Watkins created TexMex Shaman to be a response to commercial, corporatized music that follows formulas and conventions. By pushing the envelope on musical genres and taking listeners on an auditory journey that is as stream of consciousness as it is musically brilliant, TexMex Shaman is a new vision for music.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with TexMex Shaman about his music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Now excuse while I turn the volume up to max, grab my air guitar and proceed to jam the #$%& out to this exhilarating blend of sounds delivered by the one and only TexMex Shaman!
Long live RAWK and Roll!
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.)
First I want to say thanks for the interview Joshua and for everything you do for independent musicians.
I’m based in Dallas, TX and have lived in TX my whole life. Yes, it’s as awesome as it sounds too. As for the style of music I create, I would say I write music that reflects my personality. So you’re basically gonna have Bugs Bunny on acid haha. Really though I’m a rock n roll 101 kinda guy at the heart of it all. If it grooves and makes me smile and I can listen to it and play it without ever getting tired of it, then I have created a song in my style. I’ll get more vague too if you want.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
Man I’ve been playing forever. I’ve always loved playing the guitar – since around age 12-13. I can’t tell you one specific moment or song, I just recall it feeling right since I first picked it up. What motivates me is lots of things, mostly it’s because I love it. Actually that’s the only thing, but then you get into why you love it you know? It can help heal you. It’s a great way to unwind and relax. If I hear too much crap on the radio I can always pick up the guitar and wash the taste out you know?
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
The TexMex Shaman project is still just a baby. I’ve been doing this for about 9 months, so what makes it different than the previous one is that it actually exists in reality. Prior to this, the last few releases have been me playing some guitar on my buddy Chuck D Rogers CDs and then before that I was playing and recording music in college that would make the devil look twice. It was a good time.
As far as trying to accomplish something with this – it has actually done more already than I ever thought it would. I originally started it to help pull myself out of this funk I was in over the end of a relationship, but then as I got into it and it grew, I was reminded of how much I loved playing again. I never really forgot, but doing it as much as I have been lately – like to the point of ‘do I finish this next song or do I sleep’ kinda thing – its been a while since I’ve dedicated myself this much to a project. And since it has received a little recognition then yeah, I’m gonna use that platform as big or small as it might be to say that anyone can find their passion and enjoy life through it.
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)?
Oh man, yes it has helped a lot. It’s a two way deal man – it’s great that anyone can record a kick ass record for next to nothing in their bedroom, and it really really sucks that anyone can record a kick ass record for next to nothing in their bedroom. Over saturated is the word for sure. I remember the days of trying to get a record label agent to a live gig – then you’d have a shot you know? Today it’s about playlists and likes, shares – just different ways of measuring how your music can excite people really. You can avoid that by not giving a fuck, but that’s a hard claim to honestly make you know. If you’re making music and trying to get it heard, then you care. It’s a challenge when you are a musician first but also have to play manager, public relations guy and distributor as well. I’m lucky though really, I’m at a point in life where I’m not having to struggle through this trying to make a career – I have done that before though, and it was just as fun I tell you. If you’re doing it for the right reasons, it’s always gonna reward you.
What was the last song you listened to?
That wasn’t mine ? It was City Dump by the Melvins
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I was never a vinyl guy, I was too young to realize at the time that it would have given me more cred later in life.
I grew up with the middle length hair and parachute pants of music media – the cassette! That quickly moved over for the CD and that’s where I lived for quite a while. Now I can’t tell you the last CD I bought. I am floored every time I think about how I can now download pretty much any song ever from the freakin air onto my phone and into my Jeep in under 5 minutes. That’s pretty damn cool if you ask me. So I’ll say digital music is my preference – not necessarily the mp3 due to its compression, but high quality digital music that you can just manifest out of nowhere is pretty awesome.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Well, I will say Apple Music for various reasons, but I’m also a big fan of SoundCloud. I like the whole playlist thing – it’s a great way to discover new music and SoundCloud is hard to beat for finding new independent acts and also mumble rap.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
There’s now about a dozen social media sites that have their niche you know and I could list them all, but I’d say if you were to go to a little place called www.texmexshaman.com that you would find a way there to not only connect with me but also link out to every other social media platform I’m on as well as stream my tunes and watch my awesome videos carefully hand crafted on my iPhone.
Anything else before we sign off?
Long live rock n roll
Thanks again Joshua
