Rue Snider plays music on the road full time. Most of the shows are solo featuring acoustic and electric guitar. People have said he reminds them of Social Distortion, R.E.M, Bright Eyes, and Billy Bragg. He lives in Brooklyn, NY between tours.

Broken Window releases October 7, 2016. The first single “Blackout” saw the light July 15. The second single “Blue Skies and Telephone Poles” is available for pre-order now.

Rue has shared the stage with Tom Maxwell (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Tropic of Pisces (members of Rubblebucket and Oberhofer), Superhuman Happiness (Stuart Bogie – Antibalas, Arcade Fire), Benjamin Scheuer (writer and star of The Lion), Walter Salas-Humara (the Silos), and many other wonderful bands and songwriters in cities and towns all over America.

In this interview, we speak with Rue about his new project, his history, and more.

Full Q&A, links, and a stream of Blackout can be found below.

Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?

I write songs on an acoustic guitar that are driven by the words and melody. The arrangements on the records are designed to keep the focus on the vocals. I tour solo and the shape of the rock songs changes so I’m conscious of making records that are intentionally melody forward. Hopefully people attach to that and come along with me as I present various permutations of the songs.

I grew up listening to a lot of punk rock as well as a lot of protest music from the 60s. So I play and write songs on an acoustic guitar but I really love a lot of music that doesn’t sound like modern acoustic music. When I connect with something in that genre it’s usually old and is speaking to power. So I call the live show folk punk. It’s largely acoustic but it’s got a lot of attitude. I’m trying to dig deep lyrically.

How long have you been creating and sharing your music with the public?

My first EP Losing Her was released March 26, 2012 days after returning to the United States from two months of travel in South East Asia. The five songs set the tone for a career characterized by earnest, specific, personal songwriting full of big hooks. The traveling and wanderlust that led to the overseas exploration set the stage for what would shortly become my life on the road.

My full length solo debut Leaving To Returning released August 25, 2015 accompanied by the three track single Never Met a Girl I Didn’t Love. All the songs were recorded by Brandon Wilde at Studio 76 in Brooklyn and featured David Cole (Rubblebucket) on drums.

In November of 2015, I wrote “The New New Colossus” in a motel room in San Antonio, TX responding to inflammatory language about Syrian refugees on social media. It became a three song single that was recorded in the back of my Dodge Grand Caravan in a parking lot near Clearwater Beach, FL and was released on December 22, 2015. The political lyrics drew the attention of Al Jazeera English who did a profile on me early the following year. It also caught the ear of Infintesmal Records from Jacksonville, FL who released a limited edition cassette on March 2, 2016.

Recording for the follow up LP began while I was still on the road. Acoustic guitars were tracked at The Headlamp in Jacksonville, FL and in the Dodge Grand Caravan at a mall in Tennessee. Other performances were recorded across the country by generous friends. Drums in Jacksonville, FL. Fiddle in Salt Lake City, UT. Keyboards in Norman, OK. Electric guitar solos in Brooklyn, NY. These pieces as well as vocals and harmonies recorded in my childhood bedroom in Butler, PA were assembled by Brandon Wilde (who added bass, organ, electric guitars, and percussion) in his Brighton Beach studio during a short tour break in May.

Broken Window releases October 7, 2016.

Who or what influences your playing and/or writing? Also, what motivates you to keep going?

Punk rock from the 80s. Anyone who speaks to power. Anyone who tells an honest story or a well crafted story. It doesn’t have to be true to be honest and human. I love Flannery O’Conner and Charles Bukowski. I love the French New Wave, especially the stuff Francois Truffaut made. I love Bergman’s films. I am huge fan of hair metal and power ballads. I like things with melody; HUGE melody. Also Bob Dylan. And New York City.

I got my work ethic from my dad. It took me a long time to figure out what I want out of life and now that I’m on my path there is no stopping me. I’m attracted to people with ambition. We only get one shot at this so I put one foot in front of the other and don’t look back.

Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?

The single we put out “Blackout” sounds like a fun, summertime party song. But lyrically it’s really dark. It’s about a guy who is constantly getting blackout drunk and spinning into the depths of alcohol abuse. The music is intentionally subversive. The record it’s on that comes out October 7 everywhere, Broken Window, is influenced by my recovery from alcohol. The lyrics move from nihilism to hope in 12 tracks. My goal is for it to connect with some folks who haven’t turned the corner out of the darkness that addiction can be.

What was the last song you listened to?

“Trouble with Boys” by David Bazan. It’s the best song of the year.

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

I spend all of my time driving around from city to city playing shows so the only way I listen to music is on Spotify. I’ve been a music collector since I was very young and I have acquired thousands of cds and records over the years. I haven’t touched one of them in a long time though.

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

I’m excited by all the ways digital distribution gets my music in front of folks. The money I make from streaming is important and helps keep me afloat.

Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?

I don’t have the machine of the record industry behind me telling people that they should listen. Often I feel like a voice shouting into the wind or screaming in a vacuum. There is so much noise out there it’s difficult to cut through. But when people hear the songs they get excited. The challenge is in making partners out of those who enjoy the tunes. “Rue Snider” is literally a two person cottage industry. There is me and my manager and we do everything.

I’m always grateful when someone comes up and tells me she liked the show. What I really need from her though is to add me on Instagram, like me on Facebook, and Tweet my Spotify page or the website, www.musicbyrue.com, to her followers. Then I need her to buy something, maybe one of the brand new Broken Window tour tee shirts, and listen to the music online. I also need her to put my music on playlists and share it with her friends. It’s a big hurdle between “I really enjoyed your set” and “I’m following you on social media and tweeting at my friends about you. Can I buy a tee shirt?”

There’s an obstacle getting the message out that folks need to interact and actively support independent artists that they believe in and enjoy. There isn’t any money supporting this. It’s 100% grassroots. Everyone’s tweets, likes, and streams matter. A lot.

Do you gig, tour or perform? Do you ever live stream? Where can music lovers see you live?

I’ll finish this year with around 170 shows. I spend all of my time driving around America and playing. Keep your eye on http://www.musicbyrue.com/tour/ We announce the first Broken Window tour dates September 15.

Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?

www.musicbyrue.com is the best place.

Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?

Death is coming for us all and she will win. LIVE life. Don’t look back.