Hi Patrick, how are you today?
I am doing well. Thanks.
For those that haven’t heard of you yet, how would you best describe your sound, and who have been your biggest influences so far?
My music is very retro sounding. It has an 80’s and 90’s chill vibe to it. I’ve been influenced by so many great artists and bands from the 60’s, 70, 80’s and 90’s. Legendary Alternative Rock bands from The Cure and Depeche Mode to Singer/Songwriters like Hall and Oates and Simon and Garfunkel to Rock N’ Roll bands like Led Zeppelin and Guns and Roses to Rap artists like Ice Cube and Tupac to Classical music of Bach, Handel and Beethoven. I just love music and there are countless artists and bands that have inspired me along the way.
Do you remember what the first song was that made you want to start a career in music?
“Come as You Are” by Nirvana and “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd.
You have just released your new single ‘Soulless Machine’. Can you tell us how that track came about?
I was inspired to create a music video with a dystopian theme and then write the song to the visuals like a soundtrack and that’s exactly how the track came about. When I was finished with filming, I began to write the song to my video and after recording, I contacted Pete Parada to play drums on my track.
And is there a story behind it?
During the Covid pandemic I was frightened like everyone else and glued to the TV 24/7. I soon felt a self-imposed isolation from the horrors of this world, as I formed a figurative wall to the media. After months of having no inspiration, I finally gained the strength and courage to begin to create music and “Soulless Machine” is the story I created.
The main theme behind the song is The mind control and social slavery of the surveillance state of Big Brother is a major theme in the music video and lyrics of the song. I was also inspired by many cult films on this project such as Pink Floyd’s The Wall, John Carpenter’s They Live, 1984, a silent German expressionist film from 1927 called Metropolis and the ending of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and her entourage discover an ordinary man with a loudspeaker behind the curtains.
Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
Yes. I’ve been writing songs and hopefully I can have a release in the not too distant future.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I’d be working as an Actuary in the corporate world, a profession I walked away from to pursue music and be happy.
And finally, what is the best piece of musical advice you have ever been given?
Musical advice: Keep it simple and never give-up!