Artist INTERVIEW: Air - Ik
1. Cru Cru Air - IK , super nice to have the chance to chat with you! What first got you into music?
Hello! And thank you for giving me this opportunity and the chance to chat with you as well! The main thing that got me into music is in the early 80s there was what was called a Columbia House 12 Cassettes for a Penny Club. Where you choose 12 cassettes out of a little catalogue they send and then you tape a penny to the order form and send it off ha ha! Then they would randomly send you an ‘Album of the Month’ and bill you for it. So I would just choose artists based on the album art not caring what genre of music it was. So I was exposed to Michael Jackson, Men At Work, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Boston and Devo all at once. I think that is how I developed a diverse sense of music taste. Before that I was just a kid into comic books and playing with Star Wars action figures and music was just background noise to me ha ha!
2. What’s your favorite movie?
Oooh tough question but my all-time favorite movie would have to be Batman: The Dark Knight (2008) and more recently Spider-Man: No Way Home. Yes I love super hero movies and I’ve been a comic book reader and collector since I was in my early teens
3. What jobs have you done other than being an artist?
Well back in my days of my original and former band Willow Wisp, living in Hollywood California I did a lot of telemarketing jobs. This was mid to late 90s and early 2000s. I made a lot of money while doing it and also lost a lot of money as I battled addiction to alcohol and drugs. But the telemarketing job taught me how to be resilient in the face of rejection. Back then we would submit our music to so many record labels only to get a hard NO! But we did get signed twice to some independent labels and we did pretty well with that. We built a good fan base and some of those fans still follow what I do musically today. I had to leave the music scene in 2007 and it was in 2011 when I decided to get help for my addiction. I am now going on 11 years sober and I work as a certified addictions counselor. I started writing and releasing new music in 2020.
4. What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
In today’s age of DYI and anyone can release music and record at home there is a sea of madness out there in terms of everyone in that space. So I try not to focus on that. I just love creating music and having the abilty to share it with as many people who is willing to listen without me having to get a record deal is good enough for me. To me “making it” is at least touhing one or two people with my music. Once you’ve done that you made it!
5. What are your plans for the future?
Well for the past year and a half or so I have been working with a writer and dear friend Robert Garr who also goes by The GArrgoyle. Together we formed a music/story concept project called Deathcryptopia and in 2021 released two singles, ‘Death’ and ‘Furyous’. He writes the story and develops the characters and I put it to music. He also does some composing as well. The plan is to have at least 6 to 8 songs done and release it on CD. The first album will be called Daemonium Bellum and the next single I am working on for release in January 2023 is called ‘Sinister Mary’. I also have more music under the Air-Ik brand in the works and will be original music. Doing covers like ‘Call Me’ is fun but I don’t want to be known as just a cover artist ha ha!
6. What’s your favorite song?
Oh man another tough question as I struggle to pick just one. I know the best song I’ve heard in the past 20 years or so is by an artist named, Myrkur. She is a Danish singer/composer and her song ‘Death of Days’ is one of the greatest songs ever written.
7. What’s your favorite 70’s artist?
I’d have to say Kiss! I was born in 1968 and was aware of Kiss when I saw the bubble gum cards and started to collect them and put them on my wall long before I ever listened to their music.They were so fascinating to me as a youngster. It wasn’t til about 1979 or 1980 is when I really started to get into their music and I’ve been hooked ever since. Other favorite 70s artists of mine are Alice Cooper and Ronnie James Dio! My all time favorite guitarist is Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple and Rainbow fame.
8. What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next 5 to 10 years?
I see me getting certified ina few more areas of addiction counseling. I try not to think too far into the future because we’re not even promised tomorrow . I try to stay in the present one day at a time and do my personal growth from there.
9. Are you a music fan?
Hey now is this a trick question?! Ha ha of course! I’d have to say though I am a fan of music FIRST and more than I am a musician. If I lost my ability to play or sing nothing would stop me from buying new and old music and enjoying it til the day I die!
10. Do You agree with the Pigeon?
Depends on what we are agreeing on ha ha. But whatever it is I’m sure I agree 99.9%!
https://open.spotify.com/album/0M80zSiFJKpafdX3X5pGOt
The Pigeon added the new single to his Weekly Gems playlist on Spotify.
You can check out the released music below. If you like what you hear, make sure to follow along so you can stay on top of new releases!
https://open.spotify.com/album/0M80zSiFJKpafdX3X5pGOt
Words by The Pigeon
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
This coverage was created via Musosoup