Sitting Down with Steve Moakler

Today we are excited bring you our second artist interview: Steve Moakler . We recently met up with the singer/songwriter and had the opportunity to ask him a few questions. A native to Pittsburgh, we couldn’t have picked a better person to showcase. We first heard of Steve back in the fall of 2009 when we were hanging around Nashville.

To visit find out more about Steve and his music, please visit Stevemoakler.com. We ask you to please support his music efforts and to attend one of his shows in a town near you. Currently, Steve has two albums and one EP for you to check out. All the Faint Lights (2009)  is his most recent release, while having The Weight of Words (2007) and Like I Mean It (2008) out there as well.

We want to thank Steve for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer questions for us.

Midnight Comes Once: Right out of the gate, I have to ask. What is the best part about being a musician? Besides “all of it is the best” answer, is there one thing that always gives you a positive vibe or makes you happy?

Steve Moakler: The best thing about being a musician is be able to have a passion for my work. My line of work is rewarding before the paycheck comes in the mail. The reward is having outlet of creativity and using it to make something tangible out of your life experiences that other people identify with.

MCO: With significant time spent in both Pittsburgh and Nashville, what are two things you enjoy about each city? Do you go back to hometown much?

SM: I appreciate Pittsburgh more and more with time. Pittsburgh is an incredibly hard working, largely blue-collar city. My family, much like the rest of the city is passionate about Steelers football and Penguins Hockey, and it was really fun to grow up in a culture like that because it embedded a strong sense of hometown pride. I miss that…

Nashville finds its sense of pride and community in music, which suits me quite well. I love being here because I am constantly humbled, inspired, and sharpened by the people around me. A lot of people perceive music to be a really competitive scene, but in Nashville I get the feeling that everybody is on the same team, and I love that.

MCO: When we saw you touring back in the winter of 2010, you had Ben Rector and Andrew Ripp with you. How was it touring with those two? How do you choose who you tour with?

SM: It was amazing touring with them. I am so thankful to have those guys in my life and honored to call them peers. My short journey in music has been a wild ride, and it is so cool how you get to share part of the journey with others who are going the same way.

I wouldn’t say that I “get to choose” who I tour with. So far, I feel like I have been the chosen one more often than the chooser.

MCO: While we realize the music part is the most important thing to deal with but on the business side of things, what is it like to deal with all management issues? Certainly there are a lot of things to deal with day-to-day as well as setting up touring.

SM: Yes, there is. I feel like and independent music career is like a garden. It’s small, it grows slowly, it involves a lot maintenance, and occasionally unpredictable weather and hungry rodents that’ll throw you for a loop. At this point I still handle a lot most of the day to day stuff myself. However, I do have a publisher, a college booking agent, and an attorney. A publisher’s job is to arrange writing sessions, and find placements for my songs in TV, film, commercials and on other artist’s records. My college agent exclusively books my college & university shows, and my attorney helps mentors me with the big picture stuff and obviously handles all of my legal work.

MCO: For someone that is trying to be a musician and understand the business side of things, what advice do you have for them?

SM: Surround yourself with smart people who care about you and your music, and be discerning about who those people are. Be patient, and know that the strength of your songs are what matters most. Write really good songs and the rest will happen will come with time.

MCO: I’m sure a lot of your fans head on over to your tumblr blog and enjoy reading what you’ve posted. But as a musician, do you like the side stuff like blogging? We’re always curious to see if musicians actually like social media such as blogging or twitter.

SM: I enjoy it when I get around to it. Honestly, I kinda beat myself up about how infrequent I participate in the digital world. It doesn’t come as naturally to me as it does to other people. I want to get better at it.

MCO: Any performance on stage is a thrill in itself but are there any rituals that you have before you go on?

SM: I try to pray and eat a banana before I perform. The banana is the perfect pre-show snack because it fills you up without bringing you down. It also feels like a bit of an ice-breaker, people are like “wow, that guys just eating a banana…I guess this isn’t gonna be too serious, I’m gonna relax.” Or maybe that’s just what I tell myself….Either way, it helps.

MCO: Amongst your many performances, what has been the best fan interaction moment for you? (ie. Did someone give you a great gift, an overly obsessed fan, people scream at you, etc.)

SM: Man….That is a really hard one. Sometimes people bring me bananas, sometimes people make homemade t-shirts with lyrics on them, there have been a couple people draw frighteningly accurate pictures, and that stuff is always really encouraging. The BEST interactions are the genuine conversations when someone says anything a long the lines of. “I needed to hear that. Your songs help me.” Those conversations affirm that God is using me.

MCO: In your merchandise shop, you’re selling a t-shirt with a graphic of a pair of shoes on it. How’d you come up with the idea? It was a big hit at the show we went to.

SM: Honestly, that was my friend Jamie Clayton’s idea. He is a super creative guy and a great photographer, you should check out his site jamieclayton.com. He had his older brother draw a sketch of my shoes, then he put the graphic together. It’s just allows fans to see what it’s like in my shoes….or something like that.

MCO: What can our readers and your fans expect from you in the back half of 2010 and possibly early 2011? Is something in the works?

SM: Well, I have been taking this summer of 2010 to write my pants off, getting in a little golf here and there when I can. I have written over 30 songs for a new record, and I am gonna keep writing until I have a full record of songs that I really believe in and want to grow up with. I have a few college tours booked in October and November this year, and I hope to make another record shortly after that. It’s likely that I won’t do another club tour until my new record hits, hopefully in the spring of 2011.

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