DJ Interviews: Mike Power

 Here's my interview with singer, Mike Power

How'd you get started in music?

I recently found an old diary from when I was 15 and read about how I first learned to play guitar. My older brother was already playing and I was completely in love with music. As soon as I learned how to play a few chords, I started to write my own songs.

 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

My earliest influences were The Beatles and Bob Dylan and over the years I have found inspiration in almost every style of music from classical (Mozart) to jazz (Billie Holiday) to country (Hank Williams) to soul (Stevie Wonder) to Irish trad (The Chieftains) to hip-hop (Jay-Z).

 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Don’t do it! Just kidding. Actually, the performance side of music is something that is unique to each individual. Some people love being in the spotlight while others suffer from terrible stage fright. For me, performance is secondary to recording. A great performance can be exciting, but a great recording is timeless. Kind of like the difference between sex and love.

 

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

Intentionally or not, we all set ourselves apart. My experiences are different from anyone else’s, and I think that comes through in both my writing and playing. I draw from a unique well and even though I don’t know if the light reflecting up from my well provides illumination for anyone else, it is one of my strongest desires to find out if it does, or if it can.

 

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

I have no gigs planned right now but I am already working on a batch of songs for my next album. I have always preferred the studio to the stage. Over the years, I’ve been on stage a lot and will probably do more at some point. The last time I played live, in 2019, I rented a theater on 4^th Street in the East Village and worked with a visual artist on images to project behind the stage while we performed. It was nice to put the songs on display and connect them with an audience. I have recorded two albums since then and would love to see if those newer songs can make any connections.