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 A few words with Andrew Adkins, guitarist and singer with Nashville cosmic-indie-blues-rock outfit, Mellow Down Easy. They’ve just released their eagerly awaited second album, Cosmisutra.
Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself? Andrew Adkins: Well...we just released our latest album, called, "Cosmisutra". It's full of various flavors and shades of sounds and music. The result of 3 years of pulling ourselves apart and piecing ourselves back together again. LB: How did you start out making music? AA: I started playing when I was 5. I got my first guitar, though for my 2nd Christmas from my Dad. I didn't really get serious until around 11 years old - after I saw a picture of KISS guitarist Ace Frehley holding a Gibson Les Paul. That's when the fever really hit me, big time! LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now? AA: As a child I was exposed to so much growing up. My Parents and Aunt were always playing everything from CCR, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Buddy Holly, Willie Nelson and of course Marty Robbins and Elvis Presley. As I grew older I discovered KISS, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix. When my Cousins got me into The Beatles, though, it was on from there. From the moment I heard "Strawberry Fields Forever" my life changed forever. These days I can't get enough music. I love and listen to everything from Velvet Underground, Dylan, T.Rex, Wilco and so on. Blues music really made an impact on me as well - especially when it comes to playing with emotion and feeling. LB: Tell us about your latest release. AA: We're really proud of this album. It contains so much - influence-wise and meaning-wise. Over the course of the last 3 years or so this band had went through so many things. Self-destructive things, really dark areas in our life. Writing and making this record was our way of getting through and moving on from all of that. Plus it's a good representation of who we are as a band, the best example we ever captured on tape. LB: Do you get out and play your music live, and if so, what can an audience expect at one of your shows? AA: We tour as much as we can, wherever we can. Hopefully we'll make it to the UK soon. Our shows are, in our heads, like inviting our friends into our room and just hanging out and letting the music take over. We just like to go easy and let the vibes and feel of the music - the soul of what we do, come out and control what we play and what we do. It's like we're in a trance, come out, introduce the next song then go back into it. We love it when people pick up on that. It's everyone's show not just ours when you latch onto what we're doing onstage. LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy? AA: I love being in the studio. I love creating. On the flip side I love playing live. I don't like the little annoying things in between... the business matters, the numbers the figures... I just enjoy the core of everything. I know that sounds corny but I still feel like a 15 year old every time I pick up a guitar. I just love the magic that music brings - be it studio or on stage. LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music? AA: It's available now on iTunes and CDBaby.com - and via our website, www.MellowDownEasy.com. Within the month it will be available on most major online retailers. LB: Thanks Andrew. www.MellowDownEasy.com www.myspace.com/mellowdowneasy MELLOW DOWN EASY - SHOTGUN |
