With the COVID19 pandemic taking hold across the globe, Folk and Tumble is taking time out to speak to the musicians and promoters who though no fault of their own have found themselves out of work and facing uncertain futures. Next up in our series is blues guitarist Mike Ross.
FT: You’ve just digitally released a new album. Were you forced to bring forward the release due to the COVID19 situation?
MR: This release is actually a direct response to the projected effects of the pandemic. It wasn’t scheduled for release at all but given the appropriateness of the vibe of the music in reflecting the mood I was in last week (as the reality of the coming lockdown seemed to settle on the UK) it made perfect sense.
I woke up last Tuesday with a real compulsion to speak out about what I was feeling and this music is perfect for that. I saw a post on Facebook from my artist friend Martin Bedford where he mentioned that he was free for commissions so I got in touch. He created the cover art very quickly and I had the album ‘Dystopia Rising’ on sale through Bandcamp later that day.
FT: By your own admission, the new record is a bit of departure from your normal sound.
MR: It’s a 34-odd minute electronic piece, mostly composed of several tracks of Moog analogue synth along with some chopped up pieces of electric guitar (some sampled from my guitar parts on the RHR album ‘Hotel Toledo’), a bass guitar through a Leslie speaker and some heavily effected spoken word – some from me and some from my stepson Milo reading a passage from ‘Gullivers’ Travels’).
It’s actually a companion work to my next full album release ‘The Clovis Limit Pt.2’. I started it originally in order to create an ‘orchard’ of synthesised sounds to harvest for use as transitions between the more conventional songs on the TCL2; a bit like the effects and samples I used between tracks on the RHR album ‘Mahogany Drift’ but with a more definite dystopian theme in mind. There’s an overarching concept to both parts of ‘The Clovis Limit’, alternate realities converging and separating and I wanted these transitions to reflect that.
FT: Like many musicians at the minute, you are sitting at home having had your main source of income taken away from you through no fault of your own. How does that sudden loss affect you financially and mentally?
I recognise the seriousness of the situation but I refuse to sit around worrying about it. Releasing ‘Dystopia Rising’ is my response to the situation, an expression of my determination to strive to engage and connect with audiences in new ways given the circumstances. Yes, it’s a huge financial worry but I’ve seen a massive outpouring of support from the fans, lots of people buying physical merch from my website along with digital downloads of the new album.
FT: Did you have to cancel tour dates?
MR: Yes, pretty much everything is cancelled between now and July. We’re still hoping that things will get back to some semblance of normality by then but there are absolutely no guarantees at this point. I’ve lost festivals and club shows all over Europe and beyond.
FT: As a self-employed musician are you able avail of any of the recently announced government support measures?
MR: I’m looking into it but with the Universal Credit system set up the way it is at the moment it seems unlikely that I’ll qualify for any support. Of course, the government is changing their plans daily so that might improve things for freelancers and contractors in general.
FT: What can people do to support musicians like yourself through this difficult time?
MR: Myself and lots of my fellow artists are moving into live streaming through social media as a way to reach audiences. Watch the streams, give us your feedback and buy the merch – as much as you can! Even a fiver for a digital download makes a big difference to someone who’s lost 100% of their projected income.
FT: Thanks for your time Mike. Stay safe and I’ll hopefully see you on the other side before too long.