Well, I'm the 'Powell' in this band, Pohlman and Powell : Graham Powell to be precise. I have been singing, writing and playing on and off for a long time; but it's only over the last few years that I've undertaken it more seriously. Scott (Pohlman) is the Head of Music at a local state school where some of my children were educated. He's a great musician, plays drums, guitar and keyboards and mixes and does the production on the 3 Albums we've made. He's also from the States; so he has the genuine 'Rock and Roll' voice, which I find really cool. We got together because my wife was tired of my occasionally picking up the really nice Simon & Patrick acoustic guitar she bought me several Christmases before; and making a mess of chords and trying to sing in a pitch that didn't suit my voice. So, as Scott had taught our children to play various instruments, she suggested I start taking lessons with him. Well, very soon these lessons developed into jam sessions and eventually I started writing and composing again with Scott. Before we knew where we were, we had enough material for an album and later 2 more. About a year after I began taking lessons, my wife got even more tired of me, and asked me to leave, as she wasn't in love with me anymore. As can be imagined, I was extremely upset, because I loved her. Anyway, it was a great, if more than slightly unwelcome, inspiration for the song lyrics and basic melody which Scott and I then worked on together before arriving at the final version, which was usually much changed and improved out of sight from the concept because of Scott's input. As Scott was the experienced one at gigging, I have had a lot of catching up to do, quickly. Unfortunately we have only been able to do a handful together. So, a few years ago, I decided to to do as many open mics as I could, to get the experience of playing live under all sorts of different conditions. Having no relationship, meant I had plenty of time on my hands . So I did between 3 and 5 a week sometimes 2 or 3 in a night. Scott seemed to think I'd improved in my playing and singing, so I guess it worked in some small way. However, there's always something new to learn and I've have met some really lovely people whom I regard as friends now. No doubt, you may have fallen asleep or long since stopped reading, but if you are still here, I just want to say all the best with your own music, I'm gonna make sure to surf through the site regularly and keep listening to yours! Take care Graham PS all our Albums are on Apple Music, ITunes and Amazon too. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letting-Go-Year-Broken-Heart/dp/B07D5DXKPN/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1542193615&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=Scott+Pohlman https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_srch_drd_B072TS3JTQ?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=Scott%20Pohlman%20%26%20Graham%20Powell&index=digital-music&search-type=ss https://www.amazon.co.uk/Between-Covers-Songs-Shed-Cabin/dp/B0733MPGV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1542193524&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=Pohlman+%26+Powell
Music has probably literally saved my life. So, naturally, it means a lot to me. Composing and performing, meeting and making friends of musicians has helped me through some difficult and dark passages in my personal life. Listening to and seeing the amazing talent that is out there all over the world , and largely remains unknown, is humbling but uniquely fulfilling.
I guess most singer songwriters and performers dream of making it big: being successful, having money but maybe more than these, being able to devote most of my time to creating, performing and improving in what I do, is my dream ). Above all music is the living proof that it's better to give than receive in my view, and that's because, when you play and sing well and people come up to you afterwards and say how much they enjoyed your songs and your performance, the feeling of happiness is a bit ike being in love . You have made someone really important to you feel good, so you feel good too.
Wow, don't get me started,!
Put your arms around me |Honey
Too numerous to mention
Life, experience, wanting to be accepted as a writer and performer.
Never give up, don't let the bad guys win, have faith in love and goodness. Most people are kind and tolerant, but it's a silent majority that needs a springboard to make its voice heard and to achieve good. So let your music be part of the stimulus that makes people do positive things for themselves and others.
Excited, nervous, competitive (with my self), happy. Basically just want to give a good performance and entertain.
You do ask some tough questions, don't you? Gaining financial remuneration and creative recognition is like some crazy lottery. The store of talent out there is huge, therefore the competition is great and sometimes seems to be controlled by a few key players. I think it's really difficult and impossible for most musicians to succeed, but we keep trying because we are driven and love music. I think we lowlier musicians would be greatly helped if either some of the music stars boycotted streaming organisations like Spotify and others or demanded greater royalties and fees per play. This might actually help fledgling talent to break out and be given the traction financially and achieve bigger fan bases to become successful.
I like it but I'm not sure I understand the structure too well. Following on from my answers to the previous question; I think a more equitable split between the streaming services such as yourself and the artists would be very successful. I think I know that you are trying to act as a forum for artists and that maybe it is in the form of a co-operative, but I guess in my bumbling way, I trying to suggest that a music cooperative, where the artists and the management and owners of such sites as yours have a more equal financial interest and control would be fairer and maybe more successful. However, maybe I'm just a dreamer, eh?
Too many questions (haha). Bad sound systems and organisation at gigs
Yes, by attending gigs, particularly with artists that I know as friends
Understand what their audiences are looking for, be technically sound as musicians. Treat your audience with respect and also the venue owners and organizers. It's a symbiotic relationship, in my opinion. The venue wants to make money, so do the artists and the audience are willing to pay if they like what they see and hear. Although we write original songs we mix covers of different genres with our original probably on the basis of 2 covers to one original, This way you are giving the audience material they are familiar with and letting them get to hear yours gradually. Obviously, if you are a well known band or performer with a massive following then the ratio of original to cover is higher.
Rob Hughes, Rebecca Reidtmann; Lauren and Hardy, Damon Coles, MusicbyOdette, Vinyl Staircase, The Deputies and loads more and that's just in the South of England!