Iv Elmendorf

Man In A Van

My goal is to save up money to live in a van for a year with my dog. I want to travel across the Americas playing and collaborating with other artists. I draw/animate, I write stories and songs, and I do videography. Hoping to utilize these skills on the road to either make a product I'm proud of or find somewhere I can do the creative aspects of life that I love and make a living wage doing it. Right now I'm in Nashville with a broken down van, and I'm working 2 jobs 4 days a week each without a working vehicle.

Profile

Instruments

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Influences

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Languages

What is music to you? What does it give you?

Art, creativity in one of its best forms. Inventive usage of words in music are my favorite though as a songwriter. Storytelling or just nonsensical lyrics there can always be personal meaning found.

What is your music dream?

Just to make a living playing music, writing song, drawing and writing comic books that go along with my concept albums.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

People who look down on others and judge people as a first reaction. I guess what I feel is most wrong with the world is too many people judge books by their covers, but then when most people actually read the content of the book they've chosen and it sucks, they just double down and say, "No this is a great book!"

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

More Than A Feeling - Boston

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

The Mountain Goats, John Darnielle - Nuetral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum

What inspires you to make music?

Just to create something that someone might call beautiful and will help them through a hard time like the music or lyrics did for me.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

Depression...anxiety...whatever you're going through, someone else has been there too, and made it out alive. It's not always going to get better, but you always have a chance to get through the shit times.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Usually drunk....I've got a lot of demons with my mom telling me I not that good or I'm bearable to listen to for maybe a song so for about the past decade I've had at least 2-3 beers before I play. Except when I have a band behind me. Then my confidence is up. Because I know if I suck my friends always sound good.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

Struggle. Kill the MAINSTREAM. Basically exactly what America's Got Talent, Brittain's Got Talent, X-Factor is doing. How the music industry used to work. The people chose what was popular. Now the biggest labels control the airwaves and force one after one terribly overproduced songs down our ears that have the same sounds and sound overtone. The Music industry needs a massive face lift.

What do you think of Drooble?

I don't know yet the upload process seems ricketty....I'll come back to this question later

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

I do live videos at shows for all my friend's bands. Along with taking pictures. I did over 700 videos for other bands and artists back in 2017, but that was in Chattanooga not Nashville.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

A ridiculously pure voice or a savant at an instrument.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Antler Hopkins, No This Is Patrick, Nick Lutsko, Sunsap, Over Easy, Sam Killed The Bear, Dr. B and the Ease, Vedra, Menace From Earth