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| Artist Statistics |
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Artistopia Rank : 124
Member Since : 3/2007
Last Login : 12/21/2010
Views : 6,842
Songs : 3
Events : 2
Alliances : 3
Releases : 2
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Artistopia URL :
http://www.artistopia.com/ceilimoss |
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| Latest Music By Ceilí Moss |
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La vie sent quoi?
Published Date : 10/13/2010
Total Downloads : 0
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Browse Artist Music |
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News Article |
Artist News Home |
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Interview with Laurent Leemans from Ceilí Moss |
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| Published on 3/6/2009 |
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| By Artistopia |
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Q. At what age did you realize you wanted to become a music artist and why?
We all started playing in bands when we were teenagers. It came rather naturally. I was in a few bands that lasted only a couple of weeks, until a mutual friend acquainted me with the guys of LA VIERGE DU CHANCELIER ROLIN, my first proper band, with which we had a fair share of success in the early 90s in Belgium. When the band broke up, I was approached by Benjamin to become their singer, and I accepted. The rest is history…
Q. Most music artists have that special someone or thing that influenced their decision to do music. Did anyone or something in your life play a major role in influencing you to go into the music business?
As for me, my dad, who was himself a excellent singer and a more than decent guitar player. He and I had totally opposite musical tastes and we despised most of what each other listened to, but I owe him my thirst for music. ;) And I also was thunderstruck the first time I heard “Bring on the dancing horses” from Echo & the Bunnymen. I was 14 and I thought music was just something to fill the silence. You know, everybody has a story about “satisfaction”, “purple haze” or “white light/white heat” changing their lives, well, for me it was “bring on the dancing horses”.
Q. In terms of the music, which major artist(s) influenced your style and why?
For the lyrics, I’ll quote Morrissey and Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy). For the music, I’m a total fan of The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, Nick Cave, Divine Comedy, Noir Désir, Dead Can Dance. Not very folk, is it? OK, I also love Johnny Cash, Kadril, Ambrozijn, The Pogues, Alan Stivell or Garmarna a.o.
Q. With so many independent artists trying to make it, what makes you stand out from the competition?
In fact, we’re not at all trying to “make it”. We play for our personal enjoyment, and we hope this enjoyment is contagious. Now, what makes us stand from the competition? I think we are good songwriters and above all, we know that a concert is all about giving all your guts can give, and not posing around like the star you’re not…
Q. Music industry professionals are quick to say that being an artist means to gracefully fit a marketable niche in the industry. If you were offered an opportunity that asked you to be something you are not, would you do it to get your foot in the door?
NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!!!
Q. Making music is one thing, selling it is another. What types of strategies do you use in promoting your artistic work and getting it heard by the proper professionals?
The internet offers so many opportunities to tell the world your music exists I will not start citing each and everyone. We're using all platforms there are on the web to bring the world this simple message: "there's a band called Ceilí Moss, we think we're making rather decent music, so if you feel like, this is where you can listen to some samples."
Our main way of promoting ourselves is through gigs, still. It took us ten years, but we’ve established ourselves as a renowned and demanded live act in Belgium.
Q. In regards to wheeling and dealing, how important do you feel business knowledge is to making it in an industry filled with much heartache?
Again, we’re not trying to build a career, so I’ll skip that question as irrelevant in our case.
Q. Let's fast forward to 5 years from now. What advice would you offer to struggling independent artists?
Perfect yourself as a musician. Practice. Try to get in touch with loads of people, good networking never hurts, even with people who are not into the same musical style. Practice. Make sure your gigs are worth the bucks the audience pays. Practice. Listen to everything you can hear, but in the end, decide for yourself what you’re comfortable with. Better do it your way and feeling good about it, even if it takes a little longer, than trying to apply the recipes you read in a “how to become bigger than the Beatles without leaving your couch” blog and end up miserable. Practice.
Q. Most successful artists are involved in charitable organizations that stand for a cause that hits close to home. In that regard, once you reach success, what charitable cause(s) would you like to be involved in and why?
I am already a fervent supporter of Amnesty International, because I appreciate the fact they don't impose their own ready-made-correct-thinking toolkit, but merely want to help and protect those who are harrassed just because they don't think "correctly".
Well, we thank you for taking the time to interview with us and certainly wish you the best in your music career endeavors. There you have it ladies and gentlemen, an inside look into the mind of an independent artist struggling to bring their hard work to fruition in an industry where perseverance and thick skin means survival. No one said it would be easy.
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| Article Credits and References |
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| No Credits or References were provided by publisher |
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