Donnie Schexnayder

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Interview with Donnie Schexnayder

Published on 11/14/2006

By Artistopia

Q. At what age did you realize you wanted to become a music artist and why? I was around 8 years old when the music bug first bit me. One of my early influences was (believe it or not) Kiss! I used to beg my parents to buy me their LP’s, mostly because I was fascinated by their image, makeup, costumes & stuff. Pretty soon the music had me hooked, too. I remember rushing home from school on my bike just so I could play those records. My parents actually took me to a Kiss concert for my 9th birthday…pretty cool parents, huh? I got a guitar for Christmas right after that, and pretty much never looked back. 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? OK…cue the sad violin music! Like a lot of kids, I got picked on quite a bit in elementary school. I was shy around girls, lousy at sports…bad at all the usual stuff that earns you playground props…so I guess music was where I really found myself. It was a way to get respect. Once I became a musician, there were tons of people who supported and nurtured me along the way…way too many people to list right now. Q. In terms of the music, which major artist(s) influenced your style and why? I guess some of the major influences would be U2, King’s X, REM, The Wallflowers, John Mayer…those guys all had a big influence on my style & sound. Alanis Morissette, The Beatles, & Paul Simon had a lot of influence on my songwriting and lyrics. Alanis taught me to write from my heart, even if it’s ugly. I played a lot of blues guitar in the early days, so I would have to throw in Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy Guy, Hendrix, Clapton and David Gilmour…they all still creep in to my playing from time to time. Q. With so many independent artists trying to make it, what makes you stand out from the competition? I’m certainly not the best singer, writer or musician out there, but I think what gives me an edge is that I have something to say lyrically. I mean, most of the music out there sounds cool, but doesn’t give you anything solid to think about. I try to write lyrics that engage both the mind and the heart. I’m also extremely passionate about what I do, and I think that gets communicated through my music. I really believe that music has the power to help change the world for the better…I hope all that positive energy & depth will resonate with some music fans out there. 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? I really believe in staying true to who you are…what good is it to get a foot in the door if it’s not really your foot? There are obviously areas of compromise that you consider to increase your marketability, but if I had to “fake it to make it” I think I’d rather just stay local & keep it real. Who I am translates directly into what I create, and that authenticity is one of the things that makes my music what it is. 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 is huge…this is the first time in the history of the world that a small-time musician like me can communicate my message to millions of people all over the planet, basically for free. I have a presence on a bunch of the music-focused social networking sites like MySpace, GarageBand, Artistopia, etc. My primary strategy is viral, Internet-based, word of mouth marketing…friends discovering your music for themselves and then recommending it to their friends, who will hopefully do the same thing, and on and on. We live in a free market society, so if enough people validate and support what you do, it’s only a matter of time before you get recognized for it. 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? It’s very important. Nobody can be an expert at everything, so you need a good lawyer and a good accountant…people you can really trust & communicate with. And you need to learn as much as you can about what they do so you can make informed decisions. It’s tough to focus on the creative process and the business side at the same time, but I think you really have to make an effort if you want a long-term career. They call it the “music business” for a reason. Q. Let's fast forward to 5 years from now. What advice would you offer to struggling independent artists? I know the music business will be a lot different in 5 years…nobody knows exactly what that will look like…but the artistic part of what we do is timeless. My advice is to be the best you can be at what you do. Study, practice, read, learn, grow. Build good relationships with people who can help you and also with people you can help. Stay true to who you are. Take care of your self and stay healthy. Most important of all, don’t ever quit…all that positive momentum will start to snowball into success if you just keep the ball rolling long enough. 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 really believe in the power of mentoring other people. I want to start an organization some day that helps young independent musicians with artist development, teaches them how to have a sustainable career and equips them to make a difference in the world through their art. I believe we can impact society in positive ways through our spirituality, through art and through activism. Problems like the human rights crisis in North Korea & the AIDS problem in Africa would not exist if enough people got motivated to action, and music is a great tool for raising awareness. 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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Interview with Donnie Schexnayder