| |
Maurice Richard Libby aka Whiteboy Slim |
Indie Music Home >>
Indie Music Genres
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Artist Statistics |
|
Artistopia Rank : 329
Member Since : 3/2004
Last Login : 11/29/2008
Views : 10,201
Songs : 3
Events : 0
Alliances : 9
Releases : 1
|
|
Artistopia URL :
http://www.artistopia.com/maurice-richard-libby-aka-whiteboy-slim |
|
|
|
|
| Latest Music By Maurice Richard Libby aka Whiteboy Slim |
|
|
Homemade
Published Date : 2003
Total Downloads : 63
|
|
Browse Artist Music |
|
|
|
News Article |
Artist News Home |
|
Interview with Whiteboy Slim |
|
| Published on 3/24/2004 |
|
| By Artistopia |
|
Q. At what age did you realize you wanted to become a music artist and why?
A: When I was eight years old, my father took me to see Jazz/blues legend Louis Armstrong—I didn’t have a chance
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?
A: The Louis Armstrong concert I mentioned before opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know existed.
Q. In terms of the music, which major artist(s) influenced your style and why?
A: Satchmo, of course, I still think I’m trying to sing like him. Charlie Christian, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, and of course Bob Dylan. It’s a really long list—I could continue all day—george Clinton, Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, and on and on , and on…
Q. With so many independent artists trying to make it, what makes you stand out from the competition?
A. What I do is unique. There is only one person I know of who might be in the same ball park and that is Chris Thomas King—we might be kindred spirits—I combine traditional blues with hip hop, r’n’b and world music, and top it off with almost over the top guitar and slide stuff. My recorded work doesn’t even begin to come close to the stuff I’m now working on.
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?
A: What, like a Brittany Spears clone?? Look, all the artists who had a lasting impact on the world and the music were at first belittled because they were who they were—Elvis, the Beatles, Dylan, Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix—all those people had to put up with a lot of people trying to make them be something they weren’t. The only reason they made it was they stayed true to themselves.
Q. Making music is one thing, selling it is another. What types of strategies do you use to promoting your artistic work and getting it heard by the proper professionals?
A. Network, send out emails, be a presence everywhere I possible can. The best thing is to get someone else to promote you—it’s a lot more impressive when a fan—or a thousand fans --call up a DJ or a critic or a producer and say how great you are—than it is if you say so yourself.
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?
A: The best thing is to find a manger or someone like that –who is skilled at the business stuff—and WHO YOU CAN TRUST. All the musical geniuses has someone like that Dylan had Albert Grossman, Hendrix had ChasChandler, the Beatles had Brian Epstein.
Q. Let's fast forward to 5 years from now. What advice would you offer to struggling independent artists?
A. Stick at it, Create your own niche, and don’t let anyone convince you to sell your soul—lokk what it did to Elvis.
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?
A: Anything that helps animals of children(laughs)I volunteered for the One World Concert, I would like to do stuff for the environment, for AIDS awareness. God knows there’s enough wrong that all we can do isn’t nearly enough.
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.
|
|
|
|
| Article Credits and References |
|
| No Credits or References were provided by publisher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
