t clair speaks to the innovative singer-songwriter about his art, his upcoming tour, and the changing face of the music industry.

by t clair for intothehill.com

Andy Zipf’s official website bares what could be the motto for the new breed of independent artists: “Listen | Download | Share | Repeat.”

It’s not a new concept. The coverage it’s getting in the mainstream media, however, is. Industry fat cats scoffed when Radiohead released In Rainbows solely as a download—and at a price determined by the listener. All the hoopla incited unprecedented interest in the (only somewhat) new approach.

What Radiohead made famous, Zipf has been doing in some form or another for quite a while. The Washington, D.C. based singer-songwriter has been at the forefront of what is arguably a revolution in the industry. With no major label backing him (and with no angst-ridden dreams of being “signed”) Zipf and artists like him possess a tireless work ethic that values not just digital media but something more traditional (if a bit dusty): the live performance.

An Andy Zipf show involves the usual fare for artists of his type: clever badinage, song stories, quirky tales of musical misadventure. What sets him apart is the foot-stomping-hand-clapping-key-shaking-harmonious-collusion he develops with his audience. Equal parts Richie Cunningham and Anton Mesmer, his kind and quiet off stage demeanor is replaced with something almost hypnotic once he plugs in his Martin. His otherworldly falsetto ebbs with the powerful dynamics of his guitar work; the audience hushes to hear the subdued delivery of between-song banter; mouths agape, listeners make room as Andy explores the room; stunned patrons sit transfixed by Andy’s penetrating gaze. The result is something bewitching—if not downright startling. Andy Zipf is more a shaman than musician. His incredible ability to capture an audience is matched only by his thoughtful lyrics and melodies.

I talked with Andy about his music, the future of the industry, his upcoming “Pfriends on Pfilm” tour, and what it’s like to watch paint dry.

One of the things that sets you apart as an artist is your pitch-perfect falsetto and knack for melody. Who are the artists you drew from when developing this style?

My dad loves The Beach Boys, so I grew up singing along with them. Brian and Carl Wilson have amazing falsetto voices. (Especially, on “Caroline No” and “God Only Knows.”) When I started playing the guitar, my older brother was getting into some Britpop that affected my style. U2 (I know they’re Irish, but I always include them in this category), Radiohead, The Cure, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, My Bloody Valentine, etc. Jeff Buckley has been a huge influence on me too, but I try to stay away from his vocal acrobatics. Jón Þór Birgisson (Sigur Ros), Jeremy Enigk and Richard Ashcroft are some other favorites of mine.

What are some things you have done to make your live show such a powerhouse, despite being one man with an acoustic guitar?

My manager, Shawn Matthews, told me when he first heard me play four years ago, “You sounded great, but it was like watching paint dry.” So…yeah. I’ve worked pretty hard from then on to not be boring. I just try to engage people, whether it’s getting them to sing along, clap their hands, stomp their feet or whatever. I make an effort to use every dynamic level my voice and guitar will offer. I do my best to sing every line of every song like I mean it. If I don’t believe it, you won’t either.

You seem to have your finger on the pulse of the music industry. What does the future hold?

It is very clear to me that the old model is fading away. The future is in live performance, which is actually where it all began anyway. People were experiencing music for thousands of years before we ever figured out how to document it on vinyl, 8-track, cassette tape or compact disc. I am not going to pretend that I know exactly what will take place in the next five, or even two years of the music industry. What I do know, is that I will continue to go out and build an audience that connects with my music, using every new resource that comes my way to cultivate those relationships.

In that vein, what do you think is the significance of Radiohead’s new album In Rainbows?

Some have said they are arrogant, pretentious and stupid. I think what Radiohead did with In Rainbows was brilliant. They had a loyal fan base waiting with baited breath* and the means to make the album available directly to those people with the click of a button.

It is significant because, with their platform, they have helped to reeducate the casual listener about the industry and bring to light the relevance (or irrelevance) of a traditional record label.

I don’t think that Radiohead has single handedly started a chain reaction that will kill off every shady record company executive in the world, but I do think it has reminded the industry as a whole that it needs to adapt. Resistance to no DRM and file sharing is futile. This is scary to those who are set in their ways, but I’m anxious for the house of cards to fall.

* I was one of them. I downloaded “In Rainbows” at a gas station while on tour. I listened to it for the first time in the middle of the night, driving from Augusta, GA to Tallahassee, FL. I couldn’t have planned a better introduction to those songs.

Recently you recorded some songs with producer James Barber (credits include Aimee Mann and Ryan Adams). How was that experience?

Before going to L.A. and recording The Long Tail, I had never worked in a studio with so many people of that caliber. Jim brought in amazing players that really challenged me and brought the songs to another place. Some of those tracks were cut in one take. “Find You” was surreal. We hit record, did one pass of the song and it was like, “That’s it. We’re not going to get a better one than that.”

To the surprise of many, you opted not to release the songs as a traditional album but as downloads from discrevolt.com. [Discrevolt is an Atlanta based company that skips the CD and sells “download cards.” You retrieve the artist’s music online from the Discrevolt website using the code printed on the card.] Why did you go this direction?

Shawn and I met the people at Discrevolt a while before they launched. We felt right away that it was a perfect fit because we are constantly looking for forward-thinking companies, who are not trying to hold onto a dying system.

We still have some songs to mix from The Long Tail sessions, so people that have been anticipating the rest of the “record” can expect to hear at least two or three more in the next few months.

I am not against the concept of an album, but I do not want to be bound to that formula either. I recently recorded a new song called “My Love Remains” that I wanted my fans to know about. I sent out an email and gave it away for free. I’ll probably do that again. I will also keep releasing collections of songs that are a snapshot of my life at that time. I just want to get my music into the ears and iPods of as many people as possible, so they will come and see me live. [So, if you are reading this interview and do not have my music, you are henceforth excused from the table and invited to www.andyzipf.com to download six songs from The Long Tail. More can be found at www.discrevolt.com/andyzipf.

You are about to embark on a new tour. Explain the concept of “Pfriends on Pfilm.”

Pfriends on Pfilm will be a multi-media presentation of my songs. My very talented pfriends Pete Lim (keys, percussion, bgvs) and Brad Wolf (new media artist, VJ) will be joining me on tour. We’ll be projecting images onto a screen and ourselves that coincide with my songs. Some of this movie/light show will be designed using pfound pfilm, old 8mm pfootage and a live video pfeed. It will look different every night, though a common thread will be apparent in each show. I have wanted to do something like this pfor a long time. It will help me to tell my story in a new way, and I think it will make pfor an engaging performance.

The very pfact that I’ll have a drummer means that it will be the closest thing to seeing me with a backup band yet–pfor those who are used to the solo show. Because of the new instrumentation, I’ve given some old songs a pfacelift. Also, I’ll be playing two new songs in the set, each of which will be available in January.

Speaking of the incorporation of (p)film in your upcoming tour, how does media aside from music inspire you? Do you find yourself drawing from movies, books and visual art for inspiration in your songs?

I do get inspired to write after experiencing other forms of great art. One of my favorite things to do on tour, if I have time, is to go to a matinée. I wouldn’t call myself an avid reader, but I do enjoy a good book. A couple of my favorites are “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand and “Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien, which I am currently re-reading for the fourth time…I think.

Recently, I have been writing some songs based on actual characters in movies and books. It’s interesting to write from their perspective, and not my own. But, for the most part, I would say I write about my personal experiences and relationships.

What is your song-writing process like?

It’s a little difficult to map out the process. It’s just something that I do. The best way I can describe it is, I feel something and I put that feeling into a melody. The lyrics help to verbalize it, but it always begins with the melody and the feeling I have already. Sometimes, the song is done in a day. Sometimes, I carve and chip at it for a month. I taught myself to play the guitar and I guess I taught myself to write songs, too. I don’t know if is the right way, but it is my way. I work very hard at writing the best songs I can, but I try not to take myself so seriously that I lose the mystery and wonder of it.

To take in all the mystery and wonder, visit Andy’s o(p)fficial myspace.

T Clair is a regular contributor to Into the Hill. He’s no shaman, but he has the uncanny ability to put people to sleep with his music. Currently, he disciples young people in Prattville, AL.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 12th, 2007 at 9:07 am and is filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.