Interview with Radio Drive
Radio Drive is an Alternative Pop Rock band featuring Kevin Gullickson.
Why did you want to be in the music industry?
I'm sure you've heard it said, if you chose a job you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life. That's how I feel about making music. I love doing it. I would continue making music if I never made a dime and if no one ever listened. It's what I do.
What inspires your music?
I find inspiration everywhere: With my wife, my relationships, observing other people, in nature, in the beauty of music itself, in reading inspirational books, listening to other musicians, and so much more. To give you an example, often I will listen to classical music, like Bach and Beethoven. I love to hear how these songs were crafted and how each instrument plays a vital part in the song and how it all comes together so perfectly. I aspire to do that with my music with guitars, keyboards, drums and all that.
What things get you in the mood to write songs or do lyrics come spontaneously?
Songwriting comes in several forms for me. Sometimes it's spontaneous, and I'm hit with a bolt of inspiration. Maybe it's a musical riff or a lyric or melody. I'll try to capture that on my iPhone, since these spontaneous inspirations come when I least expect it. Then, when I have time to work on the song, I'll squirrel away in my studio and begin with that recorded piece and construct it into a song.
Other times, I deliberately set aside time to write. I'll pick up the guitar or sit at the piano and start messing around and see what comes. Quite often chords or guitar riffs come together and I have the beginning of a song.
As for the lyrics, that always requires work on my part. I may get a spontaneously inspired lyric or melody, but then it always requires working it out and putting it together in a song. I usually get a lyric or melody as a "place holder". What I mean by that, is what Paul McCartney described when he wrote the song "Yesterday". He woke up with the melody, but his lyrics were "scrambled eggs... how I love to eat those scrambled eggs". He obviously later changed the lyrics to what we know in the song. That happens to me all the time. Sometimes, if the lyrics aren't too nonsensical, I'll keep them and work around them. I've done that several times with my most recent songs.
How do you want your music to affect people?
I would like my music to affect people in a positive way, to inspire, elevate, encourage and entertain.
Do you test out your songs before releasing them? How do you do this?
I used to when I first got started. Years ago, I would join every songwriting club or organization that I could. I remember when I lived in New York City, I was part of a songwriting organization and each week we would share a song and the others would criticize it. It was very helpful for me.
Nowadays, there are several online music communities that you can join that offer opportunities, such as a "crowd critique" or a critique from a professional in the music industry. I used to do that as well. You have to be careful, because sometimes the crowd critique isn't the best. It can be a bunch of random people that are only expressing their opinion. It wasn't constructive to write a better song. I stopped doing the crowd critique.
Today, my take on songwriting is a little different. I believe the rule for writing songs is: "There are no rules". Having said that, I suggest that you learn the rules, or at least some of them. Then you can start breaking them. For example, think about what a pop song was years ago. It fit a certain structure and was no longer than 3 minutes and 30 seconds. That was the rule. But people started breaking that rule.
Think of all the amazing songs that broke all those rules, like "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Hey Jude" and "Stairway to Heaven".
How do you prepare for a gig?
Due to various circumstances, it's been awhile since my last live performance, especially with Covid shutting everything down back in 2020 and 2021. Then we clubs started opening again; the guys in my band went their own way. Life happens.
Back when I was performing, I would begin to prepare a few months before a show. I would start rehearsing on my own, going over the songs. I would run through the entire 2 hour show a few times a week. Then, I would start rehearsing with the band a few weeks before the show. Back when I was performing regularly, there were enough gigs back to back where I didn't need to rehearse on my own or with that band, for that matter. We'd just show up and play. I credit that to the talent of the guys I would perform with. They were amazingly talented.
Along with that, I would have my checklist to make sure I didn't forget anything.
One thing that's unique for me, is I would always prepare a thermos of tea with lemon juice and honey. I would drink that immediately before the show and have it handy during the show.
What is your favorite song that you've written?
For me, as the writer, each song has something special about it. I can't just name one as my favorite. I can list a few that really stand out for me, "Footsteps", "A Taste of Heaven", "Sweet Thing" and "One Life to Give". Honestly, I could keep on naming my favorite songs, but you get the idea.
Has there been a reaction to one of your songs that you've been surprised by?
Years ago, way back before I began releasing music, I played a gig at a local club in my hometown of Rochester, Minnesota. Afterward, someone that I knew came up and started asking me about one of my songs. I'm sorry to say, I don't remember which song it was that made an impression on him. He told me he had planned to commit suicide, but after hearing my song and what it was about, he decided not to.
That totally blew me away. In my assessment, that has to be the best song I have ever written.
What are some ways that you promote yourself?
I'm pleased to say, over the years I've made several amazing connections with people at indie radio stations, blogs and webzines. Together with my label, 12 Story Records, we reach out to them with every new release. In the past I've worked with people to do my social media. Recently, I've been doing it myself on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I admit I'm not the best, but it's alright. I use those social media platforms to promote myself and my music.
I'm pleased to be working with an amazing publicist for the last several months.
That's been a wonderful advantage to partner with her to promote myself and my music.
What would you say has been the biggest challenge of your career?
I would say not having enough time and money. There is so much I want to do, but have to stay within my budgetary restraints of money and time. I could work hours and hours in the studio on just one song. I would love to hire a producer and some incredible musicians, but that costs money. Lots of it. I find that I have to get creative and work within your means.
I would love to spend more time working in music. I do balance a day job. Plus, there's just so much to do with life in general. I have a wife and family and a house to take care of. All that requires time, which I certainly love doing. You have to find a balance with time and budget and all that.
One of the challenges I faced years ago was keeping a band together. It's hard to get 3-4 individuals with the same level of commitment, the same goals and the same musical direction. For example, I had a band called "Radio Drive" about 15 years ago or more. We were doing great playing gigs and all. Then we broke up. It was at that time that I decided to keep the band name "Radio Drive", but go it alone as a solo artist, then hire musicians as needed for gigs and recording. I turned that challenge into an opportunity. I realized I could make more traction, get more done and more momentum going it alone.
Another way I turned a challenge into an opportunity was with time constraints in a studio. I remember the days when I would go into a studio with a tight budget. You can only do so much in a 4 or 6 hour block of time. I'd be compromising parts and rushing just to get it done. I eventually created my own home studio and went to recording school to learn how to become a recording engineer. Because of that, I have my own recording studio in my home and can take all the time I need to record and develop my songs.
Are there advantages to being an independent musician?
Yes, absolutely! I've never been signed to a major label, but I've seen enough documentaries and read enough stories to know, when you sign to a major label, your life and your music is no longer your own. They own everything about you and tell you exactly what to do artistically and sometimes personally. As an independent artist, you have complete control and ownership of your life and your music. You can create whatever you want, when you want. You're in control of your own schedule for performing and touring. I'm thankful my label, 12 Story Records recognizes and honors that, giving me that freedom.
Then there's the financial side. If you are an indie musician all on your own, you get 100% of the revenue you generate. That can be huge. Yes, the majors have the big bucks to invest, but you can still navigate your way to making an impact in the music industry. In this day and age, anything is possible.
Tell us about the new single that you will release on Feb 17, 2023.
It's a single titled "Cast Out Your Light". It's something I wrote quite a while ago but never recorded. You can hear my early U2 influences along with a big wide sound, big drums, lots of harmonies and all. I'm really pleased how it turned out and that I can finally share it with the world. It's a song about inspiration and hope to let your light shine and make the world a better place. Something we all need right about now.