Following on from our review of ‘Raven‘, from Asbury Park’s Philosopher Pirate, we chat with the artist himself about his name, his inspirations, and Homer Simpson.
You’ve got a very interesting performance name! What’s the story behind that?
I was sitting on a beach in Key West, staring out into the ocean, when I imagined the pirates and the thinkers who have explored our earth and journeyed through our minds. Speaking of minds, they say in Key West, if you’ve lost your mind, you’ll find it here. The raven in your song of the same name is about a woman with raven black hair – but that’s not so clear from your video, like, it could be a song about a raven – what was the inspiration for the clip (we really like how trippy it is)?Thanks! Def was going for a psychedelic vibe. We made the music video to visually represent the journey that takes place in the song. The girl with the raven hair told me to beware, but the who and what to beware is up to the viewer/ listener to interpret.
Is the girl with the raven hair telling you to beware based on Poe’s raven that quotes “nevermore”?
Kinda, it was actually based on Homer Simpson’s telling of the Raven in The Simpsons Halloween special.
Who are your biggest musical influences? We feel there’s a hint of Bowie to your sound, but maybe we’re imagining it? Bowie is a big influence; I try to blend my influences in a way that you can get a taste of musical ideas that wouldn’t normally be heard together.
If you could start all over again, what, if anything, would you do differently, and why?
Life? Where do we start? Oh, for the project… I’ve been enjoying working on the music, the live shows, and now the music video for Philosopher Pirate. It took me a while to focus on my own music project but with that, all the decisions I’m making are based on years of experience working on different aspects of music from writing songs, producing music, producing shows, producing videos. It’s all coming together with Philosopher Pirate.
Do you have a favourite brand of guitar, and if so why?
Live, I use two guitars: a red Fender Meteora, which has an unusual design, and a Martin acoustic, which always sounds great.
Do you have any advice for anyone who’s just starting out in the music business?
Learn and do all the things you need to promote your music but don’t get too distracted from creating great music. That’s where your focus should be until the music is done, and then switch gears and get your shit out there!
Likewise, what do you think about the state of the music business at the moment, and is there anything you’d like to see change, and if so, how?
I’m doing work with an awesome company called SHOWX. SHOWX is helping connect venues directly with musicians, giving them more control in their ticketing and allowing for independent artists to book tours more easily.
What’s next for Philosopher Pirate, what can fans expect?
We will be releasing our next single called “Fragile Fragments” in October along with two shows, 10/5 at Bowery Electric in New York (tickets are available here: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/supermutt-fixtures-philosopher-pirate-map-room-at-bowery-electric-tickets/13446008) and 10/28 at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ.
Finally, what question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview, but nobody ever does, and what’s the answer to that question?
Can music change your life? Yes.
Watch the music video for ‘Raven’ below, and let us know what you think in the comments. Find out more about Philosopher Pirate and his music online on his official website, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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