Emerging San Francisco Bay Area solo artist, Skull Smith, has released his nostalgic, new single “24-Hour Documentary.” While the track offers a dose of sentiment through 80s synth waves, bass-heavy beats, and vibrant harmonies, “24-Hour Documentary” explores the modern struggle of having your information constantly tracked through social media and your mobile phone before you’re brainwashed into purchasing a product or taking an action that, may or may not be, through your own accord. While creating a wistful soundscape, “24-Hour Documentary” serves just as powerfully in the 80s soundscape as it does in 2022.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
I seem to have an innate sense of positive musical attributes that are not specific to any style or era, and this allows me to filter out anything that is not strong enough to stand the test of time. Each one of my songs must pass my own litmus test: It must play in my head on repeat naturally, it must sound as good in the future as it does now, it must stand alone without relying on other songs, it must hold its own among professionally-constructed songs, and I must love it enough to listen to it every day without ever growing tired of it. It may sound complicated at first, but much of the criteria is achieved subconsciously and is therefore not a laborious process by any means. Two critical components of a Skull Smith song are a strong, distinctive melody and a naturally-flowing structure that can easily imprint itself into one's internal radio, which are timeless qualities that have existed in music for centuries and shall continue to thrive as long as there are artists who can consistently implement them.
Who inspired you to make music?
Several of my main influences, such as Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and Thomas Dolby helped me realize along the way that authenticity still had a place in the musical world--even on the charts--and that a kind, sensible professor-type could still get his message across just by being himself and not trying to sell an image or profit from relatable emotions. Even though these three gentlemen are quite different from one another, they are all genuine souls (with brilliant musical minds), and I see qualities within them that I would like to further develop within myself. It would be more accurate to say that, rather than inspiring me to make music (that started as more of a compulsion; more on that below), they inspired me to pursue the path and share my creations with the world. And they're all completely bald now, so there's definitely potential here for the four of us to form a quartet--just not of the barbershop variety.
Your latest track is '24-Hour Documentary'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
A few years ago, I heard Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" play at an outdoor venue in Tiburon. Even though I was familiar with the song, hearing it again during a period where I was focused entirely on composition and songwriting inspired me to experiment with a fast shuffle beat. I started with the bass line with the hope of creating something that, even by itself, would not only grab listeners' attention but become instantly recognizable and inspire bassists and keyboardists alike to learn and play it. That is the most unusual thing about this tune--it is extremely rare for me to begin with a bass line and build a song from there. Over time, I developed a humorous take on data mining suggesting that the invasive phenomenon exists because we're all so endlessly interesting, and thus they're gathering everything there is to know about us for their upcoming documentary. I really hope the one about my browsing history is done in a Ken Burns style where they zoom in on each mundane Google search with atmospheric music and relevant quotes. While it does not discuss any of the real explanations for the nefarious practice, the metaphor is meant to bring the ideas to a conscious level and inspire critical thinking.
What is your creative process like?
All of my life I've had melodies enter my brain with no explanation of how they got there, so when I began my foray into digital music, it was all about transposing these melodies into the physical realm (through Reason) and writing lyrics to "explain" them. While this is still a large part of it, I now also play a larger role in the synthesis of these original melodies--I will open Reason, create a rudimentary melody, and if it sticks with me over time, I will expand on it. Generally I know what the song is meant to be about before I write the lyrics, so that step always takes place long after the vocal melody is written in its entirety and the song's structure is fully laid out. Nothing is ever forced in this process--everything must flow effortlessly. Time and focus are all that are needed for this to happen naturally. Peanut butter also helps.
What is the biggest decision you’ve had to make?
Pursuing a full-time freelance creative income is certainly a risk, but it is one that will allow me to live entirely on my own terms even if the initial years are shaky and uncertain. It was not a one-time decision but rather an ongoing one to keep myself on this path rather than settle for a safer, more predictable source of income that would keep me comfortably alive but would drain my energy and leave me with little to none for my creative pursuits. Creativity is limitless, but time and energy are finite in this dimension, so it is not in my best interest to tether myself to a job that will compromise either of these crucial resources. As intriguing as it might be to see "SKULL" innocuously engraved into a nametag, I believe I have a greater calling if only slightly.
What makes you different from others?
I've always seen the world from the perspective of an observer rather than a participant, and in a strange sense, I even see myself this way. The voice in my lyricism is always that of the objective narrator, and this reflects how I perceive the world around me. A recurring theme in my works, musical and otherwise, is looking at an aspect of our world, taking a step back and laughing at it, as this is my approach to life. Humans are a very funny group of people, especially when we do not realize it, and it's up to those of us who can put our own spin on things to help the rest of humanity realize this. It is not in my nature to be solemn or serious, and thus you will never hear this tone in any of my works, musical or otherwise. I encourage every reader to go back and reread everything here in a silly voice as I've just done.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
You did not come into this world to be powerless. Nobody did. You are a highly evolved being with the capability to think for yourself and understand the world around you.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
I could write an entire book on this--and in the future I just might--but for now, I will try not to ramble too much. While there is the positive aspect that anyone can send their creations out into the world, the reality of this is that, with so much music being pumped into the atmosphere (not to mention all the other content creators and businesses vying for each person's attention), potential listeners cannot keep up, and therefore asking for even a few minutes of their time can often prove futile. There has also been a shift towards marketing oneself and building a "brand" as a means of success for independent artists, which can be economically viable, but it becomes more about the personality than the music itself. Those of us who dedicate our lives to creating and perfecting quality music often do not have the time or the energy to also be social media influencers, and it is not in our best interest to compete with them--they are in a different lane, and there are enough people trying to merge into that lane already. Musicians who are truly in it for the music they create--not simply to "sell themselves" or "build a brand" that's profitable--should seek an alternate route that allows the music to be heard without asking anything of the listener; such routes predate algorithmic internet marketing techniques. No matter what state the music business is in, there will always be a route for great songs to prevail. It is still the music business, after all.
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
I am not particularly invested in day-to-day living, so I do not think much about each day ahead of me when I wake up unless there is something I have scheduled. I am satisfied with myself when I can work on multiple creative projects in a day and grow internally without exerting myself or compromising my energy for an external source. I should keep a record of each thing I think about when I first awaken--french fries could certainly emerge as a frontrunner--but then the first thing I would think about would be documenting the first thing I think about, which would ultimately defeat the purpose of the academic study.
What are your plans for the future?
I shall remain vigilant for opportunities that allow my music to reach a greater number of people, as I believe I am here for a greater purpose than to simply compose and write music for my own enjoyment. I plan to release hundreds more songs over the course of the next decade or two--some are still entirely in my head, some are ready for a release, and most are somewhere in between--but only when I have strategies in place to bring them to a larger audience without having to resort to methods that have already proven fruitless (not a pomegranate in sight). Until then, I shall continue to create music each day, meditate and grow as a human person, write irreverent short stories, study ancient Chinese philosophy, and let the rest flow towards me.