A veteran of New York City’s underground music scene, Mike Power played on the stages of such beloved lost venues as CBGB’s and Kenny’s Castaways, as well as stalwart survivors like Arlene’s Grocery and the Bitter End, as singer/songwriter and bassist with several bands. His first solo album, "Observations" was called “ a great mix of old school NYC punk and acoustic gems” and his second album "Compulsions" is available now. The album contains 8 new original songs, recorded and mixed at Vinegar Hill Sound in Brooklyn. Produced by Reed Black and featuring Julie Rozansky on bass, Chris DeRosa on drums, and Luke Cissell on violin.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Mike Power, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
There was always music in my house growing up. My parents listened to different kinds of music but there was always something playing and life still seems too quiet without it.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
Jobs eat up time that would be better spent in the studio but I couldn’t afford to record without the jobs. Family also eats into that time but without the people I love there would be no inspiration for the songs.
Your latest release is 'Compulsions'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
After spending a couple of years at least semi-isolated with the pandemic, I was anxious to get back into the studio and record the songs that I wrote during that time. They say “be careful what you wish for” and I was always wishing for more time to work on my music but I didn’t want that time to come because of a lethal disease.
Where did you get the inspiration for this album?
The songs on this album are different from the ones I used to write. I spent a lot of time working on guitar technique and breaking out of the patterns that developed when I was a part of a band that worked together regularly and influenced each other. The inspiration on the new album was more introspective.
How long did you work on the 'Compulsions'? Was it an easy process for you?
We started rehearsing the songs in March of this year and didn’t get the final mixes together until November. There were a lot of delays due to circumstances beyond my control but I was more interested in getting the songs right than getting them fast. It wasn’t always easy but I am excited about the results of our work.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
I think that most of my songs are straight-forward in their lyrics. The songs on this album are mostly about love and other desires. Sometimes the meaning goes beyond words, which is why the opening track is an instrumental.
What interests or hobbies do you have outside of music?
I like to write. Songwriting is my favorite form of writing but I am also a published novelist and poet. I have written a couple of short plays too and a full-length dramatic piece is taking up a lot of my creative time since we finished recording and mixing this album.
How do you find yourself in the music business? When you started out in music, did you know it would be like this?
I don’t feel like much of a part of the business side of music. I have been playing and writing songs since I was a teenager and, for better and worse, not too much has changed, professionally, in my approach to songwriting and performing.
How do you nurture your own creativity?
I am lucky enough to have a more flexible schedule than I have had in many years and that has given me time and space to explore my creativity. Meditation is a lot like playing music and when I am able to find time to meditate I find the creativity flows more freely and productively.
What are your plans for the future?
A friend once told me when I was going through a dry spell creatively that I couldn’t stop being creative if I wanted to. And he was right. That advice stuck with me so that I don’t ever feel blocked from creative expression. My future, like my past, will be a continuation on the path of exploration and expression.