An interview with Corey Bowen
Yesterday (March 2nd) I had the pleasure of interviewing musician Corey Bowen from Middlesbrough to find out more about the person behind the music. Middlesbrough is a town that doesn't receive the recognition it deserves for its talented artists so I'm proud to promote those who do. Corey has "been in a couple of bands since school but they never really worked out" now he just does acoustic stuff. With over 4000 plays of his track 'Flowers' on SoundCloud, it seems things are going really well. So, is the curse finally lifting for these Boro-bred artists? I delved into Corey's music history, his fashion sense and hopes for the future...
Why did you choose music?
I guess boredom. Where I am from there really isn't much to do or to be interested but people tend to gravitate towards various hobbies and interests and music was mine. It was around a time in my early teens when my friends and I had just begun finding our own music, you know, rather than listening to what our parents were into or whatever was on the radio. That was a kind of push to begin learning instruments and making music. I remember really getting into Nirvana and then I really just wanted to write songs and play music. I was fortunate enough to have like-minded friends.
Now, you have been in bands but have taken the solo route for now - which do you prefer?
I look at them as totally separate things so it's really hard to say which I prefer. I like them both for their own reasons. Performance wise, I really love playing in a band and I hope that BUG get together again soon. We're on a sort of break at the minute, doing our own thing but I love delving into that dimension. What's great is that I have never been in a band with strangers. The guys I have been in bands with have always been my best friends, and there's nothing better than playing music with your best friends. Having 3 or 4 more sets of ears when writing or recording makes for a really interesting outcome.
On the other hand, when I write and record alone it really gives me the freedom to be able to do exactly what I want. In terms of my latest EP, on a dynamic level it's very simple, because it was recorded all live, just me and my guitar. I engineered and produced the EP, as I have always done with my songs. Obviously in a band environment there are 4 opinions to adhere to, rather than just my own, so I prefer it that way. The way I work is I like to make a sorta audible painting that portrays what is on my mind, or what I have experienced, or how I am feeling. I feel, as a solo artist, that I have the means to be able to do that now. I don't have to worry about if anyone else is going to like it. It's really great. The freedom gives me so much room to do what I want, for example, I just started experimenting with different sorts of electronic patches and drum samples and stuff. I have started producing stuff like that, no guitars, no physical instruments, just keyboards and computers. It's not as pure as the other music I have made in the past but it's a new challenge. I don't have those restrictions any more where as when I played in a band I did. I like having complete control I guess.
Do you think that your music taste has evolved having had experience in a band?
Personally I have always been drawn in and inspired by great song writing, when I was in a band and when I wasn't. I have always worked the same way in which I would write a song using only lyrics and guitar and then build around that at practice. I guess when I was recording the Old Flame EP I really went back to the songwriters I had looked up to way back. Guys like Neil Young and Nick Drake, they are the ones who I sort of went back to this time. But certainly, since recording the EP I have found artists who work in a similar way with similar mind frames and studied that. I find that interesting and I love hearing new music.
As I mentioned earlier about experimenting with different sorts of electronic music making, it's kinda one in the same for finding music with me. I heard a bunch of great DJ's, producers, and artists making some great electronic sounds and more recently I have been really influenced by that. But that's just this moment in time, you know, I could hear a great rock album tomorrow and I'll wanna write more songs, but that's just the way I am. But for now, it's definitely stuff like Flying Lotus and Gigamesh. I enjoy experimenting with texture, whatever way it may be.
So, who influences your current sound?
In terms of song writing it has to be Christopher Owens. He is a songwriter from San Francisco, used to play in the band GIRLS. He has this way of putting so much emotion and fragility into every one of his songs and it is amazing. Ever since I first heard his songs for GIRLS and his solo stuff I have been a huge fan and I was lucky enough to see him live too, with Olivia. Really amazing.
Are there any other musicians you look to for inspiration? Some other songwriters who I am really inspired by are like Randy Newman, Elliott Smith, Neil Young, those guys are all great. Then there's the sorta new age, weirdo kinda songwriters like Connan Mockasin, Mac DeMarco and Mikal Cronin who are all really awesome because they're experimental with their songwriting and recording.
In terms of the electronic stuff I'm really influenced by a lot of hip-hop. I love the production on A$AP Ferg's 'Trap Lord' album, Dre's '2001' is a standout album too, alongside various others. I like to think that all the music I make is a culmination of genres!
Do you think that music influences your sense of style?
I think it does influence style but maybe it shouldn't have to. Sure, there was a time when I loved Nirvana and used to wear clothes that were like 4 sizes too big because I wanted to look like Kurt Cobain, but I think that teenagers now get way too wrapped up in it all. I see a lotta kids wearing stuff purely because someone from a band wore it, not because they like it themselves and that's kinda shitty. I think it's way cooler if someone wears the clothes they wear because they really like them and not because someone from a band wore it, but you know, kids are easily swayed when it comes to aesthetics like that. Like I was saying above, I listen to a lot of hip-hop and rap but I don't dress like I'm from South Central LA, you know. I guess the music people listen to does influence their style but it shouldn't have to. In reality the two are very distant things. There was a time when the music you liked reflected your wardrobe and vice versa, but it's not the 60's, 70's, 80's or 90's any more. Punk is dead, grunge is dead, Britpop is dead. A lot of people think it's real neat to dress like their favourite bands but essentially it's very outdated. Be yourself, not an imitation of your favourite alt. rock guy!
What about gigging? Do you have any dates lined up?
Not right now. Gigging isn't really a huge thing for me. Maybe if there was more interest in Middlesbrough, where I live, then I would be into gigging, but I try and avoid getting stuck in the whole circuit round here because it's real shitty to be honest. Sure, there's people who are open to hearing new music, but gigging in Middlesbrough is pointless to me.
So then, what are your hopes in terms of your future in music?
Well for now I've really put the songwriting stuff on the back burner. I'm focusing on producing and mastering different sorts of dance and hip hop music at the moment. It's a new challenge for me and I'm really enjoying getting my teeth into it. It's something I've never tried before so yeah, really interesting for me at the minute. There's a track up on my Soundcloud that I made a couple of weeks back and I'm planning on releasing some sort of mixtape/EP of that sorta stuff soon. It's in the pipeline, definitely. Corey Bowen's EP is available for download at coreybowen.bandcamp.com If you are a band/musician who would like for me to do something similiar then please get in touch via the CONTACT tab or directly through theelectricpost@hotmail.com. Send me a link to your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SoundCloud accounts and we can arrange something for you.
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