1) Who are you, who is in the band, who does what in the studio and on stage?
My name is Micah P. Hinson. I’ve been a singer/songwriter, I suppose, officially, since the release of …The Gospel of Progress on Sketchbook Records, back about 12 years ago now. I also engineer and produce all my work, besides a few recordings.
2) How long have you been writing and performing in this way?
I suppose I’ve been writing and performing, on a smaller level, since I was about 13; so 21 years. Officially since 2003, or thereabouts.
3) How exactly do you work / write / record?
I’ve used producers such as John Congleton, of Modest Mouse and Explosions in The Sky fame, Matt Pence of Centromatic fame, and Thom Knot of The Earlies fame, but most my recordings and records have come from whatever home I’m living in in Texas, using my engineer and guru, Tom Bridwell.
4) How do you feel your studio/recording style informs the way you perform your music live (or vice versa)?
I would guess it’s mix of the two. At first, it was all about translating the songs I’d written onto stage when I performed, but as time as gone on, I find it more important to play the songs live for some time, then putting what I’ve learned to tape. I feel you gotta learn how the songs want to be played, or put across.
5) What’s been happening lately and what’s new with you?
I’ve just been doing what I’ve always done: getting songs together, playing live, recording, and releasing records. Of course, throughout my “career” a lot in Music has changed, so it’s a bit of changing with it and a bit of kicking against the pricks. I’ve recently been booking my own runs, so that’s been a learning curve, but by paying some bit of attention throughout the years, I’ve been able to figure it out.
As far as my own personal recordings, it’s been a while as I’ve had a child with my wife, Ashley Bryn. A boy by the name of Wiley Tex Shokmallihma malli Hinson. In Chickasaw, it means “It Was Lightening and He Jumped”. I do have a side project, called Broken Arrows, that released our first LP through Bronson Produzioni out of Ravenna, Italy. That record has gone to second printing, on black vinyl now, and we, my mate T. Nicholas Phelps, who used to play on my records and tour with me but is now a Doctor, are preparing a second LP. It’s a completely different style; I’ve heard described as ‘Desert Metal’, but that’s a strange term to wrap a head around.
6) When was the last time you played Edinburgh (and where)?
Hell, I can’t honestly recall the last time. I’ve been trying to work it out, but it evades me. I find myself more in Glasgow for some reason. I do recall playing in this little record store type joint ages ago that was underneath a small bridge, or overpass. I was supporting The Earlies. The show went well, as I remember, but that’s back when I was still a pretty heavy drinker, so that doesn’t help. The shows back then used to be a lot more violent. I threw my guitar at my cellist once, right after I heard my Grandpa had passed, my hands were bleeding, and I ended up standing on the floor, in front of the stage, kinda orchestrating the band’s movements. That’s a night I’ll not soon forget.
7) If you’ve played Limbo before, what did you like/rate about the experience? If you’ve not played Limbo before, what have you heard about it?
I heard of Limbo through the lads in Delta Mainline. I did a remix for them of one of their tunes for a 7″, which never made it on wax, or at least my version didn’t. I think the mix was too big or loud or Spector-ish. I wanted to replicate that feeling of the needle just jumping off the record. I only had four tracks to work with, so it was a pretty interesting project. I’m not surprised it didn’t make it. It was pretty far outta the box from what they had done, but that’s what I was going for.
8) What’s next, coming up after this gig, for you and what are you generally looking forward to right now…?
Well, I’ll be coming over this month to do a Union Chapel gig with The Album Leaf, which I dig cause I proposed to my wife there. Then the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas, before heading north to ya’ll. Then a few Spanish gigs in Huelva and Barcelona after, then returning home to my family. Also working on a new LP: been recording it on my father in law’s reel to reel. He was excited about Music back in the 70’s, so he bought some great gear, then just put it all back in the box until I showed up and he offered for me to use it. The old sound I really dig, the work it takes; not just start and stop on a computer screen. It takes work and a willingness to make it sound good. We’ll see when that comes out. I also have that side project, Broken Arrows, and we’re working on our 2nd LP at the moment. That’s been nice to see that come to life. We took 10 years recording the 1st one. Hopefully another 10 don’t pass til the next…
9) If you have any other passions/opinions you’d like to share, if there’s anything else you feel strongly about, pls feel free to tell us about it here…?
I feel strongly about a lot of stuff, but I’ve learned to generally keep my mouth closed. In the end, I think the Music and the Musician needs to stay separated. People read too much into things, make their own opinions, and generally make a wreck outta what people say and think.
10) How would you describe what you do – in a nutshell – to someone who’s never seen you before?
I play songs about relationships on instruments for people, who are interested, to hear. Simple as that.
