The best tip for making an indie folk album is write songs and have something to write about with real feelings. Don’t do it as a business project. It’ll sound like an ambitious business venture to be marketed. Make it sound like you. The natural you. The real you in real life, offline.
I would write and record ann indie folk album with my musician friends if it had guaranteeed success. Which of us musicians who love double bass, banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion, drums and vocal harmonies wouldn’t. Inspired by nature, inspired by Bob Dylan vinyl or the Irish fok hero Christy Moore.
Then I would go on tour of Europe in the coolest medium sized venues with people that I love playing music to kind people who love the music. That’s the indie folk dream for a British artist isn’t it?
I mean people love Sufjan Stevens right. So why not? Let’s be honest I’m nearly ten years older than Sufjan Stevens and he released his 7th studio album “Carrie & Lowell” in 2015 which is ten years ago. So this is an abstract wishful blog but as long as you’re ok with it, I am. I watched Donavan at Kendal Calling festival in the north of England a few years back and he was past the UK state pension age (although I suspect he may already be famous since the 1960s s and that might help).
If you have a dream of making music with personal lyrics inspired by a Bon Iver influence or an Ed Sheeran acoustic guitar vibe full of emotional storytelling and inspired by nature with a bedroom recording feel – then who can blame you. Then add the YouTube of playing the guitar on top of a barge or you in a cuddly Euro-jumper next to a Scottish loch, cool and still as glass, like the popular talented Passenger in his splendid videos.
Only book the small sized venues in chic cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam with your new cardboard recycled, hand painted artwork on your brand new “cd/download for the electric car” with its lo-fi production. Travelling in the EV camper with extra tents, hanging out with red bush tea and telling tales of the previous gig adventures while practising harmonies around the camp fire and admiring your own vinyl.
Well ok it’s been done like a million times and done well. I’ve even had moments myself though I never got much further than Manchester or local BBC Radio but we did have fans and yes in the 1990s audiences were more inspired by offline live music than they are now. No doubt. And people said thing slike – you’re going to be famous I know it, even my relatives (which is saying something). But of course we weren’t famous but we had good songs and good moments. (Watch the best film ever about music from the 80s/90s – The Commitments – make sure you get to the end and you’ll see the full version of what I’m talking about).
So yeah how can you make an indie folk album without guaranteed success? You need the loan to pay for that recording studio, the musicians to drop everything – kids, spouses, jobs, – the free time to drop everything in your own life. The rent, gas, electric, UK council tax, it all has to be covered while you’re away.
You need the good health and energy, the confidence, the positive outlook, the artwork, the videos uploaded, promotion among the other millions of wannabees, the electric EV and the tour management team. I felt I had plenty of songs – but not the guaranteed success.
Over the last two decades I realise that favourite acts of mine, namely Smoke Fairies, Warpaint, Emma Pollock and King Creosote they did manage it but they had their various struggles and lulls in confidence like any other human beings on the planet. Fair play to them though. It’s not easy and you have to be really good.
This could be the first track on my new indie folk album..you never know.
As a foot note that may be of interest to music fans who love arty, indie-folk with a jazz tinge….
My favourite YouTube artist for live performances (and I saw her at The Deaf Institute in Manchester that one time) is Alice Phoebe Lou and somehow she has done it. Hard work, super confidence and a young woman who could sing names out of the phonebook and make it sound amazing. And to be fair, she is totally business minded about merchandise and promotion and all that if you watch her documentary (below).
Alice-Phoebe Lou does the indie artist travelling Europe and being arty, experimental, inspired and original. Originating from South Africa and based in Berlin she plays with a set of jazz-folk musicians to die for. She makes things happen musically in a way I can only enjoy and admire like a musically-informed fan but who isn’t a musician these days.
Mike Kneafsey Guitar 