ERIC SKELTON
Head Of Music
RED MOON TRAVELERS; INTERVIEW THE MUSICIANS WHO ARE
TAKING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY BY STORM
RECORDING ARTIST RED MOON TRAVELERS RECENTLY MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESSION IN THEIR CAREER. REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS PLAYING MUSIC.
RICH AND ROBBIE STARTED PLAYING MUSIC WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG. THAT’S WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT MUSIC IS THE ONLY SOUL AND FOOD THAT GIVE THEM THE GREATEST JOY. AS A RESULT, THEY STARTED RECORDING AND DOING SHOWS. THEY ARE KNOWN FOR ALWAYS FOLLOWING THEIR HEART AND PURSUING BRIGHT DREAMS.
SETTLING UPON SPARKING A MUSIC CAREER , THEY HAVE MADE A NAME OUT OF PLAYING MUSIC.
IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH ERIC SKELTON, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW THEY STARTED AND WHAT THEIR FUTURE HOLDS FOR THEM AND THEIR MUSIC.
- BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I HAVE TO ASK WHAT IS UP WITH YOUR BIO?
*BOTH LAUGHING*
ROBBIE; WELL, WE KNEW WE NEEDED A BIO OF SORTS ON OUR WEBSITE. WE SAT DOWN AND STARTED WRITING ONE, GOT TWO OR THREE LINES IN, AND JUST STALLED. RICH AND I JUST SAT THERE STARING AT THE SCREEN. I SAID “THIS BIO IS READING LIKE AN OBITUARY”. *LAUGHING*. I HAD AN IDEA. WHY NOT JUST WRITE AN OUTRAGEOUS FICTIONAL STORY. THAT WAY, IF SOMEONE READS IT, THEY’LL BE LIKE… “WTH?”! AND, THAT’S WHAT YOU SEE, AN OUTRAGEOUS FICTIONAL STORY ABOUT SPACE TRAVEL. I THOUGHT IT WAS HYSTERICAL. YOU ARE EXPECTING TO READ ABOUT THE BAND, INSTEAD, YOU GET SOME WILD STORY THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. *LAUGHING*.
THE BEGINNING
• HOW DID YOU GET A START IN MUSIC?
RICH; SELF TAUGHT GUITAR AND MUSIC INSPIRATION OBSERVING MY FATHER PLAY FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD
ROBBIE; WE BOTH STARTED AT A YOUNG AGE, MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR ME. I WENT THROUGH EVERY MUSIC PROGRAM THE SCHOOLS I WENT TO OFFERED. I STARTED OUT AS A DRUMMER. MARCHING BAND,CONCERT BAND AND JAZZ BAND. THEN IN THE 70’S BANDS LIKE LED
ZEPPELIN, SANTANA, THE WHO, ERIC CLAPTON AND JIMI HENDRIX WERE POPULAR. SO THEN I LEARNED GUITAR. I WANTED TO BE A ROCK STAR. *LAUGHING*. I HAD PLAYED WITH A COUPLE ROCK BANDS IN THE EARLY 80’S BUT, DIDN’T REALLY STICK WITH IT. 1990: I WENT
ALL IN. IT WAS AT THIS POINT I WENT PRO AND ENDED UP PLAYING WITH SOME PRETTY BIG NAMES. LIKE BOBBY PURIFY (1964: I’M YOUR PUPPET) JEFF COOK (ALABAMA; HUGE COUNTRY BAND) THE PLATTERS (SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYE, ONLY YOU AND THE GREAT
PRETENDER). I MET RICH IN 2011 WHEN SEARCHING FOR A BASS PLAYER AND THE REST IS HISTORY, AS THEY SAY. *LAUGHING*.
• WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE?
RICH; RAY BROWN WITH THE ALL-STAR BIG BAND & JEFF BECK WITH THE YARDBIRDS.
ROBBIE; I HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS MANY TIMES AND I NEVER REALLY KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT. THERE ARE SO MANY INFLUENCES, HOWEVER, IF I HAD TO NAIL IT DOWN…I WOULD SAY DAVID GILMOUR WAS A HUGE INFLUENCE ON MY PLAYING. HE CAN PLAY ONE
NOTE, AND IT WOULD BE THE PERFECT NOTE!…CARLOS SANTANA REALLY TAUGHT ME THE JAZZY/BLUES DORIAN SCALES WHICH I USE A LOT OF. OF COURSE, JIMI HENDRIX…A TRUE INNOVATOR OF HIS TIME. JOHN MCLAUGHLIN GAVE ME A STYLE OF SPEED AND PICKING
EVERY NOTE INSTEAD OF JUST HAMMERING OFF AND ON NOTES…I USE BOTH, BUT, HE WAS A BIG INFLUENCE ON ME. I COULD GO ON, BUT, WHO HAS THAT KIND OF TIME?
• WHAT IS YOUR MOST POPULAR SONG?
RICH; SHE’S FINE
ROBBIE; I THINK SO FAR, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE OUR NEW ONE CALLED “FOOL’S GAME“. WE
DON’T HAVE A HUGE FOLLOWING ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, BUT, THIS SEEMS TO ME
DOING PRETTY WELL. “LIVING ON EASY STREET” ALWAYS GOES OVER GREAT WHEN WE PLAY
IT LIVE. OH, AND “SHE’S FINE” REALLY GOT SOME ATTENTION TOO. THIS ONE WORKS
GREAT LIVE AS WELL.
• WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY IN MUSIC ?
ROBBIE; *LAUGHING* I HAVE NONE. NO ONE IN MY FAMILY PLAYED INSTRUMENTS. (THAT I AM AWARE
OF) NO ONE IN MY FAMILY HAD A HISTORY OF PLAYING MUSIC. WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MY
GRANDMOTHER WANTED ME TO LEARN THE ACCORDION, BUT, I WAS HAVING NONE OF THAT.
SHE WAS A HUGE LAWRENCE WELK FAN. I WAS FORCED TO WATCH THAT SHOW EVERY
SATURDAY NIGHT. SHE THOUGHT MYRON FLOYD WAS THE BEES KNEES. *LAUGHING* THE
ONLY OTHER PERSON FROM MY GENERATION THAT PLAYED GUITAR WAS MY LITTLE
BROTHER RON. THAT’S IT. IT WAS KIND OF OUR DREAM TO PLAY MUSIC TOGETHER, BUT, WE
LOST HIM IN 1990. SO, I CARRIED ON IN HIS HONOR. OTHER THAN THAT….NO ONE, SO, I
GUESS I WOULD BE THE FIRST.
CHALLENGES AND INFLUENCES
• WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES IN YOUR MUSIC CAREER ?
RICH; EXTENDING MY VOCAL REGISTER.
ROBBIE; THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH SONGS. ALWAYS TRYING TO ADD NEW MATERIAL TO THE LIVE SHOW, ALWAYS TRYING TO WRITE AND RECORD NEW SONGS. CONSTANTLY COMING UP WITH CONTENT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA. GETTING BOOKED FOR GIGS. GETTING
GOOD VIDEO AND PHOTOS. WE OPERATE ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET, SO, HAVING EXTRA HANDS OR BODIES AROUND TO HELP ISN’T ALWAYS AVAILABLE. DOING EVERYTHING OURSELVES IS TOUGH. NOT TO MENTION, IT IS TOTAL CHAOS OUT HERE ON THE WEB. THE
MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO, GETTING NOTICED, LISTENED TO OR EVEN STREAMED IS SO VERY DIFFICULT.
• WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR MOST POPULAR SONG?
ROBBIE; AGAIN, I AM GOING TO SAY “FOOL’S GAME“, AND WELL, THAT’S A BIT OF A LONG STORY. WHEN YOU ARE ONSTAGE ALL THE TIME AND START GAINING POPULARITY, THERE ARE PITFALLS TO THAT LIFESTYLE. FOOL’S GAME POINTS OUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU FALL
INTO THAT. THERE ARE SOME HEAVY COSTS YOU MAY END UP PAYING. AND PAY YOU WILL. IF YOU CAN AVOID THESE “PITFALLS”, YOU’LL BE FINE. THIS IS A BUSINESS, AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH. IF YOU TREAT IT AS A NEVER ENDING PARTY, THEN YOU WILL GO DOWN,
HARD.
• WHAT IS THE CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE FOR YOU?
RICH; MY CREATIVE PROCESS INCLUDES STRONG ENSEMBLE SUPPORT & DEVELOPING
INTERESTING COUNTER-HARMONY BASS CLEFS.
ROBBIE; I USUALLY START OUT JUST NOODLING AROUND ON MY ACOUSTIC. TRY TO
COME UP WITH A GOOD HOOK AND GO FROM THERE. I LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT REAL THINGS,
NOT JUST WRITE LIKE…BABY, BABY, OH BABY TYPE STUFF. ALL THAT REPETITIVE STUFF
TURNS ME OFF. I LIKE REAL STORIES, FROM REAL LIFE. WE ALL HAVE A REAL LIFE, AND AS
FAR AS THAT GOES, WE ALL HAVE KIND OF THE SAME STORIES. I TRY TO BE SIMPLE AND
VAGUE, RELATABLE. I KNOW I HAVE SOMETHING GOOD WHEN EVERYONE CAN HEAR IT AND
RELATE TO IT. THAT IS SONG WRITING.
• HOW HAS YOUR SOUND CHANGED OVER TIME?
RICH; I HAVE DEVELOPED A MELODIC BLUES/JAZZ TECHNIQUE.
ROBBIE; TECHNOLOGY FOR ONE THING. HOME STUDIO RECORDING HAS REALLY BECOME
ATTAINABLE AND COST EFFECIENT IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. PLUS, YOU GET A BIT OLDER AND
WISER, LISTEN TO THE GARBAGE THAT MAINSTREAM IS PUTTING OUT AS POPULAR, TAKE
SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES AND APPLY THEM TO WHAT YOU’RE DOING. THERE IS GREAT
MUSIC OUT THERE, IT’S JUST HARD TO FIND THROUGH ALL THE CRAP THAT’S BEING PUT
OUT CURRENTLY.
WHAT COMES NEXT
• WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?
RICH; TO FORM A FULL BAND OF COMPETENT MUSICIANS.
ROBBIE; OF COURSE TO HAVE A FULL BAND, A TOURING LEVEL BAND. I JUST WANT TO WRITE AND RECORD SOME GREAT SONGS. SELL SOME RECORDS AND MAKE A DECENT LIVING. I AM NOT LOOKING TO BE FAMOUS, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THAT. KIDS TODAY ALL WANT
TO BE FAMOUS OR AN INTERNET SENSATION. THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE IN FOR. ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA. I FIND THAT MOST OF THEM THAT ACTUALLY START GETTING VIRAL METRICS, END UP DISAPPEARING AND IN THERAPY. *LAUGHING* BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU
WISH FOR.
• HOW HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR FANS CHANGED OVER TIME?
RICH; REMAINING CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH FANS HAS NOT CHANGED.
ROBBIE; DO WE HAVE FANS? I’LL HAVE TO RESEARCH THAT. *LAUGHING*. WE HAVE SOME MODEST METRICS, SO, I GUESS WE HAVE A FEW OUT THERE. MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT CONTACT US ARE USUALLY A BIT OLDER. WHAT I MEAN IS, I’VE HEARD FROM YOUNGER
PEOPLE LIKE 30 ISH…TO MAYBE MID 60’S. WE ARE MORE OF AN ACQUIRED TASTE I THINK, A CLASSIC SOUND. WE ARE NOT RAP OR HIP HOP, SO, WE DON’T SEE THE YOUNGER GENERATION RESPONDING TO OUR MUSIC TOO MUCH. BUT, THEY ARE OUT THERE. BEING A
BIT OLDER, I FOUND THAT THE ONES WHO WERE WITH US BEFORE ARE FINDING US AGAIN. SO, I GUESS WE ALL JUST GREW UP TOGETHER. BUT THE INTEREST IS STILL THERE. I WELCOME AS MANY YOUNGER PEOPLE AS I CAN THAT JUST WANT TO LEARN HOW TO ACTUALLY PLAY AN INSTRUMENT AND NOT JUST TWIST KNOBS OR USE PREFAB CLIPS. THAT MAKES ME INSANE. *LAUGHING*
• HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTED YOUR CAREER?
RICH; EXTENDS FAN REACH & IMPROVES SHOW ADVERTISING.
ROBBIE; WHEN WE STARTED OUT, THERE WAS NO SOCIAL MEDIA, I MEAN IN THE CURRENT SENSE. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA WAS THE THREE ‘T’S”…TELEPHONE…TELEGRAPH…TELL A FRIEND!
*LAUGHING* IF YOU HAD A GIG, YOU HAD FLYERS PRINTED UP, AND YOU WALKED ALL OVER TOWN AND PASTED THEM UP EVERYWHERE YOU COULD. EVERY PHONE BOOTH (SOME MAY
NEED TO GOOGLE THAT) HALLWAY, STORE WINDOW AND BATHROOM YOU COULD. TODAY, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT’S ABSOLUTE CHAOS OUT THERE. WE HAVE OUR PLATFORMS THAT WE USE, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND SUCH. KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’S IS A LOSING BATTLE. HOWEVER, IF YOU USE THEM CORRECTLY (WHATEVER THAT IS) YOU MAY GAIN SOME
RECOGNITION.
INSPIRATION
• HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR FANS?
ROBBIE; I DON’T CONSIDER MYSELF AS A ROLE MODEL. IF YOU ASK ME WHAT I THINK , I WILL GIVE YOU MY HONEST OPINION. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BECOME A MUSICIAN, I WILL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF MY EXPERIENCE. IF YOU ASK ME ABOUT POLITICS, I WILL HAVE NO ANSWER. I AM NOT A POLITICIAN. IF YOU ASK ME ABOUT MUSIC AND THAT LIFESTYLE, I WILL ABSOLUTELY HELP YOU WITH WHATEVER I CAN. I HAVE A LIFETIME OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE. *LAUGHING*
• WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS?
RICH; STICK WITH YOUR AMBITION.
ROBBIE; IF THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE TRULY WANTING TO DO…NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER. STAY TRUE TO YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS. ALSO,LISTEN AND LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, AND LEARN IT WELL. ALWAYS TRY TO PLAY WITH OTHER
MUSICIANS THAT ARE BETTER THAN YOU. AS A RESULT IT’S THE FASTEST WAY TO REALLY GET GOOD AT YOUR CRAFT. I HAVE DONE THIS MY WHOLE CAREER, AND IT HAS ALWAYS, I MEAN ALWAYS PAID OFF. NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU THINK YOU ARE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE
SOMEONE BETTER. STAY HUMBLE AND POSITIVE, NEVER PUT DOWN OTHER BANDS OR MUSICIANS, WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN LEVELS, STYLES AND ABILITIES. DON’T BE “THAT” PERSON THAT THINKS THEIR POOP DON’T STINK! *LAUGHING*
NEXT STEPS
• HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE MUSIC YOU MAKE IN ONE SENTENCE.
RICH; REFLECTIVE & POPULAR DESCRIBES OUR MUSIC.
ROBBIE; LOL, WE CAME UP WITH OUR OWN GENRE “REDNECK FUNK”. REALLY IT’S A NEW CLASSIC SOUND.
• TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING OR RECENT PROJECTS.
RICH; ONGOING ORIGINAL SHOWCASE DEVELOPMENT.
ROBBIE; WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR NEXT ALBUM. WORKING TITLE “WE ARE HERE”, THIS WILL BE OUR 5TH CONTRIBUTION. THE VISUAL CONCEPT IS AN APOCALYPTIC WORLD THAT WE ARE SEEMINGLY CREATING. MANY OF THE SONGS FOR THIS PROJECT WILL TALK ABOUT THIS CONCEPT. WE HOPE TO HAVE THIS FINISHED BY THE END OF 2024.
RICH AND ROBBIE HAVE SHOWN BY THE QUALITY OF THEIR SONGS; THEIR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. THEY HAVE BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NEW PROJECTS. WATCH OUT FOR
THEM AS THEY ARE CONFIDENT IN THEIR TALENT AND VIBES. RED MOON TRAVELERS BRINGS THE MESSAGE THEY ARE CARRYING WHICH IS FREEDOM, EQUALITY AND PEACE WHILE HAVING FUN. AT THIS POINT, IT IS EASY TO SAY THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED STAR TO LOOK OUT FOR. CHECK OUT THE MAGNIFICENT PIECE OF WORK VIA THE LINKS BELOW;
WEBSITE: https://redmoontravelers.com
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC527Ptt_z5tJRz-w5rHinDQ
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/redmoontravelers?mibextid=LQQJ4d
SPOTIFY LINK: https://open.spotify.com/artist/02ntEVUDdcNE5uGaf0kd6T
APPLE MUSIC : https://music.apple.com/us/artist/red-moon-travelers/1082828120
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