Band Interview: Jeremiah McKinley
Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life are pleased to bring you an interview with ‘dirty folk’ band, Jeremiah McKinley.
1. How did you get started as a band?
We’ve always enjoyed music but it was not until my brother (Noah McKinley Smith) and I (Jeremiah Christian Smith) watched The Head and The Heart at the on their Signs Of Light tour at the Ritz in Raleigh, that I pulled the trigger and picked up a guitar. I had maybe learned three chords when I started writing my own songs and I have been hooked ever since. My Brother had guitar lessons when he was younger and around the same time I started, he picked the guitar back up. After a couple of months, we were writing songs together and sending pieces back and forth to help each other out.
2. How would you describe your sound?
I would call us Dirty Folk. We incorporate a lot of different influences and genres from folk and Americana to rock and even a bit of country.
3. What bands/artists would you say have influenced your style of music?
We each listen to wide varieties of music. I listen to The Black Keys, Tyler Childers, the Bones of JR Jones, Shakey Graves, The Movement and Noah listens to a lot of Hendrix, John Mayer, Caamp, and Hippo Campus. But, we also hare a lot of the same influences and want to make music people can dance to and that can make people feel. I think we are mostly categorized as Americana/folk rock. We chose folk music as our jumping off point because those are the songs that have always spoken to us. Real life experience, good and bad, stories that really get into your soul.
4. Has the rise of YouTube & music streaming helped or hindered you as a band?
Probably a little of both. The internet is a vast place where it is easy to get lost in the crowd, but it is also a great way to stumble onto new songs and bands you may not have even been searching for.
5. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?
I am usually sketching or painting when I’m not working on music. I was an art major in college so I am always interested in finding ways to channel my creativity. Half the excitement of starting this band for me is getting to design logos, shirts, and album covers.
6. What are your future plans musically? Tours?
We plan to be on the scene for the long haul. We haven’t had a chance to play a lot live with the pandemic, so we are looking forward to booking as many dates as we can.
Links
Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
