Interview With Adam Reichmann
Muireanne | Aug 19, 2010 | Comments 0
Atam Reichmann plays St. Louis August 20.
If you ever find yourself sitting in a bar or cafe near Adam Reichmann, you might want to talk in a low voice, unless of course you don’t mind your stories becoming song lyrics.
“I take lots of notes, eavesdrop on conversations, and bring a handheld recorder with me almost everywhere,” Reichmann explains. “Good music can just come out of the blue.”
For St. Louis music fans Adam Reichmann needs no introduction. He’s been on the scene since 1997, riding the alternative country wave with his first bands and later serving a five-year stint as singer-songwriter with the critically acclaimed band, Nadine whose last record, Strange Seasons, he self-deprecatingly compares to an updated, sloppy, Beatles record.
Reichmann’s sound is constantly evolving. He claims that the straight alternative county he started out has now morphed into a fusion somewhere between power-pop and alternative-folk. For Reichmann this shift is a natural one.
“Eventually a genre’s conventions start to wear out,” he says. Reichmann’s musical tastes are as varied as his musical styles. His jumpstart musical influences included everything from Neil Young to Uncle Tupelo to AC/DC and Foreigner as he admits to finding the draw of Powerpop “enticing.” Furthermore Reichmann is an avid reader and attributes the strong narrative bend in his music to this.
For Reichmann, the important thing is to keep working, to be prolific and not to be self-judgmental until the recording process. Now on his sixth album, he says he’s not afraid to produce “dreck that nobody will ever hear” amidst the “tuneage.” This is probably because he believes that recorded music as a “thing” is almost taken for granted these days. As a result, he feels that there is now more pressure on bands to produce quality live performances rather than discs to deliver their product. “A rock show has no replacement,” he muses.
See Adam Reichmann live below (story continues below video)
Is the St. Louis music scene a difficult one for new bands to break into? Reichmann doesn’t believe so. What is difficult though he says is establishing an ever-faithful fan base. In order to do this he highlights the importance of developing an original sound and repertoire. “I don’t think you can just be derivative of some major acts and be the St. Louis version per se. This town loves and takes pride in its original songwriters and bands,” he notes.
Reichmann does think the St.Louis scene has changed since he first started out. “There are definitely more bands and they seem like they work together more. Back in the day, the friendly competition between groups could turn a little sour. I think that’s gone. People are just more grown up, I guess.” He also notes that music tastes in St.Louis have broadened over the years. He attributes this to new online music sharing programs, a trend he views positively for the growth of local bands.
Like his sound and the St. Louis music scene, Reichmann’s his own fan base has changed over the years. He says that his initial base of guys in baseball hats with the odd girlfriend has broadened to include more rock nerds.
Does he have a favorite venue to play in St. Louis? Reichmann was a fan of the old Cicero’s. Now, he enjoys playing Off Broadway which “has a lot of magic” and the church-like Sheldon Concert Hall because it’s “creepy great.”
Reichmann is aware that his musical appeal comes generally from “his slow, introspective touch.” That being said, he has tried to incorporate a more up tempo, energetic, vibe. How would he like his sound to evolve? “I imagine that I’ll always be swinging back and forth from those two extremes just like a lot of my heroes,” he says.
These days Reichmann is more selective about where he plays live, doing so only occasionally, when it suits him and his band mates. “I’ve been through too much difficult stuff to play in bad situations. I spent 5 years really trying to get a break as a professional musician, and despite some really great experiences like Pete Yorn’s label, playing on the BBC, touring Europe, etc), I’ve come out on the other side with just myself and my reputation. So, this time, I’m doing it my way and that’s just what you get.”
Reichmann’s LouFest appearance on August 28 will be a rare treat. Find out more here.
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