Interview with MILES EAST

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

When I was about five years old, my mom said, “I want you to hear something.” She sat me in front of the record player and put on Side One of Meet The Beatles. At that age I wasn’t allowed to touch the record player so I had to ask my mom to flip the record, which she ended up having to do over and over again for the next six hours. This would suggest that hearing The Beatles for the first time is what got me into music, but they were really the catalyst rather than the reason. I believe that for those who pursue music, regardless of when they began their journey, they’ll never be able to name a time in their conscious lives when they weren’t musicians. It just comes down to what your catalysts were. As far as what I’d be doing if I hadn’t gotten into music, I can say proudly that I haven’t the slightest idea. To imagine such a thing is to imagine an entirely different person.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I try to spend as much time as possible on or near salt water. It’s my meditation and my reset button. But more than that, it’s my muse. It never fails to get my artistic juices flowing.

How long have you been making music?

Since elementary school when I got my first drum set. Professionally, since the mid 90’s.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

I’m New York City based. As I’m sure you know, New York City’s influence on music is legendary, spawning some of the greatest modern musical genres, but it doesn’t lean in any particular musical direction. That is to say there isn’t really a New York City sound and that’s because it has all the sounds. Musically you’re truly free to be anything and anyone you want. But it better be authentic, and it better be exceptional, because Gotham has zero tolerance for anything less. I think that’s the best kind of influence, the put-up-or-shut-up kind. It definitely has been for me.

Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?

As a drummer there’s lots to chose from. Most recently I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with the great drummer, singer, recording artist Josh Dion. I was the one on drums for that scenario while he stood out front to sing. He’s got an incredible voice. It was a little surreal playing drums for this legendary drummer while he sang his ass off out front. That was pretty great. As a singer-songwriter, the one that comes to mind is the release show for my debut record Ghosts of Hope at New York’s iconic The Bitter End. This story starts out pretty dark but it gets better. Less than a week prior, another horrific mass shooting had taken place. This was back when these horrors still had the power to shock and devastate us. I was leaning towards bailing on the show, or at the very least postponing. I kept thinking, how dare I go “hey everybody, lets celebrate this thing I just did,” and who in their right mind would even want to. My producer, Blake Morgan, who was playing bass for me at that show, told me not to underestimate my audience’s desire for the healing power of music, and he was right.  The house was packed but it seemed really inappropriate to just hope the music would do the trick. We had to speak to it somehow and to, at the very least, relieve a bit of the anxiety everyone was no doubt feeling. So he suggested I prepare a little something to say at the opening of the show. It worked. People could relax enough to not feel bad about enjoying themselves for a few hours and let the music in. A recurring theme in my music is about searching for and/or finding hope in situations where there doesn’t seem to be much. It paid off for people that night in a way I didn’t expect, and I was so humbled and grateful.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

My favorite venue to play was New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall. But Stage Two and Three at that once multi-staged venue recently closed due to years of mismanagement. Stage One is still open but its reputation has taken a hit in the wake of the closures. It’s a real shame. Rockwood was the most respected venue in New York for original music and the preeminent incubator for up and coming artists. The NYC venue scene for original music is a little in flux right now as a result. One of the venues I’m itching to play is LA’s Hotel Cafe. I’ve played there as a drummer with other artists, but I really look forward to bringing my own music there.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

You might be expecting some fantasy football lineup here but I gotta go with my label mates. Just have a listen and you’ll understand why. It would be a trifecta of joy—they’re some of the most talent artists I know, I’m a serious fan of all of them, and they’re like family to me. An evening of all ECR Music Group artists would be one for the books. And the icing on the cake (which quite frankly wouldn’t need it) is that I’m the drummer for a lot of them so I’d be playing most of the night. Go to ECRMusicGroup.com and check them out.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

For a lot of artists and bands just starting out, too much time is wasted on recording or getting gigs, likes, and follows, etc, before attention is paid to the one thing needed before anything else even matters, which is working at being really, really good. Show me the new band or artist that puts in the hours diligently honing their craft, shaping their show, fine tuning their songs, and polishing their performance before they even think about stepping into the studio or booking a gig, and I’ll show you a band or artist that has a serious leg up on almost everyone else. That’s also the same advice I would give my younger self.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

This is a little like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. I think I’m going to go with a song off my first record called “The Fight”. It’s a song I’m very proud of but what makes it significant for me it that it was the key to becoming the artist I am today. My producer Blake and I had recorded an entire record’s worth of material, having cut all the tracks except lead vocals. As I’m listening through I’m realizing that my heart just wasn’t in any of the songs. They were good tunes, catchy with cool hooks and clever lyrics but I wasn’t emotionally invested in them. I was secretly keeping my deeper material back because I was too scared to share it. Except for one song “The Fight”. I was willing to let that one out for the record and of course I had no problem bringing the goods to the vocals on that song. Blake put a spotlight on it and said “This is Miles East. All the other songs could be anybody. Now go back and bring me all the songs that you’ve written like this.” That collection became Ghosts of Hope and the rest is history.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Again, it’s the favorite child thing. I’m having a lot of fun right now with a new song no one’s heard yet, just playing it around my house and in my own rehearsals. Every song I write is my favorite song to play for a little while and then it rotates. They all repeatedly fall in and out of the favorite slot. In terms of my most requested songs, it would be, “Learn To Bend” and “Saltwater Breeze” off my record Ghosts of Hope. The first two singles off the new record Between Lightning and Thunder are doing extremely well and are my most streamed songs to date but I haven’t really started gigging with them yet. Once I do, it wouldn’t surprise me if they take the top spot along with a few other songs off the new record.

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

I try to be as disciplined as possible about picking up the guitar every day. You gotta throw your line in the water if you wanna land a fish. You may not always be lucky but a dry hook won’t catch a damn thing. Inspiration can come from anywhere at any time. Walking brings a lot of ideas to the surface. Driving around does too. Cant tell you how many times I’ve woken up with a melody in my head. And as I mentioned earlier, saltwater is a big source of inspiration for me. I’ll come up with a lyric phrase or guitar thing that stirs up a feeling and I’ll ask myself ok what does this song want to be about and how does it relate to me? What do I want to say with it and is it worth saying? At that stage this song-to-be is like a block of marble. The finished song is in there. I can just make it out. All I need now is a hammer, a chisel, and time.

Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music? If so, please tell me about them.

I want my music to do for others what music has done for me, to pay it forward so to speak. I try to write songs that express solace and commiseration, that shine some light in our lives particularly during dark times. More than anything I try to write songs about hope, but not “everything’s-gonna-be-ok" hope, hope that actually moves the needle, embraces the darkness, and fully accepts the stakes. It’s not afraid to admit “yeah, under the circumstances I’m a long shot but what’s the alternative.”

Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about?

The first two singles,“Better Than Here” and “Lucky To Be Here Tonight” off my upcoming record Between Lightning and Thunder are out now everywhere music is sold and streamed. We’ll be releasing a video for “Lucky” in the beginning of March and another single in early April. Then the full record on June 7. Very exciting!

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

The big plan at hand is everything leading up to and including my record release on June 7. Aside from that I’ve always got lots of drum projects in the works but some noteworthy ones include Chris Barron’s (of Spin Doctors) next solo record, my producer Blake Morgan’s next record for which we’ve recently started writing drum parts, and my label mate Janita’s next record including a residency she’ll begin in May at The Bitter End in New York City.

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads at mileseastmusic.

Visit me at www.mileseast.com

Check out the new singles on your preferred streaming service at https://orcd.co/melh