
John Sanger Interview
Q: Can you talk about your musical history?
A: I'm the youngest of 7. My oldest brother Steve was a tugboat captain traveling the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. He finger picked country blues on his adventures, and carved me things from bone, or driftwood and mailed them to me. I would listen to his Doc Watson, Leo Kottke and Skip James records while playing with the things Steve sent home to me. When he was little there was a popular song from Jimmy Dean called “Big Bad John.” He carved that into the spruce top of a cheap parlor guitar that was around the house and I pretended to play it while my brother Mike's rock band was rehearsing in our parents basement. Those are my first memories of music.
Recently I have done work for Gibson, had a song in a motion picture and opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd. I pitch my songs to Nashville publishers once a month in hopes of getting an artist cut or TV/Film placement.
Q: What are some topics and themes you explore with your music?
A: Lately I'm trying to pick a clear archetype like "Hero" or "Absent Minded Professor" and place them in a comedy or tragedy based on my life experience. There really aren't too many topics. Love, loss, death, etc...it's really how these themes are framed that make them feel real, fresh and believable. I always try to tell the story as conversationally as possible so it feels like me talking to a friend when the listener hears it.
Q: How do you approach songwriting?
A: Like a pro athlete. I try to leverage whatever natural talent I may have. If you always keep your ears and eyes open for ideas and try to write every day at least some of your stuff will be good, but it does take a lot of discipline to improve. Improving is really the only way songwriting stays fun forever. I always look back on my older songs and know they could've been better. That always makes me eager to start the next one.
Q: Can you talk about your musical history?
A: I'm the youngest of 7. My oldest brother Steve was a tugboat captain traveling the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. He finger picked country blues on his adventures, and carved me things from bone, or driftwood and mailed them to me. I would listen to his Doc Watson, Leo Kottke and Skip James records while playing with the things Steve sent home to me. When he was little there was a popular song from Jimmy Dean called “Big Bad John.” He carved that into the spruce top of a cheap parlor guitar that was around the house and I pretended to play it while my brother Mike's rock band was rehearsing in our parents basement. Those are my first memories of music.
Recently I have done work for Gibson, had a song in a motion picture and opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd. I pitch my songs to Nashville publishers once a month in hopes of getting an artist cut or TV/Film placement.
Q: What are some topics and themes you explore with your music?
A: Lately I'm trying to pick a clear archetype like "Hero" or "Absent Minded Professor" and place them in a comedy or tragedy based on my life experience. There really aren't too many topics. Love, loss, death, etc...it's really how these themes are framed that make them feel real, fresh and believable. I always try to tell the story as conversationally as possible so it feels like me talking to a friend when the listener hears it.
Q: How do you approach songwriting?
A: Like a pro athlete. I try to leverage whatever natural talent I may have. If you always keep your ears and eyes open for ideas and try to write every day at least some of your stuff will be good, but it does take a lot of discipline to improve. Improving is really the only way songwriting stays fun forever. I always look back on my older songs and know they could've been better. That always makes me eager to start the next one.
Q: Have you played this music live and if so how does it translate with an audience?
A: I play six-eight shows a month. I live test all my songs before I record them. I try to do them solo and see how they land. If people don't seem to get them I re-tool them or throw them out. The final selection for an album is typically a journey of topics and tempos that take a live audience on a journey of emotions and tempos/volumes that I hope will keep them locked in without getting bored. If it works live it translates well to a full length LP. (Which almost nobody cares about...but I do).
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: Any song I release under my name won't work for anyone but me. I keep that song for my loyal audience. That song will be honest & flawed like me. I hope people come for the melody and stay for the lyrics. If you do, you'll get to know me. I'm not for everyone, but the welcome sign is always in my front window.
A: I play six-eight shows a month. I live test all my songs before I record them. I try to do them solo and see how they land. If people don't seem to get them I re-tool them or throw them out. The final selection for an album is typically a journey of topics and tempos that take a live audience on a journey of emotions and tempos/volumes that I hope will keep them locked in without getting bored. If it works live it translates well to a full length LP. (Which almost nobody cares about...but I do).
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: Any song I release under my name won't work for anyone but me. I keep that song for my loyal audience. That song will be honest & flawed like me. I hope people come for the melody and stay for the lyrics. If you do, you'll get to know me. I'm not for everyone, but the welcome sign is always in my front window.