Sean Hopkins Interview
Q: What inspired you to make Pictures of Nothing?
A: It's what songwriter's do - we write songs. The critical acclaim that I received for my 2022 debut solo album "Chasing Ghosts in the Dark" really reinforced that my music was connecting with people, so when the dust settled on that release, I went back to work and the result was my second solo album titled "Pictures of Nothing."
Q: What was your creative process like while writing Pictures of Nothing? How do you begin to write
a song?
A: When I write a song I start with the guitar melody first. I find a few guitar chords or a finger picking sequence that are pleasant to my ear. When I land on something that creates a "vibe" I build it out and add structure to the arrangement. Then I start to mumble random words to get a sense of what the vocal line will be. Once I have those two parts in place I reference my journals where I stash lyrics and stories. From that exploration I proceed to finish the song.
Q: Can you talk about some of the themes and concepts that are woven into Pictures of Nothing?
A: This album is mostly about interpersonal relationships, the need to nurture those relationships and the value in being able to accept and give love freely. It could be about me. It could be about something I observed. It could be about something I read. So, if I find myself not being as supportive or attentive to someone as I should be, then I need to call myself out and write about it. If i recently went through an exhilarating experience, I need to write about that too.
Q: Can you talk about the actual recording of the album and what that process was like?
A: Pictures of Nothing is a self-released album and was recorded in my home, but don't be fooled. There is significant attention to detail associated with this process. The goal is to get a full sound of radio ready/radio quality recordings. I believe we accomplished that on both 2022's Chasing Ghosts in the Dark album and now 2024's Pictures of Nothing.
As for the process, I convert the entire first floor of my home into a recording studio and it stays that way for about six weeks. Under the watchful eye of my producer, Woody Jiang, we knock out basic tracks first. Acoustic guitar and primary vocals. Then we add instrumental and vocal overdubs. From time to time I will bring in musical colleagues to drop into a track or two. Then Woody takes control and spends the next six months mixing and mastering with me providing feedback along the way. When we both feel the album's songs are ready for release, I will sequence them and finally will pull the trigger and push it out!
Q: What are your live shows like?
A: Live performances are pretty straight forward. I am the quintessential singer songwriter. Give me a stool, a mic and a guitar and you will get an hour full of stories and songs. I do tend to use two acoustic guitars. One is always in standard tuning and the other is used to allow me to slip in and out of various alternate tunings. Two guitars saves time rather than constantly changing the tuning from song to song.
Q: What else do you want people to know about your music?
A: My lyrics are designed to paint a landscape and draw an emotional response out of the listener. Many songs have a melancholic slant to them but I strive to portray that melancholy tastefully. Press play, sit back, and contemplate where you have come from and where you are going. I let the listener interpret the song and then apply it to their own life circumstances. In a way, it makes the songs interactive. I like that view of how the songs impact the listener.
Q: What inspired you to make Pictures of Nothing?
A: It's what songwriter's do - we write songs. The critical acclaim that I received for my 2022 debut solo album "Chasing Ghosts in the Dark" really reinforced that my music was connecting with people, so when the dust settled on that release, I went back to work and the result was my second solo album titled "Pictures of Nothing."
Q: What was your creative process like while writing Pictures of Nothing? How do you begin to write
a song?
A: When I write a song I start with the guitar melody first. I find a few guitar chords or a finger picking sequence that are pleasant to my ear. When I land on something that creates a "vibe" I build it out and add structure to the arrangement. Then I start to mumble random words to get a sense of what the vocal line will be. Once I have those two parts in place I reference my journals where I stash lyrics and stories. From that exploration I proceed to finish the song.
Q: Can you talk about some of the themes and concepts that are woven into Pictures of Nothing?
A: This album is mostly about interpersonal relationships, the need to nurture those relationships and the value in being able to accept and give love freely. It could be about me. It could be about something I observed. It could be about something I read. So, if I find myself not being as supportive or attentive to someone as I should be, then I need to call myself out and write about it. If i recently went through an exhilarating experience, I need to write about that too.
Q: Can you talk about the actual recording of the album and what that process was like?
A: Pictures of Nothing is a self-released album and was recorded in my home, but don't be fooled. There is significant attention to detail associated with this process. The goal is to get a full sound of radio ready/radio quality recordings. I believe we accomplished that on both 2022's Chasing Ghosts in the Dark album and now 2024's Pictures of Nothing.
As for the process, I convert the entire first floor of my home into a recording studio and it stays that way for about six weeks. Under the watchful eye of my producer, Woody Jiang, we knock out basic tracks first. Acoustic guitar and primary vocals. Then we add instrumental and vocal overdubs. From time to time I will bring in musical colleagues to drop into a track or two. Then Woody takes control and spends the next six months mixing and mastering with me providing feedback along the way. When we both feel the album's songs are ready for release, I will sequence them and finally will pull the trigger and push it out!
Q: What are your live shows like?
A: Live performances are pretty straight forward. I am the quintessential singer songwriter. Give me a stool, a mic and a guitar and you will get an hour full of stories and songs. I do tend to use two acoustic guitars. One is always in standard tuning and the other is used to allow me to slip in and out of various alternate tunings. Two guitars saves time rather than constantly changing the tuning from song to song.
Q: What else do you want people to know about your music?
A: My lyrics are designed to paint a landscape and draw an emotional response out of the listener. Many songs have a melancholic slant to them but I strive to portray that melancholy tastefully. Press play, sit back, and contemplate where you have come from and where you are going. I let the listener interpret the song and then apply it to their own life circumstances. In a way, it makes the songs interactive. I like that view of how the songs impact the listener.