Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Michael Day
THE RELEASE
Hailing from the picturesque Perth Hills, singer/songwriter Michael Day delivers an intoxicating mix of soulful sounds catering to the alt-folk genre, inviting you to ponder the intricacies of life’s winding roads and personal stories. Honing together a melodic mix of his indie-folk rock compositions, featuring expertly crafted guitar and banjo melodies, incessant driving rhythms, and soul-stirring harmonies. A connoisseur of alternative folk, Michael Day provides a pensive refuge for the introspective listener, gently treading on themes of existentialism and despondency, eternally intertwined with an understated, harmonious hint of hope and joy. With his musical venture inspired by indie heavyweights like Mumford and Sons, Angus & Julia Stone, and The Lumineers, Michael Day’s evocative synthesis of guitar and synth lines belies a thirst for solace and optimism amid difficult times. A seasoned musician performing since early childhood, Michael Day’s talents have seen him emerge as a semi-finalist in the prestigious International Songwriting Contest in 2023.
The poignant folk ballad “Nan and Pop’s House” feels the warm embrace of childhood, an acknowledgement to the lasting significance of grandparents. As the folky acoustic guitar meets the soulful electric guitar, the melody intertwines a nostalgic narrative of carefree days and the loving arms of Nana. The trumpet croons through the song, lilting a time when security was a tangible thing. That was until, tragically, Day lost both of his grandparents merely days apart in 2023. The track, fleshed out with bandmates, becomes a vessel for Day’s deep adoration of his family and the anguish of their absence. Asking without indeed asking aloud, where do we turn for solace while we are still here? It’s a query that often frames the sentiment of the past feeling so far, far away and so beyond cherished. "From that point in time, the song really hit differently, playing it live or listening to recorded versions of it. It emphasized the aching of my heart for my grandparents. I had hoped to finish it sooner, but somehow this experience has given the song a new kick. It’s hard to hear without tearing up." The accompanying music video was filmed on the property where Day’s grandparents lived, with actual family footage from Day’s youth. The juxtaposition of this vibrant, bustling home now being void sets the scene poignantly. With a team of talented musicians and collaborators like these in his corner, “Nan and Pop’s House” emerges a heartrending memorial to the lasting strength of love and family, and missing same across the ages.
THE INTERVIEW
If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?
The Oh Hellos
Mumford and Sons
Angus and Julia Stone
Gregory Alan Isakov
The Oh Hellos have this crazy way of jaming so many ideas, and harmonies and textures into their music in a way that I have not heard replicated before. They have the only Christmas Album I like and it somewhat follows the structure of a symphony!
Our 3 track single 'In the Dark' tried to imitate some of their ideas liek looping melodies from a previous song into a future song.
They're just some of the most creative musicians I can think of and every time I listen to them I'm inspired by their art and musicianship!
Mumford and Sons really shaped my music interests as a kid, I remember first hearing them and feeling like no one made music like this! Their raw folk style is something I admire and am always thinking about how I can get somethig of that sound into my own creations.
I remember hearing the banjo and their harmonies and Little Lion Man, as I drove down the hill in a friends car listening to 'Sign No More'. My little brain exploded in awe!
Angus and Julia Stone are another band that has haunted me since high school. I keep going back to their songs and just love them! The vocals, the timbres, the textures, the mixture of their voices! Their melodies are always stuck in my head, sometimes I'll be walking around the house and singing something and I release it's another one of their songs!
Gregory Alan Isakov is arguably my biggest influence at this point in time. The way he uses space and atmostpheric sounds is incredible! Our previous release was heavily influenced by his music. I love his writing style and his use of melacholy!
Were there any personal experiences or stories that influenced the creation of the music video, and if so, how did they shape the final product?
The chorus of the song was made to feel nostalgic and make you remember the past. This led to memories spent at my grandparents and the theme developed from there.
The song was originally about simply just remembering memories gone by but in January 2023, both my grandparents passed away three days apart. This really gave the song a different meaning and it hit way harder than it had previously. I wanted to create something with them in the video or have them involved in some way but I hadn't quite sorted out how. Once they passed I felt a deep saddness and just wanted to capture their beautiful property as a way to remember them. I just wanted something simple to go along with the music. My Bassist RHY and his brother inlaw Todd shot the video and at some point in time we decided to put in some archival footage. There's an archival shot in the music video of me and my Nana and then the footage we shot was of me in the exact same kitchen but once their house had been emptied. It breaks my heart. The juxtapostion for me is really piercing but I'm really happy with how the music video turned out. And very grateful to Rhy and Todd!
What was the most rewarding aspect of making the music video, and what message do you hope viewers take away from it?
The most rewarding part was possibly reminiscing at their place. I have received such joy from my grandparents that can't be put into words or in a film on a screen. So thinking deeply about them and being able to shoot some footage in honor of them is pretty special. I hope it wells up gratefulness in people, for their grandparents, or family, or their most fond memories. The song is some what of a sad song but also is contemplative of such beautiful memories and times spent with people who love you so much. So I hope it would be acknowledging of saddness for people, but also a holding onto of that love that first held you, and well a desire to share that love.
Can you share any interesting anecdotes about the song's development with your co-writers or producers?
So I wrote this one but Andy Lawson at Debaser Studio produced, recorded and mixed it. I really love how we did some of the swirly sections.
In the first chorus there's this pause between "I remember those days" and
"they seem so far away" In between there, there is this stringy sound but it's actually a harmonica playing a note that Andy has then crafted into this cool string sound. I really love those types of things that Andy is just so good at creating.
When it comes to the songwriting on this record, what is the message you want to get across to your listeners?
My Nana had a hard life in many respects, but for the sake of her family, she suffered and endured so much. To me, that is the most incredible love I can imagine. Pouring out yourself for the sake of someone else. Sacrificial love, I believe is the purest form of love there is. I guess the message that I'd love for people to take is it's up to us 'scared little children' to be a loving person in someone elses life. In the same way our parent or grandparent has loved us. I don't know if that sort of message is clear in the song perse, but it's the back bone of it for me. Reflecting on the love of the past and missing it so badly. While also feeling the current struggle in life. I get the choice to act in hate or act in love. I want to imitate my Nana and choose to love sacrificially. That type of love feels particularly lacking in 2024, with the amount of hate, wars, and self-rightesouness. It is heart breaking.
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