Frequently-Asked Questions
Read the Q's with the A's below the TOC
The following are questions I dreamed up and my answers to them, presented in no particular order.
WHAT ARE YOUR "BRAND PILLARS"?
Marketing people think this is really important, but to me it's ridiculous because I'm not a product on a shelf at the grocery store. To me, it's up to listeners to define my identity as a solo artist. I'm not out to compete with anyone. I just like to make up songs, and my songs themselves should communicate what I'm all about to the world. "They" say this is crucial however, so I'll give it a try. Here goes...
At the end of the day, I don't care so much about the vocals, because deep in my heart, I'm a songwriter. Unfortunately, when I try really hard with the singing to step into a character like I'm acting and really believe it with passion, it ends up sounding worse. My passion is coming up with the songs in the first place, and I sincerely try to record them while they are fresh in my mind soon after writing them, so hopefully people can hear that fascination with the songs being brand new and unrehearsed. To me, that's part of the appeal, which may set me apart from most who practice a lot and take a really long time to record.
I exist as a solo artist for two main reasons:
1. To fulfill my craving for creative expression via writing and recording songs.
2. Sharing the songs I've written and recorded that I personally like best as albums the world can find and stream.
The problem I solve is that it is hard to find music like mine that offers quality songwriting with an overall sound that intentionally avoids trends, polish and perfection. I have a deadpan delivery when it comes to singing, and my instrument playing is sloppy, and people don't mind. They are usually impressed that everything they hear I figured out totally on my own without lessons or training of any kind. I might be a cut above other DIY solo artists who are completely self-taught in every aspect. If you find it difficult to find a non-performing songwriter and home recording hobbyist who writes and records in more of an old-school style and keeps things real and intimate without using a lot of studio trickery, I offer it. If you like acoustic music that also has a rhythm section, yet doesn't go too far to the hokey side of folk, I'd be a solution to check out.
The positive impact I aim to make is that by offering variety in an all-acoustic style with relatable subject matter - often about love - I'm spreading love and happiness and joy in the world to those who discover and listen to my music. They can hear the fun I had in writing and recording the songs, which makes them have fun listening. My own passion is evident, despite a subdued and laid-back vocal style, and it turns them into passionate fans of my music. Overall, their experience is an intimate one, as if I'm their friend who came over to their house and sang and played them some songs with an acoustic guitar in their living room as they relate the lyrics to their own life experiences.
My ideal audience would have needs, desires, and pain points in their lives that are not drastically different from my own, so the messages in my songs that express them make them realize they are not alone.
I value my privacy, and people who like my music probably do too. Like me, they probably don't require a lot of engagement with me or any artist they like, and instead just prefer the songs themselves as the primary way to get to know me. They don't necessarily need to know a lot about the artist to know they like the music. They know what they like, and might feel like they know me a little, but only via listening, and that's enough for them. I also value providing consistency of output frequency to satisfy expectations and not let them down so they are confident new music will arrive.
My personality comes through in my songs. I think people can tell I don't take life too seriously, yet I'm not afraid to convey strong emotions and deep thinking. They can probably tell I'm generally a fun person who is easygoing but at the same time not afraid to speak my mind. I am definitely bold, but I do it with some intelligence and sophistication. I get close to the verge of getting carried away and really letting loose but then employ some restraint to not take things too far out of control. Friendly and optimistic most of the time but never toxically positive. Adventurous with caution. All of these characteristics help with the emotional connection to the audience by making me human with relatable ups and downs in life.
Other things that make me unique are an appreciation of my home state of Michigan and the quiet outdoor activities it offers such as sailing, hiking, and skiing. All these are evident from the lyrics, and combined with the acoustic guitar in the living room sound, this can translate as the friend who strums and sings outside around a fire pit as well. It may be apparent to some that I'm a guy who had more of a bohemian lifestyle in my youth and although wisely transitioned to a more mature traditional one as I got older, still think of myself as a bohemian at heart.
WHAT GENRES DO YOU PLAY? (BE HONEST)
To be honest, I've never known. So many genres, so little time, but I'll try...
I'll start high-level:
Art music - NO Not classical or formal, not serious, however, a few songs that have elements of jazz and avant-garde rock.
Popular music - YES* My music is arguably not very popular (yet), but it's been released commercially.
Religious - NO A couple songs that briefly include spiritual and/or religious subject matter.
Traditional/Folk - YES* I've released a couple trad covers, and a few original songs that sound like real folk.
Conclusion?: Majority of my songs definitely falling within the popULAR category, but it's nothing like Madonna, Michael Jackson, or Taylor Swift, or whomever you typically think of as "pop," and definitely not 60s folk revival type of folk, something more of a modern rock-folk hybrid maybe.
Expanding the Popular subs:
Country - YES* A handful may qualify as older-style country or Americana.
Electronic - NO I've used an electric guitar and electric piano a couple times, and a few songs are faster and danceable.
Funk - NO Wish I could say yes, and despite having some funky beats and bass lines and emphasis on the 1, I have to say no here.
Hip hop - NO Although I did do one rap song, Cooley's Rap, and rapped a little in a break section of another.
Jazz - NO I may have some elements of vocal jazz standards and some jazz chord progressions here and there, but no.
Latin - NO I have a couple that come close to Tejano or Norteno, and others that use latin percussion.
Pop - YES* Publicly accessible, available for sale, however, nothing close to what's currently popular.
Punk - NO* Proto-punk/garage rock elements and the DIY thing, but without the electric guitar distortion and speed.
Reggae - YES* Some pre-reggae elements of Calypso, Mento, maybe even Ska, occasional 1-drop chinking & emphasis on the 3.
Rock - YES More than anything, my style is unplugged rock, soft rock, indie rock, defintely roots rock, maybe even folk rock.
Metal - NO Definitely far from this one, although there are frequent instrumental breaks with guitar solos.
Soul/R&B - NO Although influenced by Motown, there's no horns or vocal harmonies.
Polka - YES* Arguably, I've released several songs featuring accordion that may qualify.
How to summarize the sub-genres? Don't know. I might say "acoustic rock with elements of pop, Americana, reggae and polka," but who is going to buy that?
Getting more specific, some other more micro-genres I might fit in with could be:
singer-songwriter: not much of a singer, but definitely a songwriter, play acoustic guitar, am a solo artist
slowcore: my songs are pretty slow and often sad, and there's a minimalist style in terms of instrumentation
Indie folk: I started in the 90s indie rock scene and was influenced by acoustic folk while adding a rhythm section
Lo-fi: Low fidelity production quality, imperfections intentionally left in
Folk-blues: I've done a few fingerstyle acoustic blues ballads, pre-war style, but I add bass & percussion
Bedroom pop: home studio, DIY aesthetic, introspective, emotional
Contemporary folk: acoustic guitar, in English, some "world" elements, 3rd revival, probably not so much
Heartland rock: I've been a blue-collar worker, from a rust belt area, and I've been influenced by Seger, Petty, Mellencamp, etc.
Roots rock: not progressive, yet occasionally psychedelic, rock with folk/blues/country elements
DIY: I really do everything myself, so yeah
Indie rock: not signed, do it all myself, influenced by 80s underground college rock like REM
Soft rock: heavily influenced by the singer-songwriters of the 70s
Outsider: https://blog.scottcooley.com/2023/08/feeling-like-outsider.html
Jangle pop
Slacker rock
Americana
WHO DO YOU GET COMPARED TO? (BE HONEST)
Honestly, I haven't asked for this type of information from anyone, and it's rarely been voluntarily relayed to me by anyone. Due to the occasional tropical rock style and sailing subject matter, Jimmy Buffett. Due to the acoustic soft rock and skiing subject matter, John Denver. Due to the songwriting style, both Elliott Smith and Jeff Tweedy. Due to the variety of styles, Neil Young. Due to being all-acoustic yet still rock with a nasal Midwest vocal, Violent Femmes. Another would be Jonathan Richman, because of acoustic guitar and novelty songs. I asked my wife just now and she said Rick Astley, but that can't be right.
WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES?
Hmmm...the question is "what" and not "who".
The hard rock of the late 70s/early 80s from local radio and buying records.
Envy of solo acoustic performers playing popular covers in college and at apres-ski bars in my early 20s.
The popularity of the MTV Unplugged show in the early 90s.
Outdoor activities in lakes, mountains, and forests (sailing, skiing, hiking), appreciation of the beauty of nature.
Most of the songs on the "greatest songs of all time" lists.
Poetry, fiction. Jim Harrison, Twain, Hemingway, Thompson, Leonard, King.
The painting shows of Bob Ross.
Past and current relationships.
The ski bum lifestyle and associated slacker mentality.
WHEN WAS THE MOMENT YOU KNEW YOU WANTED TO PLAY MUSIC FOR A LIVING?
This question doesn't have the (BE HONEST) part, but I'll do it anyway: I've never had such a moment. I mean, from the moment I heard music I liked, a part of me probably thought it would be cool to be able to make music like that. Since I was a kid I thought it would be cool to be a rock star. I'm a bad singer and mediocre guitar player, so I never thought I could play for a living at all. You're assuming those crafting a bio already either play for a living, or want to, but I'm not one of them. I'm a non-performing solo artist/songwriter. I would love to write songs for a living, but haven't attempted to learn how to go about such a thing. This question does not really apply to home recording people like me who do not play live in public.
HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL WHEN THEY HEAR YOUR MUSIC?
Happy, fulfilled, content, satisfied, lost in their thoughts, excited, pleased, delighted....and like they are making a mental note to remember to return for more in the future, curious to dive deeper into the back catalog. Good, or better.
WHY DO YOU PLAY MUSIC?
I don't really play music, I just write songs and record them. I'm playing them only to record them. This question assumes people play music often and would not really apply to someone like me who does not perform in front of audiences. Many of my released songs I only played through once or twice when writing/recording and that's it. I only like the creative process.
WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECT?
It's literally the best album I've ever created, and hopefully will live long enough to complete and release it in 2024. It's also special because it's a collection of songs that I don't think I'd ever be embarrassed to have anyone hear, regardless of what age they are. A high concentration of high-quality songwriting according to my own weeding-out process with more potential universal appeal than usual.
WHAT ARE SOME LIGHTBULB MOMENTS ALONG THE WAY IN YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY?
Learning that with only 3 chords, I could play a ton of songs I liked.
The first few times playing in front of audiences and getting applause and compliments.
Getting a Tascam portastudio and making my first multi-track recordings.
The first few times people bought my CDs on Amazon and downloads on iTunes.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS IN MUSIC FOR YOURSELF?
Spotify defined it for me, which is that from 2024 on, I need at least 1,000 streams/year for each of my 144 released songs (and any future songs I release) to make any royalties. A tall order without any press/publicity/promotion/advertising/marketing, etc. I will especially define myself successful if I can accomplish this by word-of-mouth recommendation alone.
IF YOU MET SOMEONE AT A DINER OR BAR, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC TO THEM?
That's what this exercise is trying to accomplish. I need to summarize and synthesize all this into a couple paragraphs next I guess, which is intimidating and daunting at this point.
WHAT KEEPS YOU PURSUING YOUR MUSIC CAREER?
I love the process, and I can't help doing it. I've had long droughts of not having any ideas for songs, then magically, they show up again. This has been happening to me for 30+ years now. After I write them, I record a quick take on my phone, then I listen back after I have a stockpile of first takes and decide which are worthy enough to record digital multi-track versions of, then I listen back to those, choose the best of them, and release them as albums. I love everything about that process. There is no "career" to speak of though.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR AUDIENCE/DEMOGRAPHIC?
It starts with those who know me, then they make recommendations. People with the patience to learn to appreciate home-recorded, DIY acoustic rock from someone who writes pretty good songs despite not being a great singer. People who appreciate songs that reflect the experience of being a Michigander who enjoy recreation of the area. People who like acoustic music, but not the kind where the artists take it way too seriously, as with the folk finger-picking, hokey, beret-wearing, baby boomer house concert crowd. People who like subject matter about love and relationships and an artist who doesn't stick to only one style of music. People who do not demand sonic perfection in their music, and who not only have a tolerance for, but actually really appreciate a few happy accidents left in. People who appreciate recordings that employ real instruments recorded with microphones and without a lot of electronic effects or digital manipulation. People who like fun music with an amateur quality that has a certain amount of sophistication and maturity, but not too much. Friends, family, their friends and family, people who like to support local artists. People who know me, acquantainces on Facebook, etc. initially listen because of that, then some of them like it, some don't. The ones who like it may not get past the ones with the most streams, but those who do, dive deeper into the catalog and maybe like more. Then some of them recommend me to other people they know. So, it's people from Michigan, people from the Great Lakes region of the Midwest, but also some from Colorado because I lived in Vail for several years. People with interests in sailing and skiing for sure. People who are members of Generation X (close to my age).
Do you ever play electric guitar? What kind of electric guitar do you play?
I don't plug in very often, but when I do, I always use Michael Cooley electric guitars made here in the USA. Michael Cooley is a boutique luthier in the Boyne City area of northern Michigan, whose workshop is on the shore of Lake Charlevoix - you can't miss it as you're driving around the lake because the outside of it is painted with the same paint job as Eddie VanHalen's infamous Frankenstrat guitar. I play an exact replica of Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat guitar, and also a custom Fender Telecaster w/ Bigsby vibrato tailored to my exact specifications, both custom-crafted by my cousin Mike, who originally apprenticed with Schecter in California. They are quite rare, as he is a solo shop with a long waiting list of requests for these highly unique, Michigan-made electric guitars, producing only a limited number of axes per year. They are of the finest quality of any electric guitar I've ever played, and I am proud to own two of them. I consider myself a brand ambassador of Michael Cooley guitars, and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a custom-built electric guitar with any component desired who enjoy knowing they are supporting a local Michigan guitar builder.
What made you want to become a songwriter?
It just sort of happened, approximately one year after I started teaching myself to play guitar. I learned some cover songs of classic rock and blues and then maybe just started goofing around with chord progressions and making up nonsense vocal melodies to hum or sing while playing, then words came to me, so I wrote them down with a pen on notebook paper, then songs began to form. Not sure why I thought I could make up my own songs, but it just happened naturally.
Two things made me want to continue writing songs indefinitely though, and these are important motivating factors to make it a permanent hobby:
1) Attention from the young ladies when performing my originals live. When I first played my own songs at open mic nights at dive bars full of drunk people, I not only got applause, but I also got attention from good looking women after I got off stage. This had a big impact on me.
2) Hearing a really good band play songs I wrote, hearing the applause from a large crowd, and having them acknowledge me as the songwriter. When my friend's popular band - a band I was not good enough to be in - played a couple of my songs (he and I had co-written actually) live in front of big audiences and the applause was big and my friend told the crowd I wrote them and pointed me out, this perhaps had an even bigger impact on me! That band was called The Underdogs, and the venue was The Jackalope bar in Vail, and my friend's name was Corbin Daugherty, who is a great singer, drummer, and songwriter.
These two experiences cannot be underestimated in me wanting to continue to write songs. Huge.
When did you start writing songs?
Soon after I took Intro To Guitar my senior year in college and purchased my first guitar at a pawn shop in Flint, MI in 1989. I probably didn't write the first song until 1990 though. At first, I learned cover songs. I learned more from friends than I did from the class, where the approach was learn to read music first. I know the open chords A through G, a few minors and 7's, a couple moveable barre chords, a pentatonic scale for lead playing, and that's about it. I just wanted to learn enough to play songs I liked, and never aspired to be great at guitar playing. The class didn't cover lyric writing, but that came easily to me. I was an English major, and took Intro To Poetry, which might have helped. The first song I wrote had three chords and tons of verses, sort of like a Bob Dylan song. I wrote it when I lived in a trailer in Edwards, CO on a yamaha acoustic and wrote the lyrics on a piece of notebook paper with a pen.
Which do you write first, the music or the words?
I've done both, but tend to write words first. The primary reason is that for over a decade now, I've had jobs where I had a computer and word processing software handy (but no guitar), and while taking a break from the everyday grind, type up a song. I end up with a stockpile of documents with lyrics and then at a later time sit down with them in front of me and with a guitar at home, put music to them.
Which songs are your best?
You decide. I have to leave that up to the fans. I have a few favorites, and have contemplated releasing a "best of" album, but decided against it. At one time several years ago now, I put together a survey form on this site that asked people to select their favorites, and here are those results: docs.google.com/forms/d/1XibM1bagRF3ynJbtLgrGoDTcSVKuEszS5EjYSO4Dph8/viewanalytics?hl=en&pli=1&usp=form_confirm
How's it going, or How are you doing?
Probably the most frequently asked are variations of these. How much time do you have? is always a funny response, but I never seem to remember to say it. Instead, I usually assume people are looking for the standard "fine thanks, how are you" or "good, how about you", so that's what I usually go with. Sometimes I have been known to actually tell someone how I've been doing, going on and on about real things that I have recently done. Usually this is met with that glazed over look or a mid-sentence yawn. I'm definitely not one of those people who put the word "well" in my answer. Don't know why really, guess it's just not my style, or maybe I think those people are a little too fake-sounding. Delivered by the right person with the right timing and under the right circumstances, I enjoy hearing other people answer these with "It's goin" or "same old, same old". The "same old" one can really crack me up sometimes.
What is your deal anyway?
My deal is I like to write songs. I also like to record them. To see if any might magically be discovered without advertising, I now make those recordings available for sale. I don't market myself or play live at all. I have no idea who is buying my CDs and MP3s, except a few past acquaintances I've socially networked with online. I do it because I really enjoy it, and admit the meager sales have made it a hobby where I've been able to recoup some investment in instruments, microphones and computer-related recording equipment. I don't want to be rich or famous. However, I also admit I would be excited if the sales and fan base keeps increasing.
Most of all though, my deal is I'm a songwriter from Michigan who will be continuing a quest to have a popular recording artist cut and release one of my songs on an upcoming album, and to have one of my songs be placed in a film soundtrack. My overall deal includes a lot more than what you'll find here - I was an English major in college, I write for a living in my "day job," and I also write poems, stories, blogs, etc. in my free time, some of which you can also enjoy on this website. For more detailed information about my deal, see the About Scott page.
So do you think you're good or something?
I think I'm a good songwriter, above average guitar player, mediocre rhythm section, and below average singer, engineer, producer, publisher and label. I literally figured out how to do all of these things on my own and haven't spent much time practicing any of them. I don't know how to read or write music. So as a self-taught, do-it-yourselfer, I don't claim to be particularly skillful with any of the above, but the knowledge is ever-increasing. Noticing little improvements in these areas over a long period of time is nice, but my focus will continue to be on writing songs, recording demos, pitching them, and once in a while, releasing a few of them.
Sometimes you love doing something you know you're not so good at, and so you do it anyway. As a music fan and consumer myself, I know there's a lot of music out there for sale or being played live that is simply terrible, yet somehow popular anyway. I also know there's music in my collection I can never come close to on so many levels - but my songs, recorded with pro vocalists, session musicians and engineers may come close. I'm a realist in that I'm not someone who necessarily believes the kind, polite, positive feedback I've received from family and friends, and so I am careful to not have an inflated opinion of myself (though admittedly this website could give one cause to refute that). I'm definitely not good at advertising or marketing, yet would love to have my songs reach a wider audience. That's an area where you can help -see the Volunteer page for more information.
What kind of solo artist are you?
It's hard for me to describe how I sound, and hard to draw "sounds like" comparisons to other artists. If you're looking for the American Idol contest finalist sound, you're probably not going to like my music. If you're a fan of Bob Dylan or Neil Young, it's way more likely you're going to like some of my released recordings of my songs I've recorded myself. There, I named a couple of artists to feed everyone's hunger for this type of information, even though I do not in any way claim to sound like either. I recommend you read some of the listener and fan reviews online, buy the music, form your own opinion, and post your own reviews. For a more in-depth description of the Scott Cooley sound, see the Records or Demos pages.
How do you come up with your ideas for songs?
Recollection of past experiences, mostly, but also occasionally from conversations, reading, watching television, thinking about the future. I have to have uninterrupted quiet time alone with my thoughts to get the creativity flowing. Sometimes I've started with a title, and in fact maintain a "title brainstorm" list where I jot down names of songs I think sound cool, but I have mixed results with all of my techniques. Usually, the best ones flow out of me quickly and might only require a small amount of tweaking. Sometimes I've started with an artist in mind, in which case I make a list of keywords that serve as attributes from which to build, things like common subject matter for that artist, their style, genres, audience, etc. Usually, the best songs flow out fast as if I'm just the messenger, and later I can't believe I actually wrote them.
How often do you write songs?
There are spurts of five songs in one night, and there are droughts of five months. Generally, I end up with about ten good songs per calendar year I consider keepers. When very busy with my day job, where I work evenings and weekends, or where it consumes my thoughts, the focus on my livelihood takes precedence, and the songs take the back burner. Usually, when I'm really entrenched in an everyday grind going through the motions, the muse is absent, but in periods of great emotion - be it elation or depression, the songs are flowing.
What do you use to write with - word processor or tape recorder?
As previously stated, I usually type them in an electronic document file, but for the first five years or so I wrote them the old fashioned way on paper. After I write the music, I usually remember to write down the chords on the document. My process involves recording first or second takes on a cassette, using a recordable walkman, and when the casette is full of approximately ten songs per side, I listen back and end up crossing off three or four on the j-card I wrote the titles on as definite throw-aways, meaning I will not waste time tweaking them. I will also then rate the rest, using circles, stars, or some sort of rating notation, to indicate full and partial keepers. There are usually about three to five full out keepers per cassette that are ready to record digital demos of, and the rest need tweaking of either the words, music or both. Sometimes the rewriting of these produces a keeper, but more often than not, it doesn't work out, but I've learned to trust my judgement on those.
Who plays the instruments on your records, and what instruments are they?
My lovely wife Lenore plays accordion, keyboards, and sings some vocals on a few of the songs, but otherwise, I do. I play acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, slide guitar, acoustic bass guitar, drums, percussion, marimba, harmonica, lead vocals, background vocals, hand claps, whistling, etc. - whatever you hear, I made the sound by singing or playing an instrument myself. The Gear page of this site shows most of these instruments. I use a few digital effects like reverb (although not well), and even on the rare occasion the guitar sounds electric (like on the song Shred Betty), it's really just me playing an acoustic guitar with effects applied afterward. All of the instruments are acoustic, played into a microphone for all of the recordings on all of the songs. See the individual song pages to read which instruments were played on each track - a good place to start is the Albums page, and then navigate from there.
What kind of equipment do you use to record your songs?
Sony cassette recorder for first takes, Focusrite Saffire for digital with Adobe Audiiton software for demos. AKG and Shure microphones. See the Gear page for complete equipment details.
How often do you practice a song before you record it?
I don't. I maybe play it through once before hitting record on the cassette, and then maybe once more prior to digital, but only to temporarily re-learn it. I never really learn my own songs, I just write them and record them and never play them live at all. Some of my released "hits" I've only played two times total, just to record them. Some tracks take several takes to get right, however.
When did you start playing guitar?
1989, when I was 21 years old. A lot of people, particularly non-musicians, will ask how long someone has played an instrument because it's something they want to know to form a judgement, but I always think it's relative information. If I've played since 1989, but only played about ten hours total playing time in all those years, the meaning can be misconstrued. It's useful to keep in mind also that someone can log five hours per day for years, and not be as good as someone who has only played for a year.
What makes a song a good song?
A good melody and good lyric with a good performance. Less than having all three can work too, but that's the basic recipe. A good melody is one that gets stuck in your head, a good lyric can have different meaning to different listeners and evoke emotions, and a good performance is entertaining, makes you move, and has a good sound quality.
What advice do you have for new songwriters?
The best way to learn is to listen more carefully to music you like. Study what it is about an artist, album or song that you like. Learning a little bit about which chords go well with other chords helps, and learning a little bit about song forms helps too. Don't feel pressure to learn to read music. Don't get caught up in reading too much about the craft, instead, your time is better spent writing. You have to write a ton of songs to wind up with some that are good. Accept a low keeper ratio, and don't let that deter you from continuing to write. Know some common fundamental techniques and rules first, then break them. You have to like doing it as a fun hobby, rather than looking at it as a chore. Seek feedback from a variety of people because you will be surprised that others love songs you only kind of liked.
Why don't you perform your songs live?
The short answer is I'm not a great performer or guitar player, and I'm a terrible singer. I have performed my songs live, both in bands and solo, during paid gigs and at open mic nights to audiences of varying sizes, and as both headliner and opening act. I did this throughout my twenties and early thirties, usually while in the role of lead guitarist. Although I enjoyed it at the time, I've since found that writing songs and recording/producing demos of them is what I like best. If money were no object, I'd focus on writing full time and hire professional engineers, session musicians and vocalists to record my demos; and hire someone else to handle pitching them for me. Since that's not yet the case, I do the publishing and marketing work myself as well. There is a certain satisfaction I get from doing it all myself, but it doesn't allow time for playing live. The bottom line is I don't claim to be a great singer or instrumentalist. However, all that having been said, you might be able to see me playing live here: https://www.youtube.com/user/scottcooleylive, and this is by far my best-ever live performance: https://youtu.be/1fuhZiKFj2Y
Somewhere I read you've written hundreds of songs, but why have you only released 100 or so?
It's true. Maybe 400 in total that might actually pass as real songs. I have a set of cassette tapes that I call the Catalog Tapes that have over 400 originals on them, usually solo or with a friend or two having a jam session, so there's proof. My friend Rich Marr might also have a bunch of them in his possession, although I gave him permission and actually encouraged him to throw them away years ago. He and I used to send each other tapes of new songs we'd each written by mail for critiques. We were both new to songwriting at the time. When we lived near each other, we also hit record on tapes of us partying and making up terrible noise. Many can't really qualify as even being defined as songs I don't think. The reason I've only released 1/4th of them is that the rest are not very good! Early on, I didn't know much about song forms, song sections, chord progressions, chord families, time signatures, etc. The lyrics frequently contained swear words, drug & alcohol references, inappropriate sexual innuendo, and humor too explicit for most audiences. Many were written and recorded under the influence of various substances. It's really embarrassing stuff, mostly. I'm kind of ashamed, but it was practice - to get good you have to do it a lot, and I did. Hundreds of failed attempts to write decent ones. On occasion, I would listen back to a tape the next day and be surprised that 1 out of 20 was not that bad. Now my ratio seems to be every 1 out of 4 is pretty good.
How and why did you become a recording artist?
While I'm primarily a songwriter, people who heard my self-made demos encouraged me to release them for sale. It just so happened that at around the same time, significant changes were happening in the music industry and with internet technology that made it very inexpensive for a do-it-yourselfer to make this happen. With a microphone, computer audio interface, recording software, instruments, and a computer, the investment was minor. Not only was I able to create and host a web site for free and get my songs in online stores for a ridiculously low cost, but I was also able to acquire a fan base rather easily with the social networking trend. The timing was such that the popularity of Facebook was taking off, so my family, friends and acquaintances visited this web site, then discovered the albums I had for sale in stores, and bought them. This is still happening now, and surprisingly, it is covering my cost with little effort on my part.
What makes Scott Cooley albums so different from other songwriter's albums?
The song diversity keeps your attention. Load an SC CD, hit play, and even if you're an impatient skipper or fast forwarder, it won't be long before one strikes your fancy. You'll enjoy noticing an underlying theme or concept to each album that makes the listening experience a good one if you've got a spare half-hour of free time, yet, you'll also enjoy the variety - more in the vein of a Led Zeppelin album than an AC/DC album (don't get the wrong impression - I sound nothing like either of these bands).
The sound quality is refreshingly unpolished. If there is one thing my recorded versions of my own songs have in common with each other, it is the signature sound of acoustic instruments, sparse percussion, and minimalist production that is somewhere between a stripped-down guitar/vocal demo and a fully-produced one. Far from songwriter demos that sound almost exactly like the "cut" versions by the popular recording artist, SC records are never perfect, and many prefer them that way.
The song quality bucks popular trends and formulas. The songs come from inspiration rather than imitation, and have been described as being seemingly devoid of pop music influence. Uniquely real and from the heart, it's immediately apparent these weren't contrived assignment songs or written for particular recording artists - although I do both. That is not to say that the completed demos do not sound appropriate for particular artists - they do, but it's only as if by pure accident after completion.
What is music to you? What does it give you?
To me, music is magic. Music gives me escape and freedom of expression.
What is the best rock song ever?
That's an easy question. Without a doubt the answer is "Slow Ride" by Foghat. The studio version is great, and there are several live versions, including one recorded in Detroit, that are awesome.
A close second would probably be "The Shocker" by Steel Panther.
What is your music dream?
My music dream is to have my music reach larger audiences indefinitely while avoiding the negative aspects of fame and celebrity.
If you could change the world - what would you start with?
I would start with continuing to put new music into the world that makes people happy when they listen to it, changing the world one album at a time. Also I would start locally with my sense of humor - making people I come into contact with laugh - that is how I currently make a small difference in people's lives. Ideally, I'd start with a lot of money from a winning lottery ticket and then take it from there.
Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?
"Up, Up and Away" by The Fifth Dimension
Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?
Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Violent Femmes, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Booker T & the MGs, Beach Boys, CSN, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Grateful Dead, Ween, REM, Rush, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kiss, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bob Seger, Grand Funk Railroad
What inspires you to make music?
Hope. The usual stuff too I guess - real-life experiences, books, movies, other people's music, overheard conversations, disappointment, heartbreak, etc. However, what inspires me most to write new songs is having a feeling of hope for good things in my future.
What are your favorite books?
https://books.google.com/books?uid=103428767650628975172&as_coll=1001&source=gbs_lp_bookshelf_list
What is the message you want to send with your music?
Enjoy the simple things in life, don't take life too seriously, take time to relax and enjoy the natural beauty around you, appreciate your loved ones, have fun, get excited about good things to come.
How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?
Proud that I got past the initial fear to do it in the first place, then just enjoying the opportunity to play songs I made up that I like, with a smidgeon of hope that others will like them too.
How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?
The musician's reality nowadays includes increasingly affordable means to make quality recorded music available, and because of the increased competition that situation naturally brings, it makes budgeted funds for marketing, advertising, promotion, and video production more important to stand out from the crowd in order to reach a larger audience. What could be improved is better legislation and enforcement to pay songwriters more generously for streaming.
What frustrates you most as a musician?
It frustrates me that I haven't been able to teach myself the finger-picking style on acoustic guitar very well yet. I wish it would come a little bit easier for me. Also, it frustrates me that I haven't been able to have a better control of my singing voice, and along those lines, that it is not easy for me to quickly be able to figure out how to sing harmony vocals.
Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?
I take into consideration my personal tastes, recommendations from friends and various online curation lists, then I check local venue calendar sites to learn the when/where, then I either buy tickets, pay a cover charge, or if free, just show up. I also buy CDs of local artists I'm into. I've only recently gotten into a streaming subscription service, but love it when it's easy to search by local artists/bands. I make recommendations via social media and blogging from time to time as well.
What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?
You have to be a musician because you love it first and foremost, and not worry about whether you have certain qualities to get heard by a larger audience. Not giving up is better than quitting because you don't think you measure up to others. Comparison to other musicians is unhealthy. Sticking with your gut instincts about the kind of music you like to make is important as well, as opposed to trying to chase and imitate the popular mainstream trends.
Why do you have a website?
When anyone wants to record and sell a song I've written, or place a song I've written in the soundtrack of a movie they are releasing, they want speedy service and reasonable terms. This site makes both possible.
It is expected by my current and potential clients that they can find me online. The site allows me to demonstrate my work, collaborate with partners, communicate with clients, and stay competitive by remaining efficient and convenient to deal with. It also provides me with always-open hours, and a way to be accessible globally.
Visit also the Site History page of this site for related insight into this site's purpose and humble beginnings.
What is the deal with the sailboat logo?
Several reasons. I like sailing, and although do not currently own a sailboat, I enjoy an occasional sail on other people's sailboats. I come from a sailing family. Being from the Great Lakes region, it is probably the most interesting thing about where I grew up, and anytime you see pictures of lakes with a boat in them, that boat is usually a sailboat. They are more picturesque. I am also a big fan of silent sports, and enjoy the serenity and natural propulsion aspects. It's funny that Michigan is also home of the Motor City due to it being the former headquarters of the automotive industry, so many from this region love motors - building them and fixing them - and have a passion for cars, car-related sports, snowmobiles, jet skis, and speedboats. I like speed too, but not the noise during my hard-earned free time - all the more reason to enjoy sailing. When you consider gas prices, it's an economical way to enjoy water and less harsh on the environment - good, additional reasons I chose this to represent what I'm about. The logo has mountains too. Although I'm from Michigan and live there now, I lived in Colorado for several years, and enjoyed the mountains, so like having those in the background. Plus, to top it all off, one of my nicknames has been Cool Breeze, and so with mountains you have the implied cool part, and with a sailboat you have the implied breeze part. I like the color red, and who knows maybe someday will have a sailboat, and maybe it will be red - you never know. Lastly, there's a green hill there, which could possibly represent my Irish heritage, or my love of the earth or belief in preserving wild places, although these are afterthoughts. I've written a few songs that include lyrics or imagery involving hills and lakes and sailing, and hope to write more, but don't necessarily want to be known as guy who writes a lot of songs about these types of subjects.
What is your favorite kind of music?
Overall, I must say that I really love what I used to call hard rock more than any other music - that is, the hard rock from the 70's and early 80's before it morphed into being called heavy metal and then grunge. Some bands I've always liked from this period have been (in no particular order) Grand Funk Railroad, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Rush, early Van Halen, Aerosmith, REO Speedwagon, Journey, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Led Zeppelin, Steve Miller Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Boston, J. Geils Band and Ted Nugent, to name a few that come to mind.
All that said, I also like some hard rock bands that came later (Guns & Roses, Nirvana), some rock that came earlier (Elvis, Beatles), some that still endure (Stones), Folk (Dylan, CSN&Y), Country (Willie Nelson, Lefty Frizzel), Jazz (Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck), Punk (Ramones, Green Day), Ska & Reggae (Bob Marley), many that defy easy categorization (Grateful Dead, Talking Heads, The Police, Violent Femmes, Jimmy Buffett) - again, to name just a few.
What is my end goal?
To have more people become aware of my music and want to buy it.
What do I care about, not as an “artist”, but as a person?
I care about my family, my friends, the environment, Michigan, my livelihood, my country, the world, the human race, skiing, people finding happiness.
What do my “fans” care about, as people?
My fans care about indie acoustic rock music like I make, they like the things I like.
What level of transparency am I comfortable with?
I am honest by answering these questions, I am honest about why I make music in my blog and website, but I don't reveal every aspect of my personal life online.
What visual aesthetic do I identify with?
The great lakes region, sailing, things that might come to mind for fans of acoustic guitar music - a love of the simple and real and natural things in the world.
What will phase one, two and three of my live show look like?
Me playing acoustic guitar while singing songs I've written, sequenced to hold the listener's attention, with crowd pleasers saved for phase three.
Is my current music actually the first impression I want to make, or should I keep writing?
Both. Yes, and yes.
Who would you trade places with for a day, living or dead?
Hugh Hefner.
How long have you been playing?
I have been playing since 1989 when I was twenty one years old. I bought a cheap used Yamaha acoustic guitar from Julie's Pawn Shop in Flint and took Intro To Guitar my senior year at Albion College.
What was the first concert you ever went to?
Beach Boys with parents in 1977 at age 10 at Pine Knob, where I saw hippies on the lawn smoking pot.
What gear do you use?
I use Ovation acoustic/electric guitar and bass, a Weissenborn Hawaiian acoustic lap steel for slide, Hohner harmonicas, a Deagan marimba, Remo djembe, Pearl snare, Olympic hi-hat, LP congas & bongos, and a Little Queen washboard.
Who was your biggest musical influence growing up?
Neil Young via friend Pete Newman's older brother Kurt's albums. I like Neil because he is a great songwriter, a unique player & singer, great lead guitar player, plays a variety of styles and doesn't try to be too perfect.
Are you in a band? Have you been in bands?
I've played in bands (Surreal, The Bus Drivers) and duos (Daugherty & Cooley, Cobb & Cooley, Lake Effect and Acoustic Jones w/ Rich Marr) playing mostly blues, classic rock, acoustic rock, folk-rock, punk rock, folk, Americana, reggae and roots. I met most of my early collaborators at The Goodrich Club at Albion College in '89, in the Vail, Colorado area from 89-95, with Rich Marr in both Vail and Michigan, the rest in Michigan from 95 on. I started playing open mic nights, but had a few paying gigs, both as headliners and opening acts, the highlight being the Apres Ski gig at the Sundance Saloon in Lionshead Village, Vail with Steve Cobb. Since moving back to Michigan, some paying gigs with Rich Marr around the Flint area, as well as open mic nights and songwriter groups in the Flint, Detroit, Lansing and Petoskey areas. I've also been a part of many imperromptu jam sessions at Cooley family get-togethers in Michigan with several cousins, and after work with co-workers in the Ann Arbor area. Also, I play an annual festival known as Schmoopiepalooza on the shores of Pickerel Lake in Petoskey, Michigan with my lovely wife Lenore on accordion and marimba, the Petosega Players percussion group, and the U of Norton choir. I do not currently play shows, but you might be able to see/hear me playing live at https://www.youtube.com/user/scottcooleylive.
If you could jam with anyone, who would it be?
I would love to jam with Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, Elvis, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Band, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, CSN&Y, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bob Marley, the Meters, and the Neville Bros.
What's the biggest audience you ever performed to? What's the smallest?
The biggest was maybe 300, the smallest 1. Most memorable would be apres-ski at the Sundance w/ Steve Cobb in Vail one night in about 1994 when I was playing lead guitar out of my mind and in the zone for about a 10 minute blues solo and during a break between sets was swarmed by hot chicks complimenting me. This is probably why I still write & record songs, but also why I should probably get up my courage to play live again someday.
You're stuck on a desert island and only get to bring one album with you. What do you pick?
Caught In The Act - Grand Funk Railroad. Those deserving careful consideration, however, would include The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd, Boston's first album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, Violent Femmes' first album, Tommy by The Who, Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band - Almost Acoustic, Desire by Bob Dylan, Best Of Booker T & The MG's, Kiss Alive II, and Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin.
What kind of experience do I want to create?
An experience that is people enjoying the way I express myself through music.
Why is Vail such a great place to ski?
The Back Bowls, high-speed quads, and size let you get more fresh tracks after a big snowfall than anywhere else.
Who is the best tennis commentator?
John McEnroe is by far the best. Martina a close second.
What is your favorite book?
Brown Dog by Jim Harrison, by far.
Why is sailing a cool sport?
Because it's natural, quiet, and relaxing.
What are your all-time favorite movies?
Local Hero, Waterworld, Step Brothers, The Hot Spot, Dazed and Confused, Blair Witch Project, The Big Lebowski, Better Off Dead, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Canadian Bacon, Downhill Racer, Pulp Fiction, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Strange Brew, Godfather II,
Are there any products you recommend to people?
Yes. There are many. Here's one: Kensington Puck Document Holder. This is the best device in the world for propping up your song lyric sheets while recording. It has the weight and feel of a rubber hockey puck. It has a small footprint. It doesn't allow the paper to move. It's perfect. Everyone should have one of these. Google it, and then buy it.
Do you know what time it is, or Do you have the time?
Yes I do. You can always know what time it is by visiting the Time page of this website here: Time
Do you actually get asked all these questions frequently?
Hell no. These are at the same time both wishful and preemptive. I have a theory about humans that they all secretly want to be an authority on a subject, and further, think that is probably a secret motivation for people to become professors. We also want to be asked questions because our favorite subject is ourselves. That's one thing, but it's another to do what I've done here on this page of this website. This is completely crazy, I suspect.
Do you know who your fans are or anything about them?
Nope. No one signs up for my mailing list at all - probably since I don't play live, but this still stumps me. Few people who've purchased my CDs have contacted me, and I don't pay for a service to collect buyer demographic info. I do have analytics for the web site, and know the visitors are mostly from Michigan, followed by a lot from California for some reason. I keep thinking I'll have visitors from Nashville, but it rarely occurs. Few post reviews/blogs about my music online, and although those seem to be slowly growing, they are usually anonymous.
People don't want to admit they read about you online out of curiosity, checking details of your personal profiles on social networking sites or visiting your website, and for the same kinds of reasons, I suspect, they're afraid to admit they bought and/or listened to your music, let alone post a review online. I suspect Facebook friends figure out I have a web site, and visit it from there, then see I have music for sale in online stores, then go to iTunes or Amazon and buy from there. There's an anonymity for the digital music consumer, and the discovery and appreciation of indie artists is by nature a more personal and private choice, as compared with popular major label artists marketed on television and radio. The identification with the region I'm from and based in is an important factor in online search.
If you are from Michigan and like acoustic artists from Michigan who are themselves influenced by Michigan artists, you're on your way. Then if you can narrow by subject matter about the great lakes/midwest, and further by Americana/Roots/Folk-Rock genres/styles, refine by words like 'island' and you're getting even closer. CD Baby has this type of drill-down ability, and although I'm not on there yet, I should be because of it! In general, people don't have time these days (or money for that matter) to seek out unknown quantities and risk not liking it (although free online clips & samplers reduce it significantly). My music would mostly appeal to a more mature audience who have established nostalgic favorites and need new artists marketed to them for discovery. I'm guessing many stream the songs free at various online sites that offer "pre-listens" or whatever those are called, then don't buy. Some pre, then buy though.
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