We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michael Cobb. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michael below.

Michael, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I grew up listening to and loving all kinds of music, thanks in large part to my parents’ love of music, their excellent collection of vinyl records, and high quality radio stations. This instilled a deep love of music in me.

I always wanted to play guitar and be in a band like my rock and roll heroes. I played air guitar for many years, which helped me learn quickly as I spent many years visualizing playing guitar. My parents bought me an acoustic guitar when I was 16, but it was in bad shape, and I couldn’t really play it.

I finally started playing guitar in college when I was twenty years old in the early 90s. I took one semester of guitar and worked playing the bass parts in a guitar trio as part of my class assignments, which helped. My friends and roommates had an electric guitar, which was easy and fun to play. They were both generous, lending me guitars and stingy not wanting to include me in their jams. This frustrated but inspired me. I continued listening to tons of music and playing along to bands like CCR and the Rolling Stones whose songs were accessible, with simple, solid beats, which taught me a lot about keeping good time, tone, and taste. Playing what I wanted versus getting hung up on theory or playing from sheet music, which was comparatively dry and boring, was also key to my growth.

Within two years I started playing with a drummer and a bassist. It sounded good, but I thought we could do better. I spotted a talented singer-songwriter-guitarist at an open mic, and I’d met a bassist in one of my classes. I suggested starting a group. Soon we realized we had something, began performing in clubs and festivals, and made a demo tape.

The drummer and I worked at the college radio station where we had access to all the addresses of A&R representatives at major record labels. We sent our demo tape to about 30 labels and only heard back from one, Island Records, home of Bob Marley, U2, Cranberries, and many more. They liked us, courted us, and signed us with a cash advance. It was a dream come true. Later we went on to record an album at a major studio in New York City on the same console ACDC used to recored “Back In Black” and played with major bands like Oasis, Cake, and others. The band eventually broke up, but my love of music only grew, and I continue playing today.

Starting playing guitar earlier might have helped, but I have a strong creative drive, and it was bound to happen eventually. However, I did not start writing my own songs until I was 28, and it took me a while to form a band of my own, which I did in 2000. The whole music business has changed because of digital downloads and people getting used to accessing music and content for free. It was always hard, but now it’s harder to make money from music. I’m also older now, and unfortunately, so much of success in music is about marketing to younger demographics, who have the time and money to consume music, and I have a family, so I’m not able to do as much as I’d like to. But it’s a good trade off.

Sometimes I wish I’d started my own work as a singer-songwriter-guitarist and gotten my act together much earlier, which might have helped me achieve more success. I also walked away from a few bands when I was offered more steady work as a teacher, which I sometimes regret, but overall, I’m happy where I am today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I think I described much of this in my previous entry. Today, I play in many bands. I’m a singer-songwriter-guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. My main passion is writing original music, but I also play popular hits from the 60s onward. I play everywhere from breweries to clubs, festivals, etc. I perform solo acoustic, as a duo, trio, or a full rock and roll band. Sometimes this includes auxiliary players like keys and horns. A quartet or a quintet with guitar/vocals, lead guitar, bass, drums, and sometimes another singer/guitarist is probably my favorite lineup.

I aim for decent gigs that pay well, though this varies with each situation. Above all, I do it for the love of music and the camaraderie that comes with playing with great musicians who are also friends.

I love all kinds of music and have spent many years learning different genres and styles. This keeps both me and the audience entertained, and I’m proud of that. I’ve also spent many years honing my craft as a songwriter and feel proud of having written many high quality original songs.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society should support musicians performing original music and creative content. This is vital to developing new talent, innovation, and progress, and this spirit can apply to other creative endeavors and encourages positive growth. The converse is also true.

For example, there is a tendency now for clubs and audiences to support tribute bands, e.g. a Led Zeppelin tribute band that plays all their material, dresses, and acts like the band, etc. I understand the attraction. It allows audiences to experience the music of bands they know and love, especially if they’ve never seen the actual band, clubs make a profit in a tough business, and musicians get paid decently. I have played my fair share of covers. However, it does nothing to move things forward, and instead keeps things stuck in the past, which ultimately is boring and a dead end. It is not creative because nothing new is being created.

Audiences, clubs, radio, the music business, and society in general should support new, creative endeavors in all artistic mediums. This is where growth and progress happen. People should also remember that the classic and familiar were once new and unknown. And the wildest, weirdest, newest music and art came from people who supported new music.

Hilly Kristal, proprietor of legendary NYC punk club CBGB’s did this with now legendary musicians like Blondie, Talking Heads, Ramones, and many more. Honor and enjoy the past, but keep an open mind to new art forms. It’s a risk worth taking. Finally, I think it’s stupid that the music industry is so ageist. There are great musicians of all ages, and it’s a lost opportunity not to give older musicians attention, when oftentimes they’ve honed their craft further and still have so much to contribute. Music is something that can be performed and enjoyed by all ages. Look at Willie Nelson!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Creativity is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because it enriches life for everyone: artists and society. It can be a curse because true creatives have a hard time doing anything else other than their art! Ideally, they would not have to.

We love the arts, but too often we do not support the arts. We tell people to “get a job”. But why? What does that mean and where does that leave us? And what is the ultimate purpose of work and life, if not to learn, grow, become a better person and in turn make the world a better place? I don’t think we’re meant to just be cogs in a machine.

It may sound like a pipe dream, but I sincerely think there should be more support for artists and all people with guaranteed universal income, subsidized housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and more to create a peaceful, sustainable planet. Other countries and societies have done it and are doing; so can we. Look at Scandinavia. It’s possible.

Currently, we’re experiencing environmental catastrophe, ridiculous income inequality, war, authoritarianism, etc. Humanity’s got its foot on the accelerator, headed toward oblivion. This is by design and greed. It comes from a “me” vs a “we” philosophy. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Artists and creatives, though not perfect people, have always imagined different, better ways of living. They are necessary more than ever to ensure the survival of the human race. As John and Yoko said so simply and profoundly, “Imagine”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mc-obb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelcobb70
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.cobb.10
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelscobb1970
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMHK0T5rcd6AJTDm25Wg-XsXLt5U7eOdC&si=FEj6Qtx7LpkpciXm
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mscjr
• Other: https://mcjr.bandcamp.com/music

Image Credits

Photo of me with orange electric guitar by Stephen Lovekin