We were lucky to catch up with Watercourses recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Watercourses thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Last fall we put out our first EP release, titled, “EP 01, which we recorded locally at Postal Recording, with Tyler Watkins. This project is near and dear to us, despite it not having much of a “theme” or “agenda,” if you will. Frankly, we put it out because we wanted to give people something to enjoy. Shows aren’t necessarily hard to come by, but finding a strong audience, especially in the Midwest, who is willing to come to the dingy bars and tiny venues on a weekday is no small feat. We live in an age where quick access is far more appealing to the masses, so having music out there was important to us. This EP is a collection of 6 killer songs that we feel best represented us at the time. It was a project two years in the making, one that took place throughout Indiana and Ohio. We think it does a bang up job representing our Midwestern roots; ultimately what Watercourses is, really.

Watercourses, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Watercourses: White River/Black Swamp. Our name comes from an appreciation of the waterways of northeast and central Indiana. George and Costin come from Fort Wayne, while Alex hails from Indianapolis. The northeast once featured what was called the “Great Black Swamp,” which stretched from Fort Wayne all the way to Lake Erie, while the White River cuts right through Indianapolis. Our name is a bit of an homage to where we grew up.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Simply put, the ability to create. What we create is ours, no one else’s. However, that does not mean that it cannot mean something to anyone else. We’ve been very fortunate to meet fans who have genuinely connected with our music in ways that maybe we have not. It means something to everyone, and that something is unique to every person. So, being able to create music and play it for anyone rewards us in knowing that it represents something to all who stumble across it, not just ourselves.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

In Indianapolis (and to an extent all of Indiana), the arts are widely supported, but, broadly speaking, it seems to be on the fringes. This is a very traditional place. Sports reign supreme, and that is ok. Folks are interested in many other things, too, but the arts seem to be lower on the totem pole. Despite this, creatives are everywhere. You can find art fairs and music events and regional festivals all over the state, and many are well attended, but it feels like that support has waned over the years. In particular, the number of venues and places for creatives to showcase their craft has dwindled. One can assume that this is largely to do with a shrinking audience. Or maybe it’s strictly about money, who’s to say? It does seem like things could improve if there were more statewide, or at least municipal/regional initiatives to support the arts more so than they already are. If venues and galleries and bars/restaurants/etc., were more strongly supported, then perhaps this industry would further thrive. How best to go about that is anyone’s guess, really.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @watercoursesband

Image Credits

Maria Maccaroni