Interview: Andrew Thomases

1: What inspires you to create?

I call my music “conscious rock” because I try to write music that has meaning.  I am 54 years old, and I want my songs to provide a message – to impart some of the wisdom I have learned over those years.  I have been a music fan all of my life, and I played in cover bands when in school.  I never wrote songs until the pandemic.  My dad got me into music and he passed away in 2020, so I wrote a song as a tribute to him.  My friends and family liked it and encouraged me to continue writing more songs.  I have now released nine songs, and I hope to create additional songs soon.

2: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a creative profession?

Don’t be afraid to try something outside of your comfort zone.  It may be challenging, but if you are committed to it, you can make it happen.  

3: Who is an artist you'd like to collaborate with?

Well, I already did a collaboration with Anne Bennett, and she has an incredible voice.  She was kind enough to contribute her singing to my track “Funkin’ Blame Game,” and she really added a new dimension to the song.

If I had to pick a major recording artist, I would say The Cure.  I loved them when in college and grad school, and it would be great to collaborate with Robert Smith.  I saw them live a few years ago and they still killed it.

4: What would you be doing right now, if you weren't doing music?

In my free time, I am a lawyer.  I spend most of my time as a trial attorney doing intellectual property cases.  Of course, I would love to have more time for music, but being a lawyer is the best way to pay the bills.

5: What is your favorite format to listen to music on? (CD, Vinyl, etc)

I have been suckered into the convenience of streaming, but I still think vinyl and CD are the best-sounding formats.  I still have my vinyl from the 70s and 80s, as well has hundreds of CDs from the 90s and 2000s.  It is just hard to get them out to play them.

6: How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business?

The biggest downside of streaming music is the algorithm that feeds music to the listener based on their prior listening habits.  That makes it hard to find new music that may be outside of your preferred genre.  Before the internet, there were limited sources of music (radio, MTV, etc.), but they did have good ways of selecting new songs for the audience.  There are now very few professionals who curate the best new music for audiences who have broad tastes in music.

7: What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Don’t be afraid to fail.  Mistakes give you the wisdom to do better in the future.

8: If you could open a show for any artist, who would it be?

Imagine Dragons.  They are extremely talented musicians and excellent song writers.  I am sure they could teach me a thing or two.

9: What was the inspiration for your song “Funkin' Blame Game”?

I was getting sick of all of the power-hungry narcissists who are in leadership roles in our country.  They refuse to admit mistakes and they believe they could never be wrong.  Rather they tend to blame others for their own faults or for other problems.  “Funkin’ Blame Game” talks about how this trait is destroying our society, but the bridge of the song asks us all to avoid playing the blame game.

10: What was the inspiration for your song “Two Sides”?

I often find myself wanting to be the guy who is full of energy and who is the life of the party, and I do like that role sometimes.  But other times, I am introverted and just want to be on my own.  I used to think something was wrong with me having these two sides, but I then came to realize that having the two desires at different times is just fine.  We all have those moods, and it is alright.