MusicsWeek: Can you describe your creative process when writing and composing music? What inspires you the most?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: I don't have any hard and fast rules when it comes to the creative process behind songwriting other than I try to sit down with a guitar on a daily basis. I let the guitar do the talking; some days, it is eager to chatter away. Other days, there's nothing there. But it is important to give the muse a chance to appear. If you don't give it a chance, you might miss a great opportunity.
MusicsWeek: Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound and style?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: I have so many musical influences from the roots of rock and roll (Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor) to the birth of rock and roll (Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley), to the classic period of rock and roll (Bob Dylan, The Who, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Doors) to singer-songwriters (Nick Drake, Patty Griffin). I'm sure I am forgetting a few as well. They have all shaped our sound and style in different ways: we love the tone one gets from a classic, old, vintage electric guitar you hear from Chuck Berry or Tom Petty and we try to get that kind of old rock and roll tone out of our gear. We love the raw acoustic guitar sound you get out of alternate tunings which is a staple in music from Nick Drake and Patty Griffin. And there's no better lyricist to study than Bob Dylan - no one can write a song like Bob.
MusicsWeek: Many artists convey specific messages through their music. What themes or messages do you aim to communicate through your songs?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: One of the greatest things about music is that a song can have different meanings to different people - and nobody is wrong. It just means something different to them. What's most important is that the listener found meaning in the song to begin with. So I always hesitate to definitively state what a song is meant to convey. Instead, I prefer for people who might find our songs interesting to find their own meaning in the lyrics.
MusicsWeek: What challenges have you faced in your musical journey, and how have they contributed to your growth as an artist?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: One of the biggest challenges for me is to be open about the evolution of a song we are working on as a group. I might come into the studio with an idea in my head about what a song should start with and then someone has an idea about a drum groove or adding a piano riff or something else and all of a sudden the song has evolved into something different than what I had in my head. Thankfully, with the group I have, the song is very often much better after everyone's input than what I had circling in my head. One great example is the song "Afternoon Sundown" off of The Rough Demos album. This song is completely different on the record than what I had been hearing up there in my head. But it is so much different; in many ways, it's my favorite song on the album because of this.
MusicsWeek: What do you look for in a collaboration and how do such partnerships enhance your music?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: When collaborating with the group, I look for anything that will make the sound better. That's all we are trying to do, make a song that sounds good and people can connect with on some level. I think we as a group are all on the same page here. No one is giving their input just for the sake of giving input; instead, we all are just trying to make the best song and best record we can.
MusicsWeek: How do you prepare for live performances and what do you enjoy most about connecting with your audience on stage?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: We've been in the studio so long that I've forgotten what it's like to perform a live show! We have all these songs that came together in the studio that we didn't know what to do with them other than to record them. Once we get our second album out in a few months, we might go back to performing live.
MusicsWeek: How do you feel about the role of technology in music today? Has it changed the way you create, distribute or perform your music?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: Technology can be a double-edged sword; I'm for anything that makes the process of putting a record together a little easier but at the same time, I don't like anything that takes away from the authenticity of a song. If nothing else, The Jimmy Dixon Group strives to be authentic and genuine. Hence, the name of the record is The Rough Demos. Because it's a little rough around the edges at times. We're real human beings playing real instruments. And we want that authenticity to show in the recordings!
MusicsWeek: How has technology influenced your music-making process and your relationship with your fans?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: We are probably not the best people to ask about that. We have a minimal presence on social media and things like that. But technology has other ways to help us broaden our exposure as a band and for that we are grateful for new technologies.
MusicsWeek: What advice would you give to young or aspiring musicians trying to break into the industry?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: My advice would be to never forget the foundation of your inspiration, those that have inspired you to be who you are.
MusicsWeek: Looking back on your career so far, what accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
The Jimmy Dixon Group: We never set out to make a record. It never occurred to us. We simply got together because we enjoyed playing music as a group. We love nothing more than playing together. So to have made a record that a few people have connected with and said to us, 'hey, these songs aren't so bad, I dig the groove' - that has been an accomplishment we are most proud of. Sometimes it's the little things that bring the most happiness.
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