INTERVIEW: M. Rivers — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

M. Rivers

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THE brilliant M. Rivers…

has been discussing his new single, Don’t Drink the Water, and how it came together. I ask the L.A. artist how it differs to his hit, Champions; whether Los Angeles is a great city to create music in; when he began his career - the songwriter tells me how it feels having a large and impassioned fanbase.

M. Rivers talks about a precious memory from his time in music; which upcoming artists are worth seeking out; the advice he would give to artists coming through; what he hopes to achieve by the end of this year – he selects a song to end the interview with.

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Hi, M. Rivers. How are you? How has your week been?

Absolutely busy and exciting - a single released; an article in Billboard; being played on the radio nationwide; an interview with you. All good.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a recording artist from Los Angeles, CA. I create. I am but a messenger and a storyteller for the human condition and I stand for equality and love.

Don’t Drink the Water is your latest cut. Is there a story and history attached to the song?

Yes! I wrote this song for everyone who contemplates the reality we are presented by the media and our institutions. I want us to think for ourselves and recognize the manipulation by mass media and the one percent who control us and keep us down. Power to the people.

How do you think it differs to Champions? Did you feel pressure to follow the success of that release by providing something even bigger and more memorable?

Every song I create has a different purpose and a different existence for the listener. Champion is an idealistic song that plays with the ego and manifests a certain type of destiny. Don’t Drink the Water is a very down-to-earth expression of the suppressed culture that we have grown up with and the cover-up of a somewhat perfect society that Americans have sold to their own people. It simply questions our integrity as a people and the education process and information we have been given.

You have won a lot of fans and seen your music spread around the world. How does that make you feel?!

I’m no-one's hero: I am simply a voice for the people. It feels good when people identify with that message; it gives me purpose. There’s plenty of resistance and I’m okay with that too. I don't have a solution to our social and economic problems: I’m simply creating art that reflects what I believe to be our human disposition.

When did you begin your career? Was there a moment when you knew music was what you were meant to do?

No specific moment, but a visceral gut feeling I had a connection with people. I always manifested playing in front of audiences. I studied great lyricists and performers that impacted people’s lives. Thirdly, keeping it real; not singing with character in my voice or anything that was a put on; to be able to go out there and speak to people on a real and personal level - the likes of Bill Withers and Tom Petty. To be able to totally teleport to another dimension; communicating with an audience on another plane.

That is the ultimate goal for me as an artist.

There is a lot of great music coming out of Los Angeles. Is it the best place in the world to create and release music do you think?! Is there a great buzz in the city?

It doesn't matter where you come from or how many people you know. After fifteen years and four record deals; after two-thousand shows and being bankrupt twice, I can honestly tell you that, for me, it only matters that you write a great song: relevant, important and cool. The rest is bullsh*t.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I want to become visible. I want guys like Beck and Jay-Z saying: “Who the fu*k is this guy?!”

Will there be any tour dates? Where can we see you play?

There will. Please follow me on my socials: @m.riversofficial for Instagram and @mriversofficial for Facebook.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

I have lots. Mostly connecting with fans. I’ve played so many shows and I had a moment at Rock on the Range where we were a tad behind and the crowd was chanting. About eight-thousand people. I took my time; I didn't want that moment to end. The moment I walked out, the crowd started surfing and flipping out.

I had waited for that moment for a long time and I enjoyed it; my fans and fellow music-lovers showed me love and respect that took me a lifetime to earn. It was a good day.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say?

For me, it’s all about the songs, not the albums. There are, like, thirty or forty songs that mean the most to me. It’s so cool to me when people exist with albums but I’m a song guy through and through.