Inspired #131 - Michael Witt
Texan singer-songwriter Michael Witt returns with a fresh new single this month with ‘The Hammer’, a song the drives itself with an power chorus fueled by lifting guitar sounds. Michael took a moment to talk to us about his inspirations as an artist.
Who are your top three musical inspirations?
As much as I’d like for this question to be a difficult one, my answers came almost immediately. My oldest musical inspiration is John Mayer. Being a fan of his has been difficult and disappointing at times, but his ability to dive inward and move past transgressions is an inspiration in and of itself. John Mayer’s music touches a part of my soul that sometimes I’m not even sure is there. His clever, soul-searching lyricism has found me when I needed it most. But what truly draws me to John Mayer, what electrifies my soul and makes me feel like I am truly not alone, is the language he speaks on the guitar. Guitar is truly a language - with all of the emotion, nuance, and energetic exchange as any other language. And I think that John Mayer speaks that language better than almost anybody. The next musical inspiration I’d like to talk about is Radiohead. What brilliant, beautiful people that band is made of. Radiohead’s music has stuck with me since junior high, rolling in and out of the front of my mind every few months. Their willingness to totally abandon any expectations placed on them has proven to me that I am not beholden to a single person with the music that I make. There are no rules by which I must abide. The way they threw the entire playbook out the window when they may Kid A sends chills down my spine. My final and most dearly beloved musical inspiration is Jeff Buckley. I am hesitant to even try to put into words what Jeff does to me. He is otherworldly. He is pure emotion. Pure expression. He is music in human form, and his death is one of the greatest tragedies in American music.
Is there a certain film that inspires you?
Film in general is incredibly inspiring to me. Any song of mine worth talking about was created with a strong visual in my mind, so films are very important to me as a musician. To answer the question, I would say that recently the most inspiring film I’ve seen is Color Out of Space. I am a big fan of weird. I am also a believer in Nicolas Cage, and I’d love to share my testimony with anyone who is interested.
What city do you find the most inspiring?
My knee-jerk response to this question is New York City. It’s a beautiful, grand place with endless nooks and crannies to explore. That city is bursting with energy and I loved my recent visit. But my most honest answer would have to be Phoenix, Arizona. My grandparents lived there when I was very young, and I’ve maintained a sort-of cosmic attraction to the city and its surrounding landscape. Being there makes me feel energized in a very unique way.
Who is the most inspiring person to you?
It’s difficult to pick one person to hold the title of ‘Most Inspiring’, but lately I’ve been really inspired by my friend Mallory McAdams. She is a brilliant songwriter (her band is called The Roommates and they’re absolutely ridiculous) and she is also just a brilliant and magical human being.
What were your inspirations when writing the track?
Inspirations for ‘The Hammer’ are actually kind of compartmentalized. The songwriting was inspired by Noah Gundersen, one of my favorite artists. The instrumentation was influenced by Radiohead and The Beatles, which is where some of the weirder sounds came from. The vocals, especially the background vocals towards the end, were inspired by Jeff Buckley’s extraordinary vocal elasticity. And the guitar solo, naturally, was heavily inspired by John Mayer’s playing.
How would you like to inspire people?
I want to encourage and empower people to dig deeper. First into themselves, and then into the world around them. We as humans are free to explore the magnificent depth and magic that lies just beneath the surface of everything, and it seems that some folks go their whole lives without looking for more. I want to inspire people to keep searching for their truest selves, to keep questioning the world around them, and to keep seeking connection with their fellow humans.