Crowd Control Q&A | Bayleigh Cheek

1. What is it about music that draws you to it?
I feel music is very strange. It’s something so powerful that you can’t see yet it can communicate on such a deeper level. I believe it’s the best form of communication. It hits a part of your soul that most of the time can not be reached and it’s such an effective way of storytelling. This is why I’m drawn to it. I want to tell stories that hit on a more spiritual level and not just the surface.

2. When writing, do you find yourself continually coming back to a specific theme?
I definitely do, it’s usually done subconsciously too. Over time, writing song after song, I noticed they all fell under one constant theme. I figured I would create a brand around it and write concept albums. I guess I’ve been writing concept albums before I even knew that’s what I wanted to do.

3. What is it that attracts you to writing concept albums?
My music is heavily influenced by the 60s and 70s. I draw a ton of inspiration from bands like Pink Floyd, who were brilliant concept album writers. I’ve felt I’ve always been a storyteller. Even before I ever thought about music. I always wanted to either act or write novels and short stories. I love how a concept album can bring in many different elements, even if it’s just audible. You can really play a lot with “ear candy” as I’ve heard it been called, and experiment with a concept and invert it into sound. For instance, with my band, when I bring a new song I usually give a visual of a scene or scenario, and we figure out exactly what certain things would sound like and how we can create that feeling. I think art school had a lot to do with me writing that way as well. We had to come up with themes for our portfolios and I think I somewhat got trained to write and create that way. Most people say art school will kill your creativity, and for a while I agreed but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

4. You're an artist as well as a musician, do you feel like having that dual artistic perspective lends itself to your music in any way?
Absolutely! After school I hated doing art for a long period of time. About a year after, I was working at a coffee shop and a customer found out I was an artist and wanted to commission me for an art piece. He later found out I was a musician and began to say he was a guitar curator. After some discussion I had told him my favorite guitar and he followed it with telling me that if I did a few pieces for him he would give me enough money to buy my guitar. Which is how I got my beautiful cherry red gretsch which I play now. That was very special to me and it was a way for art to redeem itself in my life. Now I’ve figured out a way to incorporate art into my music. I draw certain images for certain songs which may lead to more clues about the depth of the concept album or things you may have missed while listening to it.

5. Who is a local artist that you really look up to?
A local artist I really look up to, I’ll have to say my friend Jenna Clark. She attributed to a lot of where I am today. She started an open mic in Deep Ellum which is where I met her. That open mic brought me so many connections that helped me grow. Also two of my band members, who ended up both fitting so perfectly came from her so to say I’m grateful for her is an understatement.

6. You get to put a show together with you and two other acts. Anyone. What's the lineup?
What a hard question! If it could be anyone, I would have to choose my favorite legendary artists, Tom Waits and David Gilmour. I’ve pulled so much inspiration from both of them I’d love to first of all share a stage with them but also interested to see the combination of all the music.

1 June | 2018