An Interview with Mercury Avenue
The Cliché Teen Journal has recently interviewed the band Mercury Avenue.
The duo consist of teens Sophie Patchan and Jackson Ledbetter.
Here is the interview between them and Anna L.
Question 1: w long have you been playing music, together and alone?
Mercury Avenue: We have been an acoustic duo since February of this year. Jackson has been playing drums for 8 years now. Sophia has been playing guitar for 9 years, and taken voice lessons for 4 years.And I, Jackson, have been playing bass (which I do on occasion for certain gigs) since this past Christmas.
Question 2: Do you prefer performing or playing for yourself?
Mercury Avenue: We enjoy performing in front of people more than just ourselves. It gives us a personal connection with the audience. We also enjoy witnessing the audience’s reactions when we play. For instance, our recent gig at Griffin Tavern (Flint Hill, Virginia), couples pulled each other out of their seats and started dancing while we played. This really moved us seeing how people truly enjoy our live performances.
Question 3: What type of music do you enjoy playing the most and why?
Mercury Avenue: We enjoy playing classic rock and blues the most. Because we gig at mainly breweries/wineries and some restaurants, that’s the type of music the audience enjoys the most. So, while knowing that’s what the people we entertain want to hear, we found ourselves performing that style of music the most. And as we discovered music in those genres, we actually learned to enjoy playing it the most. Also, our original that we wrote is a blues song!
Question 4: Do you prefer singing original or covers of songs?
Mercury Avenue: As of right now we only have one original that we can perform. Because of that, the majority of our set are covers of songs. Although, we really enjoy playing our original because it lets the listeners see our emotions and hard work that we put into our own music. So honestly, we enjoy playing both just the same, although down the road when we create more originals we might find ourselves preferring to perform those more!
Question 5: What other artist or bands inspire you, and why?
Sophia: Stevie Ray Vaughan inspires me the most through the way he plays and writes. I try to incorporate similar licks and techniques he uses in my own playing. In addition to Vaughan, Janis Joplin inspires me the most vocally due to her uniqueness and individuality. I admire her skill and confidence to sing whatever she wants whenever she feels like it, and the way she does it.
Jackson: Larnell Lewis, the drummer in past Snarky Puppy albums, has greatly influenced how I play and what I practice. He inspires me to add in subtle dynamics.
Question 6: How long have you been working together? What made you start your band?
Mercury Avenue: We have been working together as a duo since February of this year. However, we started performing together as a full rock band in August 2017. Certain circumstances within the rock band caused us to become the acoustic duo that we are today. We originally started just to have fun making music together, but while that is still true, we also needed money from gigging for college.
Question 7: Do you ever find that music interferes with your day-to-day lives?
Mercury Avenue: Music absolutely interferes with our day-to-day lives, but in a constructive way. At the root that’s who we both really are. We each take classes that learn about music and if we’re not at school you can count on us either practicing or listening to music. We both greatly enjoy music and all it has to offer!
Question 8: What is the best advice you have ever received regarding music?
Mercury Avenue: For both of us, the best advice we have ever received regarded dynamics specifically. Dynamics shape everything a musician does. You can hit every note and you can nail every riff, but it doesn’t have emotion or color without dynamics.
Question 9: What is your goal in the musical career pathway?
Mercury Avenue: Once Sophia goes to college, we won’t be able to perform as much as we are right now, but we hope to perform gigs together as long as we can. We both want to minor in music in college and continuously keep the music alive in ourselves. He also hopes to start an album comprised of our own originals sometime in the near future.
Question 10: What advice would you give to young musicians trying to start a musical career?
Mercury Avenue: Always take opportunities presented to you. Whether it be in a school band or your first small gig, never turn down an opportunity. And if you know you can’t do it, then still say yes, learn how to make it work. Also don’t tell yourself that practicing doesn’t help, practicing on your own is the biggest way to expand your musical vocabulary. So, in other words, don’t take music and free time for granted, always keep working.
Anna: Thank you for doing this interview! Do you have anything else to add?
Mercury Avenue: Thank you for you for the opportunity! We look forward to reading the journal.
Check out the band's Instagram: @mercuryavenue
Click the link below!
Mercury Avenue: We have been an acoustic duo since February of this year. Jackson has been playing drums for 8 years now. Sophia has been playing guitar for 9 years, and taken voice lessons for 4 years.And I, Jackson, have been playing bass (which I do on occasion for certain gigs) since this past Christmas.
Question 2: Do you prefer performing or playing for yourself?
Mercury Avenue: We enjoy performing in front of people more than just ourselves. It gives us a personal connection with the audience. We also enjoy witnessing the audience’s reactions when we play. For instance, our recent gig at Griffin Tavern (Flint Hill, Virginia), couples pulled each other out of their seats and started dancing while we played. This really moved us seeing how people truly enjoy our live performances.
Question 3: What type of music do you enjoy playing the most and why?
Mercury Avenue: We enjoy playing classic rock and blues the most. Because we gig at mainly breweries/wineries and some restaurants, that’s the type of music the audience enjoys the most. So, while knowing that’s what the people we entertain want to hear, we found ourselves performing that style of music the most. And as we discovered music in those genres, we actually learned to enjoy playing it the most. Also, our original that we wrote is a blues song!
Question 4: Do you prefer singing original or covers of songs?
Mercury Avenue: As of right now we only have one original that we can perform. Because of that, the majority of our set are covers of songs. Although, we really enjoy playing our original because it lets the listeners see our emotions and hard work that we put into our own music. So honestly, we enjoy playing both just the same, although down the road when we create more originals we might find ourselves preferring to perform those more!
Question 5: What other artist or bands inspire you, and why?
Sophia: Stevie Ray Vaughan inspires me the most through the way he plays and writes. I try to incorporate similar licks and techniques he uses in my own playing. In addition to Vaughan, Janis Joplin inspires me the most vocally due to her uniqueness and individuality. I admire her skill and confidence to sing whatever she wants whenever she feels like it, and the way she does it.
Jackson: Larnell Lewis, the drummer in past Snarky Puppy albums, has greatly influenced how I play and what I practice. He inspires me to add in subtle dynamics.
Question 6: How long have you been working together? What made you start your band?
Mercury Avenue: We have been working together as a duo since February of this year. However, we started performing together as a full rock band in August 2017. Certain circumstances within the rock band caused us to become the acoustic duo that we are today. We originally started just to have fun making music together, but while that is still true, we also needed money from gigging for college.
Question 7: Do you ever find that music interferes with your day-to-day lives?
Mercury Avenue: Music absolutely interferes with our day-to-day lives, but in a constructive way. At the root that’s who we both really are. We each take classes that learn about music and if we’re not at school you can count on us either practicing or listening to music. We both greatly enjoy music and all it has to offer!
Question 8: What is the best advice you have ever received regarding music?
Mercury Avenue: For both of us, the best advice we have ever received regarded dynamics specifically. Dynamics shape everything a musician does. You can hit every note and you can nail every riff, but it doesn’t have emotion or color without dynamics.
Question 9: What is your goal in the musical career pathway?
Mercury Avenue: Once Sophia goes to college, we won’t be able to perform as much as we are right now, but we hope to perform gigs together as long as we can. We both want to minor in music in college and continuously keep the music alive in ourselves. He also hopes to start an album comprised of our own originals sometime in the near future.
Question 10: What advice would you give to young musicians trying to start a musical career?
Mercury Avenue: Always take opportunities presented to you. Whether it be in a school band or your first small gig, never turn down an opportunity. And if you know you can’t do it, then still say yes, learn how to make it work. Also don’t tell yourself that practicing doesn’t help, practicing on your own is the biggest way to expand your musical vocabulary. So, in other words, don’t take music and free time for granted, always keep working.
Anna: Thank you for doing this interview! Do you have anything else to add?
Mercury Avenue: Thank you for you for the opportunity! We look forward to reading the journal.
Check out the band's Instagram: @mercuryavenue
Click the link below!