Folk-IndieBob interview
Folk musician songwriter Bob Augustine is known in his home in Pittsburgh and professionally as Folk-IndieBob. In August this year, he will be counted among the performers onstage at the internationally acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. Performing in the Cask Room at The Mash House, Folk-IndieBob will play each day from August 20th through the 30th among other amazing artists included in the festival.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival will showcase Augustine’s original style of poetic and poetry-based music to one of the largest and most respected arts audiences in the world. It is quite an achievement. We had a chance to chat with Bob about his music and this upcoming event.
Americana Highways: Performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a major milestone. What does this opportunity mean to you personally and artistically?
Bob Augustine: It is by far the biggest thing that has happened so far for me on my musical journey. I always had the feeling that my music was resonating with people and this festival is further proof for me. It feels really good and it gives me more motivation to keep going.
AH: Your music has been described as poetic and emotionally resonant. Where do your songs usually begin—with lyrics, melodies, or personal experiences?
BA: I generally start with the guitar and a melody and then begin to write lyrics based on an experience or feeling. This is where the real enjoyment begins for me -when I know I have a good melody and I can start to draw in lyrics.
I was inspired to start writing music again after attending a poetry reading and I continue to draw inspiration from the local poets in my area who draw from all aspects of our lives.
AH: “The Candy Wrapper” reached #9 on the UK iTunes Singer Songwriter chart. Did that success surprise you?
BA: Yes and no. I had been told all along that it was a good song and I had seen audiences enjoying it. The surprise came when I saw it climb up to that level and stand alongside so many other great songs.
AH: As a Pittsburgh-based songwriter, how has your hometown influenced your artistic identity?
BA: I grew up in a coal mining town about twenty miles north of the city. The steel industry of course impacted everyone’s lives at the time and when that declined, it was a major shift in the way of life for almost everyone in our area. Pittsburgh was on life support yet there was also an underlying resiliency.
My writing is sometimes raw and describes problems in very plain and real terms and I think that’s partly because of the life altering problems I have witnessed and experienced while living here. At the same time, I always try to include a hopefulness within each piece.
I have also always found Pittsburgh to be an artistically rich area and a great source of inspiration.
AH: Many listeners connect with the vulnerability in your music. Is it difficult to share such personal emotions publicly?
BA: It was at first and there are still times when it is difficult to be completely open about it. I am better now at realizing that everyone shares a lot of the same burdens and it feels good to my listeners to hear that sombody else is going through the same things.
AH: You’ve performed everywhere from coffee houses to arts festivals. How does the intimacy of the smaller settings influence your music?
BA: The smaller the audience, the more I’m able to focus on tapping into the deepest feelings contained in each piece. I am learning to present to larger audiences in the same way. As time goes on I hope to really master the skill of generating these deep feelings while playing to a large audience the same way the really great live performers do.
AH: What can audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe expect from your live performances?
BA: I am happy to be in a rather intimate setting there. It is an eighty seat venue and this will allow me to relate to the audience in a personal way. I like to talk to my audiences and try to connect with them on a personal level as much as possible. I enjoy giving a little background on each piece and I try to connect what I intended for the song with whatever may be going on in their lives.
AH: Looking ahead, what are your hopes after the Edinburgh Fringe Festival experience?
BA: I have spent practically all of my musical journey so far pounding the pavement in search of opportunities to share my music. This takes up quite a bit of my time and energy. It also takes away from the time and energy I need for writing.
My hope is that my phone will ring a little more and that more opportunities to share will come my way.
I am very grateful that the people of Just The Tonic Edfringe have chosen to work with me and I am really hopeful that I can form at least one lasting new relationship through this experience.
Of course, I will always be happy to just simply receive a smile from a listener. I value that highly!
Thanks for chatting with us Folk-IndieBob! More details are available here on his website: http://www.folkindiebob.com
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Bob Augustine “Folk-IndieBob”