It is now 1 pm est here on the east coast – USA and you can officially smell the weekend. That makes us smile here @skopemag. Anyways with those good vibes we have special guest – MoedeLL. If you have been visiting @skopemag this is not your first time hearing his infectious tunes. You really should hear his new album ‘There It Is’ and join us here to get to know and hear MoeDeLL –
@skopemag: Where are you chatting with us from today and how is Summer 2019 going?
M: I’m in Minnesota right now. So far this summer is good. Playing lots of shows.
@skopemag: Do you get to attend or play any cool music fests during the Summer?
M: During the summer I play so much I don’t get a chance to attend too many music events unless I just take a night off, but we did play a small festival called Jugfest that was really cool and we are about to play Music On The Mississippi which I’m really excited about. The #1 goal next summer is to definitely be involved in more festivals.
@skopemag: How did you get the name MoeDeLL and how does that express your music niche sound?
M: As the story goes, when I was a little kid there was an old man that lived by the train tracks close to where I grew up in Virginia. He smoked cigarettes and played guitar out on his porch. I would watch him sometimes from far away and eventually got the courage to talk to him. He was a big influence on wanting to play guitar. He was probably 75 or 80 years old and just by chance his name happened to be MoeDeLL. He passed away and I always said when I grow up I’m going to be MoeDeLL. I think with the kind of Americana/Country music I play now it’s pretty fitting considering the story.
@skopemag: Growing up how much was music present in your home and when did you want to pursue music a career as opposed to as a hobby?
M: I was raised by my grandparents and my mom. There was constantly music in the house and in the car and in the garage. Everywhere. Everything from Waylon Jennings to Johnny Cash, the Beach Boys to Fleetwood Mac, and a lot of bluegrass music at the farmer’s markets. I knew at 14 years old what I wanted to do. I could just feel it. I was not very good at guitar yet and I had no idea I could sing, but I knew that one day…
@skopemag: What 2-3 artists/bands had the most influence and you admired most and why?
M: That’s tough, but I would have to go with Waylon Jennings, the Beach Boys, and any bluegrass music that entered my ears. Waylon because of his voice and storytelling. The Beach Boys because of their amazing harmonies and catchy songs. Bluegrass music (Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Doc Watson) because of how fast it was and how it made me feel. So much energy.
@skopemag: When you are consuming music what platform do you use and what platform helps you retain and recruit fans?
M: Oddly I listen to a lot of AM radio. I just like the way it sounds. I also tend to go to YouTube quite a bit to watch live videos and hear how the artists sound in concert or broken down acoustically. Lately I’ve tried to get a little more in touch with Spotify. I may have a few playlists floating around.
@skopemag: I am loving your new album ‘There It Is.’ How long has this album taken from writing to distribution?
DSP – https://soundcloud.com/user-375503507/tracks
M: Thank you very much!!! I write a lot and try to release about an album a year. I wrote most of “There It Is” in about 6 months. I had a few old lyrics and riffs sitting around to help out a little. I believe I started recording that album in late September of 2018 and finished writing and recording in February 2019. It was released in April.
@skopemag: If you could pick 1 song to produce a $100K – music video for, which one would you choose and how would it look visually?
M: I would choose “Radio”. I just like the feel and story of that song. The video would definitely be shot in old black and white film. I would find a rural part of Virginia to shoot in, and involve my family as much as possible. A few old classic trucks would have to make an appearance.
@skopemag: I love ‘Stand Your Ground’ – what is that song about and what inspired it?
M: Thank you very much, I greatly appreciate that. “Stand Your Ground” was written about my mom’s husband that passed away in November of 2018. He had cancer and lived well past what the doctors had said he would. As in a few years more. He was a pretty big dude and always a man’s man. A blue collar hard working guy his whole life. The last time I saw him, right before he passed, I couldn’t get over how strong willed he was. I mean this guy fought hard until his very last breath. I got that terrible call one day and just sat there and cried and grabbed my pencil and paper and started writing. I had that melody for awhile and the words just fit. I think I wrote that song in about 20 minutes. “Stand Your Ground” basically wrote itself. It just flowed right out.
@skopemag: When you are not making music what other hobbies do you enjoy?
M: Writing and performing take up the majority of my life. I like to fish, spend as much time as possible with my woman, try new restaurants, and visit my family. I’m pretty boring hahaha.
@skopemag: What are your goals over the next 6-12 months and where you @ online?
M: I definitely want to release another album or EP. I would like to play shows in all the states on the drive back home to Virginia, and just spend as much time with my family as I possibly can.
You can always find me at:
My website = https://www.MOEDELL.net
Spotify = https://open.spotify.com/artist/5zP0TH8t4OhGy4dR9RrfpZ
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/MoeDeLLMusic/
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/moedell/
