It was his 4th show of his European Tour, and at ‘The Lido’ Berlin, Kevin Morby played to a packed out venue.
With a kick-ass female guitarist by his side, Kevin along with the rest of his band performed so terrifically well, that they came out twice for an encore. However before all that took place, indieberlin got some time to interview Kevin Morby just before the show started.
indieberlin: Why are you attracted to doomed characters in books and movies?
Kevin Morby: They just tell a good story. A lot of detail and a lot of moral.
indieberlin: Was growing up in a bible-belt town a tale of tragedy?
I was lucky enough to have a lot of like-minded friends, it’s almost kind of it doesn’t matter because we have each other.
Kevin Morby: Having long hair, tattoos was kind of frowned upon, you stick out a lot. I was lucky enough to have a lot of like-minded friends, it’s almost kind of it doesn’t matter because we have each other.
indieberlin: Will you stabilise yourself in LA and write more records there or will you move to a different city and write something else there?
Kevin Morby: Well I’ve written a lot more in LA, so that will be on the upcoming albums , so that kind of answers the question.
indieberlin: Having both titled a song and naming a guitar ‘Dorothy’ means that you have a close relationship with your grandma?
My dad’s mum she had passed away right after I had gotten my guitar, so it was kind out of respect for her.
Kevin Morby: I was close to both my grandmas. I never met my grandfathers, so my idea of grandparents were my 2 grandmothers. My dad’s mum she had passed away right after I had gotten my guitar, so it was kind out of respect for her.
indieberlin: Do you get annoyed when people tell you that your voice resembles Bob Dylan’s voice?
Kevin Morby: I don’t mind it. It’s like some people sound British without even being British, but as long as you make it own, it’ll be OK.
indieberlin: Being from the Midwest, why did you choose New York and not Chicago?
Kevin Morby: That’s funny. Actually that’s a popular thing where I come from because everyone moves to Chicago, as its a close city. I think I didn’t want to know anybody. So if I moved to Chicago it would like a different version of Kansas city where I’m from. I wanted to go to a big city in America, rather then just a big city in the Midwest. I loved New York from the movies I’ve seen, I just wanted to experience it.
indieberlin: You said you found it bizarre when a friend group gets on pitchfork, then plays at festivals and makes money. But isn’t that the intention really? – Isn’t the dream of every musician to make it big?
The money does become important, but before you have that worry, you gotta have the desire for the act of making something.
Kevin Morby: There was a time in my life, where it seemed like people were just starting to get to a certain level, and I think to be a good band you wanna do it for the art. The money does become important, but before you have that worry, you gotta have the desire for the act of making something.
indieberlin: You also said one that something good, something you believe in, and you have patience and devote time & effort into, it will pay off. But isn’t also about meeting the right people? Luck?
If you wanna be a famous chef or musician you go to these big cities as well. You just got put yourself in that environment.
Kevin Morby: A lot of guys meeting the right people, I don’t think its luck. I think you put yourself in a situation that if you’re a positive person, if you’re driven, you’ll want a certain thing, then you’ll meet people that you’ll need to meet. It’s not so much winning the lottery. It’s not like you happen to meet someone and they give you a million dollars. I think people must learn to put themselves in a position and make connections that can help them out. Even if that’s moving to a bigger city. Cities likes Los Angeles and New York, I moved there to be around people that I wanna work with. Its a pretty classic thing. If you wanna be a famous chef or musician you go to these big cities as well. You just got put yourself in that environment.
indieberlin: You have collaborated with other musicians and you’ve done work solo. Which working method do you prefer?
Kevin Morby: A mixture of the two. You get bored of one, you can go on the other one.
indieberlin: You have a song titled ‘Dancer’ do you like dancing yourself?
Kevin Morby: That’s just some sort of a metaphor about people dancing all over the earth, and then you die. But I do love to dance. Mo-town, Rock & Roll music gets me going.
Thanks Kevin and we wish you the best with the rest of your tour.
Interview by Shawn James | Edited by Noel Maurice
