INTERVIEW: Beau James Wilding discusses influences, ambitions, and memorable performances alongside new single ‘Here There Be Dragons’
After delivering his much-loved studio album ‘seeing i god’ last year, Californian singer-songwriter Beau James Wilding recently returned to unveil his vibrant new single ‘Here There Be Dragons’.
Capturing more of that rich and riveting aesthetic he has earned a reputation for over the years, ‘Here There Be Dragons’ sees him return to the fold with one of his most passionate efforts yet. So we caught up with him to find out more about his influences, ambitions, and memorable performances over the years.
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What was the first rock song or artist that made an impact on you?
I remember waking up quite early one morning, I must have been around nine or ten, and my parents were up getting ready for work. They had the TV on and Little Richard was on, playing Tutti Frutti and banging away on the piano. I thought it was the most fun and exciting thing ever and I remember dancing and laughing like crazy. I also remember dancing to “oldies” with my mom, stuff like Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. Next stops were Pink Floyd, The Doors and then punk rock by my teens.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences within the rock genre?
That is tough as there are so many good ones. The Doors and Pink Floyd were really important to me early on, although now it seems I’m very selective about material from those bands. Syd Barrett was a huge influence on my perception of what music and guitar playing are. He made it about imagination, experimentation and journey for me, which got me excited about experimenting myself and discovering what music could be for myself. I went through a Black Sabbath phase as well around this time. Jimi Hendrix is an incredible artist of course and I remember tripping out to his guitar solos, in particular Band of Gypsies. Syd and Jimi were the first players I heard that made me feel like I found my tribe until I found punk rock. Bauhaus, Joy Division, Ded Kenneddys, The Misfits, Black Flag, The Buzzcocks, The Stooges, The Pogues were all big for me as a young man. Marc Bolan’s various incarnations from John’s Children to T-Rex were inventive and in particular the Tyrannosaurus Rex days helped inspire me to pick up acoustic and do a more minimalist thing.
Are there any non-rock musicians or genres that have also influenced your music?
Absolutely, Irish Traditional Music, the folk tradition more broadly speaking and the various subgenres of blues and jazz have all left a significant mark on my relationship to music. In the Blues and Jazz sphere, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Lightnin’ Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, BB King, Howlin Wolf. In the Irish sphere, Planxty, Liam Clancy, Paul Brady, Willie Clancy and currently the band Lankum. The whole Irish scene right now is very exciting to me. I also love all things Wu-Tang!
What is your main inspiration when looking to write new music?
The little voice in my head that says “you suck, you are a horrible musician and you’ll never make it…. Now write a song to fight back against these demons, I dare you!” I’m only sort of joking. Usually I take a concept or feeling that I’m working with personally that comes up in my meditation or journalling. There’s typically a phrase associated with this which represents the feeling, such as “Here There Be Dragons”. As I’m fixating on it I’ll give myself time and space to play guitar freely, trying new and different riffs until I find one that is in accord with the emotion that I’m feeling, then build it out from there. It’s pretty simple, but requires a lot of digging and personal vulnerability to find the gems that I feel I can get excited about. If the words make me feel like I’m exposing some deep and tender part of myself that I’m scared to share, then those are probably the right words.
What do you enjoy most about performing live and do you have any memorable live performance experiences you’d like to share?
I love playing live, I need it. It is so vital. It’s where I feel the most alive. What I enjoy most about it is putting every ounce of life, skill, passion and love into the act. I’ve played music live so much but nothing seems to stand out. Every gig is sacred. I was reading some of my poetry one time at a poetry open mic stage and someone from the crowd accused me of stealing someone else’s poem. My friend in the crowd threw a beer can at the heckler and some choice words were exchanged, resulting in my friend and I getting kicked out of the reading. We went to the nearest park to drink whiskey at a picnic table and had a better time.
What has been a particularly rewarding moment in your musical journey so far?
Doing this interview is one. Every time I get the chance to make music or talk about music I am excited. It feels most rewarding to be in the company of other musicians who take their craft seriously. People who aren’t into it for the party or the glamour but who truly believe in the art. That being said, pressing my first vinyl last year of my previous LP, was profoundly rewarding. My preferred manner of music consumption is vinyl, so it was very gratifying to see my own disc spinning on the platter.
How would you define success as a musician?
There are definitely various aspects to this. Feeling successful is most important. Beyond that, being able to make 100% of my income from music is my goal. Collaborating with other musicians who I respect is something I look forward to as well as a feature of success. There isn’t a time in the future that I foresee saying “I’m now successful,” it’s a state of mind in the moment. As long as I keep trying, as long as I keep getting back up every time I fall down, then I think I have some degree of success going for me.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out?
Never quit. Keep at it. Create music you love and believe in and let that belief propel you forward. Do not allow the naysayers to dissuade you from your goals. You will fail many times. Failure is not the end of your dreams, failure is merely a time to pause and evaluate your strategy. Know what you want and pursue it with all your being. Respect others in the process and have a sense of integrity and you will develop a reputation as one who people can trust. This will get you a lot farther than looking cool. Above all, be true to you.
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Watch the new video for Beau James Wilding’s new single ‘Here There Be Dragons’ below.
