octogenarian is the antithesis of the media-trained pop star. A mesmerising performer, Hinson’s intense live shows feature bucket loads of his trademark echoing tidal guitar and dry, dark comic asides. Sometimes, however, when the Texan decides to shoot his mouth off the effects occasionally overshadow the stunning quality of his music. “At the beginning it was all about my back story and the bankruptcy and the drugs and the women and all that stuff. But a good story can clearly take you a long way,” he says nonchalantly. “The last thing that happened was a backlash from things I’d allegedly said in an interview overseas.” Hinson refers to an interview with music website The Quietus and an offhand comment about President Obama that apparently incensed the liberal minded music fraternity! Certain fans took it upon themselves to let Micah know how they felt about such a ‘traitor’ to their political leanings. “Every musician, every painter, every person decides if they’re gonna let those political things out and I guess in some ways, maybe I did. But then some of the opinions I have, regretfully, are based on ignorance because I’m an American and we don’t get the full story, ever!” Giving himself away in song, however, clearly isn’t a major concern. Micah’s last record,
...and the Pioneer Saboteurs continues to develop the deeply personal song writing he’s shown since his 2004 debut The Gospel of Progress. “Looking back at my stuff, the music in a way makes itself and so I learn things from it. Yes, they are personal but are hopefully written in a simple and universal way. When I was young and put on Disintegration by The Cure, John Denver’s records,
50 3pickup
LONE STAR M
State of Mind…
icah P Hinson is renowned for saying exactly what he feels and thinks. The 29 year-old Texan whose voice resonates like a whisky soaked
Texan troubadour Micah P. Hinson’s enigmatic roots-based music has earned him a cult following among fans of Americana. Sometimes controversial but always entertaining, the staunchly independent singer songwriter chats to BRAD BARRETT about life in the slow lane…
Neil Diamond, I wanted to find myself in the songs and make it to where it could have something to do with my life. That was my experience with music so writing it is a way to create my own favourite music. If I want to attempt to move myself or maybe move others, then it needs to be goddamn personal!”
On stage, Micah is a mesmerising performer. His cracked voice and ambient guitar silence the room – whether using folk, country or perhaps even post-rock as his background – whilst he closes his eyes as if lost amidst waves of sound. “It’s a strange way of reaching Zen unintentionally. I’m in some space of nirvana because it’s not pleasure and it’s not painful. It’s not any of these things. It’s very interesting. It’s absolutely beautiful. I don’t think you can beat it.” When the discussion turns to how longevity seems to have eluded some of his fellow musicians, Micah claims that his single-minded attitude to his craft drives everything he does from playing live to
how he makes records. “It’s actually really strange because there’s a lot of people I talk to who clearly seem a lot bigger than me or have been doing it for a lot longer and they can’t make a living. They all still have day jobs. How have you been my hero for fifteen years while I’m eking out a living and you have to go back and be a waiter? It’s a bit heart breaking. That’s just the way the world turns, man. But it does not matter. Money does not control everything! As long as people are willing to put their money where their mouth is then I’ll be there. That’s the nice thing. I’ve been approached by major labels but I’ve always stayed with small labels and I think that’s a really, really good move.” Even among the current vogues for solo singer songwriters Micah’s records stand out as sounding unique, The Pioneer Saboteurs being the best example. “The record pulls you in,” Micah explains, “The guitars and my vocals I sound like I’m stuck in some weird chamber. Then, after that mayhem of noise the strings still sound kinda like the ones that brought you in, but they’re distorted and there’s delay on them so it’s kind of leading you out with these new ears I’ve hopefully tried to give you throughout listening to the record.” With more projects in the pipeline– including a five piece band in Spain for his forthcoming shows where he’s agreed to play Pixies’ Trompe Le Monde in full – this wandering yet focused young man has pulled off what most people dream of; he’s making a living making music he wants to. It’s tough out there and Micah knows that more than most. With a hint of a smile he says: “A lot of things change as you become quote-unquote ‘popular’. People think music is big time rock and roll cash and, sometimes, I think I’d be better off if I was a janitor!” PM
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