172: Miko Marks
On Episode 172, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Miko Marks. Marks released Our Country, her first full-length album in over a decade, in late March of this year. During this conversation, we talk about her "return" to country music, how Our Country was recorded and came to be during the midst of 2020's quarantine, the difficult and necessary conversations found within the album, and the shifting landscape within country and Americana music.
This episode's presenting partner is Desert Door Texas Sotol. In addition, this episode is sponsored by WYLD Gallery and The Blue Light Live.
Interview Transcript
Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.
Thomas Mooney 0:01
Hey everyone. Welcome
back to New slang. I'm music journalist Thomas Mooney. And we're closing down the week being joined by singer songwriter, Mikko marks, she released our country, her first album in about a decade, a little over a month ago, I have absolutely loved exploring our country, both on a macro and micro level, the storytelling speaks on both wavelengths simultaneously, she really speaks to you as both an individual and as part of a larger crowd. It really is just a beautiful, listen, it's a demanding one. At times, it's really heartbreaking. Their struggle and redemption and relief and optimism. Make no mistake, a song like good night America, or we are here are very critical for good reason they're necessary, she does a necessary examination of some of the worst parts of the American experience. I know some of you don't want to hear that. But instead of projecting that anger, channel that energy into a listen to someone else's experience and thoughts, be do some self examination. You know, I don't think there's anyone out there who can't take some time to do some work on themselves. What I find so amazing about our country, and Mikko was how she delivers all of this nuance within these very difficult subjects about racism and oppression and apathy. By no means do. I know these kinds of struggles firsthand. But she does such an incredible job of delivering the songs and these messages and themes. I really don't understand how you wouldn't be moved or touched or understanding. Of course, being an empathetic listener. That should be something we all strive for, at the end of the day. But you know, it's it's necessary in listening to music, specifically a song like mercy. It's just this powerful moment on the album, she really taps into that Phoenix Rising aura ancestors is very much that same essence. Even though it is in a different kind of way. Even right now, like I'm sitting in my office listening to this album by myself. And still I feel like this powerful presence from those songs. Today's presenting partner is our pals over at Desert door Texas Soto. If you've been listening to new slang for really any amount of time, you'll know that desert door is one of my all time favorite premium, high quality spirits. If you haven't, or aren't sure what exactly a soul is. I'm going to let you in on a little secret that's going to up the game on your liquor cabinet. For starters, the best reference point that I can point you to is to think about a tequila or Moscow. Do you feel that Western desert that text is ruggedness? Okay, Soto is like that, but a little bit more refined, smooth and fragrant. It intrigues the palate and offers these hints of vanilla and citrus, there's an earthiness that often sends me right back to my trans Pecos some Far West Texas roots. There's plenty to love about desert door. For me, it all starts right there. a close second is just how versatile desert door really is. You can go full highbrow and experiment with concocting a variety of cocktails that call for muddling fresh fruits, sprigs of time sticks of cinnamon, it's perfect for that world. If you're a little bit more downhome if you've just rolled up the sleeves of your denim Wrangler button up, it's perfect for that as well. If you're just designing something that's short and sweet, it hits the mark every time does adore is genuine and authentically West Texan. It's inherently West Texan. They harvest Soto plants out in the wild and are knowledgeable conservationists at heart. That's obviously something incredibly important to me. They shine a light on what makes West Texas special and unique and worth preserving and keeping it safe from exploitation. Right now, you can find desert door all over Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, and there's budding numbers in places like New Mexico, Arizona, California and Georgia. Best thing you can do is to checkout desert door.com to find where desert door is locally. Again, that's desert door.com.
If this is your first time listening, be sure to hit that subscribe button. New slang is available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts, Stitcher, I Heart Radio, Pandora, amazon music and virtually anywhere podcasts are listened to. And of course, one of those five star reviews goes a long way. Stop over at the Newsline merch store as well. Plenty of T shirts, coffee mugs, shot glasses, stickers, koozies magnets, and much much more over at New slang dot big cartel.com check out my Patreon too. It's a great Way to support this podcast by nighties country podcast the neon Eon and journalism in general, speaking of which the neon Eon is your go to spot for 90s country interviews and conversations have already had the likes of clay Walker, Tracy Lawrence, Pam Tillis, and many more. The neon Eon has a modified merch store up and running as well. That's over at the neon Eon dot big cartel.com. And like new slang, the neon Eon is available everywhere podcasts are shared and listened to. And of course, all these links, they'll be in the show notes. Alright, let's get on into the interview. Here is Mikko marks. I guess like I want to start off with, obviously, you have this new record and it came out just about a month ago. And so I know like this is like the first record you've done in about a decade. And, you know, it's not a hiatus. It was it's one of those things where you've been doing music this whole time between then. And now. But But I want to know, like, as far as you know, like the records that you put out in the mid 2000s. Obviously, we're a little bit more on the contemporary country, the country pop popular side. And this one right here is like very much anchored in, like, closer to what people would consider Americana roots country. Soul. Right? I'm assuming that like, you know, that some people will go, oh, how did she get from this point, point A to point B. But of course, there's that that decade in between? What was it like I guess, like, kind of going from, you know, I guess the the, the the transition the the progression from point A to point B over this past decade.
Miko Marks 7:01
Um, well, I have to say I was a lot younger back then. I mean, a lot younger. And it was like, really, it's been 13, closer to 14 years since I've put out a record. And so I'm just back then I was just wide eyed. I just had every, you know, everything was good vibes, I had so much hope around the music that I was putting out with freeway bound, and it feels good. And I was just, I was just, um, I was just unknowing about what it really looked like to actually make headway in Nashville. So I just assumed if the music is good, and I'm presenting that music in a great way that people are enjoying, and I'm going to be successful. So I had all this hope, you know, and that was not the case. For me. Back then, and I just sang about different subject matter, because I was happy go lucky and free at the time. You know, I was started a family. I was newly married, and you know, things were just coming up roses for me back then. So my music reflected that. No, I have to say that my mom passed away during the time I was making my first album, freeway bound, and I, I put a song on there called Norma, because I had to get that get that pain out on a record because there was so many things I didn't, I didn't get a chance to ask her. Or, you know, she never got a chance to hear her song. And so I don't know, I just didn't have much room for for space because I wasn't in the space that I am today. You know, I a lot of time has gone by my son has grown now. He's 24. And I've been married 26 years. And so with all those years comes a lot of experience in the world doesn't look the same as it did those many years ago. And so I just think I'm a little wiser, a little more mature, and a little more thoughtful about what I want to say, as an artist and put out into the world for people to listen to.
Thomas Mooney 9:23
Right? It's it's always one of those things whenever, you know, anytime you look back at your 20s or your early 20s, or just an earlier version of yourself, you always kind of go oh man, you know, I didn't even though that person thought they knew the world. You always go like, Oh, I'm so much more wise and more well rounded, you know, now than I was even just even though a year ago or two years ago, or whatever the case is a decade right? And it's always amazing to see how that obviously can reflect onto the music On to whatever art you're doing.
Miko Marks 10:03
Exactly. And I'm just things just, I grew as a person I grew as a woman doing music on my life experiences are more entrenched in this record our country, because it speaks, I think our country speaks to the times, and it reflects what's going on in our country again, and that's what kind of sparked the album that I didn't know I was making it by the way. I just had a dream one night, I used to play with these guys, Justin Phipps and Steve wireman. Back in the day when I had my second album, it feels good. They were my musicians in my band. And so we lost touch after like, you know, at least 12 years. But when I just had a dream, like I need to be making some music, making some music with them, you know, and so I called Justin just on a whim. Luckily, he had the same phone number. And so I was like, Justin, we need to make some music. And he was like, oh, how you doing? Mika? Long time no hear, right? And I was like, dude, I just had this dream. We were making music, and not necessarily an album. And he goes, I have this song called Goodnight, America, very conversational. Very 2019. So he sends me the song. And the song just, it just floored me. I was like, Oh, shit, this is the real deal. He's really speaking truth here. And then I was like, Wait a second, this is my truth today. And then so I said, Justin, I want to do this song. And so that's how we started. So we did the song in 2020. Right before the pandemic, we released it on Martin Luther King's birthday, because we thought that was appropriate for a reflection of America and the times that we're living in. Little do we know, a pandemic was on the way, you know, and it was just like, whoa, whoa, you just put this song out? And look? Yeah, I'm totally organic.
Thomas Mooney 12:18
You know, like, there's two things I want to say off of that. One is the, you know, I've read about the you have in the dream and needing to not like wanting to call these people but like needing to call Justin and Steve up about creating music. And, you know, obviously, it's, it was 2019. If you didn't have their numbers, if they had changed numbers, it would have been pretty easy to get a hold of them. I'm amazed. Oh, yeah, everyone had like, you guys had the same number. Look, we're all school, we're all. But to like, it's really interesting. how, you know, I think there's something to do with like, in human nature, we're really good at like, finding trends and like, pulling out, like why certain things work as far as like, why they're relevant for the day. But there is something really, really interesting how, like, this record, is one of those records that comes out at the right time. Now maybe like it would have been right, like, we would have been able to say, Oh, this was the right time. If it was 10 years ago, if it was five years ago, we'd maybe right pull those tie all those things together, but it really does feel like there was something that you were obviously tapping into, that was larger than yourself, even though like this is a very also personal record to you. It very much feels like there was something you know that that that was bigger and larger that you were able to tap that you were tapping into that also became you know, slightly a little bit more relevant and more in the, in the Zeitgeist, if you will, it was very much you know, you get them saying
Miko Marks 14:12
Well, I know for me, just the state of everything with the voting system in America being questioned the Black Lives Matter movement and just my own everyday living as a black woman in America fueled fueled this project. And then to you know, all the killing by police officers that are coming to light because now we have video and footage that can be seen by the world this has been going on, you know, for as long as I can remember, but there was never any video or footage to to actually see this going on for ourselves. So as always, quietly slip on there. under the rug, and so to kind of speak to the issues of today, it felt important and it felt empowering. And it felt like forget what music What music trends are, you know, what, what people say you should be singing about, like, no single bow was important to us sing about what you think the world needs to hear, you know, seeing leave a legacy of music that has meaning and purpose and also can be reflected in our history. So it was very, it was super important to me to do that.
Thomas Mooney 15:36
Right. Yeah, I guess I want to clarify as what I'm saying, like, obviously, yeah, like this has, like what you're talking about has, on this record, has been going on for a long time. But it feels like at least like the the lens, the the, the general, like the pop of the population of America, the world is focusing on it at least and taking it more seriously. Because as you said, like, people do have cameras and people are, I'm hoping are more open to the the dialogue and the conversation, the hard conversations that we must have.
Miko Marks 16:15
Exactly. I'm starting to hear those comments conversations take place, are those somewhat diluted, but at least the movement is being made to address the subject matter? And that's a start, and I'm hopeful because of that. Now how deep it goes, and what actions come out of that, then we shall see. So Right, right. But I remain hopeful.
Thomas Mooney 16:40
Yeah, I do as I like, I'm usually a pessimist about most things. But what No, I was gonna say is like, strangely, like, even though like this past year has been difficult for everyone as far as the pandemic and like, you know, I don't know, I feel like I've come out of this a little bit more optimistic with things as far as like people being more reflective and more aware of themselves and a little bit more understanding to other people's way of lives and problems. So that's what that's more where I'm going with
Miko Marks 17:18
that. So cool. I'm glad that's how you are coming out of the situation. I know, that's how it is for me, I've come out way more hopeful. I feel like a shift in the atmosphere, and a shift in a good direction. a shift in being more inclusive, and being more considerate of others and how they're feeling and, and that and not just black people, but just people of color in general people marginalized communities are being actually listened to, or being noticed. So the spotlight on on the subject matter as far as country music and in its inclusivity is like a conversation that should have happened like 50 years ago. But here we are in 2021 having this conversation, and I can't speak for everyone, but I think it's right on time. You know, because everything happens for a reason. But I feel like there's some growth happening out of this are out of these hard conversations. And regardless, regardless of where I sit in that picture, you know, because like I said, I'm a little on the older side of what's coming out now, but I'm so happy to see all these beautiful people of color making country music and being noticed and being heard for their craft and actually being listened to. It's It's amazing. These young people that are coming up, you know, Raina, Roberts and Britney Spencer and you know, the kids. Um, so, um, it's such a warm feeling to see them post on Instagram and Twitter that they're hanging out write music together. In this unifying kind of way it makes me proud. I feel hella happy when I see that.
Thomas Mooney 19:14
This episode of new slang is brought to you by the blue light live here in Lubbock, Texas. Blue Light has long been the heart and soul of the Lubbock singer songwriter scene, and has been a home away from home for some of Texas Americana, country and rock and roll's finest over the years. Talk with 99.9% of the Songwriters who have come out of Lubbock and the panhandle at large over the past 20 years. And they'll point to just how integral and necessary the blue light is, with live music and touring slowly but surely coming back spots like the blue light or getting back to their usual ways as well. That means music every night of the week. Do you want to see that schedule? Well, I've got a few options for you. One go to Their socials and give them a follow that is at blue light live on Twitter, at the blue light live on Instagram. And of course, by just searching the blue light live on Facebook, they're consistently posting that week's lineup of shows, as well as those heavy hitters that ought to be on your calendar that are coming up on the horizon. To check out blue light lubbock.com as well, there, they have the full schedule, the cover charges, time, any of those specials that may be happening, while they're go check out their merge page, they have a wide range of hats, koozies, hoodies, sweaters, beanies, jackets, and so much more. You can of course, get all of your merchant age, when you go see your favorite band, take the stage at blue light, just ask the bartender and they will get you all set. Speaking of which, that's another great way of seeing who's playing there. Just go to the blue light. It's at 1806 Buddy Holly Avenue here in Lubbock, Texas. And of course, again, that is blue light, loving, calm. I'll throw a link into the show notes to maybe I'll see you there. Okay, let's get back to the show. Right, yeah. And obviously, like, that's, you mentioned all these, like up and comers in country and for flocking to Nashville, and actually, you know, making records that they want to add, that are actually being heard, obviously, like, a lot of that ties into having the growth in social media and like having a little bit more of the ability to have, you know, a little bit more of what you're, you're able to, like, I guess, grab more people without necessarily the help of major labels or, you know, people have power,
Miko Marks 21:50
if you will. Absolutely. And, you know, I do believe that major labels and people of power are still needed. You know, that's, it's huge. It's to be signed to a major label is awesome. That's one of my dreams. But, okay, what if that dream is not attainable? For me, you know, at this present time, does that mean I stopped doing what I'm doing? No. That means I find a way to get my music out to as many people as possible. And thankfully, I'm working with some great people. I have a good team at Brooklyn basement records, red toned records. So we're just, you know, you find your way, in my way is feeling really authentic and true to myself right now. So,
Thomas Mooney 22:40
yeah, I want to go back to obviously, you guys put out good night America, as you said, on MLK Day, in 2020. As far as I understand, you guys had a couple of songs that you were thinking about that you had recorded, but then like it was post, once we went into quarantine, that, that really the record started shaping, is that is that correct?
Miko Marks 23:05
Yes. Yes. And some of the songs were written before, like, I started writing, we are here about my hometown, or from Michigan back in 2018. But I failed to because I wasn't, I hadn't been home, I left there in like 1990. And I'd go visit but I hadn't lived there in many years. So when I was writing the song about the poisoned water, and you know, marginalization of the people there, and how the economic status there is just atrocious because our older automotive industry jobs have left. You know, I felt like just a disconnect for writing a song about something that I didn't quite experience fully. And so because when I was there, everybody was middle class people, you know, everybody had jobs. So it hadn't quite taken the charm. But, um, my entire family is back there, everybody, I'm talking about everybody, the whole family. And so I was where I was able to do was really tap into my relatives and really have deep, heartfelt conversations with them about how how they're coping. And so I was able to read pull that song out back in 2020, during the pandemic, and write it from a place of understanding that I didn't have when I initially started writing the songs.
Thomas Mooney 24:32
Yeah, that's what that's what I feel a lot whenever I listened to this record is the, of course like, good night America. Very, very critical of a very real look at and in analyzing what the American Dream is, if there is quote unquote, a American dream. But, you know, what I what I love so much about this record is how There's the songs of, of understanding and the the allowing redemption to be part of the process because like a song like mercy feels very, very much like a prayer for America right after, you know, good night, America. Yeah, you know, and I feel like there's I love when when a record does that when an artist can show that there's both sides that like that, not that both sides, but like there's that both, both those things can be true and real. And
Miko Marks 25:34
for everybody. Yeah, exactly. Mercy is probably, it's Hi, I have like a few favors. I know, you can't just have many favorites. But I do I have more than one. But Mercy is really special for me, because I pray for everybody. When I go to bed at night, I pray for the world, I pray for people I don't know, who are hurting who are suffering in one way shape, or I asked for them to be covered, you know. So that's what mercy that was easy to write and do because that's something I do every day. So it's really special to me to put that out on them. On a mass level, like you said, like, I hope that things are gonna get better. I don't know how much better in my lifetime, but I do see things are cool, but I'm like that in regular life. Hey, everything's good. But it's nice. It's nice to actually see from the outside looking in markers and changes that are going on the way like oh, you know, Color Me country, the radio show? Yeah, that was my first that was my first interview after a hiatus from interviewing, putting out music. And so we had a conversation like, like the one we're having where it's just like, easy, but that that that sparked me. Behold, we see Palmer Apple Music, our spark movement towards more music.
Thomas Mooney 27:11
Yeah, like that. What I I find like, what's been really cool is, is seeing like the Apple Music shows like with color me country and Tierra has one as well. And as far as like just music being more inclusive, and being a little bit more open to giving shows giving these radio shows to people who aren't just like just playing, you know, songs like I mean, like they're actually having conversations and having like, you know, highlighting music that's important. And that may be you otherwise didn't know was was around.
Miko Marks 27:48
Yeah. And highlighting people I had no idea. So I would listen to like, I was listening to Southern crap, which was done by Kelly McCartney. And I was listening to calling me touch country. And then I heard this song called American dream. And I went to look at it. And it's by this guy named Willie Jones. I had never heard of Willie Jones. Apparently, Willie Jones is he's he's not in my age bracket. So. So but little bit I know, he has his own Apple show, I went and listened and the conversation away. He's speaking about the cross connect between country and hip hop. You know, I'm learning. I'm being educated in a way that wasn't accessible to me before. You know, so I'm so glad that they have these platforms, because I get to find out about new artists. And you do and everybody does. And it's not just a one way street anymore. There's like, all these different roads, you can turn down and find some really, really good shit.
Thomas Mooney 28:51
Yeah, because like, that's what I obviously I'm a music journalist. So I just consume music basically all day. And sometimes it's, it feels overwhelming, because there's just so much stuff to listen to. But, you know, it's better than the alternative of being bored. Or like being like, oh, we're hearing
Miko Marks 29:10
the same thing all the time. You know, man, I've been just really taken aback by all these who shouldn't be obscure artists, because they're just awesome. If given a platform, they soar to the moon. You know, I've been meeting all these LeBron James like, in their, in their craft, doing the work and, but hardly noticed. And I like I like the fact that that's changing, because I'm able to access, get access to more people, by way of social media and through these podcasts and different, different ways to hear music, and it's just really opened me up as far as my craft and as an artist and educating me on on a deeper level.
Thomas Mooney 30:02
Right, because like, at one time, like there was, you know, back in the mid 2000s. And before, it was always, but I remember doing is always buying magazines. And like, that's the one way to figure out what was who was making music. And it was like, you know, you're only like, tapped into that top layer of culture like the mtbs and the cmts. And the VH ones and whatever is like, actually a really great way of finding out what was some great new music was always video games, like on Madden, or like the Tony Hawk stuff, or like, anything like that, like there was always the soundtrack. So those were always incredible. But now, obviously, the podcast, the radio shows, like, just everyone can have a voice. And I guess like what this is, is like, as you were saying, how, you know, some of the major labels stuff that's necessary. That is that's a necessary infrastructure. This is all like building new infrastructure, essentially.
Miko Marks 31:05
Yeah, and it's an it's the beginning of the bills. But it's, it's so strong, that the how it's how it's coming out. It's so strong. I can't even imagine what shifts happen. As far as the streaming platforms and things of that nature, I'm just like, I'm on this ride with everybody else looking to see what's what's next.
Thomas Mooney 31:29
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I wanted to go back
to the record a song travel light. I just really love the storytelling on that song. What was like, Can you take me back to like when you were writing it in like the process?
Miko Marks 34:03
Well, um, this song was written by Justin Phipps and Steve, Wyoming and myself. And so that interpretation like we both we all right, wrote from a different space. I believe that my space was about loss of love loss of, you know, heartache and pain and you know, even the loss of a loved one dot death. And so I try not to hold on to grief and pain and so my whole take on the song was I travel light just to protect myself to kind of not not be so heavy hearted to where it can make me sick. So it's it's a reminder for me to travel travel light through this life. You know, that's what it did for me. Like, when I lost my mom, I was kind of I was lost. I didn't know how to function in the world. She was my confidant. You know, I relied on her so much And so it took a long time for me to kind of find out who I was, and inside and in, and really use all those qualities that she taught me to be my best self. So travel life for me was like, you know, don't take things too seriously. Don't, don't hold on to pain. Because if you release that you make room for love. And so travel light is just pure and simple for me like that. But for Justin, it was more so like, you know, just leaving gentrification here in the Bay Area leaving, you know, all the homelessness, the marginalize people, you know, just leaving this atmosphere is and going into something better. Yeah, he wants he wanted to leave the Bay Area like I'm traveling, like, I'm going to New Orleans. I'm out of here.
Thomas Mooney 35:56
Yeah, like, what I kind of felt like in this is that a lot of the vibes I got from from the song was all of what you're talking about, but to me, it felt like an old kind of like Dustbowl Ballad of like, any of these like great migrations of, of people coming from the south up north, or like, people who are in the dustbowl moving to California, in that respect, as well, that's what I as far as like,
Miko Marks 36:26
a ton of That's beautiful. I like it. I like it. It's that. It's all of that, you know, and for you to take the song and have a different interpretation and meaning from it. That's super meaningful. That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. I like that. Yeah, I like that too.
Thomas Mooney 36:43
Well, that's why I felt like there was like a very, I don't know is maybe because like I've been listening to a little bit more like some Dustbowl ballad stuff. And I was talking with someone actually yesterday about a song that was influenced or inspired by the dustbowl. So I feel like I'm probably tapping into both of those things as far as like them coming together at once. But yeah, I don't know. I just really felt like there. There's a little bit of that, like ghostly kind of like ghost of Tom Joad kind of vibe.
Miko Marks 37:14
I'm sure because the producers of the album that I work with, they're they are old souls, shall we say? Townes Van Zandt Muscle Shoals type, vibe, really, Southern rock, and, you know, they're really heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. And, you know, the, just the older souls of music. And so you'll probably hear a lot of those influences in our country for sure.
Thomas Mooney 37:47
Going back to how the, this was recorded, like that, so in two segments, but, you know, pre pre quarantine post quarantine, how was it? You know, blending those two, those two time periods, essentially together, to to form the record. How was that I guess, as far as putting those two, I guess, sessions, if you will, or session.
Miko Marks 38:16
It was, um, it was a little daunting at first, because I'm not very tech savvy. And even though we had to like shelter in place, and do the whole thing, and Justin was like, I need you to go buy this equipment. And I ordered this equipment, and it gets to my house. And I'm like, Okay, now what? And he FaceTime me through how to set it up and how to record myself remotely from home and send it to them that way. We did that for water to wine. in hard times. I actually recorded from home and sent it down to them to be mixed. And I I surprised myself, I was like, Oh, you're in he said, You know, you're an engineer now. I was like what I am. And he was like, Yeah, you did. And I was super proud and excited. But I don't want to do any more of the songs like that. So I was like, let's make a thing where we all get tested, you know, really regularly and meet up at the studio and record like real records. And so we met at a studio in East Palo Alto for the remainder of the recordings. Totally, you know, COVID safe, it was just three of us and we wore a mask and and just took from that point on to recording in in house. And that vibe was just awesome. They're super easy to work with. I've worked having a history with them helped. So it was just like I walked in, easy breezy. We would bang crowns out like pretty quick pretty quickly because of that. Yeah, because of like, the working relationship that we already had, and, you know, they're just great. And then I felt like really, I felt really excited to be working with them. I felt like that in a while, like, I felt like they were raising my level, like raising the bar. And I needed to raise the bar too. And so it really taught me that I was capable, capable of singing and going to places that maybe I hadn't tapped into for many years. Because I was so like, focused in on total country, traditional country music. Well, now I'm blending all of my all of my upbringing and my talents and skills into into the one project. It's not just country, it's gospel, there's blooms, there's, you know, his soul. And, and all of that is coming through this, this project. And I don't think I would have gotten there if it wasn't for them.
Thomas Mooney 41:04
Right? Yeah. Okay, so like, the recording, where, you know, with masks on and after testing and everything. I've talked with a few other people about this, as far as their records go. And my comparison to it was like, in a lot of ways, it's like making like a record in space, because like, you're kind of like quarantine by yourself. And it's, you know, it's almost like, a new frontier, if you will. And especially as you were saying, like recording at your home, I mean, like, that's almost like, I can't imagine like, just like all my podcast stuff. I've all set it up just by watching YouTube videos, basically, I feel it's probably like the same kind of thing as far as like being talked about, you know, how to do something via FaceTime or something.
Miko Marks 41:55
Yes, exactly. And then I'm already like, challenged in that way. You know, I'm like, What is this red button to? He's like, just push it twice. And it'll do this. And I'm just like, okay, and but if I'm like, Okay, can I get out of technical mode and get back into singing mode quickly? You know, and so I pray and between and, you know, get myself centered. And that's how I was able to do that. But at that time, I didn't even know I was making an album. We were just recording songs. When I did the two songs at home. We just like, oh, let's just be court. These these are good songs. You know, it was so lackadaisical and just like, no expectations. And so I didn't feel the pressure of making an album from home at that time. I was like, I'm just sending Justin this recording. Here you go. You know, it was like that. It didn't turn into an album until maybe four songs in those, like, we should probably do a full length project. Right? Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay. haven't done one of those in a while. Sure.
Thomas Mooney 43:01
Yeah, well, I I know, like it has, like you're talking about like the, they're not being the the pressure of it, I need to I'm cutting a record. And I need to get, obviously, there's so much pressure that can be applied when cutting an album as far as like, you know, time schedule, and all that kind of everything that goes with that. It's nice to hear that, like, you know, this started out as something very, very organic and very, very free. And then yeah, you know, it at some point, though, like there is that the watershed moment of like the lightbulb of like, this is something that's a little bit bigger than just, you know, sending, right. Recording,
Miko Marks 43:43
I had that moment, I had that moment. And first I was just going along to get along because I was just dying to sing and craving music in my life and crave craving to create. But then I was like, oh, wow, me go, you're doing something different than you've done before, like, so I got excited about it. I was like, let's see where this goes. And so I was actually learning as I went about my own self and my creativity and what I wanted to put out. And for me, out of all the projects that I've done, this one is the most reflective of, of me totally, like as a grown mature woman. This is the most reflective of what of the space I'm in today. You know, I used to get a lot of songs from other writers, and if it was like the song I was singing, I never really thought about what does this mean to you? How does this How can you convey the the meaning of this song for you, you know, and so this project caused me to do a lot more introspective work and looking at myself in order to be able to give it to you in the most authentic way. You know, so I even learned how to just not sing a song, but to go a little deeper about what I'm singing about. And, and connect it to my own life. And, you know, and give that to, to to the listener, and in a way that they can really feel me.
Thomas Mooney 45:18
Right? You mentioned a minute ago about how what you were doing was more closer to the Neo traditional stuff. And you, you kind of were putting essentially like yourself in a little bit of that box, was there any hesitation going and being a little bit more like, you know, hey, this, this song does need more of a gospel tinge. This needs to be a little bit more folksy. This needs to be more, whatever the case is, was there any hesitation early on? Or was it very much something that like, it just felt natural, where
Miko Marks 45:51
it felt very natural, it felt natural, I just felt so open as I felt like a blank canvas, you know, because for many years, I was singing my same songs, you know, performing covers, and now with the opportunity to not live in the past and perform other people's art, it was a chance for me to create. So it was very much so like, oh, let's go, I need this in my life. Like, I need to turn the page on who I am as an artist. And so I was hungry for it. And no, I'm xiety no trepidation, I was gung ho, excited. And also, I was prayed up about it. I was asking for the ancestors to leave me, you know, down this new road that I hadn't been on. So I was it was very easy, freeing experience to record this album. You know, and I hadn't gotten to do gospel in a while. So when it came time for ancestors, I was ready to build it. You know, I was ready to go back to my roots and go stand on that church stage and look out at the Pew in my mind and and make them feel the spirit.
Thomas Mooney 47:09
Yeah, I love that what you just said the Pew in your mind.
space.
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Remember what article was back. Remember you talking a little bit about this right here specifically, that I thought was really, really interesting. I wanted you to maybe expand on it. And that was about how, you know, you were you've gone back and kind of gone back through the back catalogue and gone and had like the realization that like those songs aren't necessarily set in stone that way and have you've changed maybe some of the ways you've sang them in the current form now, as far as like bending notes, and not necessarily having to do it in those the the paint by numbers way or the the quote, exactly what what has that been like, as far as as being a little bit more of a,
you know,
an amoeba type of singer as far as being able to bend and shift and
Miko Marks 50:52
it's so fun. It's so fun to be like, Oh, I'm going to sing it this way. Now, like, like, just one line. Like, as far as God, masih does work this role. I can sing it that way, which is the way the record has an hour I can go God not be as Oh, because we're all you know, it's just how you feel in the moment. And, and how, how just just a play and have a have a way to deliver something still authentically, but in a different way. It's fun to play with your voice, just like it's fun for unshare for people to play different instruments. And not necessarily have to be the same all the time. Because that can become very rote, and very boring, boring. It's, it's, I think it's part of an artist's job to create a continually, like, renew and refresh music and songs. I'm constantly trying to find different ways to say the same thing. The same line.
Thomas Mooney 51:55
Yeah, well, that's. So obviously like, you know, going out to
Miko Marks 52:00
timing, playing with bending, playing with the falsetto voice, as opposed to the full vibrato and, you know, crescendos and decrescendos, and just kind of just being all alone, being ready to do whatever the moment calls for, and you can feel that in your spirit, whatever that is.
Thomas Mooney 52:20
Yeah. And I think like, we've all been, like, would you if I just even mentioned this right here, you always have like those songs where you can remember, like, a specific thing. Or if you, you remember a show or something, where you remember where that person who was singing, you know, just loses it, you know, like they forget, they're like on stage essentially, right? And it may be like a rifle run, or it may be something that they've changed. where, you know, if I asked you right now, you probably have like, a top five in your head, even though like, you know, there's like probably 25 songs or 25 moments that you can remember, as far as, like, me singing or just anyone really saying, like, they're all like the goosebump moments.
Miko Marks 53:11
Yes. I remember just recently, it's fishy brought it up. Just recently, I watched a documentary on Aretha Franklin called Amazing Grace where she did her live gospel album, recording, and it just came out after she died. So it was like really going back in time. It was done in like 1973. And Mick Jagger was in the audience. There's only like 150 people at the place at this small church in Compton. Mick Jagger's back there. And she doesn't say any words through during the whole con, concert recording, she doesn't talk to your audience or do any of that. But, man, the first song where she opened her mouth, it was just like they haven't had fallen open and the sunlight just came down and just lit the whole room up. So the that's one of the moments that I just had recently that I'll never forget, because I had never seen this and it had never been shown. It was just released like maybe three years ago. But Wow, what a what a just an iconic voice in an iconic moment for me to witness as a singer. I was like, Oh, that's that's it. You know you aspire to have those moments on stage all the time.
Thomas Mooney 54:35
Yeah, like I always love whenever like a built up tension. You know what I mean? And then like, it just explodes. Like the roof goes off like that is always just like the the best moments in the live performance. Watching on either like a live show or like being in there in person. It's just I can't wait to get back to being able to see some of those performances live this?
Miko Marks 55:06
Yeah, I'm hoping, I'm hoping I'm on somebody's Biggles stage opening up for somebody big and great, have my little top three that I want to work with, but I'm gonna, I'm just hoping it happens because my soul needs to perform for people, it's always one thing to read, perform and record a record in studio you know, but there's one thing, it's another thing to get the energy from the audience, and you have this spiritual exchange, but I've literally lost it on stage broken down into tears and have to stop for a minute, because I was so emotionally invested in in the moment. Like everything had to stop and let me go cry, let her get it out. And they should come back to you know, spiritual moments like that, where it was just like, the show cannot go go on until I let these tears flow. Yeah,
Thomas Mooney 55:59
that's that's something right there. I guess like you've, you've had I've watched, I guess like you You guys had a record released session when when the album was released on YouTube, that you guys put away, but like, that's obviously, you know, a very different setting than than the live show. Is there? Is there I guess like, I'm assuming that, you know, there's something planned for hopefully later this year. In the works?
Miko Marks 56:29
Yes, we're hoping to get out and do some touring and do some do some small venues home locally first, you know, and then branch out from there. And hoping I'm hoping to get on to the Americana fest but I applied so I'm hoping that happens. And but yeah, it is nothing like performing live. Because I go to church when I performed live, it is my church. And it's not just the Catholic is not a Catholic churches. It's a sanctified gospel holy Goldfield church, where I want my audience to be dancing, hooting and hollering and doing all the things that I saw. Growing up in church is just a different, different platform. So I'm looking forward to getting back to church and having that spirit of touching others and vice versa and, and emotions because I swear when I perform some of the music on this song, I can't help but cry because the visions that come up in my mind. Like when I'm singing mercy, or when I'm seeing and we are here. There, there are certain images that come up for me that are larger than mine when I'm actually in front of a crowd. So it's, it's a, it's a way more connected feeling that, you know, recording is the whole vibe of a crowd and an audience is just because you you get all this energy. There's all this transfer of energy between the between us all and it's just I'm anxious to get back to them.
Thomas Mooney 58:09
Yeah. When I was looking at various YouTube recordings as far as live performances, I guess you had gone out to Elko, Nevada, what was it? Because obviously like I've not been out there, but I've had like plenty of friends who have gone out to these like, Did
Miko Marks 58:28
they tell you about Elko? Yeah, Elko was the bomb. It was the it was the first place and people Am I getting trouble for saying this. But this was the first place where there may have been like three black people at the entire event. And there were 1000s there. And this was the first place I just felt love all a round. I mean, everywhere I went, and we were I play, there was this energy of like, inclusivity. And they wanted they wanted me there. It wasn't like, oh, we're just having her here. Just because no, they wanted me there and it was just, I could I kept telling my bandmates. I'm like, Do y'all feel this love. I was like, these people are late like this. I've never done done a show where I felt this much love. And it will stick out in my mind for that for the rest of my life. That's how much energy was exchanged between me and the people that attended the western Folklife Center event. And so I will go to my grave talking about Elko and how much love there was so many out there. And and I didn't think it would be because sometimes I go to these places that are just, you know, stuck in time. Right? You might think they're stuck in time in a negative way. Like, what is this black girl doing in here singing country music, but they're not. And it was it was so eye opening and shouting and that's too we'll get Hold on, like, I've witnessed it. I've seen it. And this is what it can be. And I'm glad I had that experience because I hadn't had it up to that time. So Elko will definitely be on my list as a top, top eye opening experience for me. Yeah, so
fine. Yeah, I
Thomas Mooney 1:00:19
brought it up. Because as far as like, the videos go, like, it does very feel very much fill engaging both ways. But as you said, like some like, especially like a place, as far as like a cowboy poetry thing goes or something like that. Like they're so steeped in tradition. And sometimes like that can be that stuck in the past, with all the the bad aspects of being stuck in the past?
Miko Marks 1:00:49
Yeah. But it wasn't like that. And what was the trip was, that would there, we're definitely steeped in tradition and preserving that tradition, which I think is needed on a certain level, like, we need to have a space for that, and to where, you know, people can go back and look in the history and, you know, feel like you're back in time. But as where that negative connotation that sometimes attached to that was not there. And it just blew me back. As far as like, how can you, you know, try to keep this space and time. But also be up to date in your thinking and how you how you approach me, and, you know, it just was, it was a nice blend of Two Worlds.
Thomas Mooney 1:01:38
One of my friends here in Lubbock, his name's Andy hedges, and he's pretty big in the, in that world of cowboy poetry and traditional songs. And he's like, what he calls is a songster. Because he takes these traditional songs and does interpretations of them. And he's got a great podcast, by the way, too, it's called cowboy crossroads, where he talks with a lot of these old guys, these old timers. But, and he's like, way more. Like, you know, knowledgeable when it comes to a lot of this stuff. But what he does that I find, really, really incredible is he kind of does like, the, the mapping of some of the songs of like, we're like, a, he'll take a part of this song and a part of this song, because at one point, they were the same traditional song. And, you know, then it this is like the version that he started being called this because it was in the when, when so and so was playing it in New Orleans. And it became called this because it was so and so started playing it in Baltimore. And this is where it kind of went into being a cowboy song and, and it's really incredible. And I wish like, I don't know, I'm sure, like, there's actual maps that like people have done, but I think that would be an incredible thing. Yeah,
Miko Marks 1:03:00
it's pretty fascinating. Pretty interesting. And I didn't know how I would, you know, I had never done a cowboy poetry, you know, event, and I was like, I didn't really know what to expect. But the levels, like you said, the depth of the history and poetry in and of itself was just like, beautiful, high level and just very intimate. And, you know, it was, it was a learning experience for me. And I'm so glad I did that gig because they reached out to me, and I'm like, why do they want me there, you know, but it all tied in. And I saw the beauty in them. And they saw a need and, and they we connected a line of, you know, history and today, because they're going to keep going on, they're going to keep going on and it's nice that they are looking for other ways to bring in younger artists and, you know, evolve even on on keep evolving, keeping history. Right, kind of evolving in that way.
Thomas Mooney 1:04:10
Yeah, I think this goes probably to, to, to anything as far as like preserving history. Like when it's so nice like that is like you do have to bring in younger audiences because if you don't like that tradition ultimately gets lost with the passing of time passing people. So yeah, I think like there's it's you got to walk that fine line of like preserving the past when it comes to the those things but also like trying to teach it to, to the youth. Exactly. And they're doing a great job. They did a great job. Yeah, it's been really great talking to you today and I so glad like that's how I that's how All right, that is it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. Be sure to check out our country by Mikko marks one of the best albums of this early year. Go check out our presenting partners over at Desert door, the blue light live and wild gallery. Be sure to stop on over at the new slang merge store the Patreon go check out the neon Eon is my other podcast just about 90s country. And yeah, I'll see y'all next week for more episodes.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai