REVOLT WINE CO.

Interview

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1.  How did you get your start in music, were there any challenges or major milestones?

I sang an original tune called “Dedication Song” at an open mic, and a producer in the crowd offered to record it for free. It was the first time I ever felt people wanted to hear me sing, and that put me on that path I’m on now. What has followed is a never-ending set of challenges. I’ve been jumping one obstacle over another, kicking down one door after another, and will continue to for quite some time.

I think the biggest challenge is getting the exposure the songs need to find an audience. The most major milestone I’ve achieved — as an independent artist with no management, label or financiers backing the band — was getting “Monster’s Lair” in regular rotation on SoCal radio station 88.5 FM, which was my favorite station long before I ever pitched a song, so it’s especially awesome to get some love from a radio station I genuinely love. It’s also rad to connect with a brand as awesome as REVOLT Wines.

And it’s a milestone every time I release anything, so I’m very proud of our debut album, “American Way,” which took almost two years to finish. I’m stoked be releasing at least two new tracks this year, too.

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2.  How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?

Catchy AF rock ‘n’ roll full of heart and soul.

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3.  Our name, REVOLT, means to Revolt against anything holding you back and live the life you’ve always dreamed of. How did you choose your name, and what does it mean to you?

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4.   What or who motivates you to create music? 

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5.  What musicians do you think influences you the most? Got any all-time favorites? 

All time favs: Rage Against the Machine, Weezer, Foo Fighters, The Weakerthans, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. I’ve been listening to John Mayer on repeat this year, so he’s quickly climbing my rankings, too.

I really got into Petty and Springsteen after I started performing, and those two guys have really influenced my approach to songwriting ever since. They really paint incredible pictures with their lyrics, and that’s something I’ll always strive for. Mumford & Sons were also a big influence, in terms of blending rock with folk. I was already writing stuff in that style a decade or so ago, and then I saw the “Little Lion Man” music video for the first time, and it just encouraged me to keep following that path.

Pop punk was also a huge part of my adolescence — Taking Back Sunday, Midtown, New Found Glory, Yellowcard, Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World — so I think maybe those influences can be heard in my melodies. And, most importantly, I’ve always been a radio listener. I think I’ve soaked up so much over the years from all sorts of radio station formats, and that taught me so much songwriting structure and what resonates with the public.

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6.  As you touched on at our show, you write most of your music.  Do you have a process for writing? If so, does it always come to you easily? 

The songs always come to me easily, because I let the melody and my thoughts guide the entire process, and I don’t force the process, either. It’s probably my version of meditation. I literally sing mumbo jumbo to various chord structures, and then when something intrigues me — could be a chord progression or a phrase I sing — I use that as a launching pad, and just see where it goes without any expectation.

I spend a lot of time thinking about songwriting, too. Like, as I’m walking walking my dogs or driving, I’ll be exploring topics in my head and thinking of phrases that concisely sum up the larger thought behind them. Our new single is called “(Heaven Is) A Moment Here With You,” and that is a phrase loaded with meaning to me. It just was one of many thoughts flying through my head, but I grabbed on to it because I thought it was interesting, on a romantic and philosophical level. A few weeks later, I started strumming my guitar and singing, and that phrase connected with the melody of that moment.

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7.  What do you think inspires you most when it comes to lyrical content? 

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8.   Who would be your all-time musician to write a song for? 

I’d love to write another banger like “Since U Been Gone” for Kelly Clarkson. She’s the best kind of pop, and one of the best voices in Top 40 radio. I think our styles would pair nicely, and that hypothetical song would pay for a lot more GIGC recording sessions. Y’all happen to know Kelly Clarkson by chance?

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9.  What advice would you give your fans who are on similar journeys to make their own dreams a reality?

Realize you will always be your own worst enemy, and your biggest champion. The first step to getting people to believe in you is to believe in yourself. Stay positive. It will attract more positivity. Don’t harbor resentment. It’s a waste of your mental energy. Free yourself from negativity around you. Get away from people telling you that you can’t, because you absolutely can. Value the process over the payoff. The journey is the payoff. And also, don’t fear failure, because the truth is, every failure is a success if you learn from your mistakes. You’ll only truly fail if you quit. Don’t quit.

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10.   We see that you’re releasing new music soon! When and where can we listen? 

I’m taking a different approach to this release. I’m not going to rush it out to streaming platforms. Follow @GregInGoodCo on Instagram and DM me with an email address, and I’ll send the MP3. And if that’s too much work for people, they can stream our “American Way” album on Spotify and Apple Music.

Since I like REVOLT Wine so much, though, y’all can listen below. Cheers!

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