Kyle Cox Interview

  • 2
  • June 14th, 2010

One of the primary goals of MusicTorch is to discover artists that deserve your attention.  We would like to introduce you to one of these artists, Kyle Cox.  I ran across Kyle’s new EP, To All My Old Friends, on noisetrade.com. Much to my delight, the discovery was a great one. Kyle recorded his EP at The Frontier with producer Jeremy S.H. Griffith, jeremyshgriffith.com

Kyle’s music is true and worth your attention.  Please go to noisetrade.com/kylecox and download his music.  It’s free!

Over the next week or so I made contact with Kyle.  Kyle gave me some of his time and answered a few questions I had for him.

1) Where were you raised?  Where are you from?

Well, I was a military kid.  My dad was in the Air Force and I was born in Texas.  Actually right by Texas A&M, and named after their football field (Kyle Field…obviously).  So I lived all over growing up: Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Washington D.C.; and finally settled in Orlando, FL when I was in 7th grade.  Been here pretty much since.  I did live in south Florida for the first 2 years of college…near Miami…but came back.

2) How long have you been playing and writing music?

I started taking classical piano lessons in, like, 3rd grade, and kept taking lessons all the way through my senior year of high school.  I started teaching myself guitar when I was in middle school, right about the time I moved to Orlando.  So I guess I’ve been playing piano for over 15 years, guitar for over 10 years, and singing/writing for like 6 years or so.

3) What are your musical influences, favorite artists?

I honestly don’t really love a lot of music…haha.  It’s weird.  Most music I like is from my friends.  As far as stuff that people already know of, I love Dave Bazan/Pedro the Lion, Bon Iver, Pink Floyd, Explosions in the Sky, The Album Leaf…and really that’s about it as far as stuff that I can listen to anytime, anywhere, and still love.  I mean, I like a lot of stuff and listen to a good variety of music, however, what I really love or consider great is pretty small.

4) How would you describe your music, its goal, its purpose?

The 100% purpose of my music is to have fun.  And I know a lot of people say that, but seriously, that’s all it’s about.  I never plan on or really want to make sustainable income from the music I write.  I love my job here at the church so much that it would be really difficult for me to leave.  But I still really enjoy writing, recording, playing my own music, and I don’t think I’ll ever quit doing that.  If other people enjoy it along the way, all the better; however, I really just enjoy doing it for me and my friends around me.

5) Who is your perfect fan?

Anyone who will enjoy my music and understand how much of “not a rock star” I am.  haha.

6) What has music meant to you in your life?

Music has really been a staple emotional outlet for me in all areas of my life.  Happiness, anger, sadness, worship, everything.  I really don’t know how I would express myself most of the time without music.

7)  How would you describe the state of Christian music?

Man…hmmm.  Depends what areas of Christian music we’re talking about.  I’d say I hate about 85% of all Christian music.  hahaha.  Actually, anything I think that calls itself Christian music I hate.  All of it.  But people who just do music because that’s what they are gifted in and feel they need to do, that’s what I love.  And from time to time, that person is a Christian.  I just think that’s some of what’s wrong with the music industry in general.  Nobody anymore really does music because it’s what they’ve been gifted in.  Everything is done now with a different agenda…whether it’s to be cool, get chicks, or spread an “edgy” Christian message, it’s all so fake to me.  I just think people need to be real.  Be who they are, not try to be someone else.  It’s OK to be influenced by someone else, but not cookie-cutter.  Look at all the bands out there now in the “secular” scene…they all have the long, straightened swooped hair, all wear the same clothes, it’s either really bright, florescent colors or all black colors, same shoes and jeans, people even all set their drums up exactly the same, flat layout.  Then look at the “Christian” scene…mostly just a crappier version of what I just described.  Nobody is real anymore.  Just be yourself.  Everyone is in such a state of identity crisis it’s ridiculous.  Man…I sound really jaded, hahaha.  Maybe I am, I dunno, but I appreciate and respect people being real a whole lot.  If you’re dropping f-bombs in your lyrics or if it’s writing lyrics straight from scripture, but it’s not a fake you, I’ll respect it a whole lot.  (Man, this is really long, and nobody knows who I am or care what I’ve got to say…so I’m probably going to lose a lot of readers half way through that answer…haha)

9) Is there any specific event in your life that stands out that has had a significant impact on your music?

Well, from an EP stand point, the majority of my EP is written about a falling out I had with my best friend of 15 years.  It was super tough, and I didn’t take it very well.  He and I were really close, practically brothers.  It totally sucked.  “To All My Old Friends” and “Life is Good” are both written about him, and actually sung from his perspective.  Throughout the whole EP, however, there are definitely still underlying tones about it, and if I could say there is one theme for the EP, it would be that falling out.  Even “My Great Love” which is practically straight scripture is sung from the perspective of Christ to me as somewhat of a comfort for where I was at the time of the falling out.

10) What do you wish to accomplish through your music?

Just for people to enjoy it.  I’m not planning on changing the world, I don’t have some huge platform message that I’m trying to spread.  I love music, Jesus, my family, and friends.  Hopefully people are able to see that through the songs I write.

Check out our review of To All My Old Friends and let us know what you think!

Written by: Daniel Burroughs