Brooklyn-based musician, Michael Grubbs, otherwise known as the front man for the band Wakey!Wakey!, came through Madison last week, playing a show at the Terrace to promote his first album release since 2010: Salvation.
Grubbs has already passed through Madison once this year, performing at the Frequency prior the release of Salvation in July. But at the Terrace, he presented his album from a whole new perspective.
He stripped away the full-band backing, loop petals and special effects. He instead arrived with solely a van, a keyboard and a microphone. In shifting toward a more acoustic setting, Grubbs emphasized an intimate and vulnerable stage presence, rather than attempting to make audiences dance and sing along. Some members of the audience still managed to sing and dance because of the upbeat feel of the album.
He conveyed a message and details of his life through direct communication with the audience in a highly personal manner, just as the songs of his new album do. This allowed the crowd to get to know him not only as a musician, but also as a person.
If you missed the show and are curious to know more about the album, Grubbs sat down to discuss the details, the studio process, touring and his journey as an artist.
BH: What do you think of playing for college kids at a venue overlooking a lake? Have you ever had a show like this?
MG: I think it’s amazing. I haven’t done that many shows outside, especially at a place as beautiful as this. I love playing for college kids too. The way that they take the music is really awesome. I remember that point in my life and how much music meant to me. It’s a specific time to catch an individual and just connect with them.
BH: Where did your inspiration for Salvation come from?
MG: It’s really a number of places. All the travel and a newfound worldview had a lot to do with it. There was a lot more pressure on me as I wrote this album and I realized it – there was a lot more that the fans expected. So I tried to give them what they want, while remaining true to myself.
BH: How would you describe this album in comparison with your previous work?
MG: I think it’s an evolution. It’s very different from the last album, at least for me personally. The last album was kind of like a letter; I wrote it and then it was done. This was a whole new creative process. I wrote it from a much happier place. It’s more jubilant. We also had more resources when we made this album, which helped to make it sound bigger. We worked in a bigger studio, with a producer named Fabrice Dupont, who is this crazy French man who would run around throwing things and yelling in French while we recorded, which added a lot of attitude to the record.
BH: You released a track called “Irresistible” in January, just prior to the release of Salvation. What was the intention behind that? And what made you chose to release “irresistible” as a single?
MG: We recorded all the stuff for the new album, which I wanted to be as coherent as possible. But that song was so pop, that it just didn’t fit into the realm of the album. However we realized that we had the time and the resources to make it an EP. We decided to release it before the album, because I was going on tour and wanted to have something new for the fans because it had been so long. When making it, we said, “Lets go as far toward dance and as far to pop as possible,” and make a multi-genre EP of all of the tracks that just don’t fit into the album. Everyone just liked “Irresistible,” so that one stuck out.
BH: You used a PledgeMusic campaign to gain fund for the new album. What are your thoughts on the website and did you expect to hit above your goal? How did you feel when you did?
MG: The people from Pledge were really sweet and they sent people to physically meet me and talk about the project; they were very hands-on. I would go with Benji, the guy who started the company, and just drink at bars. I wouldn’t call us “buddies” or anything, but we’ve been acquaintances for a long time and he’s been very helpful and super supportive. I didn’t delve into other sites as much because instantly, pledge was just there.
Regarding the goal, I didn’t even think that I would hit it. I thought that I was just dreaming big. But we hit it right away and eventually wound up hitting 140 percent, which felt pretty awesome. It’s great to know that so many people out there still believe in me.
BH: How is touring internationally different from touring domestically?
MG: There are cultural differences in the way that people interpret your music. Playing internationally and domestically is really fun to experience. The way the crowd reacts and interprets your music in the U.S. versus the way that they do abroad. When abroad, the music seems to be taken in more subdued and reverential manner. Here, people celebrate the music. There, they more so “breathe it in.”
BH: What do you request in your greenroom prior to shows (if anything)?
MG: We always have a bottle of Jack Daniels and a dark chocolate bar. Then there’s the standard stuff, like hummus, vegetables, water, etc. The one random thing that we always have is a rotisserie chicken…a whole rotisserie chicken. I got the idea from another band. They told me that they always put a rotisserie chicken on the rider because you can get one in any city for about $3 and if you don’t have time to get dinner, there is always a chicken there to pick at. Everyone makes fun of the chicken at first, but once you get on tour you realize how great the chicken is.
BH: Any further projects right now, or is this your main focus?
MG: Right now I’m just focused on this tour. I want to make sure I’m doing my best and reaching full potential. After this, I might put out an album under another name or another under Wakey!Wakey! I write everyday, so by the end of this tour I should have new collection of songs and be ready to make another album, but we’ll see what I decide to do.
BH: What is your favorite thing about Wisconsin?
MG: We were talking about fried cheese curds on the way here in the car. We decided that we have to find some of those while we are here. So I’m really looking forward to that.
