Album Creation and Inspiration
Q: Congratulations on the release of Between Lightning and Thunder. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the album’s title?
Miles East: Thank you so much! I’m a believer in the idea that album titles should come directly from the songs on the record. There are exceptions of course, but by most accounts, it never made much sense to me when an album’s title couldn’t be referenced somewhere in its music. To me, it comes across as the artist saying, “I really don’t know what any of this means or what I’m trying to say so I’m just gonna call it something that sounds cool.” The challenge though is that, whether it comes from a song title or lyric, it needs to be a descriptor that speaks to one facet of the album but also straddles the rest.
I’ve described this record as a voyage through the dark waters of a relationship in crisis, and the songs range from representing distant beacons of guiding light to representing the dark and volatile water itself. For me, the idea of a sea voyage always conjures images of sailing ships, and inevitably there are moments in the voyage where there’s simply no wind and your ship is dead on glass. And in those moments lives everything that is and isn’t happening, from clear smooth sailing to stormy struggles. All you can do is stay vigilant, be prepared for whatever may come next, and wait it out with no guarantee that what happens next is going to be better or worse. It usually only lasts a short time but it can feel like an eternity. That’s what the song “Between Lightning and Thunder” is about, and as the album title, I think it really does the job that I described earlier.
Q: How would you describe the overarching theme or message of the album?
Miles East: For me, this record is about hope—where to find it, how to recognize it, and its enduring power. There’s hope in every song on this record, even the ones where that feels like a hard sell. Real hope that moves the needle hangs out in very dark places, as well it should. That’s where it can do the most good after all. Warnings are a form of hope. Worry is a form of hope. Recognizing crisis is a form of hope. Because all of those things evoke a desire for remedial action: Something’s gotta be done about this! That’s hope at work.
Q: Your album has been compared to works by Beck and Paul McCartney. How have these artists influenced your music, and in what ways can listeners hear their impact in your new record?
Miles East: Super flattering to be associated with those names, by the way. I’ve been a McCartney camp Beatle fan since I was five years old. That naturally led to being a solo McCartney and Wings fan. The Beatles, McCartney, and Wings represent 50% of the soundtrack of my life. It would be odd if that kind of devotion to an artist didn’t end up noticeably in the mix. As far as Beck is concerned, I wouldn’t call myself a devoted fan, but I love his music and I have immense respect for him as an artist. His originality is unquestionable, and his album Sea Change really blew me away. So whether it’s a steady flow like The Beatles and McCartney or a single powerful dose like Sea Change, both are bound to end up working on you as an artist.
Q: The production on this album is praised for its forcefulness and clarity. What was the production process like working with Blake Morgan?
Miles East: I can’t stress enough how fortunate I feel to have Blake as my producer. We worked on this record for nearly a year before we set foot in the studio. If the old saying goes, “measure twice, cut once,” for Blake it’s “measure a hundred times at least.” This preproduction period was my favorite part of the process—picking the right collection of songs (eight years between records made for a pretty full song hopper), honing them musically, fully fleshing out the themes of each song and of the record as a whole, working out the sonic vision, the arrangements. It was a really fertile—and at times challenging—period of discovery.
One might assume that committing to that kind of thoroughness would constrain you in the studio, but the opposite is true. When you’ve gotten into the rhythm of solution-hunting early on, it frees you up in the studio to be open to fresh ideas that will inevitably present themselves. If you know what you’re doing going in, you’re free to color outside the lines when the spirit hits you. Our vision was so strong going in that we knew any and all fresh ideas would remain true to that vision, and that’s in fact what happened.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process for one of your favorite tracks on the album?
Miles East: I assume you’re referring to the recording process. It’s impossible to pick a favorite, but the one track that comes to mind is “It’s Ours To Lose.” It’s a good illustration of not feeling constrained to make conventional choices as a result of proper preparation. We cut the guide tracks for all the songs in one afternoon—a single acoustic guitar track and my vocal. I hadn’t changed my strings in like six months, so they were pretty dead, and my guitar wasn’t sounding its best. But these were just guide tracks. All the acoustics were slated to be re-tracked. I’d have new strings by then and a full setup for good measure.
Then over the next month, we began tracking in earnest, starting with the drums. When it came time to start tracking the acoustic for “It’s Ours To Lose,” we listened to the guitar guide, and Blake looked at me and said, “I really don’t see how we beat this, and frankly, I don’t even want to try. It’s right in the pocket of the vibe we’re going for, for the song and the record.” It was the absolute right decision, and it totally set the mood for the rest of the tracking for that song. It spoke so well to its slow-burn foreboding quality, that sense of two people at the mercy of their willful ignorance as they drift apart. If you’re not crystal clear about your vision going in, something like that can be easily overlooked.
Lead-Up Singles and Reception
Q: Your three lead-up singles have collectively garnered over 300,000 streams. Were you expecting such a strong response?
Miles East: Does anyone really? All we knew for sure was that as far as how the record sounded, it exceeded our expectations. I mean it came out sounding better than I could have ever hoped, and that was all due to that year of preproduction. So we knew it would get some respectable attention. It just came out too good not to. But we didn’t quite expect it to take off the way it did and continues to. It’s extremely validating, and I’m very grateful.
Q: How did being featured on Apple Music’s “New In Rock” editorial playlist impact your reach and engagement with new listeners?
Miles East: Game changer! Being chosen for a major platform editorial playlist is gratifying enough. It means an actual curative person heard my track and said “YES!” And then they extend it for an additional week? Then when the full record dropped, they immediately add the lead single and then extend that for an additional week! It paid off immensely and continues to. Very gratifying.
Q: What has been the most surprising or rewarding feedback you’ve received from fans or critics about the singles or the album?
Miles East: “Inspiring” comes up a lot from fans, and that means the world to me. All the formal reviews have been incredibly positive, but several really blew me away. One said, “If you are a singer-songwriter, measure yourself by this album. If you are not this good, you know there is work to do. If you are this good, then you are probably lying.” Another said, “From now on, this is the standard by which I will judge all other so-called singer-songwriters. You have been warned,” and my favorite: “Personally, I find myself replaying this album constantly, it’s rare to come across music that resonates so deeply and leaves such a lasting impression.” Be still my heart!
Personal and Musical Journey
Q: This album has introduced your music to a global audience. How has your journey as an artist evolved since your earlier releases?
Miles East: It’s been eight years since my last record, so I’ve had a lot of time to further crystallize who I am as an artist and a songwriter. I’m much more sure of that now. I guess one could assume that’s just what would naturally happen over time, but I’m aware that that isn’t always the case, so I’m grateful for it. I’ve grown to trust that if what I’m writing truly resonates with me, then it’s got the best shot of resonating with others. And I’m getting better at recognizing that threshold, that point where I know I’m not pulling any punches, and I’m getting to the heart of it. I’ve gained clarity about myself and my process. It makes things easier in that better knowing how to do what you’re doing makes anything easier. But the doing is still a challenge, as well it should be.
Q: How do you balance maintaining your unique sound while also evolving and experimenting with new elements in your music?
Miles East: Maintaining my unique sound as it were is simply a matter of being myself, with the understanding that “simply” doesn’t mean “easily.” And I don’t overly concern myself with evolving. As soon as that becomes something you’re trying to achieve, it becomes counter to what it means to evolve in the first place, and it’ll never happen. Experimenting with new elements is something that has to happen organically. You can experiment for experiment’s sake, but very rarely will that lead to something truthfully expressive. As long as you stay emotionally and artistically open and commit to writing from a pure place, new elements will find their way in ways that you’ll least expect and that wholly serve the music. It’s kind of built into the artistic process. If new elements don’t find their way in, that’s okay too. If a song resonates, it resonates regardless of innovation.
Q: Can you share any personal experiences or stories that significantly shaped the direction of this album?
Miles East: Outside of a live performance setting, I’m reluctant to get too specific about the experiences and challenges that birthed these songs. Not for reasons of secrecy, but because I think doing so has the potential to diminish the personal resonance these songs might have for someone else. When a song resonates for someone, it takes up residence in their heart and becomes an expression of themselves. No other art form really does that. That’s why people say things like, “Hey, that’s my song!” or “This was our song when we were dating.” Perfectly natural things to say, but if you swap “song” for “painting” or “sculpture” or “dance” or what have you, it sounds odd. I’d rather let my listeners have the experience all for themselves. Live performance is different. I can get a little more revealing because the in-person experience affords a greater array of connection between me, the songs, and my audience. In that setting, it’s expected.
Collaboration and Production
Q: Working with Blake Morgan, a renowned figure in indie music, must have been an incredible experience. What were some key takeaways or lessons from this collaboration?
Miles East: Blake and I have been friends and colleagues since the late ’90s when I first auditioned to be his drummer. I wear the fact that I’m the only one from back then that’s still in his band as a badge of honor. It’s a testament to one of the most important lessons in music: drums are one of the two most important elements in shaping an artist’s or band’s sound. The other is vocals. So when you find your drummer, hang onto them. As he was developing and growing his studio during that time, I became his go-to session drummer. Since then, I’ve worked with him on over thirty records and countless smaller projects, so I’ve had a front row seat as I watched him become, in my opinion, one of the greatest producers alive today.
When he signed me to the label—which was no guarantee—I was in the unique position of fully knowing exactly who I was dealing with, so I trusted him completely. Blake sees the flickerings of the artist you want to be even if it’s not so clear to you yet. Then he works with you and guides you into sharp focus. He takes his cues from you—your influences, your heroes, your favorite records, your burgeoning style. You go there together, and he’s always checking your temperature to make sure it feels right to you. It makes for a rewarding journey, and it’s a powerfully liberating moment when you arrive. It’s like, “Yes! This is me! This is who I am!”
Q: Were there any challenges during the production of Between Lightning and Thunder, and how did you overcome them?
Miles East: Of course! If there aren’t any challenges, then you’re probably doing it wrong. Challenges are too often and incorrectly synonymous with problems. They’re two different things. Problems—solved or unsolved—always set you back to some degree. By contrast, a challenge overcome often finds us in a better stronger place than we were before. My first challenge was during preproduction. After we chose the ten songs out of the thirty or so I demoed, Blake spent a week listening through them and came back with my first and most important challenge. To really get this record where it wanted to go, I needed to dig back into these songs and go deeper. I hadn’t touched bottom yet. I was close, but not there yet. If we’re not by default committed to touching bottom, then what are we doing here? It wasn’t a comfortable diagnosis, but it was spot on. I said, give me a month. It made all the difference. When I mention my gratefulness to have a producer like Blake, this is what I’m talking about.
Q: Which song on the album was the most challenging to produce, and why?
Miles East: That would probably be “All Hands On Deck.” I had a very specific idea in mind for that song. I wanted the listening experience to feel like being on the bow of a ship in a stormy sea. Crafting the right parts, from drums to guitars to keys, wasn’t just about serving the song. It was also about sonically crafting a visual experience. I think we pulled it off pretty well.
Future Projects and Performances
Q: Now that Between Lightning and Thunder is out, what are your plans for promoting the album? Any upcoming tours or live performances?
Miles East: Well, we’re presently at around 400,000 streams with dozens of glowing reviews, so the promotion currently in place is working quite well. I have my label ECR Music Group to thank for that. Nothing yet on the horizon for shows and touring, but when the time comes, you’ll be sure to hear about it.
Q: Can fans expect any music videos or special releases related to the album in the near future?
Miles East: Yes! The video for “All Hands On Deck” is dropping July 31st. I’m so excited to get eyes on it. It’s quite a departure from my last video for “Lucky To Be Here Tonight.”
Q: What are you most excited about in terms of future projects or collaborations?
Miles East: In about a month, I go into the studio to track the drums for Blake Morgan’s next record, and it’s gonna be a doozy. We’ve been in weekly rehearsals since February writing and working the parts. The songs are so good, and these may be the drum parts I’m most proud of to date. Then my label mate Janita is about to finish her amazing next record. I cut the drums for that back in Spring 2023. We just had her second residency show at New York’s legendary The Bitter End, and the next one is in September. And Chris Barron (of Spin Doctors) is working on his next solo record. I’m playing drums on that too. Truly had a ball with that one. He’s working on it in his downtime from his solo touring and a pretty hefty Spin Doctors’ touring schedule. So it’ll be a minute before that record’s done.
Reflections and Advice
Q: Looking back at the entire process of creating and releasing this album, what are you most proud of?
Miles East: I know I sound like a broken record, but it always seems to go back to preproduction. That was the time when the demons were vanquished, the challenges overcome, and the stage was set for a record that exceeded my expectations in every way.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians who are trying to break into the industry?
Miles East: First and foremost, learn how to be really good at what you do. Second, learn how to embrace and embody the artist you truly are and/or want to be. All the other stuff—promotion, distribution, gigging, recording—is just logistics and can be learned or figured out. Important to be sure, so take it seriously, but the info is out there, and there are services available to help you with all of it. None of it matters, however, if you don’t have the goods and you aren’t crystal clear about who you are as an artist. Being an artist isn’t something we do. It’s who we are.
Q: Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to your younger self when you first started in music, what would it be?
Miles East: Never apologize for being an artist, neither explicitly nor implicitly. Embrace it and wear it like a badge of honor. Reject the notion that it’s an option. For the artist, there is no plan B.
In this in-depth conversation, Miles East offers a comprehensive look at the creation of Between Lightning and Thunder, revealing the thought processes, inspirations, and challenges behind the album. His reflections provide valuable insights for fans and aspiring musicians alike, showcasing his dedication to his craft and the personal journey that shapes his music.
