Electronic artist Spiderhound has been on his game in 2021 and there's only one aspect to give credit toward when it comes to exactly why: the music. His last 3 releases in particular have been casting him in a new light and taking him to new heights. "Phlame," "Strangers," and "Forgive," being those 3. The tunes have a defined creative chemistry that make them feel apart of a bigger whole, yet all of them have a splendid groove and assertive vibe that gives them their own label.
Spiderhound has released on Alpha Pup, Muti Music, Producer Dojo and Obskure Records and is today apart of the Producer Dojo A&R team, he's properly earned the credits he's received today, with many more sure to come as he seems to have no issues keeping the roll out of music going steady.
We caught up with Spiderhound to chat about his sound, his singles, and much more in this exclusive interview.
What inspired your sound?
My sound has been inspired by a wide variety of music from all genres. My taste in music has changed over time (Top 40, Classic Rock, Heavy Metal, Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Classical Music, Jazz and Electronic Music). I draw inspiration from all of it and I am absolutely in love with the Electronic Music medium as it has the most cutting edge sound design and production approaches that are constantly yielding new and incredibly creative soundscapes and textures.
Who are your biggest influences?
I admire so many talented musicians and artists, but if I had to break it down on a chronological timeline with key influences I would say The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, John Zorn, Mr. Bungle, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, ill.Gates, Mr. Bill, G. Jones, Zebbler Encanti Experience, Ivy Lab. We would be here all day if I listed every single one of my influences, but I think this is a good snapshot to give you an idea of my diverse tastes and how they have evolved over time.
What is your favorite time period in modern music history?
Although I have so many good memories and experiences that have shaped my love of music, I honestly believe that right now is my favorite time period so far in modern music history, because it is so inclusive to all. When I was a child the music industry was locked down and controlled by the Record Companies who decided which artists got heard and which artists got ignored. In addition, as a musician it was prohibitively expensive to get your music properly recorded, mixed and mastered as the cost of studio time was outrageous. Today anybody with an entry level laptop could produce music, mix, master and distribute it all from the comfort of their home at an extremely low cost. I love the inclusivity of it, because music listeners can also choose to be music creators and easily join the playing field with the musicians that they respect and admire. This leads to more diversity in music and I am all for it. Flashback to Pink Floyd “The Wall” which was an amazing album about the many different walls that humans build. So many different types of walls exist (Familial, Political, Social, Artistic) and all of these walls are explored on the album. In particular, the Wall between artist and fan was explored on the album and the movie and that was a very real thing back then. There was a wall between the Popular Artists and their fans and it was very isolating on both sides. Today there are no walls between artists and fans and it has become more social, more friendly, more interactive, more familial. This is mainly due to the advances in technology that have opened up the lines of communication in a way that fans and artists can directly interact with each other on a daily basis if they like. It’s definitely an incredibly exciting time for both music creators and music fans.
What are some memorable moments from your 20 years in music?
One of the most memorable moments that has shaped my current path would be when I lived in England for a year back in 1993 and I was introduced to the Rave scene. It was such an amazing feeling to be part of that and instantly feel welcomed into a community of like minded people who were so accepting of each other and truly in the moment appreciating the miracle of life in a communal celebration of sound. Those experiences really resonated with me and they have stayed with me over time.
What's the type of vibe you hope to get out there through singles like "Phlame," and "Stranger?"
The vibe that I am always going for is exactly what I am feeling in that moment. When I am producing music I like to stay present in the moment and channel whatever feelings I’m experiencing at that time. These songs become musical journal entries for me that are telling the story of my life and I like to release songs when I get a strong visceral response from them. I love music that can make me feel a strong emotion and I hope that others can resonate with those emotions as well. Making music is a very healing activity for me.
Where did the name Spiderhound come from?
The name came from a long list of potential artist names that I came up with over time. There was something about it that really resonated with me and I feel it is representative of my story on a macro level. For example, “SOUND” is within Spiderhound if you remove “piderh.” This represents the power of sound and music in my life and how it really shaped me as a human and an artist. Also, the combination of 2 lifeforms (Spider/hound) is representative of how I like to merge diverse genres and styles together into a new creation. I feel that my artist name succinctly represents my artistic journey in just 11 letters.
How has COVID impacted your artist career?
COVID has impacted my Spiderhound career goal of doing more live performances. Right when the pandemic hit is precisely when I was going to begin my live performance journey as Spiderhound and it stopped that dead in its tracks. I used the time to my advantage by going deep into my music production and making a new song every single day. This journey of production quantity has yielded so many amazing songs that I am proud of and I am eager to begin pursuing my live performance goal as Spiderhound in safe environments.
What are you excited about when it comes to the future of Spiderhound?
I am excited to remain present and in the moment and remain open to all opportunities as I continue to make new music, collaborate with like minded artists, learn new production techniques, grow my brand, teach music production, coach new artists and grow my skills as a live performer.