[Creative Fridays] #9: Lori McKinney

Photo courtesy of Option 22This week's [Creative Fridays] post features multi-talented Lori McKinney. We first met when I was invited to perform at Culturefest, a festival that Lori co-founded. Currently based in Princeton, West Virginia - Lori is in the heart of the creative movement at RiffRaff Arts Collective. Running a performance space, co-organizing a festival, being in a band, acting in theatre productions is all a part of Lori's life.

Let's learn what she's up to now!

1. What's your latest project?
My latest project is with Option 22; our new release is called "The Change," and it is set for release in the first 1/2 of 2012.

2. What inspires your music? 
Soul searching, nature, the call for global change, and spirituality inspire my music.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? 
Radiohead- In Rainbows
LTJ Bukem- The Journey Inwards
The Weepies- Say I am You
Enigma- The Cross of Changes
LTJ Bukem- Progression Sessions

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of? 
Rising Appalachia is amazing; a female duo of sisters with some serious soul. Their focus is "igniting soul sparks and social revolution through harmony."

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts?
I wish someone would have told me how very important it is to keep a great address book of all your wonderfully creative friends you meet along the way.

6. How do we reach you?
Website: www.option22.net
Twitter: twitter.com/option22band
Facebook:Facebook.com/option22band

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The Indie Secret to Making Music

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...is to make stuff

and...

do it for a long, long time!

For example, if you're a musician - the key is keep writing, recording, performing music. And to me, documenting it, making albums, EPs, singles, some form of document is super important. Reason is - when you record it, you commit to a version of your vision. Then - you can move on to the next thing. 

The danger of waiting for the perfect studio, the perfect musicians, the perfect budget is that it may not come. And... you deprive people of a chance to experience what you have to give.

Yes, it may not be perfect yet.

Yes, the sound might not be the best.

But, I'm not saying record on bad equipment -what I am saying is:

Work within your circumstances & do the best you can - within your reach.

Some of my favorite artists - Ani DiFranco, Death Cab for Cutie, Elliott Smith all recorded even when the circumstances weren't perfect yet. But, because they did - they could move on and make the next thing.

Red Letter Year. Plans. XO. 

They all could have not existed without the albums leading to them.

But, thank goodness these amazing artists made all that they did - because eventually it got there.

And.

Wow.

So yes. All of us should make stuff. And do it for a long, long time.

We never know what the future might...

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