**************************************** Click the above banner to visit Michael's Official Website!
Michael David Lewis, who also goes by Mike, is a songwriter hailing from San Diego, CA. Mike is a veteran of the San Diego music scene and has embarked on a solo endeavor unofficially dubbed "mikelewismusic".
Mike believes that music should be shared at the grass-roots level, which is why he likes the web - the opportunities for the independent artist has never been better.
Mike believes the heart of his music lies in the song itself.
Mike's strong-suit is in the songs that he writes, and mikelewismusic's charter is to showcase Mike's songs.
Armed with his guitar, Mike writes and plays all original material. Mike provides a slice of the human experience from his own viewpoint. Joy, exuberance, love, loss, sadness, and humor are all examined from a unique, heartfelt point of view as only Mike can deliver. A limited viewpoint? Perhaps. But maybe, just maybe, you might be able to see a little bit of yourself through the fuzzy lenses that clouds Mike's observations.
Mike invites you inside - grab a cup of joe, get close to the fire, and take in what mikelewismusic has to offer. We're glad you're here.
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Click on the below graphic to read about Mike in the San Diego Union Tribune - December 28, 2006
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"mikelewismusic" the song was the San Diego Reader's most downloaded song for the month of June, 2009. Read about it here, an interview with Michael David Lewis as he talks about "mikelewismusic"
Hey, if you also frequent Facebook, come check out Michael's Facebook music site! If you have an account, please sign up as a fan of Michael! Hope to see you over there soon!
An Interview with Michael David Lewis on ezFolk.com
ezFolk.com, the best online music website in the world, recently interviewed Michael David Lewis. The interview can be found by clicking the link directly below:
Here is the interview in its entirety, as conducted by ezFolk.com's very own Holley Hall (an outstanding artist/musician in her own right):
An Interview with MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS!! 5.10.09
by HolleyHall, 10 May 2009 06:19 AM
Michael David Lewis - guitars, vocals, bass, percussion
EZ Folk profile Link: http://ezfolk.com/audio/MichaelDavidLewis
EZ folk Radio Station Link: http://ezfolk.com/audio/index.php?mode=player&type=radio&id=819
I met Michael David Lewis ezfolk several years ago here on EZFolk. I have really enjoyed his musical style. it will truly lift your spirits!! He has since become an icon here on EZ folk and one of the most played artists! He recently has been in process remixing his songs (more on this below)
If you haven't checked out his music I highly recommend all of his songs which are fantastic, but some I would like to note here are Heading North, Walking Tall, It's Coming Up and Halfway Home just to name a few.
Thank you Michael for the honor and opportunity of this interview!
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: Thank you Holley, it's a pleasure to be here talking to you. I am currently a solo performer. Live, I do the singer-songwriter thing on acoustic guitar. In the studio I am a multi-instrumentalist and I play it all - guitar (acoustic and electric), bass, and I do all my own vocals. Tracks that feature drums are all programmed by me. Previously I have played in rock bands but lately I've been performing solo on acoustic guitar and have found this to be most satisfying.
HOLLEY: Do you prefer to play music as a profession or a hobby?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: I prefer it as a hobby, it is really enjoyable to me to be able to work at my own pace and for my own satisfaction. Though I take making music seriously, doing it for a living would to me make it more job-like and less enjoyable. I try to stay focused on my personal artistic goals, this keeps it fun and allows me to focus on the music itself.
HOLLEY: When and how did you first become interested in music? How long have you been playing music? What instruments do you play?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS:I've been interested in music my whole life. As a child in elementary school I loved the Jackson 5 and fantasized about being in a singing group like that. I became interested in guitar around 13 years old as a fan of the rock band KISS. I taught myself how to play guitar using the old Mel Bay books. I learned how to play on acoustic and electric guitar, and later I learned electric bass. In the 80s I played in a few local (San Diego, CA) rock bands, "The Radical Molesters", "The USSR" and "NEIN". We played a lot of covers with some originals sprinkled in. Back then I was writing songs but I rarely got an opportunity to play them because I was too shy to show them to anybody. In the 90s I took some time off from music, but in 2001 I started up again and by 2004 I gave up the rock band life and began playing live solo on acoustic guitar, finally confident enough in my compositions to perform them live. It was during this timeframe that I began recording my own material from home and soon found ezFolk.com, where I began posting all of my recordings.
HOLLEY:What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: I cover a lot of ground in my themes, some are spiritual in nature like "It's Coming Up" and "Light of Day". In other cases I write about specific events - "August 16, 1977" is about the day Elvis Presley died. A few of them are autobiographical and are retrospective of my life's travels in general - "Halfway Home", "The Long Road" "mikelewismusic" and "Adam (Beautiful Boy)" are examples of these. And some are fictional narratives, such as "Headin' North".
HOLLEY: Do you write your own songs? Do you have any particular songs you consider your favorites?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: I write my own songs. I usually start with a lyrical hook and go from there. I'll craft a chord progression for the hook, then start fleshing out the remainder of the lyrics. I'll put in a bridge in most cases, and sometimes if the song calls for it I'll modulate. I find in many cases these songs write themselves - I'll get a good idea or inspiration, and 30 minutes later it's written. "Adam (Beautiful Boy)" was written while I was practicing guitar with my infant son Adam at my feet. I was struck by the beautiful moment of my son playing obliviously with his toys while I was playing my music. One idea led to the next and very quickly the song was written, all while Adam was sitting there playing.
HOLLEY: Who are your musical influences?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: My songwriting influences are Pete Townshend, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Woody Guthrie. To me, these guys are the Mt. Rushmore of songwriting. The themes they explore and the way they go about telling their stories via their songs are pure genius.
HOLLEY: What live performance experience have you had?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: I have played in many local venues around San Diego, my biggest gig so far was a 4th of July performance at the San Diego County Fair back in 2006. It's the biggest fair in Southern California and I was fortunate to get this gig. I occassionally play at local coffeehouses in San Diego, and once a year I play at my kids school festival. Over my life I have played in many venues, big and small (mostly small) as a member of many rock bands.
HOLLEY: What are your musical goals?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: My main goal these days is to just have fun and please myself. I love playing and recording my own tunes, and the process of writing, recording, and performing is very satisfying.
HOLLEY HALL: Have you recorded any previous CDs or posted any audio files on the Internet? (What type of recording process did you use? Who produced your recording?)
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: I have one CD out called "mikelewismusic", and all of the songs on this CD are available for listening here on ezFolk.com. All of the tracks were recorded on my acoustic guitar and I also added some bass to give the songs some depth. I recorded this CD at home via my Tascam digital 8-track recorder and produced the tracks on my PC. I took the tracks to a local engineer named Jon Russo and he did the mix and master.
On my new recordings I am putting out a "Rock" album - it has been a lifelong dream of mine to make a "Rock" record with my original tunes. I have most of the tracks "in the can", I have a couple more to record that may be acoustic in nature, just to give it that Folk balance. I hope to have this finished by Summer. In the meantime, these rough-mixed tracks are available for listening right here on ezFolk.
HOLLEY: I noticed that! I been enjoying your new mixes. Cant wai't to hear the final versions! So where do you have your music posted online?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: All my music is posted right here on ezFolk.com, and I am very grateful to Richard Hefner for creating this wonderful site for us indie artists to hang our hats and share our art. I have my own website, http://MichaelDavidLewis.com, and I also have a presence on MySpace (http://myspace.com/mikelewis) - both sites feature my ezFolk jukebox embedded directly.
HOLLEY:Do you have CD’s/Audio files for sale? If so, where can they be purchased?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: My debut CD "mikelewismusic" is available on CDBaby: ..and one could also purchase and download the album or individual tracks on iTunes or Amazon.com.
HOLLEY: Any Music Videos? If so what are they about?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: Nothing proper like on MTV or VH1, but I do have many of my live performance videos available on YouTube: http://youtube.com/mikelewismusic
HOLLEY: When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: One of my more recent songs is "Blackwood Drive". This song is about my childhood friends, we all grew up together on a street named Blackwood Drive, which is located in San Diego, California. We were very close and we vowed we would be "together forever". But alas, life happened - we grew up and drifted apart. I wrote this song after I got together with a few of these long-lost friends a couple of years ago. We all longed for the good old days when things were simpler as kids. I recorded an all acoustic "demo" version and also a rock version. Both are posted here on ezFolk.
HOLLEY: What inspires you to write music? How do you go about composing songs?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: I tend to gravitate towards topics that are near to my heart: faith, family, joy and tragedy. I've found it is easier to let the idea guide me rather than guide the idea. A great song seems to write itself because it is an inspiring idea that seems to have a life all it's own. As I previously mentioned, "Adam (Beautiful Boy)" is one example of a song like this. Another is "Halfway Home". These songs wrote themselves because they were created from an inspirational idea that led me rather than me leading it. Sounds sort of crazy I know, but this is what works for me.
HOLLEY: Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: Well, I think the perfect album is Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run". A great thematic record that tells a story from 8 different songs. Everyone should have this album in their collection.
HOLLEY: Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: Lately I have been listening to a lot of Vince Martin and Fred Neil, both individually and together. Vince's 1969 album "If the Jasmine Don't Get You...the Bay Breeze Will" has been a particular favorite of mine, "Summerwind", "Snow Shadows" and "Jasmine" are three of my favorite songs of all-time. I've been really digging Fred Neil's self-titled album too, his song "The Dolphins" is ethereal yet very deep.
HOLLEY: Do you have any advice/experience you would like to share with fellow artists you think would be helpful?
MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS: Play to please yourself, whatever that may be. If you please yourself, the joy that music gives you will spread to everyone. And most of all, always have fun!
Hi, Michael! Please stop by my profile to show your support for my music by listening to and buying my two new singles off iTunes called, “The Singles.” They include the new song, “Someday” and the NEW version of “Have Faith.” click here for iTunes My second album “Mysteries of our Minds” will be released in January 2010. Also, I’d really appreciate it if you’d add my new FACEBOOK music page: www.facebook.com/elizabethsouthmusic and new TWITTER: www.twitter.com/elisabethsouth Thank you! Please leave a comment, let me know what you think, and tell me how you’re doing!
What's up!? Just wanted to let you know what was going on with P6! Our 9th anniversary show is this Halloween! We will be playing with Bulletboys (Smooth Up in Ya back from the 80's!), Bionic Jive (AZ's resident old-school rap/rock soldiers!) and more at The Platinum Club inside Skye.
Also we're finally recording new tracks! Keep an eye out in November for our 2 track EP featuring songs off our upcoming new album "The New Amerikan Idols." Thanks for being our friend and don't be afraid to leave some love for us...Ladiebug and the rest of the band always like to make a personal response ;-) OneLove Sixers!!!
Hello friends!
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD, WE DID IT. ABSINTHE ROSE IS ON ITUNES! HELP US OUT IF YOU GOT 2 BUCKS OR WRITE A REVIEW ON THE ITUNES THAT IS FREE AND IS WELCOMED!
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE SONGS!
This is the first release from our D.I.Y. label! SCREECH OWL RECORDS! 001. I feel very honored and if you wouldn't mind ME ASKING would you post a bulletin or tell your friends? it would mean the world to me!
thank you for any and all support towards SCREECH OWL RECORDS, ABSINTHE ROSE and all D.I.Y. bohemian songwriters of all genres!
Take care of each other and thank you
Kimbo Rose Workman and the team from SCREECH OWL RECORDS!
www.myspace.com/screechowlrecords
Hi Mike! Thanks! "When You're Easy" has been up there a while but I just uploaded "Blue" with vocals last week. Thanks for listening and your feedback means a lot! I'm going to do my best to come down to SD to see you perform this weekend. I'll let you know. Are you ready for your show?
How's it going? There is a free track available for you at the moment on our myspace page. Just click the FREE DOWNLOAD box at the top of the page and enter a valid email to download the tune. How cool is that!
Have a great week and thank you very much for being electronically connected to us as friends and fans.
Heyyy!! Have you jumped on the bandwagon and joined TWITTER?? If so, FOLLOW ME!! http://twitter.com/jessijaejoplin If not, hurry up and join. I promise it's a lot of fun :)) xoxo, Jessi
Thanks for friendship! Don't forget that you can get my music for free and I still will get paid! Gimmesound.com pays artists for every download out of their ad revenue. By grabbing my tracks for free - you support me! We both gain!
We just won Best Rock Band and Best Artist at the Lifesworks Entertaiment Awards. We also were nominated for Best Alternative Rock Album by the SDMA. THe SDMA are on Sept 10 at Viejas! Come out and have a good time with us. Thanks to all our new friends and fans. We appreciate all the support you give to us and our music.
A new CD "Brave New World" is on sale now at CDBaby. It will be coming soon to iTunes, Rhaphsody and Napster. Check out new songs on my page. Guitar players everywhere will like "Feels like a Gun".
Online Now!
