Richard Williamson

Story

25 years of cranking out music and visual art throughout Chicago and Southern California. I believe that music communicates on a level we may never fully understand or have words to describe and that my experiences as a musician allow me to go places with my visual art that I couldn't arrive at otherwise.

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

Equipment

What is music to you? What does it give you?

Music continually expands my world, mind and spirit.

What is your music dream?

To make and be a part of music that breaks new ground.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

Myself.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

It's a toss-up between the Mr.Roger's Neighborhood theme music and the Pinball Number Count tracks that the Pointer Sisters did for Sesame Street. No kidding. I was born in '74 and heard those tunes as a kid and never forgot them. Check them out on Youtube if you aren't familiar with them, both are really sophisticated and well arranged tunes.

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

I'm a pretty knowledgeable fan of Jazz and Orchestral music as well as Metal, Soul, Funk Hip-hop, Rock and Country music...basically, my favorite artists and bands are the people and groups who did and those who currently produce the most progressive and unique work in their genres.

What inspires you to make music?

The feeling of connecting with ideas that there aren't words for and getting to do and share that with other people.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

Pursue the unusual.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Unleashed.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

The reality is that musicians nowadays have an unprecedented ability to access a broad audience as well as the ability to record and distribute their music and incredible access to information, lessons, tips, and how-to guides. What needs improving is people's attitudes towards music and its value beyond commercial interests. Unfortunately, I'm talking about both audiences and musicians alike.

What do you think of Drooble?

I think if everybody on the administrative side of things holds up the values that the site claims then this is going to be a great place to contribute to.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

The corporate greed that drives the music industry.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

Being a part of my local scene it's impossible not to support it. I pay to attend shows frequently and I spread the word about good artists and bands.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

Talent for one thing and a good working knowledge of how to use web services.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

I'll start with my own band Second Dimension and I'd love for more people to know about a group called The Elvi. Both of us are out of the Chicago area and have been around for a couple of decades now. Another artist who is super-influential among the musical elite but not enough everyday musicians know of is Babatunde Olatunji. If you don't know his work, then check him out...you'll feel cooler and smarter for it.