Damij & I: The Interview
Posted by WillowRaine on May 9, 2009 | No Comments
WILLOW: Hi Damij! On behalf of TEN GOSSIP I would like to thank you, in advance for taking the time out of your busy schedule and agreeing to this interview. When I found out that I was actually the one chosen to interview you, I have to admit, I got a little fan girlish, but I promise to maintain some level of professionalism. *Grin* So, without further adieu…
Willow: To give the people a little background, you actually hail from a small town in Kentucky. That has to be difficult to be an artist that isn’t stereotypically accepted. Have you been faced with narrow mindedness over your music, or your image? If so, how do you deal with that?
Damij:
It is somewhat difficult, being in such a small town. fortunately,I’ve been weird my entire conscious life so I’ve grown somewhat accustomed to all that it entails. I do have to admit, there are very few people in this town which seem to admire this kind of music but i can say with a smile that I have contributed in at least some small way to opening a few minds.Willow:I have to ask, where did you come up with your stage name?
Damij:Basically I just took the word “Damage” and changed the spelling. *lol* I wanted a name that i felt comfortable with and that I thought sounded kinda cool.
Willow:I’ve been listening to your music for quite some time now, and I have to admit, I find myself dancing, probably poorly, to it. It just courses through me, but I am very intrigued about what brought you to this form of music. What prompted you to choose this genre?
Damij:Well I love many, many varied styles of music. I enjoy everything from blues to funk and disco, to all the classical and modern variations of rock/metal and dance music. There are good songs in ALL genres. Growing up, I listened to everything I could get my hands on and I think it helped to shape some of what I create. I began playing guitar when i was younger and as I grew, I began to be drawn more and more to synthesized sounds. It appeals to me in that I can be the entire band, as it were. I get to hone my skills on all parts of the song instead of just a single part. My love for sound encourages me to absorb as much about the art of production as possible.
Willow:I know that musicians/artists of the mainstream variety cite broken hearts, relationships in general, birth, and death among some of the things that cause them to write and/or compose some of their best work. What is your muse?
Damij:I guess I could say the same thing. I create what I feel. Sometimes I go for quite a while without any kind of “inspiration” or whatever you want to call it and that’s when I just let the music flow around inside my head. I’ll build an entire track in my mind and then do my best to translate that into music.
Willow:Something that some people that don’t listen to this type of music aren’t aware of, is that there are in fact lyrics, whether placed in the song, or just kept privately by the artist because of the meaning behind the creation. Does every piece you compose actually have lyrics, that will be released with the songs?
Damij:Not every song that I make has lyrics to them, though I do tend to write them for many. In fact, I’m slowly working on a project that’s almost entirely vocal. Of course I only have one completed song from that project but there will be more to come eventually.
Ultimately, I feel that some songs shouldn’t have lyrics and those will never have any vocal track added but one day I would very much enjoy having the freedom and the proper resources to truly bring all my creations to life. Say, for example, I wrote a track and the lyrics called for a female singer or something that i’m physically unable to do solo, I’d love to have the ability to bring in what the situation called for to complete my vision.
Willow:Would you say, that music in general is your passion, or is it the creation of YOUR music that ignites the fire inside of you?
Damij:It’s a little bit of both, really. There are many songs that I’ve heard over the years that really touch me. Have you ever heard a song that brought back some distant memory and the feeling you had at that particular moment in time? That’s what I try to accomplish with my music. I dream of the day that I can create something truly touching that can bring those strong emotions forward in others.
Willow:Breaking onto the music scene can’t be easy, I know you’re still struggling your way up the ladder (no worries, you’ll be famous before you know it), but are there any life lessons you have learned since you chose to embrace this art?
Damij:NO! I HAVE LEARNED NOTHING! *lol* just kidding.
Honestly, I have learned that it requires a lot of time and a LOT of dedication. At the moment, I’m still one of the little guys so I have the old 9 to 5′er and I have to balance work with my girlfriend and my music. She’ll probably never read this so I think it’s pretty safe to admit that sometimes I wish i could lock myself away in complete solitude and just make music. I think that would really help the creativity flow. Like maybe have a slot in a large, heavy door and from time to time, a CD would drop out of the slot and everyone would know that I was alive. *LOL*
Willow:I won’t keep you much longer, you’ve been such a pleasure to interview. I’ll just ask you one final question in closing.
If someone came to you for advice, asking you, as hard as the struggle seems, is it worth it at the end of the day, what would you say?
Damij:If you truly love what you’re doing then it doesn’t seem like a struggle. I will make music my entire life, that’s how I was made and I am very thankful for that.
Willow:Thank you so much, again, for your time.
Damij:Thank you for this opportunity, Willow. 
So you see, Damij really is humble, down to Earth and amazing. If you have a myspace page, you should add him, if you don’t you should at least check out his music. DAMIJ It’ll have you bouncing, and moving as the music flows through your body.
Tags: artist, Damij, Music, MySpace, new artist, Techno
Filed Under: Exclusive Interviews, Interviews
