“When I play, it is important to abandon any sense of control, any sense of anything, and just be completely present. Whatever happens, happens. If you are liked, great, if not, just keep on and focus on what you have to do. Some people are conscious of being watched, but I think it is important not be be conscious. You are aware people are there, but if you focus on people instead of the music, you lose all sense of flow. We are all here together and as long as I don’t completely fuck it up, it shouldn’t be too bad. I prefer playing without a setlist and being on the back foot a bit.”
“My father was my biggest influence. At a party, he was the first one to get a guitar out and everyone singing. He played Neil Diamond, John Denver, Dan Fogerty, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. He would be in the kitchen playing all of the time. I came home from school one day and there was a glass door in the kitchen. He was alone in the kitchen with his guitar, completely gone. I wanted a slice of that. I didn’t know where he was, but I wanted to go there. That encouraged me and I spent hours playing in my room for the joy of nothing. The joy of music. I try to keep that. My relationship with the audience is where it is at. I think people are sick to their back teeth of being told what to like. Life is full of laughing and crying. Beautiful moments are turned into something else. It is full of ebbs and flows. The second you try to be formulaic with anything artistic or creative, you kill it.”
“I was playing in the house, met people, and the tributaries led to the river I am in now. The Damascus moment was when I was in an 80’s soul cover band playing Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. I was in it for two years before I realized it was the only thing I did for a living. Everything has come my way fortuitously. My dad used to say, ‘Foy, you could fall into shit and come out smelling like roses.’ Embrace everything and good shit comes to you.”
