Before last month, I had no idea who Mike Wojniak was. I’ll admit it. So when he emailed and asked if I’d check out his new album Memento Vivere, I was intrigued. And after one spin through the ol’ CD player, I was definitely impressed.
Memento Vivere is his second album actually, and it’s inspired by his travels to Central America, Europe, and Southern California. Every one of the twelve tracks is lush and dreamy and beautifully orchestrated. I’m not sure that there really is a “Columbus sound,” but if there is, Mike’s music feels like something different. He eschews the lo-fi indie rock genre and opts instead for cellos, guitars, pianos, and trumpets. His music makes you feel instantly as if you are somewhere else. And right now, for me at least, that feels pretty nice.
I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting with Mike in person just yet, but I got to catch up with Mike a wee bit over email and pick his brain about his music and the new album.
Lauren Wilson: What is your musical background?
Mike Wojniak: I began studying music in grade school and continued throughout high school and college. When I was 15 I started playing guitar and writing music on my own. At the age of 16, my band had a song that I wrote and sang being played on the radio. I was so excited when I first heard it that I stopped my car in the middle of the road, jumped out, and ran a couple laps around the vehicle. Throughout the next 12 years, I took lessons in guitar, piano, violin and trombone with various music instructors and continued to write music.
LW: How long have you been making music?
MW: I’ve been writing, recording and performing solo and with various bands for about 12 years. After recording several EP’s, demos, and single tracks for compilations with various bands, I released my first full length solo album, Follow the Crane, in 2008 which was written and recorded on my own. My second full length album, Memento Vivere, has just been released and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Colin Coffey at John Schwab Studios. Sheldon Marsh is the most recent band that I’ve played with, and we released two full length albums, Tiger Force and The Everlasting Glow of City Lights.
LW: Who are your most prominent musical influences?
MW: Artists such as Jose Gonzalez, Bon Iver, Andres Segovia, Sleeping at Last, Denison Whitmer and Sigur Ros have all contributed to my style of writing music. I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music styles including folk, classical, rock, pop, indie and electronic music.
LW: Using only three words, describe your sound.
MW: Candid, momentous, relevant
LW: What influenced the new album? Or what influences your songwriting in general?
MW: Many of the songs from the new album, Memento Vivere, were influenced by my recent travels to Central America and Europe. Tracks such as Angelus and The Lame Will Run Up Mountains were written to inspire and encourage the listener. I’ve always written songs based upon the goal of creating music that affects the listener in the same way that certain music affects me. I want the listener to find comfort and truth in my music and to be able to relate to the emotions that are conveyed in the songs. Writing music is not only a form of art, but it is also a way to express thoughts and feelings in a way that other forms of communication can’t. Whether I am reliving an experience or telling a story, it is important that the listener can follow along and empathize with the lyrical content and atmosphere of the song.
LW: What has been your biggest challenge as a musician? Have you been able to overcome that challenge?
MW: I think one of the biggest challenges for musicians is to continue to create music that instills emotion into the listener and that is true to the writer’s heart. Music is such a powerful tool, and when it loses it’s meaning, it is no longer effective. I am writing constantly, so I am always throwing out songs and creating new ones to make sure I stay true to my beliefs.
LW: Most importantly…tell me anything you’d like readers to know about you, upcoming shows, the new album, your favorite pizza toppings, whatever you’d like everyone to know.
MW: I’ll be performing at the Circus Fringe Stage on Dennison & Buttles on Saturday June 26 at 7:00 pm. So if you’re at Comfest, stop on by! I just finished shooting a music video in Los Angeles with my very talented and long time friend, Randy Barnhardt. It should be edited very soon so stay tuned! Have a listen to tracks off the new album at www.myspace.com/mikewojniak.
And I’d like to add (although you can find the link on Mike’s MySpace page) that his new album can be purchased at CD Baby. Make sure to follow him on his MySpace as well to stay up to date on new shows.
And it’s worth mentioning that Mike is playing Saturday as part of a larger benefit show with an awesome lineup to benefit and bring attention to Gracehaven House, an organization that provides shelter and rehabilitation to girls under the age of 18 who have been victims of sexual exploitation. Details on the event can be found on Facebook. Come check out Mike’s music as well as performances by Shin Tower Music, Saintseneca, Monolithic Cloud Parade, Old Hundred, and others.
Lauren Wilson is a featured writer for Columbus Underground and all comments, suggestions, requests, and boozin’ invites can be forwarded to [email protected].
