Wagner the Band

Meet Austria-born UK Open Mic performer Wagner the Band:

Wagner the Band

Hi Wagner the Band, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

Where were you born?

Austria

Where did you grow up?

Austria

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

Vienna didn’t influence me that much cause I am a fan of Rock, Soul, and Funk music.

Where are you based now, and why?

Vienna

What got you into making music in the first place?

I started listening to all the vinyl of my father. He had a great collection of Rock LPs. Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Stones, AC/DC. That led me to play guitar and in my first band, I was forced to sing cause everyone else was too afraid to do it.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing
Guitar
Guitar

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

Prince cause he was the best performer ever. He could sing, dance, play the guitar (and every other instrument), and write great songs.
Also, Lenny Kravitz because his style and message resonate with me.
David Bowie because of his flamboyant way of performing and his ability to change like a chameleon.
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers because of their funk rock style and craziness.
Paolo Nutini because of his songwriting and his unbelievable voice.
Damien Rice because of the vulnerability in his songwriting.

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

I take my acoustic guitar and start jamming to find chords that I like. Then I write lyrics over it.
Or I already have a line or a melody that just came to my mind and I sit down with my guitar and try to find something that fits.

How long have you been playing open mic nights?

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

It’s easier to play at an open mic night and reach people than to organize your concert.

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

Be yourself. Go out and have fun. If you make mistakes then own them and learn from them. You can only learn to play live if you play live.

What’s the hardest thing, for you, about playing open mics?

Because of the limited time, you can’t slowly start the gig. You have to be present from the first second.

What’s the most bizarre, or fun, open mic, or gig, you’ve ever played, and why?

Once I was invited to play at a box fight! Nobody wanted to hear my music there. There were just old people who wanted to hear traditional music or someone yodeling 🙂 Was hard to play but I just pulled through and moved on.