Daily Discovery: Vinyl Thief, “Smooth”

Updated:

June 12, 2014 3:09 pm

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ARTIST: Vinyl Thief (Interview is with lead vocalist Grayson Proctor)

SONG: Smooth

BIRTHDATE: Mine is 09/30/1991. The band’s is August 2008.

HOMETOWN: Columbia, TN

CURRENT LOCATION: Nashville, TN

AMBITIONS: To be continually inspired , to make a living from making music, to write the best song ever written.

TURN-OFFS: Lyrics that date themselves. Like when specific brands or things pertaining to our century or culture right now are mentioned in songs. A band I love recently put out a song with the word “cell phone” in the chorus…and that rubbed me wrong for some reason. In 10 years, they might not be called cell phones. What happens when we start calling them our “communicators”? Then the kids won’t know what a cell phone is, and the chorus is lost on them. Anything like that. The best lyrics for me are timeless.

TURN-ONS: Sexy lyrics that aren’t trying to be sexy…

DREAM GIG: Glastonbury, Pyramid Stage

FAVORITE LYRIC: Constantly changing. One I thought about today that I love is “then I saw love disfigure me, into something I am not recognizing” from Song for Zula by Phosphorescent . Another is “For I zigged when, I should have zagged” from the song Beach by Mew. I think he borrowed that from a movie somewhere or something, but it’s one of those lyrics that sticks with you, even if just because it’s weird. Any time an idea can be presented in a new way that catches me off guard, I like that.

CRAZIEST PERSON I KNOW: There’s a guy around town, Jared Corder, who is constantly putting together some kind of big party or event. One day he and his wife decided to start a music festival in Nashville. What’s the quickest way to get people to come? Great bands and free alcohol. So they did it. And they’ve outgrown two different venues in only a couple of years. They’re always putting on crazy events around town. Very smart folk.

SONG I WISH I WROTE: “Penny Lane” by Lennon/McCartney

5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: The Beatles + Yoko Ono (just to experience her “pot stirring”)

MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: It might be uncool to say, but U2 on the 360 tour. There’s so many other shows that were incredible experiences for different reasons. This one just comes to mind because I think it’s the biggest show I’ll ever see.

I WROTE THIS SONG: Smooth came from a simple place. I’m always trying to find different ways to get out of my own head, for just a few moments a day. I found, as I’m sure other people have, that going for a good drive at night helps.