Michael Corin of Anavox Interview: Part 1
Michael Corin of Anavox, Part 1
Michael Corin has been committed to carving out and creating an impactful and meaningful music career for well over a decade now. At this point, he’s already achieved way more than most with similar aspirations. As the lead singer and chief songwriter of the band Anavox originally from Rockford, IL, Michael has sold over ten thousand albums (both as a member of Anavox and as a solo artist), won numerous awards, and has earned multitudes of faithful fans throughout the United States. The only thing more compelling than Michael’s passionate performances and infectious songs is his compassionate heart and purposeful outlook on life. Michael is a rare individual who possesses both a keen mind and warm spirit. This combination makes conversations with him effortless, thought-provoking, and inspiring. Below is the first of three part interview I did with Michael in December of 2011. I always come away with much more than I bargained for when speaking with Michael Corin. I’m optimistic you will too…
PART 1
Tom Leu: People best know you as the lead singer and the main songwriter for the band Anavox. For those who don’t know you, tell us about Anavox… what is Anavox, what has Anavox been, and what’s the state of Anavox today?
Michael Corin: I started the band Anavox years ago in Rockford, IL with some friends of mine. A really good friend of mine and my best friend, we started playing music together and we played in Rockford for a few years. We played around the local places, connecting with people and trying to really get our name out. Anavox means a new voice. The concept of what we wanted to do was to be able to go out and inspire people, to connect with people and really give people a place where not only could they have a good time and come and listen to some music, but also we could create an atmosphere where people would be able to really experience something different. A lot of things took place in a process of a concert, whether it be talking about our faith or talking about our lives, the things that we have been through and experiences that we have had and writing songs that could connect with people on a level right where they were at. We had done that for a few years and had some radio play locally in the area, and have done really well.
Tom: You guys did do really well. Anavox is originally from Rockford, IL, but where are you located these days?
Michael: Right now I am in Texas visiting my in-laws, but I have been living in Denver, Colorado and spending time with family and stuff there after moving from Nashville, Tennessee. I have been all over the place with music and traveling and playing, for sure.
Tom: Anavox has recorded two full albums to date, A New Voice, the very first record, and the second release, Realms. I personally love both records, but the two are very different stylistically. Give us a quick overview of the difference between the first Anavox record, A New Voice and the second Anavox record, Realms.
Michael: Well, the first album that we had done, those were some of the first songs that I ever wrote starting out as a new musician and a new artist. So those songs, I think, I’m just younger. It’s a new experience for me. I had never done any recordings before. The difference in that particular recording is that as a band, we really sat down and hashed out all those songs and really worked through them. The songs sort of became what they wanted to be in the process of the band, and everybody brought what they were to the table. And that was what it was. Whereas Realms was a different experience for me. I had moved to Nashville and was now doing things on my own. I had stepped away from the band that we had and was pursuing the concept of Anavox by writing songs and then bringing in some hired musicians from Nashville to come in and record the stuff. I don’t think that we worked through those songs as much. I think it was just more that I brought it as a songwriter and the guys came in and played it. It was more focused on the strength of the song versus the sound of the band. It is a very different sound. It’s definitely more mature. I was a better songwriter, a better singer. It’s definitely a different flavor for sure.
Tom: Both records are definitely different, but they’re so good, and for different reasons. When I listen to them today, it’s hard to explain, but I get a different takeaway from them today than I did before. I think that maybe talks a little bit to the timeless nature of those records. Going back for a minute, you said something really interesting when you first started describing Anavox. You said one of your goals, and one of your plans was to inspire people. Not all music does that, nor I would argue that not all artists have that as an intention… to do something that deliberate. They play music because they like the music. They play music because they enjoy playing. Explain to me a little bit more why the inspirational part of Anavox was so important to you and the members in your band.
Michael: I can tell you that for me, when I first started playing when I was 15 years old, not only was it that I felt like I found my voice in it, but I also felt like I experienced something more. As an artist, when you’re writing or you’re playing, I think artists tap into something that is even deeper than something typical. I guess I don’t even know how to explain it. I guess I felt God in it. For me, when I communicated and I played, I felt like there was something greater than me involved. I felt like it was a way to express myself in a way that words couldn’t even necessarily do. One of my favorite bands in the world is U2 and when I first started playing they were such an influence on me. For anyone that has ever seen a U2 concert, it goes far beyond just playing music and having great songs. There is truly a spiritual experience there. For me, it was so much more about communicating with people, even more so than just playing music. It was always about the people and seeing their faces, connecting with people and giving them hope in the process of playing and communicating. That, I think, was really the basis of what gave us the success when we were playing locally and doing that sort of thing. Even still today, in everything I do, I think that is underlying in it all.
Tom: My history with you goes back many, many years. I’ve been apart of Anavox in several different capacities over the years (reviewer, manager, drummer), so I’m going to admit it right here, right now, that I’m biased. I think you are an amazing singer/songwriter and performer. Anyone that knows me knows that I don’t just say those kinds of things. I don’t just dole out compliments for no reason. I’m a musician and composer as well. I’ve got a pretty good critical ear for music and it’s subtleties. I listen… carefully. And from the first time I heard your music by way of Anavox, over 10 years ago now, I knew there was something different there. What you’re talking about, this connection, this feeling, this atmosphere, this inspiration that transcends even the music or the songs that you’re playing, was absolutely evident on record and at concerts. Not only Anavox concerts, but Michael Corin solo shows as well. Do you feel that this element, this transcending – you’ve referenced U2 and their concerts, and I have seen them as well and agree with you that that’s there – do you feel that it’s rare? Is that missing in a lot of music these days, whatever the genre?
Michael: I think so. From what I have experienced and what I have seen, I think there are moments. I think that bands hit on it on occasion. I think so many times people are in the process of just trying to create and express their heart, which is good. But so much about what makes people legends or what makes people a success is the connection with people that goes deeper than that. I’ve always tried to have that, and I’ve always wanted to connect with people that way. My heroes in music, or really my heroes in anything, whether it be in business or whatever, are people that desire to have a connection that goes deeper than just what it is that they’re doing. When you come into contact with people like that you walk away from it feeling like there was an experience that you really can’t necessarily explain. That was something I always wanted to do and I try to do still. I won’t say that I’m perfect at it but I definitely am aware of it.
Tom: You mentioned people or artists that become legends and are successes. One of the things that I write about and talk about here at RockStarWay™ is this concept of success and the psychology behind it. That word can mean so many different things to so many different people no matter what they do as far as their occupations, or their careers, or their passions, or whatever. What does it mean to you? If I put that word “success” to you in quotation marks, what does it look like to you?
Michael: I think it has changed for me over time. I think when I first started, you know, you want to play in stadiums and you want to have all this success. You want to have people knowing your name and buying your albums and stuff. But I think the truth is that for me, it’s being able to make a difference and connect and touch someone’s life through what it is that I’m experiencing. Whatever music I’ve written or who I am, if that touches someone and moves them to a place where they begin to activate something different in them, to make a change for the better in their life, whatever that is, I think that is success. You still desire to be able to sell out your venues and do well and that stuff, but isn’t it really who you love and who loves you, and those relationships that get created along the journey?
Tom: Yeah, I think so. I would agree. And it’s interesting, the entire time you explained your view on that, not once did you mention the word money or income. You say “sell out stadiums” and things like that, and as a musician, of course, that’s part of it, but you didn’t mention money directly. A lot of times when I talk to people, or our society or culture for that matter, success is often closely associated with and tied to money. How much money you have, how much stuff you have, and all that kind of thing. I find it refreshing when someone doesn’t necessarily reference that. You gotta have money, you gotta pay the bills, you gotta put food on the table, and keep the lights on and all of that. But I found many years ago that for me personally, if that was my main motivator, I was unhappy. I’ve had careers in the past, different things I have done where money was the first thing’ the first priority. I even had times when, in all honesty, I did really, really well financially. I thought that was going to make me happy. What I found, like I’ve heard a lot of people say before, was that it didn’t make me happy. In fact, I could argue the opposite.
Michael: Right. You’ve got to be able to lay your head down at the end of your day on your pillow and have peace with who you are and how you are and what you’ve accomplished. Of course, money is important. You have to have it to live. But for me, like I’ve said, it’s changed. I suppose there was a time in my life where that was a focus and that was something that I wanted. But truly, I think you can have all the riches in the world and not necessarily have peace in your heart. I think it’s really important to be able to find a balance between doing what you love and, of course, being able to make a living at that too.
Tom: Back in the day, Anavox was very successful not only in the Midwest, but beyond. The band actually had some near misses with regards to record deals and things like that, and then you too, as a solo artist. Can you talk about that for a minute? What happened with some of that? More importantly, how do you handle, as an artist and as a person, the disappointments that come with this rollercoaster ride? How do you handle the ups and downs of striving to reach a goal or not reaching a goal, thinking you’re on your way there and then not quite getting there, or at least not yet?
Michael: It’s funny. The process of it as an artist, every piece of music that you write, everything that you do, is just your baby. You throw your whole self into it and it’s your whole life. What’s amazing is that when you work with a label or you work with someone else, they can come in and in a matter of a minute of listening to your song, they decide whether or not it’s going to be a hit or whether they can sell it or not. The business of music is so different than the art. In my experiences with labels and stuff like that, I’ve had moments in my life where I sat down and I’ve had labels that were all about it and I signed as a solo artist to a label. But I’ve also had moments where we sat down and literally scrutinized every song, whether or not they’d be able to sell it and if it would be a hit, supposedly.
Tom: How does that feel? You said they’re your baby. They’re giving you 10 or maybe 20 seconds to decide if this is good, or this isn’t good. Seriously, what does that do to you on the inside?
Michael: Oh, it’s brutal. It’s brutal because you’re talking about people that step into it and, again, the focus is the business of music.
Tom: More specifically, the money…
Michael: Yeah, that’s what we talked about earlier, the money and that whole focus. My heart is to be able to connect with people. They obviously have to have something that’s commercial. You have to have something that is going to fit into the right box and be what it is that they need, and I’ve had those. I think you’re dealing with people who are coming into it not nearly as invested in it as you are.
Tom: Good word… invested.
Michael: It’s difficult. I think you have to be thick-skinned in this business because one person who may be a professional doesn’t like the song and disagrees with another professional that does like the song.
Tom: Sure. And that happens a lot, right?
Michael: It does. I’ve been there. I was in a situation with a record label where the two guys that were the high-ups in the label completely disagreed with how to take my music and go with it. The truth is that you have to have a core belief in who you are and what God has created you to be so that you can step forward and boldly be who you are. Some people will like it, some people won’t. That’s the nature of art.
Tom: You said something interesting a moment ago, that you’ve got to be “thick-skinned” in this business. We could argue that a person has got to be thick-skinned in any business. That’s a great thing to say, but how hard is that to do in reality? Is Michael Corin thick-skinned?
Michael: I’d like to say that I am. I think maybe calloused.
Tom: Calloused…?
Michael: Calluses over time just from the experiences.
Tom: So you’ve gotten more thick-skinned over time…? But isn’t it true that as an artist, as a person who does what you do: a singer/songwriter… you bare your soul, you try to connect with people at a higher level, you aspire to inspire and encourage, to create an atmosphere… aren’t you by nature, by design, a very sensitive and not-so-thick-skinned person?
Michael: Well, maybe by nature, just because I’m so tapped into my emotions or my feelings. That’s what creates music, that’s what creates the song. However, in any area of life, any career, I don’t think that you can succeed and be able to move forward without being able to have a healthy sense of humor about who you are and what it is that you’re doing.
Tom: Good point.
Michael: And I think that you also have to be realistic enough to know that (for most people), they will turn on their radio to get from point A to point B in their car, or listen to a CD or whatever. And it’s your whole life. You know what I mean? That’s who you are. So I think there’s a healthy understanding of that. I would like to say that I am thick-skinned, but sure, that stuff bothers me. Fortunately, I’ve had enough success, I’ve had enough albums sold and experiences for the good, that I can say, “Okay. It’s not necessarily everyone’s favorite, but I’ve done okay.”
Tom: Absolutely. I wrote an article for the RockStarWay™ website called Lovers & Haters. The premise is basically this: if you’re a person who has a talent, a skill, a business, a product or whatever, and you put it out there… and it’s fascinating enough and the quality is high enough to attract the “lovers” (the real strong fans of what you’re doing), you’re also going to equally attract the “haters.” If you can invoke a strong enough reaction in a person to have someone love what you do and be a huge fan, the equal and opposite reaction is not only possible but certain. That’s going to happen as well. You’re going to have the lovers and you’re going to have the haters. To some people, the recognition of that, the revelation of that, is a good one because you know you’re doing something right at that point. Because nobody can be everything to everybody.
Michael: Absolutely. Even the greatest, most successful people in the world have people that don’t like them or don’t appreciate what it is that they do. You asked me earlier about being me thick-skinned and how I handle some of those things. Being a writer yourself and the things that you’ve experienced, what about you? I’ve read your stuff and I think it’s great, but I’m sure that there are people that disagree with what you say.
Tom: It’s an excellent question, and yes, some folks do disagree. And that’s OK. As a college teacher, I’ve always been more about encouraging critical thinking rather than acheiveing consensus. I write from the heart. I write what I really feel. I write what I really believe. I would hope that everybody does works from this place… anybody that writes, sings, plays, or does anything artistic or creative. Certainly, people don’t always ”see things” the way you see it. Some people like what you do, some people don’t. It’s tough, and (for me), criticism is always difficult. But, like you, I think I’ve gotten a bit more calloused, as well. Like I said, I’ve gotten better at understanding that nothing is for everyone. But for me it’s all about a person’s motives. When someone’s in that place where they’re pushing through, they’re following their heart, they’re writing, recording, producing, creating who they really are, what they really believe in and it’s for a good purpose (meaning to inspire and to put something good in the world), that’s the best place to be… That’s something I constantly strive for within the context of my stuff; “is what I’m doing putting good in the world?” Is something better being contributed? That’s really the litmus test for me. But even with all of that understanding… when a person has been at this for a long period of time – you’ve been a musician and at this for many years, I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing for many years - in those darkest hours when perhaps it seems like the lovers are scarce and the haters are everywhere, how do you push through? How do you keep going despite those feelings and maybe doubts?
Michael: I used to have this concept in my mind, that “you fake it until you make it” kind of thing, where you just put on the brave face. But I have to be honest. What I’ve experienced is that in the moments that are the darkest, if I will just push past my own ego and create from that place, it is the most honest and real music that I create. What’s amazing is that that’s the stuff that people respond to because everybody experiences ups and downs. I think that what I’ve found with what I do is that the moments where I’m the most honest with myself, and I take off the filter, I “fire the editor”, so to speak…
Tom: Yes… I love that!
Michael: …and I’m just honest about where I’m coming from and where I’m really at, I think those are the moments that people respond to the most.
Tom: Sure, because they can relate themselves. We get so caught up in putting on these shows and putting on these facades and things. It’s another one of those things that I write about often… the things that are easy to theorize about, but hard to put into practice. Easy to say, but hard to do…
→ Be sure to check out PART 2 of the RockStarWay™ interview with Michael Corin of Anavox…
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Tom Leu, M.S. is a writer, speaker, photographer, and musician from Rockford, IL. The RockStarWay™ brand delivers success psychology and Lifestyle Initiative Training resources to rock your business, brand, or band!
