10 Questions with ... Jackie Greene

1. How does 2017 so far compare to last year?

So far, so good. We definitely toured more in 2016 and we are focused more on making recordings this year. More time in the studio this year, for sure.

2. Growing up, did you always want to be musician?

As long as I can remember, yes. The only other thing I wanted to be was a middle infielder for the San Francisco Giants. But that wasn't gonna happen. I always just strived for it. Didn't matter what the odds were. Piece by piece, I put it all together.

3. An artist's hometown has been an influence on the kind of music they make and really what kind of an artist they are today. So how do you think your hometown has affected you?

Your hometown is generally something you run away from, but you always have a soft spot for it. Music is different. I'm way more informed by records and music that I liked growing up than any particular place I've lived. That's the point of good art; it's transportive. It's takes you away. That's why I liked music. Took me somewhere.

4. Let's talk about your newest single called "Modern Lives." What was the inspiration for this song?

It's a song that happened rather quickly. Probably the quickest I've ever written a song. It came in about two sittings. My wife and I were waiting for a ride to the airport and I randomly grabbed a guitar and it spilled out. I sang it into my phone and finished it up on the way to the airport.

5. What was it like collaborating with the animator Bill Plympton for the song's video?

I'd been interested in animation for a little while. I got hip to Bill some years ago through a friend of a friend. I was drawn to his style immediately. I like that it isn't so literal. I like that it's playful, dreamlike and has a very homemade feeling. Those are all qualities that I feel fit with my songs. I also like that his stuff can be challenging and upset uptight people. I really like that!

6. Tell us about the making of The Modern Lives.

Well, I played everything myself on all the songs. I did all the recording in my basement in Brooklyn. So, the whole project was done in a less than ideal space, which to me, is the charm. It's very raw and not overcooked in any way. There's a lot of varied songs that we will be releasing on volume 1 and volume 2, so it's hard to say how people will react. Really, it's just me making recordings on my own terms and having fun making music again. I feel like I'm 25 again. It's a good feeling.

7. How has your summer been going? Do you have plans to play out live the rest of the year?

I'm enjoying writing and recording. Playing some gigs here and there but no big summer tour plans. Next year, for sure.

8. Where do you think you are happiest -- on stage performing, in the studio recording new music or elsewhere?

I'm equally at home on stage and in the studio. There are times when I'd rather be just on tour or just in the studio. I'm lucky that I get to do both.

9. What do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?

I just hope that my songs can reach people in the same way music spoke to me when I was younger. I'm not after anything specific, just a feeling. I use a broad, broad brush. We can get lost in the cerebral details and miss the experience. And that's a shame.

10. What advice would you give to an artist or band just getting started? Or even to someone young that is thinking of becoming a musician one day?

It's a blue-collar job. There are no get-rich-quick schemes. If your only goal is fame and fortune, you will fail. You have to work hard and have thick skin. Especially nowadays. We live in a shaming culture and it's only a matter of time before that ugliness finds its way into the arts. My advice is keep your nose to the grindstone and be as honest as you can be. People will react, eventually.

Interview by Leah Brungardt