Basic Folk podcast, eps. 272 – Matt the Electrician
The world of Matt the Electrician, aka Matt Sever, is quirky and sincere. Sever is known for his work ethic and vibrant presence in the Austin, Texas music scene. Before music was full-time, Matt worked as an actual electrician in between folk music gigs and open mics. He found people were drawn to his skills in the trade, so he decided to make it part of his musical moniker. After self-releasing 11 studio albums and a couple of live sets, the name remains even though he has not been a professional electrician for a long time. In this episode, Matt discusses his new album release The Ocean Knocked Me Down and shares insights into his songwriting process and the unique creative writing techniques that keep his music fresh. We learn about his experiences with the independent music community, performing live, and the joys of music discovery in the 90s through alternative music magazines like Puncture Magazine.
Matt also opens up about the evolving landscape of music marketing strategies, reflecting on his journey from traditional methods to the more creative approach he employs today. For instance, Matt’s been conducting fake interviews on his social media between himself and Spotify, Facebook and Rolling Stone that are hilarious. He also reminisces about the excitement of finding new music back in the day and talks about his favorite snacks and the benefits of black coffee — aka things that fuel his creativity.
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