INTERVIEW

Cliff Eberhardt - "I’m proud of all my albums..."

Cliff Eberhardt-I’m proud of all my albums...
It was Oscar Wilde who said that memory is like a diary that we all carry about with us. What did you write in yours when you think about your music career?

I think about songwriting , no so much about my career.

At the beginning of any journey, we have some hopes and dreams that we want to fulfill. What did you dream about as a young inexperienced artist?

I thought about being a professional songwriter and session guitar player. The performing artist came later.

What about your current dreams? Is there anything you would like to achieve as an artist now?

I’d like to do more plays in the theater, I love writing for theater.

Some say that music is what feelings sound like. If we take it for granted, what are you feelings when you record your songs?

I just try to be present.

You sing about life experiences that we all can relate to. Where your ideas come from?

From observing life and listening . These songs are not all about my life. I spend a great deal of time observing how people treat each other.

Love is another topic you raise in your songs. How important is that in your personal life?

Love in songs and my love life are distant. I rarely write about the present.

What about your relationship with music? You sacrifice a large part of your life to her. Was it the love at first sight?

Yes, I was extremely musical as a child. I taught myself guitar at age 4 and piano at age 5.

Your last solo album "500 Miles: The Blue Rock Sessions" is another one in your collection that I really adore. Especially the last song, which you originally recorded in 1990. I'm thinking about "The Long Road". What was your inspiration to write those lyrics?

I was Richie Havens guitar playera t the time. I had just signed my first recording contract. He asked me to write a song that we could sing together . It has a lot about my father’s passing and my relationship with other relatives and a friend who had just betrayed me. I never use just one experience in a song.

As I mentioned, you have recorded this track again after all of these years. What is so special about this song that you decided to give it another try?

It was the producers idea. He had noticed how differently I played the song from when I had written it. Now the song is a homage to Richie. He is always with me.

In one of your previous interviews you have called some of your albums as "overproduced". What did you mean by that?

I like a lot of space. I produced "Boarders" and " Twelve Songs of Good and Evil". There is sparse production. No screaming guitar solos.

So when you look at your music catalogue now is there anything you wouldn't like to release again if you had a chance to do that?

I’m proud of all my albums. I take years to make a record because I write slowly and with great care.

Your music is known as folk - the traditional music of a particular region. Do you think it's fair enough?

I never consider myself folk. I think I write in many genres.

What are your musical inspirations then? What kind of music do you like to listen to in your free time?

My biggest influence was Broadway musicals and tin Pan Ally music. I find most folk songs too restrictive I mostly listen to great songwriters. Too many to mention.

And is there any song in music history you wish you could record?

I’m doing an album of othter peoples songs right now. If I had the voice for it, I’d love to record Moon River. To my mind a perfect song.

And what is the hardest part of recording process? Were there a times when you just wanted to take a break from this?

I record at home now, alone in my studio. Its hard because I always want to try and do a better take than the one I just did. I am very self-critical.

Just out of curiosity - would you call yourself a happy man?

I have moments of happiness. I don’t write funny songs because I think that we laugh for seconds but we cry for hours.

What is your definition of happiness?

A temporary uplifting distraction.

Are you happy with what you achieved in music business so far?

Yes but unfortunately the music business no longer exsists.

So let’s end how we started - how would you sum up your music career using just three different words?

Touched by mystery.

Journalist: Kamil Mrozinski
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