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Exposed Vocals Interviews C.S. Fuqua

C.S. Fuqua is a professional writer and musician. His albums include the Native American flute meditations albums, WindPoem I, WindPoem II, and WindPoem III, and the just released EP Sinner’s Suite, a collection of five New Age instrumentals that explore life’s stages. WindPoem IV is in pre-production. His books include White Trash & Southern ~ Collected Poems, Big Daddy’s Fast-Past Gadget, Hush, Puppy! A Southern Fried Tale, The Native American Flute: Myth, History, Craft, and Native American Flute Craft, among others. For more information, please visit his websites at http://csfuqua.com and http://csfuqua.bandcamp.com.
 
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Interview:
 
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: I was born in a small town in Alabama but luckily spent my teen years in Pensacola, Florida, a large and culturally diverse community where I was exposed to various music styles and genres. For whatever reason, since I was a kid I’ve enjoyed the creative process—in writing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and in creating music—perhaps for the freedom and escape that music and creative writing offer. From the first three chords I learned on guitar, I was more interested in making my own music than playing someone else’s. Music and creative writing were and remain a way to explore and experience life on a level otherwise unattainable.

 

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with WindPoem? What was your inspiration behind it?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: I use the name WindPoem for production and for the umbrella name of albums featuring Native American flute. A friend from Japan explained that the Japanese pronunciation of my surname is Fuu-kuu. The kanji that represent that sound can be translated roughly as air/wind and poem/writing. Since a good deal of my music relies on indigenous flute and while much of my writing centers on poetry, WindPoem was a natural choice.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: Music sharing has been around since tape-recording devices became available on a mass scale. The internet makes sharing and outright theft a lot easier, however, with the copy’s quality is as good as the original’s, negating the need or desire for the consumer to buy a shared song. I’m ambivalent on the question. It’s a complicated issue, one that I’m not wise enough to solve. As for offering free music, yes, I give away a song or two from time to time, as well as short stories and poems, as a means of promoting my work. Does it help sales? So far, I don’t see any evidence one way or the other.

 

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: In marketing music, I’m a start-up. I’ve been playing for decades, but only during the past five years have I ventured into professional music production and marketing. The only “tip” I can offer is to take advantage of every opportunity. Perhaps it’ll pay off at some point.

 

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: God bless the studio’s punch-in ability. In live performances, I’ve found it best just to keep on playing as though the mistake is all part of the plan.

 

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: I do not tour.

 

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: Inspiration comes from the act of playing. Sit, play, and allow mood to dictate the result. 
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: My music is available through Pond5, Bandcamp, and the usual download and CD distributors such as Amazon and iTunes. My websites include http://csfuqua.bandcamp.com andhttp://csfuqua.com. 
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player? 
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: In my mind, none because everything on the player is by other artists. I’m not one to listen to my own work other than when I’m working. I can’t listen to it as a “listener,” only as a critic or creator, hearing mistakes or places that require improvement. Same with my creative writing. Once published, I can’t read it again without revising before its next publication. Nothing is ever perfect. It can always be improved.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: Invest most of it, take vacation in Japan, Australia, and Europe, and continue to work.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: Nothing planned at present. I utilize two DAWs for specific features each offers and whatever works in the way of electronic equipment—only the basics. As for instruments, I have what I want and don’t lust after more. The instruments I own make the sounds I’m after, and no instrument “out there” is going make my playing any better.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: As stated above, I take advantage of whatever’s available, such as this interview and your generous service to musicians. I utilize social media as well as I can, but I find the time it requires compared to the interest it generates to be at best nominal. Word of mouth seems to work best at this point, but I could use a few more mouths uttering a lot more words about the music. So…thank you for providing this opportunity to me and to others.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: Josh White, Jr., Alison Krauss, David Bromberg, Jethro Tull (the mid-‘70s lineup), Beatles, Tangerine Dream, Odetta, Mike Oldfield, Mary Youngblood, Doc Watson, America, CSNY, Willie Nelson, Flatt & Scruggs, Miles Davis, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and many others. Each of these artists/bands have influenced my own creative efforts, and it would be such an honor to stand on the same stage or in the same recording studio in any capacity with any of them.

 

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: The EP Sinner’s Suite has just been released (trailer located athttps://youtu.be/th4Uapmqi_E), incorporating five instrumentals that symbolize the stages of life by combining elements of jazz, New Age, meditative, progressive, Americana, and indigenous styles, utilizing guitar, Native American flute, bass, percussion, and synthesizer. I have begun pre-production for WindPoem IV ~ Native American Flute Meditations. For more information, please visit my website at http://csfuqua.com, or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter at http://facebook.com/C.S.Fuqua.Author and http://twitter.com/csfuqua.
 
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: When I’m not making music, I’m writing  and publishing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: If I remember correctly, it was the Monkees’ first album and I was age 10 or so. I wanted a Beatles album, but my father was extremely strict regarding music—a Hank Williams fan, he did notcondone rock music by men with long hair. Come to think of it, the Monkees album was a gift from a cousin. I bought my first Beatles album, The Beatles Again followed by Abbey Road, shortly after my parents split in 1969 and I moved to Pensacola with my mother. I was ecstatic, and both of those albums remain some of my favorite listening. 

 

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: I try to maintain a schedule that’s divided into duties, with music and creative writing taking priority over non-family responsibilities. It works. Usually. Sometimes.

 

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?
(WindPoem) C.S. Fuqua: Next is WindPoem IV, followed by several projects that will include New Age, Americana, and rock/folk/jazz pieces, mostly instrumental but some lyrical songs as well.

Randy Morano

Since 2008, I've been passionately dedicated to fostering unsigned artists through ExposedVocals.com. Over nearly 15 years, my mission has evolved from creating a platform to immersing myself in the world of independent musicians. Beyond showcasing music videos, I delve into undiscovered talent with music reviews, aiming not just to display but to understand, appreciate, and amplify their voices. Additionally, I've had the privilege of interviewing music industry legends, bringing their insights to unsigned artists globally. My overarching goal is to bridge gaps, provide invaluable knowledge, and empower the next generation of musical trailblazers.

→ Randy Morano

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