Hobart and William Smith Colleges

9 May 2014 Musician Shindell '83 Featured

Musician Richard Shindell 83 was recently featured in a music blog, which provided a biography and music critique as well as a dozen questions answered by Shindell and clips to videos of his music. The singer-songwriter has a uniquely eclectic style that is featured in his eight albums and two live recordings. Loved by fans and critics alike, Shindell is described as a weaver of poetry and melody. His songs are often written from a first-person point of view, and tell a story of the disadvantaged or marginalized.

Though his songs are often said to be filled with social commentary, Shindell disagrees. He is quoted as saying: I dont really think about it as social commentary at all. I think about it more as trying to inhabit a character almost as if I was an actor, writing from their point of view. Its very much like a role.

Shindell recently completed a small tour of New England, New York, New Jersey and Ohio. He earned a B.A. in philosophy from Hobart College. Now living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he currently has another album in production.

The full article from the blog article follows. More information, including the dozen questions and links to his music, are available on the blog.

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No Depression: The Roots Music Authority
Richard Shindell: Guardian of the Word/12 Questions for Shindell
Joel Barrett March 4, 2014

In a sense, Richard Shindell is a painter of words, emotions and worldly situations.

Hes a poet, a philosopher, a teacher, a spiritual being.

Shindell is a weaver of poetry and melody, the fabric of which is much brighter and stronger than the individual threads.

Any label for the New Jersey born, Long Island, NY raised singer-songwriter could never capture all of Shindells talents.

Those talents will be on display when he performs in venues across New England, New York, New Jersey and Ohio.

Shindell, now an expatriate living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is more than a folk singer. Like his protagonist in the WWI sad snapshot Courier, hes the guardian of word.

His songs capture lifes big picture through the eyes and voices of characters of all sorts. Theres the Civil War widow waiting for her husbands return in Reunion Hill, the immigration officer and his Latino charge who find common ground in Fishing, the nun who gets a flat tire on her way to a prison choir performance in Transit. He poses the big questions and lets the listeners decide on the answers.

Some cite Shindells music as social commentary, but he disagrees with the over-simplification.

I dont really think about it as social commentary at all. I think about it more as trying to inhabit a character almost as if I was an actor, writing from their point of view. Its very much like a role, he said in a telephone interview from his home in Argentina.

I just try to empathize how I think that person might talk, they might think, or what they might be concerned about or how they might say it. I dont think its social commentary, its just observing people. Get into their skin, into their shoes and let them speak.

Shindell has the rare ability to connect listeners with songs that put into words what many feel but cant articulate. His songs are passionate, profound, clever and perfectly honed. His talent to glean and offer up emotions that bring tears to the listeners eye is remarkable.

Shindell only tours occasionally and when he does, New England seems to get a lions share of his appearances.

His mother now lives in Massachusetts, but New England offers much more than just family its comfortable.

Its just because its the highest concentration of gigs and fans and infrastructure. Its just the kind of culture, the appreciation of this particular branch of American music that I happen to inhabit. Its just a comfortable place for me, he said.

Im a New Yorker, but this is my base.

So its not unusual for him to play the nooks-and-crannies of New England, such musical meccas as Tunbridge, Vt., Old Saybrook and Norfolk, Conn., Fall River and Haverhill, Mass. All will be stops on this March tour.

With his talent and skills, Shindell could be playing arena rock before thousands. Instead, he revels in keeping true to his music and his vision of success.
I have a really, really great life. I have a beautiful family here and a career that not a lot of people get to have, he said.

Theres not a lot Id want to change about that. Maybe I could sell a few more records. I am very wary of being in the public eye. Im very much a homebody, I go out and play and I make records once in a while, and I do tours and I enjoy it all. I love touring. I love my fans. I love recording records and I love my family. And that balance between those things is just about perfect. So making a push to sell a bazillion records and play arenas just doesnt look right.

When Shindell talks about his yet-to-be-released new album and pop, hes not referring to the AM radio megahits or easy listening anthems.

Hes talking about that a-ha moment when the proverbial light bulb shatters the darkness with its brilliant shine.

Its pretty much done. I have about 10 songs mixed. I keep thinking to myself that it needs something else. Im having a little bit of a hard time letting go. Were really, really close, its difficult. I want it to be out, I wanted it have to been out last year. It aint ready til its ready. Im not going to put it out because its been a while I dont need to do that. It cant really happen until this little switch goes off in my head.

Writing the songs and recording them is just a part of the process, he said.
From the point of view of a mix, you have a bunch of tracks that you like. Okay, thats done, but then you have got to mix it. Thats an infinite process, you can take that as long as you want to you can take forever. Some people do. I stop mixing when a little switch goes off in my mind. Its like some little pop music switch like when you hear a good pop song on the radio when you were a kid. You immediately know its right. Im not necessarily talking about being the greatest song ever written, or the most meaningful, just hearing it and going thats right.'

Then theres the real pop he seeks in his musical efforts.

Its a very subtle, intangible thing that happens when someone listens to a song. Its something that happens when I listen to my own mixes. Its that immediate pop, and I dont mean that in the popular sense. I mean in a way that a phrase, a piece of copy pops on a poster. Those endorphins have to fire. There has to be a visceral sense of satisfaction.

The unreleased album still doesnt have a formal title, he said.

I dont know, I have some ideas. Ive been thinking about Same River Once.
Its a play on the statement by Heraclitus of Epshesus, You cant step twice into the same river.

Thats how deep Shindells music can be a title playing off the words of a Greek philosopher who lived between 535 and 475 BC.

The process of making a record where its a constant moving target its like stepping into a river of songs (with) words, different chords, mixes, musicians and sounds. Its like stepping into a river and at a certain moment you freeze the river. So Ive been thinking about that as a title but I dont know.