Published: June 12, 2010 3:28 AM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight June 2010 Edition
Stuck With Green
Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
Stuck With Green
Our Webzine has a treat for our online readers. Ron Potter has created a special project titled Stuck With Green which features Ron's original vocals through his unique storytelling. Potter describes the first Stuck With Green project as "alternative electronic with a sense of humor".; we tend to agree. Potter also states that, "The songs are quirky and some of the lyrics are downright bizarre". If you are interested in something original, bizarre, and unique, then tune in to the bizarre musical world of Stuck With Green.
Isaac: I just listened to several songs off your new EP/CD. What was the inspiration for making your new album?
Ron: I’m just having more fun. I’m real serious and extremely analytical about the music I compose or produce. Recently though, I’ve had this burning desire to reveal a more different side of myself. Stuck With Green is nonsense! But it’s MY nonsense! It’s the shit my brothers and I will sit outside and talk about when the sun is setting and the cigars are lit. It’s the part of me that I rediscovered when the love of my life was hospitalized for blood clotting. It’s a part of me that came so naturally when I was writing drama skits, poetry, short stories, performing in front of crowds in high school and college. Things I did before life became serious – before I became serious. Life became tougher, and I became more cynical. I started holding back; but now, I’m letting it out again.
Isaac: Who were your influences?
Ron: My influences are eclectic. I’ve always enjoyed Beck’s creativity and the producers he aligns himself with. NIN and Reznor’s attitude appeals to me. I’m really digging the Lonely Island crew, which features Andy Samberg. I’ve listened to some of Timbaland’s production work recently and really respect his creativity. The Star Trek movie and its music, The Hangover, the old Superfriend cartoons, Tim Burton movies: all these things have ideas, themes, and pacing that I would say influence my musical thought process.
Isaac: What do you consider to have been the highlight(s) and lowpoint(s) of your career to date?
Ron: One of my highlights was being discovered and the continuing relationship I have with Al and Eve Adams at ACM Records through a different intellectual property and artist pitch titled Juniper. They have helped find licensing for some of my music and even used me as a producer for another artist on their roster (which working with him was yet another highlight).
I think a lowpoint, in general, is the way I find myself funding an endless black hole of what seems to be music industry dead ends. On some of those things, time will tell I guess.
Isaac: Brief history about your background plus the style of music you play.
Ron: I live in Orlando, FL, and work as a Distribution Manager for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper. I am happier and more productive with my musical pursuits than I ever have been before. I graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and have a Christian background.
Stuck With Green music is experimental electronic. There’s a lot of synth sounds, but it won’t be unusual to hear an acoustic guitar or electric guitar every now and then. I would describe the music as Beck meets Prodigy with NIN attitude and a SNL sense of humor. Perhaps it can also be described as a male counterpoint to Lady Gaga’s brand. There’s a comedic element to many of the songs too that deal with subjects which are hard to communicate. For example, The Pimp Slap Song makes reference to “angry sex” to juxtapose a sense of a desirable, healthy outcome as opposed to communicating an abusive relationship. After all, in a sexually well-balanced relationship, is there any question that a good boom-boom shouldn’t leave a mark or two?
Isaac: How easy is it to gets gigs for you as an artist? What is the live music scene like in your area?
Ron: It’s not easy for me because I’m an introvert! Once I’ve mustered the courage to speak up though, it seems pretty easy. You’ve got to remember too, that if you’re in a city, there’s likely a lot of opportunities for open mic nights. That’s where I try to start. And if I accumulate some positive feedback, I start putting my feelers out for contests or shows. If I don’t receive positive feedback, I edit or move on to making my next song.
The live music scene in my area seems diverse and grand. Overwhelming in some respects. There are many places to perform but not every area is a fit for my genre. So it takes a little homework.
Isaac: What do you think of the state of Indie music at the moment? Do you listen to radio much at all? Has the Internet helped music grow or hindered it in your opinion?
Ron: I think the state of Indie music right now is over-saturated, and the Internet is the main reason why. There are too many artists, too much good music, too many channels, too many Internet radio stations, too many contests, too much industry. With all that said, labels (major and indie alike) are more limited than before in finding the right artists, tunes, channels, etc. In terms of income, the extreme saturation seems to have created a larger lower class or lower/middle class kind of indie artist.
I rarely listen to radio. I don’t have much time. I work around the clock with a full-time management position and a full-time music production. I listen to music on TV more than radio. Put a towel over the television and listen. I also watch the electronic charts in itunes. Seems like everyone’s using the pitch corrector nowadays, huh?!
Overall, Internet has helped music grow and created opportunity for indie artists everywhere. I know personally that I wouldn’t have met ACM Records if it wasn’t for the Internet. On the other hand, I think it has weakened the music superstar’s longevity and perhaps lowered their profit-ceiling. But I couldn’t tell you for sure as I’m not a music superstar just yet and I don’t hang around them to ask. ;-) I just think it would be like eating your favorite meal every day because it’s so accessible (i.e. YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, twitter, MTV, MTV2, FUSE, etc, etc). You’d eventually get sick of it quicker than you would if you had just MTV and the radio – like in the 80’s!
Isaac: If you could create a fantasy band - what would be the line-up and why?
Ron: Fantasy lineup? Trent Reznor on the keys and synths, Dave Grohl on the drums; Tom Morello on guitars and Lady Gaga’s vocals…..I think I just messed my pants! :-) Seriously though, it would be a wet dream for me to produce a record with any one of these artists. Trent Reznor because he’s got the dark edginess I like…..for me, he’s like looking and admiring a Van Gogh painting. Tom Morello because he is the complete package for me when it comes to guitars. He can give you something extremely experimental with the guitar or go the other way, and make a simple rock riff sound new again. Dave Grohl because anything he’s attached to seems to find audience. He just has an ear for what works. But particularly his drums, because he can give you the perfect backbone to a flesh sack of other musical noises. Lady Gaga because…well…(pause-sigh) fuck! Cuz it’s LADY GAGA dammit! She’s so magnetically bizarre and attractive at the same time!
Isaac: What CD's do you currently have available and where can they be purchased from?
Ron: Stuck With Green – self titled, FIRST RELEASE! Can be purchased at iTunes
