Review Fix Exclusive: FM Collective’s Mike Lucero Talks New Single And More

Review Fix chats with FM Collective’s Mike Lucero, who discusses the band’s origin and more.

Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?

Mike Lucero: I’ve been playing music since I was 9 when I took piano lessons from a very progressive 75 year old named Mrs. Taylor.  She taught me both classical and jazz, which was the key.  Learning chords and theory over the years, allowed me to go down any avenue I wanted including pop, electronic and now americana with ‘In My Backyard.’

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?  

Lucero: Ken Stringfellow (Posies, R.E.M, Big Star) and I have collaborated over long distances for over 5 years – me in Seattle or traveling somewhere around the world and Ken in France, or traveling somewhere around the world (we are both huge travelers for our respective professions). I will come up with a song idea, usually while running and then sit down at the piano and plunk down the musical ideas.  I will cobble these together and send them to Ken.  We will then ping pong the ideas back and forth a few times.  Meanwhile, I’ll take a first crack at the lyrics and we do the same process.  For the lyrics, I provide more the thematic structure and Ken has a brilliance with melody, language and vocal syncopation.  Then we will create a demo of sorts, before our travels bring us together and we venture into the studio.

Review Fix: What inspires you?  

Lucero: Most of my music has a political or social bend that is quietly woven into the song.  The goal is not to be heavy handed, but allow the listener to have an ‘aha moment’ when they listen to the song and realize there is a double entendre.  And even if they don’t see the deeper meaning I hope they enjoy the song.  The political message comes from what is happening around our world, and then those happenings find their way into a song idea.  My goal is for the musical choices in the song (rhythms, chords, melody) to be informed by the message of the song.

Review Fix: What does music mean to you?  

Lucero: It means everything.  It’s something that unites us all as people, but it is ephemeral and hard to pin down.  Nonetheless, it binds us as a species.

Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?  

Lucero: At its simplest level, indie pop, but with an eclectic exploration of subgenres and vibes.  Ever evolving, based on the musical subject matter.

Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?  

Lucero: FM Collective is all about the assemblage of artists that I am able to pull together.  I have had access to some of Seattle’s great artists and aspire to also pull them into my live shows, which vary radically by format.  Whether on the larger stage or on a couch in a living room show, no two shows have been the same.  Ken Stringfellow is an integral part of these, and he is an amazing performer and showman.  He is also very generous and strives to ensure that everyone on stage delivers their best and most inspired performances.  For me it is also very special to play other great artists’ material which I am able to weave into the setlist, including, of course many Posies songs.

Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?  

Lucero: While I wrote this song several years ago, and only, recently got around to recording and releasing it, the subject matter has never been more relevant.  We are a nation in turmoil, and this song was inspired by that feeling which I had several years ago during an antisemitic act that took place in Seattle.  Sadly, that feeling is more poignant than ever.  At the time, it struck a nerve, as the act was physically and emotionally close to me, even though I’m not actually Jewish.  I felt for the first time like it was palpable and, frankly, unsafe to live in this dark new version of America.  I thought writing an americana style song was an interesting juxtaposition of where we are going as a nation and the message of the song.

Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2020?  

Lucero: I’m releasing another song with another one of my collaborators, Ira Merrill (formerly of Super Deluxe) that Ken, Ira and I worked on earlier this year.  It’s a much happier pop song that, frankly, I think the world needs to hear.  I look forward to working on a more light-hearted project.  Then I’ll hold back my creative juices until November 4th, and see what inspires me then.  Likely subject matter: climate change and the burning down of the West Coast, Australia and Brazil, thanks to the science-deniers out there. I’m also working on a remix of the Chemical Brothers’ Golden Path, with German DJ/Producer Hexenwerk. This will be a piano/synth mash-up.

Review Fix: What’s next? 

Lucero: At some point, I’m going to put all of my songs together and release something on vinyl. I’d like to record a song at Third Street Man Studio in Memphis as the crown-jewel of that release. Hopefully there will be a big show or mini tour associated with that. I’m also working on several street art projects, one involving an installation that has a very interesting musical element. This has been a collaboration with street artist Jake Wagoner and composer/musician Jonathan Warman (Lonely Forest, Fences, Cataldo). Once my songs are released, I look forward to focusing more on these other projects so I can launch them.