Interview with Mike Krol
We had the amazing opportunity to interview SVA alum and musician Mike Krol!
We asked him about his SVA experience and his music! Read the full interview below.
What was your major here at SVA?
I majored in Graphic Design, and graduated in 2006.
How was your experience at SVA?
I definitely had my ups and downs while attending SVA. At the time, I found myself frustrated and disappointed with certain aspects of the school (as I'm sure you can relate), but the more time that passes, I look back pretty fondly of the memories I made there. The friends I made at SVA will forever be a part of my life, and I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. I had some wonderful teachers, some of whom I still keep in touch with, and I definitely feel like I was prepared for the professional world upon graduation. So I'm thankful I went, and I'm proud to say I graduated from SVA.
How was it working at WSVA and what was your position?
I loved it! I got to hang out with my friends in a private clubhouse and flip through CDs and talk about bands, concerts, and school/life stuff for hours. My position was kind of weird because I never had a show and rarely went on the air. I just made sure the DJs who were scheduled showed up and knew how to operate the equipment, and generally held down the fort for my shift. I was also our "graphic designer," so I made posters and zines for the station that we would put out around the school. We tried to do a big zine each semester filled with staff picks, comics, op-eds, and anything else the rest of our crew felt like contributing. Sometimes it got a little political, but everything we did always had a sense of humor.
Would you ever make a special appearance at the station ?
Like in the future? Yeah, totally! It would be fun to see how the space looks now! Is it still on the top floor of the photography building?
How was your transition from Art student to Musician?
Well, I always considered myself a "musician," even as an art student in college. I had bands when I was in High School and was writing songs throughout my time at SVA. Granted, I never played any concerts and didn't even play the songs I recorded for anybody other than my close friends. So I can't say that anyone in college really knew that I played/made my own music, but people definitely knew that music was a big part of my life. There was a guy who worked at WSVA with me named Evan Hughes who brought his drum set into the small isolated back room of the station. Very late at night, and on weekends, we would go into the studio and play drums. I had a portable 8 track recorder that I'd bring with me and set up with microphones on the drums. I'd record drum parts to songs, and then take it back to my dorm room and record guitars and vocals and make my first "solo" demos. I have to say that having access to WSVA and the ability to record drums while I was in school really set the ground work for how I would spend my time, post graduation.
Who is your biggest influencer?
Hmmm. That's tough. I have so many influences, it's hard to name just one. Right now, I'm really obsessed with Nick Lowe. He's a musician who wrote a ton of incredible power pop songs from the late 60's still to this day. He's most known for his work in the late 70's with Stiff Records, where he not only released a number of perfect singles, he also acted as the in-house producer for the label and worked with a bunch of great bands/artists on their best records, such as Elvis Costello, The Damned, and Wreckless Eric. His work is a constant source of inspiration for me these days.
What made you go into music?
I guess originally it was skateboarding. I grew up obsessed with skateboarding, but never was very good at it. So I'd end up just being into it for the social aspects of hanging out with friends on a playground and talking about life. That's where I learned about bands and records that changed my life and put me on the course of where I am today. I'm sure I would have found Punk music eventually in my life, but skateboarding is what introduced me to it at a young age.
What is your favorite kind of music genre ?
Probably "Punk."
How do you overcome artist block?
I go to record stores! I'm a visual person, so looking at record packaging always gets me inspired, both to work on music and to work on visual art.
How was it working with Rebecca Sugar on the Steven Universe Movie?
It was great! Rebecca asked me if I had any instrumental songs kicking around that she could write lyrics to, so I gave her a folder full of sketches and demo tracks that were still works in progress. She picked one, and came up with a melody for it and added lyrics that fit the storyline she was working on. Then she came over and we recorded a version of her singing it and I messed with the arrangement a little more and added some additional guitar parts, real drums, and a new bass track. And that was pretty much it! Rebecca is a pro. She knows exactly what she wants and has an incredible ear. Working with her was so easy, and hopefully the finished song shows that we had a lot of fun in the process.
What song did you write for the Steven Universe Movie ?
It's called "Disobedient."
Would you like to work with Rebecca Sugar again for music?