CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your music, what would it be and why?
FM: I would describe it currently as a big mix of garage, punk, blues, surf and folk music.
CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
FM: I draw my lyrical inspiration usually from nature. There are so many things to learn from just watching how nature works around us and how it can make sense in normal human day-to-day life. Musically if I’m strumming around on the guitar and something just seems right, I follow it, hopefully into a melody and into a song.
CH.89: What made you want to start a band and how did you come up with the band name?
FM: I remember the moment I wanted to be in a band. I was like 13 working at my mom’s real estate office and I’d always get bored and go outside on the deck and throw those helicopter leaves off the top. It always looked so cool haha. Anyway, one day this van pops up at the barn next door (this is North Jersey where there are barns) and all these people start bringing in instruments. I just sat there and watched them and then listened to them start playing awesome music and even some music I knew and liked. I remember at that exact moment I decided I wanted to be in a band. I came up with the current band name Francie Moon while driving to my old job that I didn’t like very much. The name just kind of popped in my head and I was thinking that was weird. Cause I never heard the name Francie before. So it kind of stuck in my head for a while and then one day I just went with it.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about what your creative thought process is like when starting a new album?
FM: I usually don’t write to create albums. I don’t think in terms of albums, which is probably why I release a lot of EP’s. I tend to get into spurts of writing, typically depending on my living situation and my access to my instruments, and then those spurts usually end up having a common theme because the songs were written close together. So to me albums are more like snapshots of time periods in my life. I have concepts for albums that I would love to write one day…but so far I just write when I really feel the feelings that make the songs. Therefore my creativity takes the lead haha.
CH.89: What would you want people/ the listener to take from your music?
FM: I would love for people one day to be taken to somewhere different with my music…like to a different landscape in their mind or something like that. Cause that’s what it does for me when I create it and I would love to share that experience. Recently though live I’ve been into playing faster and faster and crazier, and I think it’s cause I’m sick of the same old mundane-ness that people force themselves to have. Playing fast helps me say screw it and go a little crazy and have fun.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?
FM: My lifestyle as an artist is pretty interesting for me these days. First of all I am usually up really, really late. It’s cause around 9PM my inspiration kicks in for some reason, or I end up on a weird schedule from getting home late from shows. Also I spend a lot of time promoting things, managing things, and my drummer and I spent hours mixing music this year so there’s a lot of computer work involved, which is a little weird for me. But all in all for me living as an artist means doing whatever you can for your art…and that means missing some stuff cause of going on tour, sleeping at random people’s houses a lot, taking random tour opportunities, playing for nothing and nobody, playing for a ton of people and getting those awesome moments, being a manager, promoter, t-shirt designer, web developer, mixer, producer, whatever it takes to keep on going. And it also means that when a line or an idea gets in my head, I stop and write it down or record it immediately, cause once it’s gone, it’s gone!
CH.89: When starting out an artistic task, do you think it is better to have a particular direction/set plan guiding your way? Or, is it better to act on impulse and go from there?
FM: I think it depends on the task. Lately I’ve been trying to write music with more of a direction/task involved and it honestly helped me get a grip on getting over myself or feeling like things need to be a specific way in order for me to create something good. But I tend to be like the crazy artist throwing paint everywhere and letting it create itself, but I think a little mix of both would probably be a really good balance for me to work towards.
CH.89: What is one major lesson you’ve learned as an artist?
FM: I’ve learned that if you like what you’re doing you’re going to want to do it. You can’t have energy and keep up with things you don’t like. So you might as well be doing what makes you smile.
CH.89: Do you regard personal style & taste to be of highest importance?
FM: Highest importance? No. But I think it’s good to dress in a way that makes you feel good and feel yourself, and if that means dressing all crazy then go for it!!
CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?
FM: The hardest part about being an artist for me is sometimes reliving the feelings associated with the songs that I created. Singing them again sometimes puts me back in the place and some of those places aren’t the best places. Also I think being an artist for me always made me feel unsatisfied with a more stable life that would probably honestly be easier to live.
CH.89: What is one thing you love about being an artist?
FM: One thing I love about being an artist is creating something out of nothing! I love that I can hear a melody or some chords, put words to them that mean a lot to me and then sing them for people. And then these magic music devices play this invisible music waves into our ears. It’s cool…it’s like working with things you cannot see.CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artists that inspire you in any way?
FM: Yes! Lately I’ve been very inspired by artists from Africa. Particularly Sona Jobarteh, Rokia Traore, and Ali Farka Toure.
CH.89: What do you think of technology in terms of being a useful tool for artists today?
FM: Honestly I just made a switch with my stance on technology. I think it can be very, very useful for artists. There are endless sounds now to be used which is incredible and will probably open the way to some really weird new & different music. I am still a sucker for a band just playing the instruments live though but that’s cause it’s amazing to know how many years it took for them to stand there and do that. There’s a lot of technical talent that goes into creating electronic music too that I have come to be more aware of since I’ve been experimenting a lot with all kinds of music making.
CH.89: Do you think being an artist allows you to view the world differently from those who don’t follow creative paths?
FM: I’ve had the pleasure to talk to a lot of people, some who consider themselves creative and others who don’t and I honestly believe everyone is creative in their own ways. But because of my path and where my music has taken me I definitely know I have a different outlook on people. I think because of all the scenarios I’ve found myself in on tour, I’ve learned that most people are good, kind and helpful, even though a lot of people will tell you otherwise.
CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?
FM: I really love to travel. I am actually traveling right now in Mexico as I’m writing this haha. Not sure if I have a favorite city but I always enjoy my time in Asheville, NC, Ashland, OR, Frenchtown, NJ, Milford, PA and anywhere in California.
CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?
FM: Hmm I really enjoy Patti Smith’s writing in “Just Kids”. I also really like Alan Watts’ “The Book on the Tabboo against knowing who you are.” It’s cool and makes you think.
CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your music?
FM: Yes! Would love to do a support tour of some kind in the near future and we’re releasing a cassette soon. Would love to go tour Europe as well.
CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?
FM: Being an artist means taking the basic emotional components of human life…the fears, wants, joys, pains, loves, passions, anger…and putting it into a package that can be shared with other people. I also think being an artist is a form of self-therapy. I think sometimes these feelings that are inside need a place to go, and making art or music can help you draw them out and put them somewhere outside of yourself.
CH.89: Any last words on the aesthetic of your music?
FM: No, just try it out see if you like it and hopefully I’ll be making better and better music as time moves on <3.
CHAPTER89 