Q&A with:
A.J. HAYNES
Q: Has music always been a part of your life? What has your road been like with music, being in bands, signing a record deal? Haynes: As Tom Waits would say, ‘Music is really just something interesting to be doing with the air.’ It gets me out of bed in the morning (most mornings, it’s the classic Getz/Gilberto record), defines the rhythm of my day, finds its way into our claustrophobia-inducing practice space at Tipitina’s downtown, carries me on the road in our tin-can-van and reminds me how lucky I am to be an able-bodied woman. How strange that something we arbitrarily pull from the ether can mean so much. Since I made the active decision to devote myself to music, my life has become a series of surprises. I’m reminded every day that certainty is an illusion. I have the luxury of travel afforded by my band’s hard work and the help of generous strangers. I worry if I’ll come home with enough money to cover my living expenses. I am always humbled by how much love and support the people in my life provide. I juggle freelance writing, counseling, tutoring and hustle my a-- off to support my art. I have visions instead of dreams. I’ve learned to savor solitude. I don’t get much sleep. I feel electric.
Q: How did being a teacher affect you and your music? Haynes: Teaching and musical performance are in many ways similar crafts. You are presenting material to an audience in an effort to help them make connections, or to quote Vygotsky, engage people to ‘make meaning.’ With both teaching and musical performance, you are helping people draw from prior knowledge – be it a grammar rule or a chorus – to evoke a response. Thinking and feeling are not mutually exclusive. In fact, I believe they are both critical components of higher order learning. Good teachers and musicians help people exercise their emotional intelligence. After a good class or a good show, you should feel like you just shared a unique experience – like you figured something out. You should feel both satisfied and hungry for more.
Q: What inspires your music? Haynes: Depends on the day of the week, the weather, what mistakes I made in the days prior to writing, fast approaching deadlines … sometimes it’s frustration, sometimes it’s supreme joy, sometimes it’s just bashing out some noise in hopes that something sticks. I tend to burn my candle at both ends, so inspiration’s bound find its way to me one way or another. I damn sure don’t sit and wait for the Muses to bestow any favors, although they’ve been quite partial to me lately.
Q: How would you describe your music? Haynes: Rock ‘n’ roll. My primary artistic focus is my band Seratones. Couldn’t be happier to be in a band with my three best friends, and I hope that shows in our music.
Q: What does this record deal mean for the Seratones? Haynes: Fat Possum is home to some of my favorite artists, so joining the label for me means being in cahoots with people I admire. In addition to manufacturing and distributing our music, Fat Possum has provided invaluable guidance and support to facilitate what we do best – playing rock ‘n’ roll.
Q: You were the first recipient of the Louisiana Music Prize, and you gave the prize money to the Renzi Center. Why did you decide to give the money back to the community? Haynes: Winning the Music Prize was quite surreal. The night was, more than anything, a big party with our friends in local bands. Getting a prize was icing on the party cake. Our decision to give back to the community we love was a no-brainer. The Renzi Center does so much for the community, so we wanted to do anything we could to aid their success.
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