// INTERVIEW
Interview with Tyler Hilton by Squid Feb 2004
Squid: Hello Tyler thanks for the interview......
Tyler: You got it......man
Squid: Tyler, I have gone to many of your shows the past few years, your really getting good at working the crowd and gaining new fans along the way. How do you think it is going? Are things going as planed? Is there a plan?
Tyler: Not really, you know? Each show and crowd I feel more familiar with the situation so I'm slowly letting inhibitions go leaving more room to just have fun. I don't really know if I'm getting better, but I'll tell you, it seems the audiences are sure getting better! My plan is to play live music until the day there isn't one person left who wants to hear me, in which case I'll get a day job and jam in the privacy of my own home. And my plan's going well...!
Squid: Do you play any other instruments? If so do you plan on using them in any future shows?
Tyler: I play and write on piano much of the time but I don't get a chance to perform live with one very often. When a venue does have one, though, I jump all over it.
Squid: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Tyler: Perpetually on tour, steady crowds, steady album sales, but still not at my peak yet. That would be ideal...
Squid: What is the largest crowd you have played for so far and how did they receive you?
Tyler: It was probably the Fillmore in San Fransisco. I was opening for Steel Pulse and...well, let's say I think the audience was expecting a different kind of opener. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, eh?
Squid: Who do you listen to for your own entertainment?
Tyler: Oh, there's so many people I listen to it's unreal. I've got this new iPod thing...you know?... and you can just load all these songs onto it and it'll play them in random order like your own radio station or something. So I really mean I'm listening to everything I have at once and that spans anyone from Frank Sinatra and Robert Johnson to Beatles and John Mayer.
Squid: I heard you were working on a movie, something Mark Thompson is involved with, can you elaborate on this?
Tyler: He had a really cool script for a movie that he wanted to get going and I was into being one of his characters...but you know how it goes, the record needed to be recorded and I had just signed to Maverick so I couldn't take off and do the movie.
Squid: Who would you most like to go on tour with as an opening act and why?
Tyler: Because I'm a fan and because we've got similiar musical qualaties and because I'm a fan and because she's got decent size crowds and becasue I'm a fan I'd want to open for Patii Griffin.
Squid: What is your most memorable experience on stage?
Tyler: Well, you guys were there for that. Mark and Brian stopping the Christmas show to bring Aimee out on stage; doesn't get more memorable then that!
Squid: Having been to a lot of your shows, I see people of all age groups tapping feet etc. to your music. What is your target audience?
Tyler: Fans of music. If field mice were fans of music, I'd target them to. It doesn't matter the age or income when it comes to music. You're having fun or you aren't and the people you see at my shows seem to be ejoying themselves so they or you are my target audience.
Squid: I saw on your web site that you got to play the NAMM show. How was that? Were there any "Big" names in the crowd listening to you? I know that Michael Anthony was supposed to be there as well.
Tyler: I didn't see any big names in the crowd but I never seem to recognize them when they are there. Maybe there were! I was playing at the Seinhieser booth which gave me the opportunity to spend some time with their mics, which are great by the way (nothing I could afford), but the NAMM show, being that it is a music trade show, has more aural distractions then any one other place I've ever been. It was different then playing in a club or coffee house, that's for sure.
Squid: Do you read Music? Some very great musicians never learned to read music but could play very well.
Tyler: Band class and piano lessons taught me to read. I'm glad I can, I just wish I practiced it more. It would make me feel more.... fancy.
Squid: What comes first when writing a song, the music or the words?
Tyler: Most of the time the music or the melody with lyrics.
Squid: When you were on the Mark and Brian show once, Ed McMahon called and wanted you on Star Search. Did you ever follow up on that?
Tyler: That was so cool but I was never really a fan of Star Search and just couldn't see myself being on the show. They were so nice...I still get Christmas cards from them!... just a good bunch of people.
Squid: Where does someone so young get his inspiration for his songs?
Tyler: Women and driving and youthfull agnst.
Squid: We talked at your last Thousand Oaks show and you mentioned you were trying to hook up with Jonny Lang, any word on that at this time?
Tyler: No, still hoping and crossing.
Squid: Thanks for takeing the time to do my silly little interview Tyler. See you at a show again soon
