Mister Amiss Debuts First EP 'Nominal' with Release Show at The Love Song Bar

 

Mister Amiss, the solo-project of Gavin McDonald recently shared it’s first addition to the musical world in the form of a heartfelt, carefully crafted EP titled Nominal, we made it out to the intimate record release show at The Love Song Bar in Downtown Los Angeles, CA and spoke with with McDonald about the creative process behind the record, differences between making solo music and working as a touring musican, and what’s next on the horizon for Mister Amiss:

What is the overall theme of your debut record ‘Nominal’? What was the creative process like during writing and recording?

When I was writing these songs for Nominal I was fighting against reality. I didn’t want the things that were happening in my life to be real. I was in hiding, from myself and most everyone else. Without knowing the full extent, these songs were just pleas for help. I was becoming consumed by addiction and too isolated to see a way out, which thankfully since then I have found. Love, addiction, and a loss of identity all come to mind. The process was this, stay up all night writing a song - send that song to my then girlfriend - her telling me if it was shit or not - then scrapping or finishing it accordingly. Once I got as far as I could in my apartment, I’d take them to my studio and had a couple friends, mainly Logan MacKenzie, redo the guitars and help me finish the production.

How does Mister Amiss as a solo project differ from your work with other bands / artists?

Mister Amiss is my first solo project. I’ve been drumming and touring for over 15 years so it’s different in every way. It’s the first time where I get to try all the ideas I have and use other musicians that I respect to help me execute them. I’ve always collaborated with previous bands but this was mostly just me holed up in my apartment. Having full control of the lyrics and melodies is quite new to me. That’s it - I have creative control, for better or worse.

What are your plans for the future? Is there an LP on the way? Can we expect more live performances soon?

I’ll be finishing up my 2nd EP in the months to come and will absolutely be playing more shows. I want to grow as an artist in my own right as I continue to working with other bands and touring like usual. Expect to hear and see more soon.

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Words + Photos by JAMES DURAN

 
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