Everything you never wanted to know about Vicki Logan...
People are asking me all the time about my music; how I "write" it, who inspires me, what inspires me, what do I like to do for free time. So, here goes...
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HOW DO I WRITE MY MUSIC.
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Well, I don't actually "write" my music. I first find some type of loop or beat; be it a drum loop or I play in a piano style. I find some type of chord progression that I like and then start laying down instrumentation and a melody develops. I do this all using a pro-tools recording system. Now, I don't understand much of it, just that I hit a specific button to record. If I screw up, guess I get to play that track all over again. I keep playing until the song tells me it's finished. Then I head into the studio after I have the melody down pat. I bring in all of the backing tracks I've created and then we start mixing and adding live instrumentation if needs be. Some songs don't require it, some do. I never name a song until after it's finished. Like my pets, they tell me what their name is.
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WHO/WHAT INSPIRES ME? (Musically)
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I think every musician inspires me. Anyone who can communicate through music understands another language entirely different from the spoken word. They understand an emotional language; a universal language; a language without boundaries understood by all living things. I'm not just saying people. I'm talking ALL LIVING THINGS. Music and the vibrations it encompasses touches plants, animals, anything living. There is much scientific evidence to support that and I believe we have all experienced it although we may not have realized it. This is one of the reasons I love to play in the heart of nature; outside in the wild. I get to connect with another part of life that we cannot experience living in a bubble inside of our homes; inside of the rules we are taught to follow. I play my music, as they say, by ear. I play what I'm feeling. I'm inspired by nature; the earth. I'm inspired by what I see, feel, hear, touch, breathe, Everything.
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But who inspires me? Yes, all musicians, but, even though I do not know these people personally, the following list are the people I watch on YouTube, buy CDs or downloads of, listen to for styles, to learn techniques and more. I listen to them for enjoyment as well as I listen to them to learn. I only wish I could sit with each of them for a day and truly be a sponge to soak up their knowledge.
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Mary Youngblood R. Carlos Nakai John Two Hawks Ian Anderson
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Kenny G Matt Malloy Hans Zimmer James Horner (passed in 2015)
Film music has always been a big part of my life as it expresses emotion and can add so much to the interpretation of a film, video or photo. Thus, two of my favorite composers are on this list.
WHO DOES YOUR ARTWORK?
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I have a degree in graphic communications from Northern Michigan University. I took some photography classes and found that I really enjoy taking pictures...good, bad and horrible! So, I use the photos of places that inspire me as part of the CD. I lay out the design, create a PDF and ship it off to the printers. I will occasionally use a royalty free image if I absolutely have to, but it's been few and far between...like, I think I used a NASA image once for Born Out of Chaos. For Finding My Way I used a photograph from an artist in Minnesota. He lived in our town and I didn't have good photos then. I kept learning, though. Now, I think I have a few decent ones. I do sell them sometimes...if someone really wants it.
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DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?
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Yes. Animals have always been a huge part of my life. Sometimes I can connect with an animal better than I can with a person! We adopt almost all of our pets from shelters and I like to help support no kill shelters as much as possible. But, we have, currently, Delta and Theta (my daughter's cats) and Mr. Crabby Pants - a really crabby hedgehog. During Covid (2020/21) we got Franklin Delano Rosevelt (our dachshund) and Fargo (my daughter's Northern Inuit). We've had St. Bernards, cats, horses, hamsters and guinea pigs.
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FAVORITE FOOD?
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Margarita Pizza!! Must have fresh basil and mozzarella too! Then it's the bomb!
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WHAT DO YOU DO ON YOUR FREE TIME?
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On my free time I like to ride horses, be out in nature, take photographs of things, research topics I want to know something about, play music, eat!
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WHAT IS YOUR BEST TRAIT?
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I'd say my best trait...actually, two things....my compassion for life, living beings (people, animals, plants, environment) and my ability to do the right thing regardless of how it may affect me personally. I have experienced a lot of loss and a lot of hatred for doing what was right. A good, paraphrased quote here: Do what is right. People will hate you for it, but do it anyways.
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WHAT'S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF?
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If I could change one thing, it would be the need to know things. I'm very political and I'm very much a "humanist". I want to know everything, but there's just so much to know! I'm learning all the time. I want to help everyone, but sometimes I can't. I follow politics because people are affected by what happens in government. Too many people don't care to know what the truth is, especially if the truth doesn't fit their current beliefs. The truth is the truth whether we like it or not. A person with an open mind and heart is the type of person we need running this country; running our local governments; our state governments. Greed, selfishness and division is what will destroy us in the end. I get involved because there are people with no voice who need representation. I want to help to get that voice heard.
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WE ALL DO DUMB THINGS, WHAT IS ONE OF YOURS?
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I'm always trying to do something different to myself. My hair gets the brunt of it all. I'm constantly doing stupid stuff to it - be it cutting it myself or coloring it myself - and then it costs me hours and lots of money to call my stylist to say, "Yep. I did it again. HELP!" Last time my hair turned orange and this time, well, it was supposed to be dark brown...
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And, let's see... I've done so many things I don't know where to begin!!
