Conversations with Michael Mullins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Mullins

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Music’s always been a passion of mine, and I love Denver’s rich and vibrant electronic music scene – it’s absolutely earned its reputation as the bass capital of the world. The pandemic hit our scene especially hard, though, and when live performances were stopped altogether, it was like losing a piece of my heart. I ended up working odd jobs – I was a chicken rancher, I worked at a flower shop, and I worked at a bank. One day at the bank, I had to sign a man’s death certificate and I just knew I had to quit and go back to music. I was living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at the time and went into a local bar, asked to speak to the manager and immediately got hired as their sound engineer. Soon afterwards, we started planning a Pride Fest, which was hugely successful, and I ended up headlining the first night of the event, playing for eight hours straight in front of a few thousand people – I’d never played that long or for so many people before. That was a major turning point in my career; I was hooked! I later worked at the legendary Prairie Sun Recording Studio in Santa Rosa, California, learning from industry legends and honing my skills. After my time at the studio, I spent 80 days straight working on the California summer festival circuit and ended as a sound engineer at Bohemian Grove. My journey brought me back to Denver, where my mom and younger sister live. I continue to perform live and love being a part of the city’s rich musical landscape.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The journey has not been without its obstacles. COVID was a significant challenge, as it disrupted live performances and forced many musicians, including myself, to find alternative ways to stay connected to our passion. Even working at Prairie Sun Recording Studio – where everyone from Tom Waits, to Nine Inch Nails, to Wu Tang Clan have all recorded seminal albums – had its challenges. It’s an amazing facility, but it is seriously rugged. It was in a repurposed chicken coop. One of the guys who worked there gave me a scythe and a fishing harpoon my first time on night shift in Studio B! My orders were to protect The Neve! It was kind of crazy, but I learned so much from my time there. And then I spent 80 days without a single day off, going from festival to festival across California. I worked myself ragged, but all those experiences have made me who I am today.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What really makes my approach to music stand out is that I deliver a true live electronic performance. Every set I do is unique because I’m creating the music I play by live looping on electronic instruments. That live creation brings the audience to new places – and allows me to feed off their vibe to create something perfectly suited to the moment. I’m hoping to bring that approach to major upcoming festivals as my fan base continues to grow regionally and nationally. I will be releasing an EP this spring that showcases my music, it captures a moment in time, but a live performance of my EP’s would take on a life of their own. Another goal of mine is to put on a live electronic festival right here in Denver that is turntable free. We have such a thriving and diverse electronic scene that goes well beyond one genre. Bringing something big to the Rocky Mountains that promotes a return to the origin of electronic music and would provide a platform for upcoming artists and can ultimately rival major festivals like Ultra Music Festival in Miami.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Resilience, adaptability, and a passion for live creation have been essential for my career. Resilience was crucial for overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic and finding alternative ways to stay connected to my passion. Adaptability has allowed me to thrive in various roles and settings. And my passion for live creation sets me apart, as I strive to bring back the roots of electronic music through live looping and un-synced performances. This dedication to live creation has earned me recognition from industry peers and followers, motivating me to continue pushing the boundaries of electronic music. In fact, when I was working at Prairie Sun Recording Studio, Nancy Wilson of Heart was recording. One night at the studio we were just hanging out on a couch and struck up a conversation. After I told her a bit of my story, she asked me what I was going to do to give my performing career a bigger chance to really thrive. She told me to start reaching out, to go play more shows. She looked at me straight in the eyes and said, “Just give it your best shot, Michael!” When a literal Rock n Roll Hall of Famer takes the time to tell me to give my music career a real go – well, that’s been huge for me and drives me every day to make this dream a reality.

Pricing:

• I’ll play the first show for free.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aftrmrkt.xyz
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/aftrmarkete
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AfterMrkt
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/avtrmrkt?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
• Other: https://linktr.ee/AfterMrkt