Levi Weaver: An American In Birmingham

Wednesday 21st June 2006

American singer/songwriter LEVI WEAVER talks in depth about his music and life.



Continued from page 1

I did some of the recording in Scotland with a guy named Simon Fisher, who just basically showed me how to get the thing to work, and then the rest of it I did in the office where I do the mentoring work; they let me come up through the night and record. So I would work from 9a-5p, then go home and sleep until about 9-10p, then come back and record from then until work the next day. Over the weekends, I would work about 24-30 hours straight, and then just drag cushions into the office and sleep there for four to five hours at a time, subsisting on coffee and whatever I could wrangle out of the snack machine. It was totally unhealthy, and I don't recommend that approach to recording. I think "Kid, Way To Go" was really inspired by just the utter exhaustion and borderline insanity that comes along with doing a recording in such a fashion. Hopefully next time I won't feel like I have to be that driven, and I'll take my time and be more patient with it.

The title comes from a line in the first song, "Good Medicine" that goes "My heart will not forgive me for this unwilling extraction of your love from its controlling grips; this unpardonable action will wage civil war between my heart and mind..." That song has been so cathartic for me, it's my favourite one on the record, and one of my favourites that I've ever written. The girl I had broken up with back home... I was just... it took me a long time to get over her. Probably because I didn't want to. Neither of us really did, so it kinda dragged on for a long time. It was on again/off again for about a year or so, and it was just this battle... my heart was still stuck there, and I loved her. I still love her, I think a part of me always will, but then my mind was going "Dude. Stop. This is not the right way to go about this. You're not supposed to be together, so stop making it difficult for all parties involved and just end with it." This song, in my mind anyway, just captures the essence of that whole unreasonably difficult process on a number of different levels. It says what I want it to say, lyrically, but more than that, it's almost a representation of the relationship itself. It's long and drawn out. It's really wordy. It invokes a number of different emotions. There's that paradox of "I'm happy to listen to it because I feel like it's a strong song, and at the same time, it's a really sad song. So I'm sad." That clash of the titans was where that song, that lyric, and subsequently the CD title came from.

It was weird, actually, how this whole process was almost a mirror of the relationship that spawned a good number of the songs. It started off as a great idea, and it was like, "Hey! This is wonderful!" and then at some point, it took a turn for the sinister and it became this really unhealthy thing where I wasn't eating for days at a time, and not sleeping, and this thing that I loved was really causing me to be unhealthy. And in turn, because I wasn't in top form, I think the quality suffered. Whereas if I had gone, "No. It has to be like this. I must maintain a healthy balance," then it would have been better for all parties involved. But every time I would try to go home, I just couldn't leave. So then I get everything recorded and it's only then that I realise that the EQs were balanced for headphones and sound terrible in the speakers. So I have to go back and re-mix the whole thing. And every time I would think, "Okay. It's over," there was something else I would feel like I absolutely HAD to go back and fix. Eventually it just got to the point that I had scheduled a CD release show and I had a deadline and I just had to put it in an envelope and send it and think, "Okay, it's never going to be perfect. I will not be able to fix it. It ends here and this is the legacy it leaves, for better or worse." (I have forgotten, at this point, if i am writing about the relationship or the CD...) So I get it sent off to the duplication place, and there are just truckloads of problems there, too. At one point, my American bank sent the specified amount in US Dollars, when I had specified British Pounds. So I send them a letter explaining what happened, and they end up sending the remainder in HONG KONG DOLLARS. It was just ridiculous. When I finally got closure... *ahem*...uhhh... I mean a copy of the CD in my hand, it was a little hard to believe that there wasn't something else I had to do.

Tony: Do you intend to stay in the UK?

Levi: As long as they'll let me stay, I think I will stay. Eventually, I would love to have dual citizenship or dual residency or something that just allows me to go back and forth freely as I wish. I totally miss my family, especially my brother. and my parents... and grandparents. But at the same time, I am really happy here. I had a dream the other night that I went back home and I was just distraught that I had left here. I was inconsolable! And then I woke up in my bed here and kind of went, "Ahhh. Okay. So I'm not ready to move back there. Not yet." I tend to think I will end up here on some sort of permanent basis...

Tony: Is there a full album on the way?

Levi: Not this year. Not yet. But yes, I already have a handful of songs picked out and hope to have a pool of about 20 to choose from by the time I start. Right now the plan is to do as many shows this summer as possible and then start the record once school starts up again in September. This time, I'll probably do a couple weeks of recording, and then do shows for a week or two, just to keep the mindset fresh and keep my perspective, which I totally lost on this EP. The plan is to really take my time and make something absolutely quality that will measure up with the Josh Ritters and Ryan Adamses of the world. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually go into a real studio this time... Anyway, I hope to have that finished and ready to go by early-mid spring of next year, and hopefully at that point start getting on with making a full time career out of this.

Tony: What plans for the future?

Levi: I have visions of myself sitting in front of a fire, reading Kierkegaard and sipping tea, and then retiring to the office to write for an hour or so a day, buuuuuut ...come on. That is so unrealistic. I could do that now, I have the time. I just don't do it because I keep myself busy. Eventually, and I feel like this is actually foreseeably within my grasp within the next two to three years, I would like to be fully employed by my music. I have loved all the various other jobs I have had throughout my life, but it would be nice to be able to sit back and go "Okay. Cool. My job is to write songs, and then play them." Eventually, I would love to start a school that teaches other artists who feel called into the secular music industry to use their art as a form of ministry... not necessarily to the crowds, but to the other bands they are touring with, to club owners, promoters, label execs, etc, etc. That's really always been the long term vision, but to do that, I feel like I need to go have that experience first and learn what works and what doesn't. Where are the pitfalls? How do I avoid them? How do I maintain a relevant relationship with a godless industry and still maintain the righteousness that God demands from me? Is it possible to maintain a family, or should I wait until I am on the back end of a music career and it calms down a bit? Those and hundreds more... there are thousands of huge, huge questions that I don't yet have the answers to, but I hope to someday. And when I finally do, I feel like it would be a travesty not to share those answers with other Christians who have the same questions. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.
 
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Reader Comments

Posted by Rosalind in Birmingham @ 15:43 on Sep 23 2007

I saw Levi Weaver by accident at a music venue in Birmingham (England) about 18 months ago and came across his CD the other day in my car.
He was so great live - the songs were brilliant, of course, and he had a very good audience rapport.
I didn't even realise he was a Christian until he sang a song about his brother, but it was a real revelation.
I think he's great and wish he'd release something else. I also hope he stays in Birmingham a long time, though I confess to being a bit baffled by his fondness for it!



Posted by Jane in Salt Lake City Utah @ 20:31 on Dec 20 2006

Like the rest of you, I was blown away. Not just by the looks or voice, but by the sincerity with which he sang. I couldn't believe how much he seemed to mean every word he sang. And the fact thta he could be forgiving of his ruined relationship made me so ashamed of how bitter I was of my own. It makes me want to learn to have that kindness and understanding when I'm in pain too. Congrats Levi! I hope you get far! Write stuff with the same passion as your using now, and I don't think you could go wrong! God bless you!



Posted by Lauren in Royal Oak MI @ 21:07 on Dec 19 2006

As with most of you, I just saw Levi after he opened for Imogean Heap last night. He is unreal. Amazing. After the first song I was hooked. Good to know there are still real artisits out there.



Posted by Melissa in St. Louis, MO @ 15:06 on Dec 14 2006

Just saw Levi last night, supporting Imogen Heap. He struck something in us at the show and even more so now knowing a little more about him. Here's to new fans!



Posted by Tessa D. in St. Louis, MO, USA @ 14:43 on Dec 14 2006

I just saw Levi when he supported Imogen Heap. I personally think that we've got the makings of a star. I found him incredibly enjoyable and the use of a stringed bow on a guitar is quite interesting and completly unique.

Keep up what you're doing, it's absolutely great!



Posted by jordan in longmont colorado @ 20:04 on Dec 12 2006

i baisicly love this man. not even gonnna lie. pretty much. i love him infinity squared



Posted by pamela in Huntington Beach, California @ 19:39 on Dec 1 2006

Praise the Lord! I skimmed through your bio last night and it said you were a Christian, but to find out that you also have a vision for what ministry you think the Lord has called you to... AMAZING! My respect for you as a musician just increased sevenfold! I will continue to be praying for you... God bless :)



Posted by Loddy in Birmingham, UK @ 14:21 on Oct 13 2006

I just met Levi Weaver last night after he supported Imogen Heap. Halfway through his first song I was wondering whether he was Christian, and then when I got home I found this interview.

His style is an amalgamation of Zoe Keating, John Mayer and his own talent for a true dash of uniqueness (is that a word? It is now).

Was great to meet him, very humble, very genuine and I look forward to seeing him play more venues around Birmingham soon.



Posted by Katie Gemmill in Kansas City, MO, USA @ 22:08 on Sep 6 2006

wow. great.



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