HT Interview: Craig Myers – The Roots of Barika

SB: What have you learned as a front man with Barika from your experiences with Rubblebucket and Mike Gordon?

CM: I think that all three projects feed each other as far as gathering different things that work and things that don’t work in any given project. You spend that much time on the road with different musicians, even if you put it outside of the context of music, any group of people sharing a greater vision. There’s a lot of sacrifice that comes along with that, being on the road. I learned a lot about how to maintain a balance on the road, that’s the main one. From Rubblebucket I’ve learned a lot about diligence. The music is very specific and it’s very parts oriented. The leader of the band, Alex Toth, is very driven. I learned a lot of discipline and diligence through that project.

From the Mike experience, I’ve learned how to fearlessly jump off the cliff. [laughs] He’s very much about the possibilities of exploration and that’s such an amazing thing and it’s something that’s very different in a lot ways from Rubblebucket. It’s almost like a night and day experience, but they’re both very beneficial. Learning how to be very solid and focused but also learning how to be open to new possibilities at every moment and that’s something I get from a lot from the Mike Gordon band.

There’s also the power of enrollment. People want to have a good time, they want to feel good. People come to a show definitely to participate, but also to be enrolled in something good, some greatness. How to fearlessly just be open in that moment and to give to the people and to get beyond my own insecurities on stage. That’s something you learn through just simply playing all the time, time and time again. Getting out on the stage and putting yourself out there. It’s a practice. All the project feed each other for sure in really good ways.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]

SB: How is 2012 setting up for each of the bands?

CM: Mike’s got a couple of things in the works but his project is also most people’s second project, he has Phish in front of everything else. There’s a couple of things in the works with that. Rubblebucket is definitely planning on doing a full summer festival circuit and another national tour. Barika, we’re just going to continue with the expansion, definitely grow out to the Boston area, New York, Connecticut, Greater New England Area and just keep pushing forward doing good work. Doing all we can to keep on our vision and get people informed and involved.