Gary Clark Jr. Soars During His Main Stage Coachella 2016 Performance

Gary Clark Jr. Soars During His Main Stage Coachella 2016 Performance
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Photo By: Akash Das

Gary Clark Jr's powerhouse main stage performance at Coachella 2016 blew the audience away. Gary is creative yet grounded with an innate belief to push his creativity to the ultimate limit. I caught up with the Native Texan artist, after his set and he is as real and soulful as he seems. In the words of GCJ, " You're here for a certain amount of time and if you have a gift or an avenue, I feel like its part of your duty as a servant to explore it all".

M: Your set today was really, really good. It was lit, you seemed so comfortable as though the guitar is your baby.

GCJ: I was ready to come back. We did this festival a few years ago. It's the big stage and the excitement of it. My boys we've been out on the road for a while so we are already warmed up. We were ready to get out there and do it. There's no nerves or nothing, it's go time.

M: What within 2016 post Coachella do you have your eyes set on to achieve?

GCJ: Yea, I'm trying to get on SNL. I want to do that. I'm good though. I am very blessed. I take everything in stride. I'm grateful for every moment. I don't expect anything you know. And, I try to not want for whats not mine and just be in it and appreciate what I got. I just keep it moving and pushing and working harder. Thats kind of worked for me since I've been 12. I never thought that I would have these experiences that I've had in the past few years so-- I try not to jinx it by not talking about it. I just keep moving.

M: There is a fine line of staying present in the moment but yet stretching yourself. How are you finding that balance?

GCJ: There is no balance, the scale is tipped and it's go time.

M: I've never heard anyone say there is no balance, I love that honesty.

GCJ: Well right now where I am. It's like I am given an opportunity to make the most of it and I feel like I would be letting my folks down. I feel like, I would be letting the one upstairs --who gave me this gift down, if I didn't push it you know what I mean and just go for it. And just give it 110%.

M: You said the key word, push it! I hear that word in my head all the time.

GCJ: Yeah you gotta go and sometimes you might feel like you get the wind knocked out of you.

M: How do you bounce back from those moments? How do you advice others to bounce back from those moments?

GCJ: Well, just know that the next day is --you know depending on your attitude is a day to make a change. If you are willing to look in the mirror and figure out what are my strengths and what are my weakness. What's the best direction for me to go, not just for me but for the people that support me and like the movement. What do you stand for? Who has really held you down who do you want to make proud at the end of the day. Thats the push you know outside of my own setbacks or feeling like its not going the way it "should" or whatever. It shouldn't be a certain way. It is what it is right now and you can own it and move it the way you want or you can like crumble underneath.

M: I like that " It shouldn't be a certain way right now" I'm going to quote you on that when I am beating myself up.

GCJ: Thats real, lets be real!

M: That's mad real, I love that! It shouldn't be a certain way, you just got to role with it but still give it your all. That's the gear change.

GCJ: Yea, Yea--you just got to push it.

M: Who are some artists that are currently listening to?

GCJ: I've been loving Anderson. Paak.

M: Have you run into him here, or met him yet?

GCJ: I haven't run into him. I have not met him officially but I threw him up a shout out on social media and he hit me back. So there is that respect there. I mean this dude is so creative he's a musician, he plays drums. He's in from of the band he sings-- spits bars.

M: I love when artist for lack of a better word geek out over each other. I love that. There is like a genuine respect.

GCJ: You know along those line there's Leon Bridges. I've been checking him out. It's good to see him, like he's kicking that old school thing you know what I mean. I love Oddisee producer MC in the east coast. Im like a huge fan BIG K.R.I.T as well. Alabama shakes that's what I listen to. That's whats going on in my house.

M: Now we know what's going on in Gary Clark Jr's house.

GCJ: Of course the classic vibes Nina Simone is in heavy rotation. Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley.

M: Do you ever sit back and feel wow with your own music?

GCJ: You know its funny, I do have moments when I'm playing and when it comes to pushing it seeing where else it can go. I do have moments where I feel like, its beyond me and like I'm channelling this thing and sometimes I'll have chills you know when the band is rocking it and Im feeling this thing. I'm like oh this is way beyond me and whoever the hell I think I am--you know I mean.

M: I ran across this quote recently by Ray Charles who said, " I never wanted to be famous, I only wanted to be great". I was like YES, thats it! That is what its all about for me and I love connecting with people who also feel like this is beyond me, which is how I feel with about my work as well. Sharing your story is not about me but about what drives you and I get to share that.

GCJ: Thats deep, just wanting to be great. You're here for a certain amount of time and if you have a gift or an avenue, I feel like its part of your duty as a servant to explore it all. Push yourself to the limits. I would love being a guitar player but I want to know about music. I want to know about classical music, I want to know about folk, gospel whats the attitude whats the drive behind that. How does that manifest into this energy that is what we hear and what we see. Everyone's has their story of what drives them and I'm curious as well.

It was a pure pleasure chatting with Gary Clark Jr at the 2016 Coachella Music Festival. I have a feeling there will be more to come! Stay tuned.

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Photo By: Akash Das

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