I've read about the role music played in your household growing up, at what age did you write your first song? Was your family the sole influence?
I think this is probably strange for most songwriters, but I didn't start writing songs until I was grown and had been playing music for much of my life. I wrote my first song when I was in graduate school. I guess I never really felt compelled to write songs until I thought I had been through some experiences that I couldn't find another way to process. If was a good way to do it for me, though. I spent years just immersing myself in other peoples' work; just being a student and learning from those who went before me.
Was folk music something you grew up with, or just your particular favorite genre? What other folk artists, if any, have influenced your music?
Folk music was what I spent most of my time with as a child. It wasn't really my choice, it's just what my mother raised me on. John Denver, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, etc... Years later I branched out and saw the beauty in a lot of rock and classic pop music, but I don't think those songs you grow up with ever really leave you. Besides the aforementioned, I'd say Nick Drake and David Wilcox have been huge inspirations. But really, anything that passes our ears leaves little traces.
What is the song writing process like for you? Did that process change from album to album, or have you always had one way of going about it?
I almost exclusively write at home, usually outside and usually very early in the morning, before the sun comes up and before your mind is muddied with distractions and mental anchors. It's been a relatively similar process, but from record to record I'll always throw in something divergent. Writing a song in the studio in an hour, writing on a new instrument, etc... Creativity is a fickle bird and you have to chase it and respect it.
What is a typical day like for you?
It's looks extremely different if I'm on tour or if I'm home. It's tempting to buck a routine when you're off tour because traveling can be so regimented and a great deal of choices are beyond your control. I usually give myself a bit of time to leave consciousness when I'm back home; I think it's healthy to indulge that, at least a little. But after a short time I get into a routine of working around the house, practicing, writing, researching, and reading.
Having a psychology background myself, I'm extremely interested in how psychology and your music are connected. Did you ever imagine how therapeutic your music would or could be for others, or at the time was it more of a personal thing for you?
It was entirely personal at the beginning and when I wrote those first songs I didn't really have any idea anyone else would ever hear them. Maybe if I thought they would have I wouldn't have made them so damn personal! But it's precisely the connection I observed others' having with the songs that let me believe making music was the right thing for me to pursue. It was difficult to leave therapy behind, but when I saw that the songs were doing a similar manner of work it seemed like I wasn't really leaving it behind, just going about it in a different way.
I read an interview with you once where you said "when music is digested correctly, it's beautiful. You just have to be careful you're not using it by itself" talking about using music in certain situations to get by. What is one artist or band you can remember listening to in a certain situation you were going through where you "digested the music correctly" and it was helpful to you?
David Wilcox has been a go-to for me for many, many years. I really was too young to understand a lot of the things he was singing about when I first got into his records, but there were always pieces in there which meant a lot to me and helped me understand things I was going through in a way that nothing else at the time did. Music is powerful like that; it can hit you harder than just about anything else sometimes.
Is it ever hard to perform such personal songs live for your fans? Is there one song you enjoy most performing live?
Yeah, it's not the easiest music to play night after night. Sometimes, if I let myself get too deep into it, it's a bit hard to come back from quickly. I had to make some hard boundaries that from the time I step on the stage to the moment I step on it I'm allowed to get into those old thoughts and ideas. But once I walk off, I have to leave that stuff behind. I don't know if it's the healthiest way to go about it, but it's the best way I've found to remain honest with the songs but not live in the past.
From the first time I ever heard your song Passion Play I've always wanted to know what that song was to you. What inspired it? (if that's too personal I totally understand, it's just a very meaningful song to me)
To me it's a song about wanting to cut out the dark part of myself. Not knowing how to walk around every day knowing I have the capacity for some very evil shit. But that's just what it means to me and honestly meaning in a song isn't owned by the writer. That's a mistake a lot of us can make. The substance we bring to a song as a listener is just as relevant as what the author brings. That's what makes music such a unique and potent medium.
What role do cover songs play for you? Your cover of the song "Heartless" is hands down my favorite cover, ever.
Thanks very much. Really, it's nothing all that complicated. Sometimes a song just strikes you out of the blue, or you hear some quality of it that you'd like to draw out further. A lot of times it's finding a song which has some message which is layered down and I give a hand at bringing it out in my own way.
The first time I saw you perform was at the Southgate House in Kentucky. You played upstairs with Rosi Golan and it was a very intimate setting. Do you have a favorite venue you've ever played? Or a perferred type of venue that is conducive to your style that you keep in mind when booking tour dates/destinations?
Intimacy is a high priority with the type of music I make and the type of shows I want to perform. The ideal is being in a place where there is the fewest number of obstacles between the audience and the players. It's about creating a milieu where each person feels as connected with the music and with the performers as is possible. I don't have one specific favorite place to play, there's too many great ones. But the style I generally like best is a theatre or old cathedral. Some place where you can actually feel a sense of reverence when you enter.
Speaking of Rosi Golan, what other singer/songwriters have you collaborated with? And how do you go about the collaborating process, do you have a certain sound in mind? Or do you have a certain artist in mind first?
I've been very lucky to get to play with quite a few wonderful folks. Julia Stone, Brooke Fraser, Leigh Nash, Ingrid Michaelson, Priscilla Ahn. Come to think of it, it seems I've got quite a penchant for female vocalists. A good collaboration is really about two things: 1) finding the right voice for the song and 2) singing with someone who is absolutely passionate about what they do. All those above ladies are beyond brilliant at what they do.
What records have you recently been listening to?
I've been pretty deep into The National the last several months. Particularly "Boxer" and "High Violet." Rosie Thomas has a new record coming out next month and the first song from it is just beautiful. I can almost guarantee that won't be leaving my cd player any time soon.
Do you have any advice for someone going into the music business?
Be committed to only making decisions that you really believe in. You'll be faced with a lot of bullshit in this field. Art is a beautiful thing. But business is not. And unfortunately both of those things are involved. There's a lot of goodness and a lot of really amazing people. But you have to look to find them. Find people who actually care about you and stick with them.
For my last question, I have to ask about your beard! Do you have any awesome beard stories? Best/worst thing about having a beard?
Haha, honestly it's not something I really think about. It's a bit like wearing a watch, you don't really notice it moment to moment. It's just a family thing that the Fitzsimmons men all adhere to. And I'm either too committed or too lazy to change it.
Interviewing William Fitzsimmons was such an exhilarating experience for me. I have been a fan of his music for quite sometime, and that was my first interview of sorts. I really appreciated that he took the time out of his tour to talk with me, and I had a blast learning more about him and his career. I hope you guys go take a listen!
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