Interview

In a continuing series related to the JamsBio/Queensryche initiative, Honoring the American Soldier, I recently interviewed Florida-based musician, Cliff Knizley, about his new EP, Letters to Baghdad. Cliff recorded the album as a tribute to American troops serving overseas. The proceeds of all sales of the record go to Lest They Be Forgotten and Homes For Our Troops.

What inspired the making of Letters to Baghdad?

There was a general interest in the war effort and a deeply rooted respect and admiration for the all volunteer military. That respect had spiked after 9-11. In the summer of 2005 I came across the milblog “Boots In Baghdad.” The blog’s author, Mark Miner, was a great writer with very compelling personal stories about what he and his fellow soldiers were experiencing. I wrote the song “When I Get Home” after my first visit to the site. I contacted Mark through email and we struck up a friendship that continues to this day.

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What do you hope to accomplish with Letters to Baghdad? What do you want listeners to come away with?

I had two goals with Letters. The tangible goal was to sell as many copies as possible and donate the profits to a handful of military support charities. The intangible goal was to give something to soldiers like Mark that let them know that someone was there to tell their individual stories and to honor their service.

What has the response been to Letters to Baghdad? Have you heard from soldiers and their families?

The response has been remarkable. After I recorded the first song, I sent Mark an MP3. He posted it on his blog and within 24 hours I had emails from soldiers all over the world and family members of soldiers. The third track, “The Ones At Home,” was inspired by an email sent to me by a mother of a soldier deployed to Afghanistan. Another great result was a collaboration with the renowned freelance war reporter Michael Yon. Michael heard “When I Get Home” and created a video that paired the song with his photos from Iraq. You can see that video at my web site.

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What approach did you take in writing these songs? Did it differ from how you normally write?

I took the same writing approach I normally take. I have an overall concept, perhaps a title or character. I write a chorus and some verses and then a melody. After that I pick up the guitar and put the chord changes to what I have written, make a few edits and hopefully have a finished product that holds up over time.

Can you describe each of the four songs on the album, explaining what their about?

“When I Get Home” was inspired by Mark Miner’s writing at “Boots In Baghdad.” It describes his passion for the job he volunteered to do and for the country he loves waiting at home. “Passing Of A Legend” is a rock tune that was inspired by my friend Gregg Garvey. He lost his son, Justin, in 2003 and after hearing Gregg talk about him, I wanted to write something that put the lives of soldiers in perspective to other “heroes.”

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“The Ones At Home” is a tribute to the families of deployed soldiers and the sacrifices that they make as well. “The Great Unknown” is another tune inspired by Mark Miner’s writing. He describes the first experience with combat and how nothing prepares you for true life and death situations.

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Who played with you on this album and how did you get them involved with the project?

My friend Jeff Sims is a well respected veteran of the Gainesville music scene and a great guitarist and producer. I got him on board and he enlisted the services of Stan Lynch. Stan was the long time drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and a big player on the Nashville scene as a songwriter and producer. Stan is also a great guitarist and lends that talent in addition to his brilliant drumming. Ronny Cates, a former member of the Grammy-winning band Petra is a friend and an excellent bassist who contributed his talents to three of the tracks. I cover the vocals and all the acoustic guitars as well as the guitar synth parts.

Music has a long history with commenting on war, how is this project different?

I would say that this project is different because it is NOT a political statement or a naive expression of some Utopian world view. It’s a collection of songs for soldiers about their experiences. As the subtitle states, it’s a tribute.

What kind of role should music, and art in general, have in documenting war?

My philosophy is that the primary role of art and music is to entertain and to inspire. The subject of war is obviously not a lighthearted or “entertaining” one. Mark Miner’s documentary writing was an inspiration for me and I felt compelled to pay it tribute. I’ll leave it to others to decide their role in documenting war through art. I would just hope that people would avoid sanctimonious platitudes and bumper sticker slogans and dig a little deeper for their material.

Tell me about yourself. How and when did you get started in music.

Music has been a central element in my life for as long as I can remember. I recall seeing Jim Croce on TV when I was about 3 years old. I knew then that I would always be involved in music. I took classical piano lessons for several years. I always had a guitar and was writing songs at a very early age. After my junior year in college I decided to give up baseball, which was my other serious pursuit. I’ve played thousands of gigs in all types of venues in a variety of different bands, released 5 albums of my own original music. I plan to continue writing, playing and recording for as long as I am able.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

I’ve always been influenced by music and instruments in general. Some of my specific influences would be Van Morrison, John Coltrane, Michael Hedges, Zeppelin, Marley, Hendrix, Dylan, Ralph Towner, The Beatles and Jim Croce. My wife.

Can you tell me about some of your other projects?

I have 4 other albums of original material. All my music is centered around the acoustic guitar. Two albums, Passing and Still Morning are solo albums that include instrumental tunes and stripped down songs. Down This Road and Let It Go are full band albums with lots of overdubs and studio tricks. I have a new band now that features an alto sax player, a bassist who sings great harmonies, a percussionist and a drummer on full set. My next recording project is going to be very “live” sounding one with this band.

Anything else you want to add?

I hope that with all the changes we’ve witnessed in technology and digital media, that music fans will search around for more independent artists to support. We live in interesting times, where the playing field is leveled in one sense, but the opportunities for musicians are also limited by the sheer volume of songs, bands and artists that are out there in cyberspace.

Editor’s Note: Help honor the AMERICAN SOLDIER by sharing (1) stories of service and sacrifice, (2) song dedications to military personnel at home and abroad, and (3) your list of top-5 songs related to war and life on the frontlines.

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