Meet Colin Agnew | Musician & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Colin Agnew and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Colin, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
This question seemed at first glance like it would be a breeze to tackle, but when I ponder it I feel like I keep peeling back the layers of an onion hoping to find a good answer. Honestly, the best answer to this might be that I don’t ever truly know whether to give up or to keep going. Often the only thing I can do is to simply trust the path I’ve set before myself, and to let go of any expectation that I can predict what the future holds for me. The business of music feels even more unpredictable than the concept of music itself. There are these constant uncertainties: Will I have a job next week? Next month? Will that person call me again? Will this project reach the right audience? Will audiences still be here for my next project? Does anyone really care about what I’m doing? Is this all just for my own satisfaction? And the response to all of these will forever be a resounding “I have no idea!” The only thing I really know is myself. And if I know myself and I believe that what I’m doing is true to who I am, then giving up becomes a useless consideration. Sure, I could give up and I could change course to web coding or installing electrical systems or fixing old bicycles or landscaping parks, but are those things in line with who I am? Again, I have no idea, but I know that creating music is, so I keep going. From a broad perspective this path is rarely easy, or obvious, but from any vantage it is still true to my principles. It still is the purest fuel for my particular soul engine, and keeps me moving in the direction I want to go. There have been countless moments in the last year that I’ve questioned whether or not this career path makes any logical sense, whether or not it will ever be sustainable to the degree I want, and whether or not I’m just caught in an ego loop that convinces me it’s as important as I say it is. To keep sane I spend a lot of time reflecting, intentionally taking myself out of the river of my own thoughts, and observing what my life is doing. Essentially telling my ego to take a hike and attempting to “understand” what it is that’s happening without the stories I’ve told myself for years and the patterns that have created this person. When indeed I manage to glimpse some level of transcognitive insight the question of whether to give up or press on becomes moot, because I’ve already let it all go. I’ve let go of the question and therefor I’ve let go of needing the answer. What is important is to find peace with the unpredictability of everything we do and hope for, and to strive to know yourself completely free of ego. Do I believe that I’m living a life that is true to me? The answer to that is the only one that matters.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been a professional musician for 16 years. Before our society was shut down I toured almost constantly while filling the rest of my time with recording sessions and local gigs. For the last several years I’ve also been producing artists of all kinds, and I used the lockdown as an opportunity to really dig into that aspect of my career. Nothing has ever been easy about being a freelance, self-employed, independent artist. To understand what those challenges feel like and how one tries to overcome them, try walking into oncoming traffic of I-75 and attempt to avoid getting hit while also jumping from one car hood to the next. You’ll get the idea. But seriously, I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I am able to experience all kinds of people in environments that most folks would never find themselves by happenstance. Through these experiences I’ve learned a lot about grace, patience, focus, and gratitude. There is a wealth of personal edification that comes along with learning how to adapt with people under the various umbrellas of musical intentions and performance scenarios. Socially, all these encounters wind up being unique, and to succeed at being able to collectively express our human experience through all kinds of music one must accept that uniqueness with immense humility and a strong sense of character. One must carefully balance those things in order to respect everyone involved, and ultimately everything you then create will be out of respect for the audience who receives it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Speaking from experience, I love hosting people in our fair city. I love cooking for people, so the majority of our food intake would be from my own kitchen, groceries courtesy of the Dekalb Farmers Market and some local community farms. Certainly it would be worth taking them on some drives to get a sense of the expansiveness of Atlanta, and I’d give them a history lesson on all the neighborhoods and how they’ve changed over time, especially since 1996. I feel like our parks and cemeteries are some of the best in the country, so there would, of course, be plenty of outside time to enjoy this city in the trees. Perhaps a rogue trip up to the top of the Westin Hotel downtown to get the best 360 view of the area. Our city is full of such a variety of people and stories that it makes the most sense to just drive around with the windows down to take in the sights and sounds of the locals. Being cooped up inside is not really my speed, so I would avoid most restaurants, although you could throw a rock just about anywhere and find a world-class culinary establishment. A personal crown jewel of the city is the view of downtown and Grant Park from the top of Climax Street.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate this to a friend I made while traveling in Colorado last year, Paul. A true one-of-a-kind human, he was a transplant from the Netherlands by way of Asia where he lived as a monk for many years. He’s spent most of his life practicing Buddhism, writing books of philosophy, creating fantastic art, building incredible eco-friendly homes and temples, establishing end of life ceremonial sites, and being an all-around badass. It’s rare that you meet someone who lives every moment so in line with everything they say and do, and is so authentically individual that it still seems impressive when they do the most menial tasks. Paul was simply my Air BNB host for a few days in the middle of the San Luis Valley where I stayed on my birthday, but we never ran out of things to talk about, and I’m so grateful that I met him. A true autodidact, gracious humanist, and fearless individual.

Website: www.colinagnew.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colinagnew/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mr.colin.agnew/

Image Credits
Brock Scott Brian Hansen Stephanie Heath Andrew Blooms