Getting to Know . . . ARI HEST
 by Kathy S-B  ·  16 December 2007

Ari Hest is a name I started hearing earlier this year and he’s someone I suspect that you’ll all be hearing much more of in the future. He’s quite the road warrior of late so there’s a good chance that you’ll see him in your town soon!

To get a taste of what Ari’s like in concert, check out this amazing cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” or his own song, “So Slow,” from his latest recording.

Check out all things Ari at his website or his MySpace page.

Your new CD, “The Break-In” was produced by Mitchell Froom, who is best known for his production work with the likes of Crowded House, Suzanne Vega, Richard Thompson, and even Paul McCartney. Was that an intimidating experience for you?

Yes, at first it was intimidating. I hadn’t worked with a producer that accomplished. After a couple of meetings I got comfortable around him and the way he works in the studio. I started to forget about who I was working with and just play, and I think, especially vocally speaking, what we got on tape was the best I’ve sounded on a recording.

Did you go into the new recording session with a definite idea of what you wanted to achieve or did Mitchell help you form the project?

Mitchell and I worked together to figure out how to approach the album. I came with at least 20 songs and we had to narrow that down, and then I deferred to him a lot for accompaniment ideas. We rarely were at odds about what to do with a song.

In addition to your formally produced CDs, you have recorded a couple of Do-It-Yourself projects. Is that a satisfying experience? Do you end up taking some of those tunes and reworking them and molding them into something different as time goes along?

I’ve done quite a bit of home recording in the last two years andI find it a big challenge. I don’t work with an engineer when I record, so producing, engineering and then performing a part takes a lot of energy and determination, especially for someone who used to use computers for email and web surfing exclusively only two years ago. Occasionally I do an alternate version of a home recorded song in a bigger studio with an engineer, but I can’t say that the new recording was any better or worse. Just different.

Do you have a special process for songwriting? Or does inspiration hit and you are able to go with the flow? Can you write “on the road?”

I don’t have a special process, but I have recognized that I am more musically creative when I am away from my instrument, just imagining what to do, and then coming back to the instrument later on to bring my ideas to life. Sitting around and strumming all day to write a song doesn’t really work for me. It seems to limit the scope of what I can create.

Your lyrics are quite introspective and your fans apparently have been appreciative of your musical guidance about love and relationships. It must be an unusual experience to have discussions with strangers about the intimate details of their love lives and to somehow feel a part of what has helped them to cope.

The funny thing is I keep my distance from people more off the stage than I do on it. My songs are very real to me, almost too much so to talk about them. I haven’t written anything fictional that I am proud of. Everything I’ve put on a record, maybe with the exception of the first few songs I recorded 10 years ago, is based on facts about myself, the people around me, and what I gather about people I don’t know personally.

What’s life like on the road in the Ari O’ Speedwagon? What’s it like driving from town to town, never knowing who will or won’t be there when you arrive? Is it a lifestyle you’d recommend?

Touring is great in moderation for me. I still love to travel and see new faces in each town, whether it’s in the U.S. or elsewhere. There’s a lot of responsibility involved when you’re at the level I am at. Aside from the show itself, there’s tons of things to do each day and night to prepare for the day ahead of you. It can be exhausting at times but generally speaking it’s a lot of fun and I’m privileged to be doing it.