Artist Feature / Alt Rock : Rooftop Screamers’ 'My Sanity’

Rooftop Screamers is a musical collaborative banner founded by Portland-based Michael Collins. With this project, the musician and songwriter has created a platform that unites artists to create together, share ideas, and liberate music as we know it. This means, stylistic fluidity, genre-bending, and musical novelty like never before. His latest collaboration is ‘My Sanity’ with singer-songwriter Randy McStine. 

An alt folk, indie rock, dream pop confluence that is so rewarding. The soundscape is luminous, colorful and spilling with sentiments. The instrumentals are layered in ways that showcase the theme's new perspectives. You’ll see mirages of The Beatles, The Bangles, The Smiths, and The Strokes, all banding into a fresh interpretation.

Michael Collins sits down with Apollo Harp’s team for an interview where he speaks about his provenance, his stylistic destiny, and the essence of his art form. Read on!

1. Congratulations on your latest single, ‘My Sanity’. What inspired the creation of the track?
   
   The song is about gaslighting and breaking free from a toxic relationship. I have experienced gaslighting on a personal level and have also witnessed gaslighting in society amongst our elected officials and the media. I wanted the song to be an introspective exploration of reclaiming self-worth, leaving behind manipulation, and no longer being under the spell of someone who once held control.

2. What are some of the main sonic themes that you explored with featuring artist Randy McStine and how did it change the creative trajectory of the song? Were there some values that you picked up from him?
   
   Most of the sonic themes are courtesy of producer Mark Plati. Mark did and amazing job (as usual) of taking the template of my demo and bringing the final product to life. With Randy McStine, I knew that he could deliver a world class vocal performance. I first discovered him when I saw him play with one of my favorite bands- Porcupine Tree. After witnessing his incredible guitar playing and his stunning vocals, I did a deep dive into his solo work and was blown away! He has the kind of voice I wish I had. It is full of emotion, range and depth. He sang on my previous single-Souvenirs and did a tremendous job bringing my lyrics and the emotion of the song front and center. When working on My Sanity, I decided to reach out to Randy once again as I knew his voice would be perfect for the song. It's not unlike some of his own work that takes some unpredictable turns and is filled with raw emotion. The values I take away from him are more of a feeling of complete honor to work with him and a knowing that he gets my music and can bring the idea to life beyond my expectations. He brings an edge and an added measure of awe to my songs.

3. The track has elements of folk mixed in with more modern sonic design. We see a range of indie rock variations from retro to new age. How did this help bring the theme to life and what do you want the listener to take away from it?
   
   The genres you mention are a good assessment of the range of styles in my songwriting. As far as bringing the theme to life, I suppose the more modern elements like the synthesizers and the sleek production make it more accessible for the contemporary crowd. I envisioned a sort of futuristic vibe for the song which I think suits Randy's vocal delivery and Mark's production. The sense of urgency and the energy of the track lends itself to getting the point across with regards to the message of the song.

4. What are the three words you would use to describe your style?
   
   Classic, melodic, substantive

5. Who are some of the artists that influenced your style as a musician? You’re big on collaborative efforts, that’s the focal point of Rooftop Screamers. What inspired you to found this project and what do you want to achieve with it?
   
   As far as influences go, the biggest ones are: David Bowie, The Beatles, The Kinks and the British invasion in general, ELO, Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree, Crowded House and singer/songwriters like Elton John, Butch Walker, etc. The inspiration for Rooftop Screamers was born out of a desire to collaborate with some of my favorite local as well as internationally known musicians, singers and producers. I don't really write in just one style, so by inviting artists from different genres and backgrounds, I think it keep s the music fresh, exciting and multi dimensional. I think there's something for everyone. From Power Pop, to prog, to Adult contemporary.

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The track is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music! 

You can listen to ‘My Sanity’ by Rooftop Screamers here -