There are many ways to describe Logan Metz: talented at making music, possessing a captivating voice that manages to tell stories, and being a kindhearted, smart soul who is all too easy to chat with. Even though the old saying ‚Don’t meet your heroes‘ holds some truth, it certainly doesn’t apply to Logan, whose music chief editor Chiara-Marie Hauser has loved for many years. We had the chance to interview the American musician to discuss his inspiration, the way politics influences art, and why he wants to tour Europe.
CMH: Logan, tell me a bit about yourself, your music, and where your love for music stems from.
Logan Metz: Well, I had a classic Midwest upbringing–nothing too interesting there–but I’ve always been into music. My first CD was Elvis’s „Top 10 Hits,“ given to me by my grandma—Oma, as we called her. I’ve been into music pretty much forever. My older brother was a pretty accomplished piano player, so I spent a lot of time imitating what I heard from him. I also played trumpet in the school band and took a couple of piano lessons. I fell in love with making art from a very young age.
Looking at your website, one can see that you also collected some quite impressive experiences with teaching music. But what made you want to become a „professional“ musician?
Logan Metz: I’ve always been doing both; there wasn’t a moment when I chose one over the other. But the biggest crossroad was about six years ago when I was offered a scholarship. But at the same time, I got the gig with the band ‚Promise of the Real‘, which turned into my main gig for many years. So, that was the biggest ‚I have to choose‘ moment. Now, I am fully into music. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to teaching, but I kind of see them as the same thing. I think about books, languages, and music as one thing: The side where I participate in making art, but also the academic side of looking at the mechanics.
You mentioned Elvis as your first CD, but do you remember the first artist or band you looked up to?
Logan Metz: Musically, there was a pretty clean transition from Elvis to the Beatles, then to Bob Dylan. After that, I got into Woody Guthrie, followed by Tom Waits, who remains perhaps my all-time favourite. From there, I discovered Randy Newman. So, that’s essentially my musical journey. However, in terms of who I looked up to, it’s „Weird Al Yankovic“. He’s a parody artist, a complete novelty comedy artist. No one would typically answer this question with „Weird Al“, but truthfully, he was my earliest hero. He’s managed to remain funny and relevant throughout my entire life. If I had to identify one hero, it would be him. Surprisingly, he taught me more about songwriting than one would expect from a novelty act.
Looking at these heroes and the way they influenced you, I wanted to ask where you draw your inspiration for your songwriting. Do you have any special rituals you follow when producing music?
Logan Metz: Finding inspiration is tough; it’s hard to pinpoint its source. I’ve learned that you actually have to show up to work, rather than waiting to be inspired. I find inspiration in the mundane yet universal elements of life and human experiences. Tom Waits excels at this too; if you examine his songwriting and how he encapsulates ordinary things in his lyrics, it’s truly inspiring. His super-specific writing style motivates me. Additionally, musically, I often listen to artists and think, ‚I could write a song like that‘, which serves as a good starting point. However, when it comes to writing, I don’t adhere to specific rituals, but I do approach it structurally, like solving a puzzle. Unlike some artists who can effortlessly produce songs anytime, I don’t have a formula for writing, and I often envy those who do.
Sticking to the inspiration part, we live in very turbulent times at the moment; do you feel like politics influences your approach to making music?
Logan Metz: It’s a tricky question because there isn’t a direct counter-cultural musical movement anymore. While there are protest songs, they often feel disingenuous. However, this absence of direct influence pushes me to create in a broader, more existential sense. We don’t know how much time we have left, so my deep-down gut instinct is to create as much art as possible. Many artists are driven by this desire for immortality – the more we produce, the longer our work may endure. You know, sometimes I feel like it’s just fiddling while the ship sinks, but other times I feel like making art is transcendental and magical and the most important thing a person can do, both are true for me. Mostly I think making art is a deeply personal experience, and “a way to make your soul grow” as Kurt Vonnegut said.
To leave that gloomy atmosphere behind, I’d like to focus on future approaches for young people who want to become artists. Could you share some tips for young people who aspire to pursue a career in the music field? Should they even go into art?
Logan Metz: Definitely do it! However, I want to emphasize that over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the industry, and it’s not always glamorous. So, I’d highlight that even great success isn’t all roses, it can be a dirty business. Nonetheless, it’s primarily an endurance race. The longer you persist, the more likely you are to succeed. Take Willie Nelson, for instance, who didn’t achieve significant success until his 40s. Patience is key. Keep practising, consider getting a teacher, and safeguard your publishing rights. Stay humble and always continue to learn.
You told me about your desire to explore Europe, to tour countries over here. Which places would you like to visit and is Austria part of that list?
Logan Metz: I adore Europe. The UK holds a special place in my heart; Oxford feels like a second home to me. And then there’s Ireland – I have a friend named Jaz Delorean, an extraordinary piano player. We share a similar musical style, and I’m eager to join him on tour someday. But my longing to explore Central Europe is undeniable. Vienna, in particular, captivates me. It exudes a spirit that serves as a wellspring of human culture – a convergence of the extraordinary. It’s a place where history, art, and innovation intersect most profoundly.
We thank Logan for his time and can’t wait to welcome him to Austria for upcoming projects.
Check out Logan’s website to stay up to date with his projects.
Here you can listen to Chiara’s favourite song of his, „Surrender“.
