Interview: Denver Based Artist/Producer Arson Wayne Discusses His New Album "Vain Endeavors"

Arson Wayne is a talented Denver based songwriter-singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who just released his first full length album “Vain Endeavors”. We connected with Arson for an exclusive interview to discuss this new project, specifically, his creative process for its development, what he felt was the hardest part about his work on it, and much more.

After reading our interview with Arson, be sure to connect with him on Instagram, listen to the “Vain Endeavors” album, and be on the lookout for its in-depth review on tomorrow.

From when you started with piano lessons as a youth to where you are now, what have you learned about yourself as an artist throughout the years?

I’m always learning new things about myself on my journey as an artist. First, I've always had a love for listening. Early in life, I learned my love for playing, and not long after I learned I have a passion for writing songs. Then I discovered my love for preforming in front of an audience. Most recently I learned my love for producing and perfecting songs in the studio.

Congratulations on the completion and release of your album "Vain Endeavors". What would you say was the hardest part about your work on this project?

Thank you. The hardest part was actually getting started. I knew I wanted to make music, and I couldn’t depend on other people to make that happen. I had to buckle down.

It at first felt strange just walking into a recording studio to make an album, as someone who is not much of a techie, and has never really recorded music in a professional setting. But with the help of my sound engineer, I grew really comfortable in the studio and with each session grew more and more confident in my ability to create a record.

I didn’t want to look back and say “oh I wrote so many songs I should of released them” or “I used to be a decent singer, blah blah.” The hardest part of anything is getting the strength to get up and actually pursue it, and keep at it on a daily basis. At least for me. And once that first step is made, it’s easier to go all in.

Tell us about your creative process for the album's development. How long did it take to complete and were there songs that you recorded that didn't make the final cut?

The album is a collection of songs I wrote throughout the years. Most of them recent, but some of them are old ones that I decided to use because I thought they fit the theme of the album or because I liked the dynamic they added or things like that.

I started recording in April 2019 and finished mastering in December 2019. I took a bit longer because I couldn’t go to the studio as often as I wanted to. There were a couple songs that were started that did not make the final cut, but they were not finished. Some of the songs that made the album were changed a lot, and ended up a lot different then how they were started.

What does the album's title "Van Endeavors" mean and what does the cover graphic represent?

I like Philosophy; it’s one of the subjects I studied in college. I wanted to make an album with a philosophical theme. Nihilism is the school of thought I chose for this project. So most of the songs on “Vain Endeavors” are about everyday events, experiences, ideas and thoughts written through a Nihilistic lens.

The cover graphic is something I drew with colored pencils and charcoal that I thought fit the theme of the album.

What can you tell us about your upcoming music video and your second album in development?

I started working on “Vain Endeavors” somewhat spontaneously. Coming in with no studio production experience, it was a learning process. I got a little experimental, but for the most part I kept the much of the album pretty simple compositionally.

Now that I’ve got a little experience under my belt, a better understanding of the equipment, and more confidence in my abilities, I’m really gonna try to up my game for this next one. I’m going to get more complex, try to get more creative, and get more experimental with new sounds. The production of the video is currently on pause with the current situation but hopefully will continue within a few weeks.

Connect with Arson Wayne: Instagram