An Inspired Chat with Kyle Mayfield

We recently had the chance to connect with Kyle Mayfield and have shared our conversation below.

Kyle , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I usually start my day with some fruit for breakfast, take my morning meds and feed the cats. Some days I have physical therapy, so I would shower and head there on those days. Next my wife and I would have lunch and watch some tv/movie/youtube channels. I will do homework if I have some while my wife does one of her million creative talents. As it gets closer to the evening we will make dinner and afterwards I may also do someting creative. Working on music, making a playlist, or making mixed VHS tapes. Night time we throw on a movie, take the night meds and drift off to the land of nod.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Do you love music?Because I LOVE music. It resonates deep within my soul to places I haven’t even began to discover. Do you ever feel like that? Like there is a part of you that is ancient and it stirs to overwhelming capacities when music is played? Not all music, but when it hits it is not playin with you. That is me in a nutshell. I love to support experimental artists that are pushing boundaries and share the same fire for sounds that I do. You can check out these artists on Outpost 31 Studios bandcamp page. Outpost 31 Studios is the independent music collective I run that showcases experimental artists. I am in several bands and projects myself including Larry Chin, Fright Night Club, Dr. West and The Thing, The Uglysuit, Willow Way, and Astral Traveling Crickets Band. Different Genres, different styles. Come on by and hang sometime.
It’s a pleasure to meet you.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I really like this question because I have always been me. I don’t give two flyin farts what the world thinks about me. The world wanted me to be many things. I grew up in Oklahoma so the first thing the world told me to be was obedient. Don’t be yourself because you are ot good enough to be yourself. I have always had a natural resistance to authority so when someone tries to tell me who to be I will do what I am doing harder. You want me to stop talking? I’m talkin louder. The world also wanted me to get in line with politics and religion. Fear mongering and shame promoting just to get someone to do what they want? HA! Not this guy.
The world is always and has always told us what to think, how to feel, who to vote for, what god to worship blah blah blah so on and so forth.
I believe in myself and I trust my instincts. I find it important to invest in yourself with true confidence, not arrogance. To be humble and confident. You gotta love yourself and show yourself respect.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
That is a constant battle with my disease EDS. It attacks your cartilage among other tings and it has led me to several surgeries including a lot of them since 2020. There are days where the pain takes over, or guides me to rest more. It can interfere with simple daily activities so when it comes to playing music I simply can’t do it.
It can’t have every day though. That is one of favorite phrases. It returns the power back to me.

I will say though, the biggest time I felt like giving up, and did, was earlier this year. I won’t go into details, but a young family member was lost suddenly and another family member was almost lost as well. It devastated me. It was months before I could even think about opening a music program. I am still recovering and expect to maybe forever.

Even now, writing this, it is hard to get through. reclusion is an old friend that visits during these times. Every day is step towards healing and understanding. Every day is another opportunity to enjoy life and make music, in whatever way possible.

It can’t have every day.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. More than anything I am sometimes more quiet in public, but I am always vocal about how I feel and my beliefs.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Stressin so damn much. It is such a hard balance to find between working hard and stressin too much. Society seems to have been built to compound stress onto every individual that exists. I have been working on that the past few years.
My goal is to replace stressin with good times. To have the best discernment when it comes to what I need to worry about and what I don’t. If we can all do that I know we would all live longer happier lives.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Kyle Mayfield
Candi Mayfield

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