We were lucky to catch up with Graham Low recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Graham, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I don’t think it’s possible to truly overcome imposter syndrome but looking at where you’ve been in contrast to where you are certainly puts it in perspective. In a musical context I’ve been able to look around at my contemporaries and realize I’m amongst them not below them. It’s not about technical skills it’s about perspective.
Playing larger shows at Summer Camp, A2SF and Frederik Meijer Gardens help bolster confidence but that all shatters when you play again to an empty room. Believing in the work you’re doing and not getting too down about lack of productivity through certain stretches eases the psychological impact of imposter syndrome but self doubt is definitely a part of the process that is as frustrating as it is motivating.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My main focus is Pajamas. Pajamas is a rock quartet that I’ve been involved in managing with my friend Nick Orr for almost 10 years. We are very improvisational and focused on constantly improving our ability to communicate musically and delve as deep as possible in any musical direction that sprouts from the ether. We put conscious time during rehearsals toward this goal. We’re not just drilling songs and writing we are actively passing the leader torch around and attempting to smoothly navigate melodic themes and modulations in a musical way that doesn’t sound like an exercise.
Focusing on the musical side is always the goal but developing the business machine is always on my mind as well. We put a lot of effort into production (lights, sound, video, photography, advertising, socials etc..). That’s never been the fun part for me but a lot of musicians or bands stall out at around the place we are and we’re doing everything we can to jump over this hurdle to new heights.
We are thrilled to be finally releasing our second album. It’s titled ‘Featherbed’ and contains our most complex and satisfying musical output to date. The part I’m most proud of is that it sounds like us. Although Nick Orr and I wrote the songs individually and brought them to the band there is a collective sound that wasn’t necessarily audible on our previous recordings. We’re celebrating the release on August 11th at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor Michigan. The Blind Pig is our home base and we’re happy to partner with them once again for a great evening. ‘Featherbed’ is currently in production for vinyl pressing so we will have a beautiful vinyl available for fans very soon featuring art from one of our friends Jim Roll who is an Ypsilanti based experimental photographer.
On the horizon we’re planning some more expansive touring including a tour focused on great Michigan Breweries in 2024. We’re currently sitting on some fantastic new material for our next release and we’ll be releasing another live album on all the streaming platforms as well. Our first live album ‘Live at the Livery’ was so well received and we want to provide more of that content for people to enjoy on Spotify, Apple Music etc..
We take music very seriously and some heavier themes have saturated their way into this new album. That’s why I love the name ‘Pajamas’. It’s a constant reminder to never take anything too seriously including myself. Working hard is great but if I’m not enjoying the process why should anyone else?
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Patience – this is always the place to start for me. Whether it’s tempering expectations for growth, sticking to a plan/routine or musical patience in the context of improvisation or a set. General stickwithitness is what makes or breaks bands and patience is the only way to keep the train on the tracks. Letting things happen and realizing that putting your energy into what you CAN change is very important.
Financial Literacy – This is something that seems obvious but musicians are often lacking these skills. Every school should teach the basics including taxes, LLCs, negotiation and valuation. Music is seen as a for fun, fake profession or hobby and people are taken advantage of constantly. Learning to say no is huge and attempting to navigate the convoluted financial systems in your state and country can help you on the path.
Community – utilizing the tools around is paramount. You’re not in competition with other bands. A thriving scene is great for everyone. I’m working on my communication to make this better because I’ve taken the hard way many times and looked back and wondered why I didn’t just reach out and save myself many mistakes. There are experienced, knowledgeable people all around you in every field so it’s always better to learn. You need to follow your own path but let people shed some light on it for you.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents have been wildly supportive of my music. The got me in private lessons when I was 7 but even then let me pick the instrument as opposed to demanding piano or something traditional for children to learn. Having a support system like that is invaluable. When I was younger and angsty I was almost embarrassed to have them at shows and now, having shed some of those insecurities, it’s everything to me. My grandma and my folks came out to a show recently and were in this basement bar until after midnight hanging out. That’s a pretty unprecedented level of support that’s not lost on me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pajamasmakesmusic.com/
- Instagram: @pajamasmakesmusic
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Pajamasmakesmusic
- Youtube: @Pajamasmakesmusic
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ljIS8U4VRXm8m48oJhp3g?si=rfZIZqw3Q8i6QohM5Dk8qg
Image Credits
Photos by Victoria Reackhof @vhr.photo
