Interview — Macrophobia

Skratch Magazine

Macrophobia isn’t the first singer-songwriter act out of San Diego California where the sunshine and sea shore breeds the eclectic girls-with-guitars-genre, but she will be the one you remember. Megan Jahn (guitar,/piano/vocals) doesn’t put a label on the music she plays “ I just play what I feel,” Jahn tells Skratch Magazine. “It usually comes out Indie, but I do like to mix it up sometimes and make some acoustic guitar rap songs and other random music.” Find out what else she had to say to us here at Skratch.

Skratch: Describe your sound:

MJ: It’s a bit different from other bands. It’s all acoustic.

Skratch: How did you become interested in music?

MJ: I’ve always been interested in music. Even when I was a little girl, I was jumping around on the couch with a blow up guitar rocking out to bands like No Doubt and Nsync. I was always playing around with instruments when I was a child. I would just sit and play around with a guitar or piano or just rock out on the drums. What really got me into music though is my step brother Zachary Faust. I always looked up to him and when I was 13 he got a guitar and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. So eventually I got into it and got my own guitar and started playing. Then one day I decided to write my own music. Bands like Bright Eyes and people like Josiah Leming have really inspired me to start writing though.

Skratch: What is your song writing process like?

MJ: I always start with an emotion or an experience. Then I just go with it, pouring my heart and soul it.

Skratch: What artists or musicians inspire you?

MJ: Bright Eyes and Josiah Leming definitely inspire me. Their music and lyrics are just so brilliant and insightful. I can only hope to write a song that’s half as good as one of theirs one day.

Skratch: Where do you take musical inspiration from?

MJ: Your environment? People? Explain. My musical inspiration comes from just an emotion or my experiences. I put it all out there. Every song I’ve written can be traced back to a person, experience, or event in my life.

Skratch: What is your musical background?

MJ: Well I’ve never had any musical lessons. Everything I know I’ve taught myself. Guitar, piano, singing. I’m guessing that being around all of those musical instruments and messing around with them when I was a child really helped my musical development.

Skratch: Tell us about how you got started as a band.

MJ: I played guitar for a couple years before I decided to try singing and playing music. The first song I ever learned to play and sing on guitar is First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes. From there I decided to maybe try writing a song and my friend Fernando Balo heard it and said “Wow . . . you’re really good.” I just kind of laughed it off and thought nah, he’s just trying to be nice. Then another friend of mine Tealla Pierce told me the same thing and was adamant about me continuing to write and getting involved in a school function called Coffee House at my high school Point Loma High School and play. I tried out, made it, and my response form the audience was great. I fell in love with writing music and performing on stage so I decided that this is what I want to do with my life.

Skratch: What is the most rewarding part of playing in a band?

MJ: I aspire to inspire. The response I get from the people who listen to my music is absolutely amazing, but what’s even more rewarding is inspiring people. Someone actually told me that I inspired them to start writing music and I was so deeply touched and knowing that I inspired someone to chase their dream and do what they love is the most rewarding thing of all.

Skratch: What challenges have you faced as musicians?

MJ: Getting your name out there is probably the most challenging thing a musician can face.

Skratch: What would you say is your best song to date? Why?

MJ: Well everyone’s favorite song is Ordinary Day, but in MY opinion, my best song to date is one that has not been recorded and released yet. I think my best song is “I Guess That’s What I Get For Wishful Thinking” It perfectly portrays my feelings for a specific person, my first love, who has broken my heart over and over again. He’s the inspiration for all of my angst.

Skratch: Do you remember the first album you ever bought?

MJ: What was it? Billy Talent. Another amazing band. Their music is like the album to my life.

Skratch: Where do you see your band in five years?

MJ: Well, I see myself continuing to make music, maybe starting a band, and continuing to play music. I can only hope that I’ll get to do this for a living.

Skratch: Would you say your goals as a band are long term, or short term?

MJ: My goals are definitely long term. This is what I love to do. Write music and play it. Music is the only thing that makes sense to me. Give me a song and I’ll learn to play it, give me a topic and I’ll write a song, but put a math problem in front of me and I’ll freeze up. I just hope that my music will reach the ears of many and will hopefully inspire some. That’s my ultimate goal.

Skratch: How has your band evolved since when you first formed?

MJ: My lyrics have become a bit deeper and bit more meaningful. I’m putting myself out there more for everyone to see.

Skratch: How often do you practice? What is your rehearsal time like?

MJ: I practice pretty much whenever I feel like it, which is every day. I can’t help but be drawn to music so I practice about 2 hours every day at least. My rehearsal time is quite random.

Skratch What would you say is your band’s motto? Explain.

MJ: “I aspire to inspire.” It’s exactly what it says. I just want to inspire people and encourage them to follow their dreams.

Skratch: What shows/album releases/plans do you currently have set up? Tell us about them.

MJ: I plan to play as many shows in as many places as possible and I plan to go to a recording studio again soon and record a whole album and release it either late this year and early next year.

Skratch: Where have your preformed? Tell us about the experience.

MJ: The first place I ever performed was at school in front of all of my peers. It was quite frightening, but rewarding at the same time. The applause was deafening and the comments I received from my peers at school were definitely encouraging. Another one of my shows was at a bar called O’connells. The applause and encouragement I received there was absolutely fantastic and keeps me going. I probably looked cool and collected on stage, but if you had seen be beforehand you would have seen me breathing in and out of a paper bag. It was again, very terrifying, but in the end, extremely rewarding.

Skratch: What sets your stage show a part from all the other bands making the rounds at venues?

MJ: I’m just kind of awesome I guess.

Skratch; Anything else you think we should know about the band?

MJ: Macrophobia means the fear of prolonged waiting. I feel it fits my little solo project quite perfectly.

For more on Macrophobia go to http://www.myspace.com/meganjahn.

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