Mike Bloom outside the Cave

“It’s been a hell of a year in Los Angeles thus far“. Straight from the epicenter of one of the biggest crises caused by Trump’s truculent policies (so far), musician/producer and composer Mike Bloom, also known as Cave, seeks to maintain his critical sense, and more than anything, his serenity to not only fully contextualize this moment, but also to not let his high productivity suffer unnecessary interference. “It’s interesting to me, the irony of how certain protests are perceived in relation to other ones. Then, of course, how they are presented to the public, from the various outlets in all the predictable ways“, he tells me.

One of the most prolific artists of today, with appearances in bands like Rilo Kiley and contributions to soundtracks, Mike Bloom has just released another gem in single format: the emblematic “Mountains“, whose lyrics were born from a conversation between friends: “I have a friend who said she never looked at mountains, and I found that to be bizarre and pretty fascinating”, reveals Cave, while the track’s instrumental refers to the best that has been done in terms of indie-folk with a rock feel these days.

Indie rock has definitely lost ground in terms of mass appeal or market share or any of those ways of looking at art as a business model (…) but the pendulum is always swinging.

Mike Bloom – Cave

Cave isn’t exactly worried about not necessarily following a successful formula for his music to be played on social networks like TikTok, filled by pop divas these days. For the American musician, it’s healthy that there is this diversity of options in art, even if indie-rock isn’t, let’s say, on the rise, which he considers a merely pendular and marketing issue. “It’s up to the audience, now more than ever, to seek out what it is that feeds them“, he believes.

2 6 Things about Mike Bloom

RC – Something essential about your music is that it is very emotional. “Mountains” obviously has a metaphorical meaning and I would like you to summarize the inspiration behind this new single.

MB – To demystify right off the bat, I have a friend who said she never looked at mountains, and I found that to be bizarre and pretty fascinating. So it started there. But the thing about words is that sometimes they just come out and you might be left trying to make sense of it all on a more objective level after the fact. When I recorded that one, the words and melody hit me hard and fast and I just had to try and keep up. I think it’s an expression of pushing up against some higher power, if not pleading at the feet of it. Mountains seem intimidating and immovable, but it’s all a matter of perception.

RC – You have many influences, you have worked and produced for several artists, as well as for the film industry, and yet the organic nature of the music you make is something permanent. With the consolidation of artists who follow the same line of composition as Noah Kahan, Sam Fender, Matt Berninger (The National), do you believe that the audience is ready for a kind of “detox” of beats and artificial intelligence?

MB – Firstly, I don’t believe there is any one audience. There are more avenues now than ever, as a creator or as a consumer of anything really. People talk about the beauty of imperfection in human art, and how that’s something we’ll want more and more of. I like that idea, but I can’t help but think that there will be a level of artificial imperfection that is so wildly perfected at some point soon, that it will be virtually impossible to know what’s what. But it is in our nature as humans to poke holes in the paper bag. The A.I. stuff is in such infancy and has already made such giant leaps, I’d be a fool to venture a true opinion on where we’re headed, culturally, as a response to it all. It’s like, we can either put our hands up and surrender, or double down as artists making art to express ourselves, for its own sake and its own reward…rather than to achieve some particular goal. It’s definitely an existential question. Forgive the long response, but it obviously still doesn’t scratch the surface.

RC – You have worked at several music festivals. What do you think of the curation of current events? Only at Primavera Sound 25 we had three pop singers headliners. Do you think that indie rock and indie folk, to which you belong, have lost ground in the face of this media appeal to new divas? Does it bother you?

MB – Wait, I’m not a pop diva?? Well, Indie rock has definitely lost ground in terms of mass appeal or market share or any of those ways of looking at art as a business model. It’s hard to get a good read on in any given moment, but the pendulum is always swinging. Art is what it is. However the media decides to cover it or make trends or brand it is a whole other beast. There have always been and will always be incredibly talented people out there making something worthwhile. It’s up to the audience, now more than ever, to seek out what it is that feeds them. Sometimes it just seems like we can be lazy as consumers. I think, if anything, that’s the part that might bother me.

RC – Even though your sound has a touch of modernity, at least I identified a lot of Tom Petty in your previous singles, and especially in “Mountains”. With Tom no longer here and Bruce Springsteen being attacked by the president, do you think rock and roll still has something very important to say on today’s politics?

MB – I’ll take that first part as a compliment, so thank you. Tom is greatly missed. Having Bruce around to carry the torch of rock n roll troubadour/preacher/man of the people is something that I think we’ll also be longing for when it’s no longer around or just way harder to find. I think that some people have very meaningful things to say, not necessarily on behalf of the rock n roll brand or anything. Again, though, it comes down to that ever diminishing power of any one voice in this vast sea of stimuli we’re all dealing with. It’s like, you can believe whatever you want to believe and easily find enough support for that belief system if you try even the littlest bit. What I think is particularly important now is to actively seek out ways of thinking that are in some way contrary to your own, and stay open and curious. But also remain hyper critical. There’s a lot to deal with, man!

RC – Since you live in Los Angeles today, I couldn’t help but ask about the street resistance to Trump’s brutality against immigrants. Since you are experiencing this up close, do you have an opinion on this and how does this context affect your compositions?

MB – Of course I have opinions and so does everyone else, along with their very own bullhorn and instant publisher. The thing is that we’re all experiencing everything up close, while also having the convenience of retreat at will. What’s going on here is probably an amplified microcosm of the greater scenario. I think about these things on a human nature level. Though, it’s nearly impossible to not interpret them as being manipulated on a political one. But when a situation gets escalated in some official way, people start feeling like animals in a cage. It’s interesting to me, the irony of how certain protests are perceived in relation to other ones. Then, of course, how they are presented to the public, from the various outlets in all the predictable ways. Either way, it’s been a hell of a year in Los Angeles thus far. There’s no lack of palpable energy from which to draw.

RC – Tell us something you know about Brazil (or would like to know). Our musicians, culture, food, anything you think it would be nice to share.

MB – In all the years touring and my travels otherwise, I have somehow never been to South America. It hurts me down deep. It remains a mystical adventure land in my head and I have every intention of getting there before too much longer. Something I know? Luis Bonfá. Baden Powell. Can’t get enough of those guys. Brazil nuts. I can’t eat em or I’ll die. Beautiful people. The real Amazon. How far we’ve drifted. If that’s not a symbol for some higher power, I don’t know what is.