Hiya Kevin Franco, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
What was life like for you before you got into music?
I always wanted to make music, but never believed I could be good enough as I had no formal training, I learned everything by ear – still do.
My career saw me involved in various creative arts and applying them to business – I ran a creative technology and design firm and then later worked for a non-profit, helping others start businesses before rediscovering music. When my work started to offer fewer opportunities to express my creative side, I turned to music – that was about five years ago.
What’s the live music scene like in Calgary right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
My city is not widely known for live music, but does have a great live music scene and many terrific venues. There are many talented local artists like Hello Moth, Keltewe and Went West come to mind as well as the big names like Tegan and Sara. There’s many great venues in Calgary like Cornerstone Cafe, Gravity and The Ironwood and even a great tech company called Stagehand which helps venues book local bands.
It seems like being a social media curator has become added to the many jobs of a musician, how do you feel about this?
I’m really not big on social media, in any sense. I post from time to time, but I don’t let it guide my day nor my actions. If I think of something, I’ll post it – when I remember to.
How do you manage engagement on your socials?
Manage is a pretty strong use of the word in how it describes my ‘handling’ of engagement. I respond to the few engagements that arise personally, when I get around to checking the account.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
Over the last two decades there has been an erosion of the establishment, allowing for new models to emerge. This has given the power of creation to many (including myself) but with that comes volume and competition. There’s thousands of songs being released on any given day – how does one stand out? If I knew the answer to that, I’d be standing out.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
I feel like an outsider, I understand how it works (mostly) but have no desire or designs to master the industry, or become a ‘player’ – I just try to make the best songs I can, tell the stories I want to tell and enjoy the journey. Every song is a learning experience if I’m not growing with every new song I write, I probably would have given up after the first few songs.
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I’m always learning and improving, but probably the most profound advancement recently has been in my use of different mics for different applications. I acquired a really nice mic and used it for everything. My producer turned me onto using a different mics for everything, one for my lead vocals, one for backing vocals, one for my acoustics and one for my amps.
What was your best and worst experience on stage?
At this time, I’m not performing live. My focus has been to develop my catalog of songs and I’m getting a lot of enjoyment out of it. I’d love to include live performances in the coming years. I’m sure I’ll be able to answer the second half of your question shortly thereafter. I’ve got a catalog of about 55 songs currently, releasing a new song about every month.
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
I love heavy metal music. You might never guess that listening to my songs, but I actually like a lot of different music and often listen to Argentinian Tangos, Gary Lewis and the Playboys and Iron Maiden in the same playlist.
There’s a radio station in Santiago, Chile called Radio Futura and they play such eclectic mixes of music like Rush, then Roy Orbison, then Dio followed by Elvis Costello – good music is just good music, why separate it by genre? A local station in Alberta is CKUA has a similar approach, but plays a lot more local music (supporting local artists) which is really cool and every time a song of mine plays, my phone lights up with text notifications.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
I’ve released quite a few singles this year, my most recent is Believe in Yourself (June 1, 2025). As far as lyrics and storytelling goes it’s pretty basic – it was written for my partner who was diagnosed with cancer and I wanted to write something that was easy to listen to, something she could press a button and hear my saying that everything’s going to be alright.
So, I’m ok with it being a little sappy, I put down exactly what I was thinking as I wrote it and never looked back. I’m really happy with how it turned out, I think it’s got a nice authentic groove matching the sentiment. The bridge of the song is a departure, I wanted to give it a nostalgic feel (channeling my inner Dion) which I think gives it a nice change before returning to the groove and taking it home.
What was the recording process like?
My recording process varies. I’ve written songs on the piano (Don’t Give Me Anything) and on the mandolin (Now We’re Successful), even the bass (Tell it to the Night) or the lyrics (Grub Street) but usually I start with the guitar and I mess around with the tempo a bit before I settle on something. Some songs just fall out of me and are written start to finish in 15 minutes, then I spent 80 hours fine tuning it – an example of this is The Diner.
I usually record an acoustic guitar track to get the song out, then begin adding other instruments and vocals – how I layer it depends on what I’m feeling at the moment.
I try to get things down as quickly as I can, working as a multi-instrumentalist I hear a part in my head and I need to get it down right away – so I’m continuously switching instruments and putting down individual parts piece by piece, editing the arrangement until the song is where I want it, then create a final demo, I re-record each track start to finish with more attention to mic placements, clean playing and groove.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
When I first started writing songs, I thought there was a formula. And, some songs may come out looking like that formula, but I really don’t pay attention to that – I write and arrange the songs as I like. Not all songs need a bridge, not all songs need a chorus, not all songs need to tell a story. Not all songs are the same, learning that freed up how I write now.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
As I mentioned earlier, I feel like I get better and improve with every song, that’s just a natural evolution. If I could go back and re-record my first few songs, they would certainly be better.
When I first started, I was really self-conscious about my voice, but I’ve learned to use the tool I’ve got – it’s not the best by a long shot, but I know how to use it now, as limiting as it is. To change them though, I’m not sure I’d enjoy doing those songs again – I’m happy I made them and how they sit today, even if only as an expression of my naievity at that time.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Watch for a new album coming out this fall – you can now buy our entire collection on Bandcamp (https://musterpoint.bandcamp.com/album/50-songs-for-50) – the first 50 songs for $50 (plus a few additional, undressed tracks) – this includes 2 vinyl records – a pretty good deal, if you’re looking to add to your collection while supporting an indie band.
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