Jammerzine Exclusive: An Interview With AV Super Sunshine

I have to start out by saying that this interview was a real treat because it was more like a conversation with a gifted artist than a formal interview. Those, to me, work the best because you get more than the ‘who, what, when, & where’ from the artist. You get to know them as a person and get a glimpse of what makes them do what they do, and do it well. That is when interviews like this become a learning experience for other budding and aspiring artists.

The person in question is none other than AV Super Sunshine. The roster of collaborators (see below) is impressive enough, but the experience and self-drive that AV has is inspiring to anyone wanting to be a true artist. Having recently released a string of remixes with friend Michael Bradford titled ‘Time Bomb’ via Starfleet Music Pool, AV was gracious enough to take the time out of his busy schedule to give us a glimpse into his mind. Enjoy!

About AV Super Sunshine
AV Super Sunshine is building buzz and expanding fan base through radio play, DJ dance pool play, social media, online video, television, and cable music programming. With the grassroots support of 250K+ fans across demographic and geographic boundaries, AV Super Sunshine is becoming more than the name of an artist, or a sound, developing into a movement as a symbol of inclusivity.

A native of Wisconsin, AV’s life has been anything but the conventional mid-western psyche. For 15 years he made no music whatsoever. “I got really sick,” he relates. “I had a very big portion of my life that wasn’t very productive. But that’s when I started playing again and really writing from the heart. I began writing what I felt rather than trying to write songs to please.”

“I remember reading an interview with David Bowie where he explained his views about writing from the heart. Bowie felt that because he was a human if he wrote a piece that moved, other humans would be moved too. I believe that. I always write songs from my own experience that other people will understand, with the hope that maybe I can somehow help.”

AV’s newly found motivation began by seizing an invitation to host Wisconsin’s oldest weekly open mic as a way to wean off anti-depressants. The once-reclusive artist got off the couch in 2013 and hit the ground running! Within a few months’ time of showcasing his songs, he received an invitation to record at Ben Folds Studio in Nashville. While recording at Ben’s, he received his unique name from Grammy-nominated, songwriter-producer James House who crafted it by combining the artist’s initials of AV with his song title“ Super Sunshine Girl” to form AV Super Sunshine.

The AV Super Sunshine name fits both the artist and his music perfectly. When asked about his songs and inspiration, AV explains, “It’s really personal. I’m a long-term, severe abuse victim but trying to fight the good fight. A few years ago I was diagnosed with severe PTSD, depression and anxiety disorder. I’ve used songwriting as a way to cope.” He goes on to explain, “I’ve had every kind of treatment imaginable including the hypnosis-induced out-of-body stuff. I recorded everything I’ve been experiencing in my songwriting. Everything I write is about a true life or an emotional experience I’ve had.” He shares his Super Sunshine with the hope that his songs will help others with similar circumstances or illness.

AV’s Baby Goodbye was released to CMJ radio as a single in July 2015 and with grass-roots fan support hit #7 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart in October 2015. A follow up Just Like Kurt Kurt Cobain tribute EP (CMJ Top 100) went to radio in October 2015 followed in May 2016 by a Baby Goodbye CD (CMJ Top 100) which spent 21 weeks on the CMJ chart. In October 2016, Bass Face, a collection of radio-friendly pop-rock-art songs produced by legendary hitmaker Michael Bradford is being released to Triple A, Alternative, CMJ, and Pop radio.

SOURCE: Official Bio

LINKS:
https://www.avsupersunshine.com
https://www.facebook.com/AVSuperSun
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYNNhBXtlYCPGuDCVObq8IQ
https://twitter.com/AVSupersunshine
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/av-super-sunshine/id798843013
https://www.instagram.com/avsupersunshine
http://www.amazon.com/Just-Like-Kurt-Super-Sunshine/dp/B014YT03YA