Wayne Mills, billed as Windmills for his musical ventures, is a songwriter/performer from San Francisco, CA. Mills’ music is a breathtaking, low-fi mix of poetry and sound; a love letter to the sentiment, “less is more”.
An assortment of releases, including a stunning instrumental EP, precede his latest release, UNVRSL. One of my personal favorite things about listening to an artist’s entire discography is being able to hear the underlying stylistics and playing styles that create the artist’s signature. Mills’ body of work is cohesive but not over worn, which shows incredible control of vision and sound that I find extremely admirable.
We had the immense pleasure of getting to exchange a few words with Wayne Mills:
Describe your latest release UNVRSL.
There are multiple perspectives involved in the arrangement and composition of UNVRSL but the album is an homage to my Mother, Dawn, who passed in the spring of 2013. The album showcases both her life and death, also the confusion, and dark absence you experience when losing someone so close to you. My mother and I had a very close, very cosmic relationship; she had unearthly energy and think a lot of that comes through in the record.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Pretty much in everything. I'm always observing things, scenarios, love, hate, all of it. Being alive is a crazy thing, and the world around us is so multifaceted; often it can be overwhelming for sure, but I find it so interesting. There is so much nature in everything, and I enjoy writing about such real things people nowadays rarely think about.
Do live performances play a key role in your music-making process?
Not entirely. There's a lot of personal truth in the songs I write; I'm blessed to be able to dedicate my time to writing music; having this outlet almost makes it easier for me to learn from the trials and tribulations of life by manifesting them in songs. It's that almost symbiotic relationship that will always play the most important role in my songwriting. Although I do think performing live, over time has broadened my perspective and helped me discover a lot about mixing sound.
How has your environment influenced your writing/playing style?
Living in San Francisco has been great; there are so many amazing bands and songwriters out here, it's really the best. I live in a house full of musicians who all have equally helped me shape myself into the musician I am today, without a doubt. We also run a lo-fi cassette label together (Sunroom Recordz and Salon), and all play shows together around the city; being able to spend so much of my time writing and playing music has helped me grow closer to my own personal goals. Like I've said before, I'll never be better than the people who support me.
What do you wish to accomplish with your music (if anything)?
I would love to be able to travel the world playing music with my friends. Being able to do what you love for a living is a blessing, but I just want people to really listen - there's no better feeling than sharing that energy with people. I feel music is one of the truest, and oldest ways man has ever been able to fluidly transfer an emotion from one mind to another; sharing that accomplishment would be more than enough for me.
Wayne Mills you touched so many people with your music and with your great love of people. Your outlaw spirit will forever be remembered and you have inspired me to achieve my goals as an artist. See you on the other side one day brother. The
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Bar Owner Found Guilty in Murder of Country Singer Wayne Mills
N' t'earlee hours o'Novemb'r 23rd, 2013, outlaw-kuntry artist Wayne Mills an' his'n frien, bar own'r Chris Ferrell, became engaget n' un altercashun n' Ferrell’s Nashvull bar, t'Pit an' Barrel. It endet wit Ferrell a'pullin a .22 pistol an' firyun' three shots, one o'which...
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Chris Ferrell Found Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder in Wayne Mills Case
UPDATE: Carol Mills Gives Statement, Defents Plans ta Appeel Gilty Verdict Christof'r Michael Ferrell has bee foun gilty o'2nd Degree Murd'r n' t'shootin deeth o'kuntry musick artist Wayne Mills. T' verdict wuz read by t'jury at 3:25 p.m. n' t'court o'Judge Steve Dozi'r. It took t'jury...
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Listen to Chris Ferrell’s 911 Call After Shooting Wayne Mills (#4)
N' t'Davidsen Countee Criminal Court o'Judge Steve Dozi'r un Tuesdee (3-3), openyun' argumants wuz heerd tell by t'jury, an' t'proseecushun cummenced ta call thar furst witnesses. As part o't' proseecushun’s presantashun, t'911 call made by t'defendant Christof'r Ferrell wuz playd fer t...
