Mike Richmond Shares New Single “How Many More Times”

Inspired by the economy used by classic blues songwriters, Mike Richmond comes up with something completely his own on his new single "How Many More Times," out on streaming services today. The third single from his eclectic June 12 debut, Without An Audience, "How Many More Times" has a languid, cyclical feel that, even though inspired by the blues, fits in the Mike Richmond/ Love Tractor canon.

"I’m definitely influenced by Howlin’ Wolf on this song," Richmond shares. "Wolf has a song called 'How many More Years' which I love. I appreciate how Howlin' Wolf says a lot with very few words and I attempt a bit of Howlin' myself on this tune."

Glide Magazine, who premiered the track, write: "Love Tractor has always been a criminally underrated band, and this song is a reminder of Richmond’s savvy approach... Between the almost haunting, echo-laden vocals and guitar playing that seems to creep along in sneaky, mischievous fashion, there is a catchy quality to the song."

STREAM "HOW MANY MORE TIMES" HERE | LISTEN HERE
PRE-SAVE WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE HERE | ORDER CDS AND VINYL HERE

Fans of '80s Athens, GA art rockers Love Tractor, co-founded by Richmond, will recognize his unmistakeable vocal style and surprising melodic turns. (Love Tractor were part of the whirlwind musical scene that made the college town ground zero for '80s indie rock, along with friends/fellow artists The B-52s, R.E.M., Pylon and more.) Balancing humor with poignancy and country with folk, country, and blues, Without An Audience is a charmingly idiosyncratic collection of songs inspired by artists who are driven to create, to pursue their craft without the impetus of applause.

Richmond says that Athens, GA felt like a band member during the making of the album, which was recorded over time at Matt Tamisin’s Japanski Studios in Athens. Richmond laid down his vocals and guitars and invited his friends to participate, including drummer Joe Rowe (the Glands), bassist David Barbe (Mercyland, Sugar), pedal steel maestro John Neff (Japancakes, Drive-By Truckers), fiddler Adam Poulin (Grassland String Band), Ben Hackett (New Madrid), Jason NeSmith (Pylon Reenactment Society) and Neil Rosenbaum. Together they crafted a dramatic score for Richmond’s songs, sometimes taking them off into new directions but always underscoring his love of country, blues, and early rock and roll. 

Richmond is aware of the contradiction at the heart of the album, although he admits it didn’t occur to him until he had sequenced and mastered the album: He’s doing it all for his audience, but he’d still do it even without an audience. “There’s something very satisfying about making a record," he admits. "A lot of people, just regular folks, do a lot of things and never get applause for it, never find fortune or fame, but they still do it because it’s life and you need to do something. If you’re a good person, then you want to do something good.”

RECENT PRESS

"a love letter to the Southern mystique and all it entails” 

—MAGNET Magazine

"With Love Tractor, he helped build a sound that moved between jangle pop, art rock, electronic tones, and ambient passages. On ‘Without An Audience,’ Richmond comes across as more direct and honest.”

 —It’s Psychedelic Baby

"Richmond balances humor with hard-earned reflection, folding together country, folk, blues, and early rock & roll into songs that wrestle with aging, obscurity, and the strange compulsion to keep making art regardless of who may be listening."
—Glide Magazine