Ian Moore’s goal in music has always been complete honesty.
The singer-songwriter, now based in the Pacific Northwest, veered away from his early success in pop music to pursue sounds that more closely reflected his experience and outlook on life.
“There’s been a million roads during that time,” Moore said.
Moore grew up in Austin, Texas, where music was just music, and he wrote and played whatever he felt, whether it be a mellow, folksy tune or a rockin’ blues song.
“My parents were a huge part of that scene,” he said.
Leaving Austin for a wider audience was when his music was suddenly classified into genres, a hindrance for a musician who followed emotion rather than the rules of the music industry.
He wanted to write songs that were honest and reflected his head space at the time. But the style fluctuated, from Simon and Garfunkel on a cool, sunny day to Black Sabbath on a cloudy one.
Moore earned a reputation as a guitar player from his early music.
“I was really interested in becoming a better songwriter and not just a guitar player,” he said.
He relocated to the Pacific Northwest, producing albums with his band The Lossy Coils, which includes Matt Harris and Kyle Schneider. The band’s sound is a bit more rock than his acoustic, solo music, despite the two sides co-existing.
“When I’m creating, I’m just trying to write the best song that I can,” Moore said.
Music goes in cycles and Moore, who is continually in the recording studio working on his own music or producing others, is trying to put together a simple, folksy album. But often the artist’s muse has other ideas.
“I can’t write a mellow song right now to save my life,” he said.
Moore isn’t arrogant enough to compare himself to the legendary Neil Young, but he does refer to the Canadian singer as an example of someone who can move between genres and yet keep an identity.
People recognize the music of Crazy Horse is different from his solo work, or his collaborations with Pearl Jam, yet it’s all still Neil Young.
“We’re kind of in a square time,” Moore said. “Emotion doesn’t follow those lines.”
Moore performs an acoustic show at Diners Rendezvous Sunday (Nov. 27) at 8 p.m. Blues guitarist Jason Buie opens the show.
Moore said he plans to cover as much of his extensive catalogue, from his solo music to his band, in the intimate concert.
“I’m trying to do a pretty good cross-section of my eight records,” Moore said.
Tickets $22/advance; $25/door. Please call 250-740-1133 for more information.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com