Tell us your name and a little about yourself.
My name is No Mansfield. I am a musician and singer for the band Revolushn. My favorite guitar is Stratocaster and my favorite drummers are David Kendrick and Young Son. I live just outside of San Francisco and work with several San Francisco musicians. I have been writing and playing music all my life. I have worked at other things but always come back to music. I have played with big-name bands and lots of bands you never heard of. At the moment I prefer the smaller bands and playing in smaller clubs and shows.
What exactly does your company do?
We write and record songs. Sometimes we record other people’s songs too. Then we go out and play those songs for anyone who will listen. We play live a couple of dozen times a year. We plan on doing an extended tour when the new album is done. We have several members of the band who are in other bands too, so the talent level on Revolushn is high.
What were the biggest challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?
Well, at first everyone hated the band so there was that. We weren’t very good. And over the last 5 years, we have like 25 members in the band. When you join Revolushn you never quit. You just sort of disappearing for a while. Luckily, only about 5 of them ever show up for gigs. But the core three people in the band have stuck it out and we now have a decent catalog of songs to pick from for live shows as well as super great musicians to work with.
What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
If you want to be a millionaire in the music business, start out as a billionaire. Just joking but the reality is that it takes a lot of money and time to create a career in the music business. Putting together a show, recording an album, going on the road when you are starting out, all of that takes a big investment. So one has to really commit to it and be ready to sacrifice a lot.
Who are your biggest influences and people you admire and why?
People succeeding in difficult situations inspire me. There is something about having faith in oneself and then overcoming the situation that moves me.
As for individual people, Jimi Hendrix was a big influence on how I approach music. Also, I really like that girl Greta Thunberg, the climate change girl. I love the way she is so cool and at the same time passionate. Those dumb old bureaucrats look so helpless in front of her.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
When I was in grade school I was super shy. So we had this older woman who taught the music class. I don’t think she liked me. Anyway, we had to stand next to her and sing the melody she would play on the piano. I was so nervous that I couldn’t get anything out but a squeak. She laughed and said I was a terrible singer and should not even try. I felt really bad at first, then I got mad and decided to prove her wrong. That anger kept me going several times when things seemed hopeless. Now I wouldn’t say I was grateful but I am glad it happened. So now I am surrounded by great musicians, especially in San Francisco. There is a tight and caring music community and we all help each other out.
How can people follow your journey? Please list your social media URLs
Revolushn.com
https://www.facebook.com/Revolushnband/
Twitter—–Revolushn@Revolushnband
Spotfy—-https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ALUD4onAj1uB6eCAmVRf6?si=ml25rnOmRzaBiXBvRFGUzw
Bandcamp–https://revolushn.bandcamp.com
