Known predominantly for his 1969 record, Ode to Quetzalcoatl, David Bixby’s music is that of a true original: deeply intimate, spiritually powerful psychedelic folk embedded with a powerful sense of both hope and crushing loneliness. The Mic’s own Ria Serena sat down with Bixby to discuss religion, his experiences of having been shipwrecked whilst working as a sailor, and the absolute power of music to carry one through the void of depression.
“I had always entertained the idea of interviewing David in my head, though I never knew if this was simply a pipedream that would stay within the confines of my journal. You see, David is considered a crate-digger’s dream. His music is something you merely stumble upon when the time calls for it.
You do not find his music, but rather, his music finds you.
Like many of Bixby’s listeners, I was met with his music at a time when I most needed to hear it.
Ode to Quetzalcoatl, served as a vessel for me to explore my own moments of self-realisation and spiritual awakening. His songs taught me lessons of forgiveness, resilience and the idea that nothing is fixed within this lifetime.
It is a very truthful album, one of hope. Bixby has this innate ability in encompassing the human experience in its raw and honest form, encouraging us to embrace the unknown.
The charm about this album is most definitely its’ message. You see, these aren’t random streams of consciousness dotted along the page but rather, lived tales of the difficulties in which David has endured.
Ode to Quetzalcoatl documents what it is to be truly alone in a world where you are the only answer to plunging yourself out of the darkness. We encounter a young David who was once at a similar crossroads, an individual exposed to the depths of humanity and coming to terms with disillusionment. This album is a landmark of hope and how holding onto just the right amount of faith, guides you unto a path of purpose and self-discovery.”
– Ria Serena
Read the full interview on theMicMagazine.UK
Dave Bixby 