Joel Camins

Joel Camins is a multi-instrumental musician who has been writing and playing music for nearly 25 years. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and arrived in Alaska (via a short stop in Colorado) in 2015. He is also a visual artist, having attended a fine art college.

On April 4, 2019, Joel's birthday, he released his third studio album after a long hiatus.

What is a mint cake? "Well it's exactly what it sounds like. When I was little, my mother asked me what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday. More than once I requested a mint cake. When I set out to make this album, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy recording after taking such a long time off. My goal was to finish by my birthday, or move on. It became a gift to myself. I wanted a Mint Cake for my birthday again."

What parts did you write and play? "Everything, actually. This was a learning and relearning process. Half the songs are things I had played live quite extensively, but never recorded. I had to remember how to play those songs, but I also had to learn the parts that used to be played by other band members. I have been in Alaska for a few years, but I haven't made many connections, so I had to do it all myself. It was a great way to build up my abilities, though."

Do you have any shows lined up? "Not at the moment. I hope to get out and get to know the scene near me, but I have no shows right now. Live performing, whether solo or with a band, has always been an important part of my musical life."

Do you have plans to release more music soon? "I haven't started any recordings yet, but I do have some ideas floating around in my head. I'm also working on reviving my visual art, and then there are personal projects that I have right now. Last winter was when I recorded Mint Cake, and winter in Alaska, uh... affords you a lot of time indoors, so we'll see what happens this year."