Music These Days Interview
Q: Can you talk about your history as an artist/band?
A: I started writing and performing music with my friends towards the end of middle school in the late ’80s and haven't stopped. Back then it was thrash metal. They remain my closest friends to this day because of that creative bond we welded. It's not an untold story—the fire that's lit when music is made and performed those first few times. Decades later, I am firing on most cylinders, and it's music making that continues to ground me. Being able to collaborate with all my friends in music is one of the greatest gifts in life I can think of.
Q: You mentioned you moved to the desert. Has that had an effect on your music?
A: Immensely. And not just because we live here now. The desert has always had a big place in my heart. From the very first time I experienced it when I was 10 years old. It's the only place I've ever lived where the beauty of the environment is equally matched by the dangers within it. This perfect natural balance is palpable. There's a stillness here that lends itself to creative exploration. The songs on this EP were not all written here in Tucson, but they were developed here for sure.
Q: Can you talk about your themes on your new release Dirt Ball Hall?
A: There's a lot of characters in this 18 minutes. Some real and some fictional. I'm sometimes asked if songs like "The Bottle Just Scared Me" is a personal story. It might be—and it might not be. I've been inclined to create characters and their stories based on things I see, experience, hear, read, etc. That to me is the mystery behind some of my favorite songs and artists. It's not always cut and dry and doesn't need to be. If the melody works with the progression and it sounds good, then that's all I really care about.
Q: What is your recording process like? And has it changed over the years?
A: My recording process now looks way different than it did just a couple of years ago, pre-pandemic. I'm used to recording with a full band in a live studio setting, but I've since migrated to tracking layer by layer in my studio at home. I write, arrange, and perform most of the instrumentals and vocals, and I am very fortunate to have an army of trusted musicians, songwriters, and engineers who I work with to seal the deal when it's necessary. I like this new way of doing things because it gives me the freedom to sit with my music longer and let it marinate as I add layers. There's benefits to both recording styles and I think I'll always lean towards one or the other depending on the situation.
Q: What is your creative process like?
A: Getting inspired to write and then loading on a ton of self doubt! Constantly questioning myself. Giving my songs the space they need when I doubt them. Eventually coming back and trimming down to the bare minimum audio experience per song. I really make an effort to hear elements in my music before I add them into a track. If I cannot envision a “sound," then it probably isn't going to make its way onto the mix.
Q: How do you usually go about writing lyrics?
A: Lyrics tend to be my last step. Progressions and a melody are always right under the surface. Most of the time this provides a healthy stock for my lyrics. Songs I’ve written years ago are still lyric-less. On a rare occasion, like on “Alan Reyes” from the EP, the story came out first because it was waiting to be told. Adding a more traditional backing suited those lyrics really well.
Q: Have you started playing shows or virtual shows?
A: Since moving to Tucson a year before Covid-19, I hadn’t yet formed a band and was pretty focused on writing, which then multiplied during lockdown. I’ve since had the pleasure of linking forces with incredible musicians here and I’m going to performing in another songwriters band in early March as a backing guitar and vocalist. I like this role and I’m filling it for a couple of bands now. I know in my heart the live sound for Music These Days is right around the bend.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: I’ve had a few too many near death experiences in my 47 years and I’ve got my incredible wife and partner, Lauri, to thank for keeping me healthy and motivated. I’ve been blessed my whole life with a family that supports my creative efforts and my hope is my music sounds good in those ears that it rides into. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Thank you, Divide & Conquer for the opportunity to speak with you.
Q: Can you talk about your history as an artist/band?
A: I started writing and performing music with my friends towards the end of middle school in the late ’80s and haven't stopped. Back then it was thrash metal. They remain my closest friends to this day because of that creative bond we welded. It's not an untold story—the fire that's lit when music is made and performed those first few times. Decades later, I am firing on most cylinders, and it's music making that continues to ground me. Being able to collaborate with all my friends in music is one of the greatest gifts in life I can think of.
Q: You mentioned you moved to the desert. Has that had an effect on your music?
A: Immensely. And not just because we live here now. The desert has always had a big place in my heart. From the very first time I experienced it when I was 10 years old. It's the only place I've ever lived where the beauty of the environment is equally matched by the dangers within it. This perfect natural balance is palpable. There's a stillness here that lends itself to creative exploration. The songs on this EP were not all written here in Tucson, but they were developed here for sure.
Q: Can you talk about your themes on your new release Dirt Ball Hall?
A: There's a lot of characters in this 18 minutes. Some real and some fictional. I'm sometimes asked if songs like "The Bottle Just Scared Me" is a personal story. It might be—and it might not be. I've been inclined to create characters and their stories based on things I see, experience, hear, read, etc. That to me is the mystery behind some of my favorite songs and artists. It's not always cut and dry and doesn't need to be. If the melody works with the progression and it sounds good, then that's all I really care about.
Q: What is your recording process like? And has it changed over the years?
A: My recording process now looks way different than it did just a couple of years ago, pre-pandemic. I'm used to recording with a full band in a live studio setting, but I've since migrated to tracking layer by layer in my studio at home. I write, arrange, and perform most of the instrumentals and vocals, and I am very fortunate to have an army of trusted musicians, songwriters, and engineers who I work with to seal the deal when it's necessary. I like this new way of doing things because it gives me the freedom to sit with my music longer and let it marinate as I add layers. There's benefits to both recording styles and I think I'll always lean towards one or the other depending on the situation.
Q: What is your creative process like?
A: Getting inspired to write and then loading on a ton of self doubt! Constantly questioning myself. Giving my songs the space they need when I doubt them. Eventually coming back and trimming down to the bare minimum audio experience per song. I really make an effort to hear elements in my music before I add them into a track. If I cannot envision a “sound," then it probably isn't going to make its way onto the mix.
Q: How do you usually go about writing lyrics?
A: Lyrics tend to be my last step. Progressions and a melody are always right under the surface. Most of the time this provides a healthy stock for my lyrics. Songs I’ve written years ago are still lyric-less. On a rare occasion, like on “Alan Reyes” from the EP, the story came out first because it was waiting to be told. Adding a more traditional backing suited those lyrics really well.
Q: Have you started playing shows or virtual shows?
A: Since moving to Tucson a year before Covid-19, I hadn’t yet formed a band and was pretty focused on writing, which then multiplied during lockdown. I’ve since had the pleasure of linking forces with incredible musicians here and I’m going to performing in another songwriters band in early March as a backing guitar and vocalist. I like this role and I’m filling it for a couple of bands now. I know in my heart the live sound for Music These Days is right around the bend.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: I’ve had a few too many near death experiences in my 47 years and I’ve got my incredible wife and partner, Lauri, to thank for keeping me healthy and motivated. I’ve been blessed my whole life with a family that supports my creative efforts and my hope is my music sounds good in those ears that it rides into. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Thank you, Divide & Conquer for the opportunity to speak with you.