So it's been a while since I've written on here, and honestly I'm not sure who is reading this thing. But the beauty of that is that I feel like I can vent a little bit here because, while I can feel like I'm being honest and transparent with whoever might care, I can also feel OK thinking not too many people may see it.
Funny enough, that's kind of what got me here. To this point.
I've been feeling a little like I'm forcing it lately. A little like I'm living by way of doing what I think I "should be doing" rather than taking life's temperatures and sailing where the winds take me. I've been fearful, I guess. Hey, that's not altogether a bad thing, right? Los Angeles Alfa is the Alfa that has learned all too well what growing up can be about: being more concerned about security, finding the right mate, understanding that a retirement fund is not an old coffee container labeled ... "retirement fund" or "party money," thinking long term. I think the message has sometimes hit a little too hard, though, with everyone's timelines boasting newly-bought houses, fancy vacations, high and mighty jobs. It's in that light that my creativity suffers. See, then I'm picking up my guitar and thinking that it's gotta get me to that point B where I can start boasting the fancy bootie of my chosen career, when that's not what a guitar is supposed to do. It's just supposed to make music. That's all.
Yes, "that's all." And that's not a bad thing. Not supposed to be. When I start to dread playing music (which happens from time to time) is when the red flags should start to go up (kinda going up right now). I started doing this thing because I was 13, and angst-ridden, and had so many things to say from thoughts I'd never thought before, and I figured that if I told too many people about it they'd think I was off my rocker, so I locked myself away in my attic and sang them to myself with my voice all rusty, untrained and unsure, my fingers still learning the geography of each chord.
It's been a crazy ride, right? I'm now in the middle of writing my first album that will be released under a record label (some people may say it has taken too long for me to get to this point. To you I give the evil glare. You try being me). And just like all the other records, I have no idea what I'm doing. Each song bears both the hopeful potential and untested vulnerability that makes this phase of record-making so oyster-like. But sometimes I find myself fighting to differentiate the songs from each other - not that they sound exactly the same - but the visceral connection I have to each one is not always as tightly-wound as songs that have come in my younger years. I've learned a lot about songwriting, and I do think I've become somewhat decent at it, but anyone knows that good songs come down to more than good technique. They're also about heart and honesty. Both things that should come naturally to me, but are sullied by questions of the career stuff: are they license-able? Will they be catchy enough? And then there's the personal stuff I wrestle with too. Am I getting too old? Am I not cool anymore? (yes, that question doesn't just apply to high school) Do I still have the energy for this?
When you're young, you can almost postpone the answers because they don't need to be there yet.
When you get older, you get your strength from facing the answers-head on and saying fuck it anyway.
So, that's what I'm doing. Fuck it anyway.
Whatever it takes, I'm gonna make music, and I'm going to stop paying attention to the noise around it.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Thursday, April 9, 2015
New Song & Video from The Idle Hours: "The Road"
Hey all! I know it's been a few months, and a heckuvalot of things have happened. I feel like I always come to you, full of promises to be better, like a bad lover...alas, I have no great excuse, except the usual busy-ness of travels and teaching.
But the good news! I have a new video to share. If you've been following my previous posts, I have a project with Nashville producer Marc Lacuesta (newly Grammy-nominated for his work with Francesca Battistelli) called The Idle Hours. We released an EP in August, which includes a very special song to us called "The Road." Yesterday we released a video for the song! It's been 7 months coming, but with the talents of Austin Jose and John Enriquez at Homeroom Production-Creative, we've put together a lovely children's story to underline the feel of the song.
Also, keep your ears open for the legendary BJ Cole on pedal steel guitar. BJ was kind enough to play on our song during a recent stay in Nashville and we were very lucky to have him. Enjoy!
"The Road"
(lyrics and music by Alfa Garcia/Marc Lacuesta)
If I had another eye, I'd see the whole world
two to keep me between the lines, as the road turned
one stayed on the setting sun behind me
if I had the eyes to see.
Alone I keep a steady keel, my conscience
timing like an idle wheel across the distance
ever-wishing you were here to give me grace
to fill the empty space, singin'
Ooooh... this wandering road.
This old North Dakota blue is an ocean
deeper than the fields we knew as children
and when I'm feeling very small and overcome
our song will guide me home, singin'
Oooh... Ooooh...
this wandering road.
----
But the good news! I have a new video to share. If you've been following my previous posts, I have a project with Nashville producer Marc Lacuesta (newly Grammy-nominated for his work with Francesca Battistelli) called The Idle Hours. We released an EP in August, which includes a very special song to us called "The Road." Yesterday we released a video for the song! It's been 7 months coming, but with the talents of Austin Jose and John Enriquez at Homeroom Production-Creative, we've put together a lovely children's story to underline the feel of the song.
Also, keep your ears open for the legendary BJ Cole on pedal steel guitar. BJ was kind enough to play on our song during a recent stay in Nashville and we were very lucky to have him. Enjoy!
A story of friendship forged across the universe. This is the Official Music Video for "The Road" by The Idle Hours. Download the song at http://TheIdleHours.bandcamp.com // "The Road" is written and performed by The Idle Hours (Alfa Garcia/Marc Lacuesta), featuring B. J. Cole on pedal steel // Published by HD Music Now (Mission Viejo, CA) // Support The Idle Hours at http://www.Facebook.com/TheIdleHours
-------
Concept by: Alfa Garcia, Austin Jose, John Enriquez, Rob Bieselin
Illustration: Austin Jose
Motion graphics: John Enriquez, Kevin Weyrick Knowles
Direction: Austin Jose & John Enriquez
Producer: Homeroom - Production Creative
Executive Producer: Alfa Garcia
------
from The Idle Hours (EP), released 26 August 2014. Recorded in Nashville, TN
Lead vocals: Marc Lacuesta
Background vocals: Alfa Garcia
Pedal steel guitar: B.J. Cole
Acoustic guitars: Alfa Garcia, Marc Lacuesta
Electric guitar: Mike Payne
Melodica, Maracas: Marc Lacuesta
Piano: Alfa Garcia
Upright bass: Vinnie Lu
Engineered and mixed by Marc Lacuesta
-------
-------
Concept by: Alfa Garcia, Austin Jose, John Enriquez, Rob Bieselin
Illustration: Austin Jose
Motion graphics: John Enriquez, Kevin Weyrick Knowles
Direction: Austin Jose & John Enriquez
Producer: Homeroom - Production Creative
Executive Producer: Alfa Garcia
------
from The Idle Hours (EP), released 26 August 2014. Recorded in Nashville, TN
Lead vocals: Marc Lacuesta
Background vocals: Alfa Garcia
Pedal steel guitar: B.J. Cole
Acoustic guitars: Alfa Garcia, Marc Lacuesta
Electric guitar: Mike Payne
Melodica, Maracas: Marc Lacuesta
Piano: Alfa Garcia
Upright bass: Vinnie Lu
Engineered and mixed by Marc Lacuesta
-------
(lyrics and music by Alfa Garcia/Marc Lacuesta)
If I had another eye, I'd see the whole world
two to keep me between the lines, as the road turned
one stayed on the setting sun behind me
if I had the eyes to see.
Alone I keep a steady keel, my conscience
timing like an idle wheel across the distance
ever-wishing you were here to give me grace
to fill the empty space, singin'
Ooooh... this wandering road.
This old North Dakota blue is an ocean
deeper than the fields we knew as children
and when I'm feeling very small and overcome
our song will guide me home, singin'
Oooh... Ooooh...
this wandering road.
----
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
New Year, New Song! "Incomplete"
Happy 2015! I can't believe 2014 whizzed by and we're already here. This past year has been a big learning experience for me. Amongst many lessons, I learned just how important it is to stay true to oneself, despite any external pressures. What I mean is - I learned about the ugly side of being a singer/songwriter - that part of this industry that makes one feel insecure, finding oneself comparing constantly against others, getting pulled down by insecurities despite all that had been accomplished. I realized at the end of 2014 that I had never really given myself a chance to creatively breathe in almost 4 years (wow!), and that this probably accounted for my emotionally deteriorated condition. I decided to give myself at least 2 weeks off social media and away from music. No Facebook, no guitar practice, no songwriting, no Instagram. I thought it would be hard...but once I decided to let go, the relief was almost instant. I'm not saying social media is a total evil - I love the benefits of this new technological age, especially as an indie musician. But getting wrapped in it can really warp you, especially when trying to stay connected to some innate sense of creativity...that intangible muse that needs simultaneous freedom and isolation to stay well-oiled. Anyway, you may think that once I decided on this new self-help step that everything got exponentially awesome. Not exactly. I came down with a bad flu that peaked with a 102 fever on Christmas Day. I think my body had wanted to fall apart for a while and since my brain had kept it going and going for many months, it never had a chance to just let loose. It definitely was no fun staying in bed during one of my favorite holidays (right up there with Thanksgiving), but it further helped me slow down a bit. Breathe. Embrace the simplicity of the world around. Family, and all that jazz. It also helped me appreciate all that came to pass in 2014. I can't wait to see what's in store next!
In the meantime, I've got a brand new song that I debuted at Hotel Cafe this past December 8th. I also performed it on Halo Halo with Kat Iniba, and the video is below. It's a song I co-wrote with my friend Matt Koelsch, with whom I'd done a Lumineers cover back in 2013. Enjoy!
"Incomplete" (by Matt Koelsch/Alfa Garcia)
Baby, I know this sounds crazy
when you come around I don't know what it is
Maybe, it's cause you're something different
from what I am used to
but you're out of reach.
CHORUS
It's nothing but a passing thing
boy, you got me wondering
what everything would be like if you were mine, mine, mine
Everytime I see you leave
wishing you were next to me
I don't wanna sleep
I feel like I'm incomplete.
You're tired, ran circles through my mind
You're just the kind of distraction I wanted all this time.
It's useless, I try to be productive
your smile is so seductive
You don't even try.
CHORUS
You fly so high, but don't come down for me
On restless nights I see you in my dreams
I'll let it pass, but until then
I'll just pretend that you are mine, mine, mine.
CHORUS
In the meantime, I've got a brand new song that I debuted at Hotel Cafe this past December 8th. I also performed it on Halo Halo with Kat Iniba, and the video is below. It's a song I co-wrote with my friend Matt Koelsch, with whom I'd done a Lumineers cover back in 2013. Enjoy!
"Incomplete" (by Matt Koelsch/Alfa Garcia)
Baby, I know this sounds crazy
when you come around I don't know what it is
Maybe, it's cause you're something different
from what I am used to
but you're out of reach.
CHORUS
It's nothing but a passing thing
boy, you got me wondering
what everything would be like if you were mine, mine, mine
Everytime I see you leave
wishing you were next to me
I don't wanna sleep
I feel like I'm incomplete.
You're tired, ran circles through my mind
You're just the kind of distraction I wanted all this time.
It's useless, I try to be productive
your smile is so seductive
You don't even try.
CHORUS
You fly so high, but don't come down for me
On restless nights I see you in my dreams
I'll let it pass, but until then
I'll just pretend that you are mine, mine, mine.
CHORUS
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
New Song: "God Writes Happy Endings"
New video out today! And you can download the song on my Bandcamp too. :)
God writes happy endings.
woke up today in the darkness
God writes happy endings.
woke up today in the darkness
a ghost sat in my room
told it all of my secrets
how bad I've been missing you
but when I'm awake, I just want to sleep
to fill an empty space
where do I go now? I wonder
fixed to the anchors of fate.
but God writes happy endings
...and me and you will have our happy ending too.
when I'm asleep you're a traveler
you're packed and ready to go
fading away in the distance
to places I'll never know
weary, the world spins on and on
I don't know how it ends
do you come back? did you love me at all?
did half your heart pretend?
God writes happy endings
...and me and you will have our happy ending
somewhere, in a future somewhere
that I'm not supposed to know...
God writes happy endings
God writes happy endings
God writes happy endings
and me and you will have our happy ending
me and you will have some happy end
me and you will have our happy ending too.
______
This song is near and dear to me because I started writing it 8 years ago, during my last painful breakup. Writing about a breakup is daunting sometimes, mostly because it's a realm that has been explored time and time again. The challenge becomes the search for different lenses and angles through which to view the situation. Now, my first attempt at writing this song wasn't entirely a failure - I did "finish" it, in the sense that I'd played it at a gig once - but deep inside I knew it wasn't there yet. In hindsight, I realize it was because I had written it too soon after the pain. Some topics are just plain hard to navigate in their fresh state. What I did get out of that first attempt, though, was a chorus that stuck with me through several years, until earlier this summer when I sat in my backyard hammock and leafed through an old journal to dig up old songs. The melody was old-school; kind of lullaby-ish, a tinge jazz standard-y. I loved the repetition of the phrase; it was so much like a mantra.
This song also stood out because all I could remember was the chorus, and I couldn't for the life of me recall any verse. I took that as a challenge, and re-built the song around this bare skeleton. The hardest part to this process was trying to get myself back in that post-breakup mental state. One thing stuck with me from that time, and it was the ripping realization that someone whose life had been intertwined deeply with my own was most certainly going to go onward through life's experiences without me there to be part of it. I wouldn't know their life's journey, and my own future would not include them either. For someone like me who (full disclaimer) has dealt with some abandonment issues, this was a very real, very bewildering revelation. It stunned me at the time, and I can still remember how painfully empty I felt; how hard it was to feel self-sufficient and normal again.
One thing kept me somewhat optimistic, and it was the knowledge that everything wasn't in my hands. That mantra, "God writes happy endings," is written like the self-assuring words we tell ourselves in hard times to help keep our heads up. It's also about getting the courage to surrender to the wills of fate - looking forward to a "happy ending," whether it means you'll end up back together or not at all. It's about accepting a happy ending in whatever form it may come in; knowing there's someone out there that knows our fate better than us, and being OK with that.
------
This song is near and dear to me because I started writing it 8 years ago, during my last painful breakup. Writing about a breakup is daunting sometimes, mostly because it's a realm that has been explored time and time again. The challenge becomes the search for different lenses and angles through which to view the situation. Now, my first attempt at writing this song wasn't entirely a failure - I did "finish" it, in the sense that I'd played it at a gig once - but deep inside I knew it wasn't there yet. In hindsight, I realize it was because I had written it too soon after the pain. Some topics are just plain hard to navigate in their fresh state. What I did get out of that first attempt, though, was a chorus that stuck with me through several years, until earlier this summer when I sat in my backyard hammock and leafed through an old journal to dig up old songs. The melody was old-school; kind of lullaby-ish, a tinge jazz standard-y. I loved the repetition of the phrase; it was so much like a mantra.
This song also stood out because all I could remember was the chorus, and I couldn't for the life of me recall any verse. I took that as a challenge, and re-built the song around this bare skeleton. The hardest part to this process was trying to get myself back in that post-breakup mental state. One thing stuck with me from that time, and it was the ripping realization that someone whose life had been intertwined deeply with my own was most certainly going to go onward through life's experiences without me there to be part of it. I wouldn't know their life's journey, and my own future would not include them either. For someone like me who (full disclaimer) has dealt with some abandonment issues, this was a very real, very bewildering revelation. It stunned me at the time, and I can still remember how painfully empty I felt; how hard it was to feel self-sufficient and normal again.
One thing kept me somewhat optimistic, and it was the knowledge that everything wasn't in my hands. That mantra, "God writes happy endings," is written like the self-assuring words we tell ourselves in hard times to help keep our heads up. It's also about getting the courage to surrender to the wills of fate - looking forward to a "happy ending," whether it means you'll end up back together or not at all. It's about accepting a happy ending in whatever form it may come in; knowing there's someone out there that knows our fate better than us, and being OK with that.
------
Monday, September 1, 2014
The Idle Hours are here!
Last week, Marc Lacuesta and I finally debuted our EP. This has 5 songs, all written in 2011-2012...also known as the years when I got to learn about the general awesomeness of Nashville. We are truly proud of these songs, and you can check them out here: theidlehours.bandcamp.com. They are available for streaming and download for $4.99, or $1 per song. Not a bad deal for music, right? You can also find the EP on iTunes and Amazon, AND...please don't forget to follow us on Facebook.com/theidlehours!
We were so lucky to have some incredible musicians on this too, so if you have the time, I encourage you to look through the EP info to see the names of some gnarly players who contributed to the effort. Some notables (which I mentioned in an earlier post) include BJ Cole, who played on Elton John's "Tiny Dancer," as well as Sting's record "10 Summoner's Tales" in '93; and Jeremy Lister, whose group Street Corner Symphony won 2nd place on The Sing-Off in 2010.
The Idle Hours EP Track List
1. Wait for Me
2. Perfect Melody
3. The Road (feat. BJ Cole)
4. For Now
5. Third of December (feat. Jeremy Lister)
Thanks in advance for checking it out! :)
We were so lucky to have some incredible musicians on this too, so if you have the time, I encourage you to look through the EP info to see the names of some gnarly players who contributed to the effort. Some notables (which I mentioned in an earlier post) include BJ Cole, who played on Elton John's "Tiny Dancer," as well as Sting's record "10 Summoner's Tales" in '93; and Jeremy Lister, whose group Street Corner Symphony won 2nd place on The Sing-Off in 2010.
The Idle Hours EP Track List
1. Wait for Me
2. Perfect Melody
3. The Road (feat. BJ Cole)
4. For Now
5. Third of December (feat. Jeremy Lister)
Thanks in advance for checking it out! :)
Monday, August 25, 2014
Evolution of a song: "Emily"
Like many, I'm a new country fan. After countless years of saying I couldn't get over the twang, the slide guitars, and the jiggly banjoes, I have finally crossed the line into Team Country. Don't get me wrong, as in any genre, there are still limits to my newfound appreciation (I'll take Kacey Musgraves over Taylor Swift any day, or Johnny Cash over Dierks Bentley). But overall, I've found endearment and admiration for the storytelling that goes into a good country song. One of my favorites is an oldie - Dolly Parton's "Jolene." Roughly two years ago I got to writing a song with a similar premise, a song called "Emily," that tells the tale of a gal desperately begging another far more attractive female to stay away from her man. Some might say I was copying the country legend herself. I prefer to say that I was simply paying homage to a great.
Here are 2 renditions of "Emily" in its earlier stages. This one was sent off to Marc Lacuesta in Nashville to get his input on building the track:
A few weeks later, I was lucky enough to get into House of Rock in Santa Monica - a multi-million dollar house that included a beautiful studio in the attic that was owned by Blue Microphones. The folks over at Blue were nice enough to let me get into the studio to record a little bit, so I did a version of "Emily" along with drummer Roberto Cerletti.
As I worked with the song during gigs, it became evident that the song would have a heavy upright bass presence. As a result, I got together with a great bassist in town, Austin Underhill, and would play the song with him during a handful of gigs. I also took the tempo down a little to make it a bit more mysterious.
"Emily" with Upright Bass: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/7rq52crsaxvq3tn/EmilyAustin.mp3
Meanwhile, in Nashville, Marc and I had built the track, working off what was recorded at House of Rock with all the tasty Blue mics in the studio. We also got Bones Hillman, of Midnight Oil, to play upright on the track. We topped it off with some of Marc's sweet background vocals and some organ, and then all that was left was for me to re-sing my vocals during a September 2013 visit. Here's the final version of the track, available for streaming and download! Stay tuned for a music video soon...
Monday, August 11, 2014
Ladies and gents... The Idle Hours!
Here I am, many months later. I promised I'd be better about blogging, but the last few months have been kind of an overload of thoughts and things happening. You would think this would be the impetus for more blog posts, but it's the opposite with me. I start to feel the snowball effect; I get lost in the thoughts and ideas and, instead of getting them out here, I kind of roll along with the avalanche. Sorry, truly.
But let me attempt it anyway.
I've had a project going on in Nashville for 3 years now with Marc Lacuesta. He's the producer behind half of "World Go Blue," and has been the other half of a duo I've started called The Idle Hours. We write songs that we love, and we've been aiming to have them placed in film and television. Much of that is out of practicality - Marc isn't an artist in the traditional sense and doesn't have time to tour - but we also have been interested in exploring the outlet of licensing a bit more. Nashville (also lovingly known as Nashvegas) is a town that is built heavily on the idea of publishing music, so it's a very tangible goal for us. I could tell you so much about working with Marc... but it'd be a hefty novel, so I'll tell you about the product of our work instead.
We are releasing our first-ever EP next week. Not a lot of clamor or publicity about it, but we're OK with that. We are quietly going out into daylight. I feel like we're letting these songs escape into the world with the thought that doing so is accomplishment enough.
These songs have been benchmarks of our time as friends and collaborators, co-conspirators and penpals (2,000 miles of distance! Oy!)... there's lots of great nuggets in there, including one song that features Jeremy Lister from Street Corner Symphony, and another with prominent pedal steel genius B.J. Cole. We tried to get Marc's bestie Ruby Amanfu in there, but her rock star schedule wouldn't allow. :)
I learned so much in 3 years of writing and recording with Marc. The project has been half the reason for my 7 trips to Nashville since 2011 (the other being my last solo record, of course). It's also seen me and Marc through a lot of life changes. When we first met each other he was single, and I was unsure about my own relationship; now he is engaged (to a very lovely person), and I am happily sure about my relationship (same guy; rough road, now behind us).
The good news is that even before these songs were really out in the open, we'd gotten "Bergenfield, NJ" placed in an upcoming indie film called "Old Fashioned," and have just been approached about placing it in another film as well (that one I will mention once it's final). I guess it helped that this song was on "World Go Blue" as the final track. During the week I spent in Nashville this past June, we were approached by a publisher about an exclusive pub deal, which means we may be on our way to accomplishing the goals we had for our songs (here's praying!). After our EP comes out next week, we'll release a new music video, which I am producing alongside the guys at Homeroom Creative. I'm really excited for this one, since it will be an illustrated video, with a story that is near and dear to me.
All good things. But at the heart of everything, it's just amazing that Marc and I set out to do something and have completed it... or at least, gotten it rolling. We've still got more music in store... but before I jump ahead of myself, I'm going to do what I'm not that great at doing: take a look at all that was created, and see that it is good. :)
But let me attempt it anyway.
I've had a project going on in Nashville for 3 years now with Marc Lacuesta. He's the producer behind half of "World Go Blue," and has been the other half of a duo I've started called The Idle Hours. We write songs that we love, and we've been aiming to have them placed in film and television. Much of that is out of practicality - Marc isn't an artist in the traditional sense and doesn't have time to tour - but we also have been interested in exploring the outlet of licensing a bit more. Nashville (also lovingly known as Nashvegas) is a town that is built heavily on the idea of publishing music, so it's a very tangible goal for us. I could tell you so much about working with Marc... but it'd be a hefty novel, so I'll tell you about the product of our work instead.
We are releasing our first-ever EP next week. Not a lot of clamor or publicity about it, but we're OK with that. We are quietly going out into daylight. I feel like we're letting these songs escape into the world with the thought that doing so is accomplishment enough.
These songs have been benchmarks of our time as friends and collaborators, co-conspirators and penpals (2,000 miles of distance! Oy!)... there's lots of great nuggets in there, including one song that features Jeremy Lister from Street Corner Symphony, and another with prominent pedal steel genius B.J. Cole. We tried to get Marc's bestie Ruby Amanfu in there, but her rock star schedule wouldn't allow. :)
The good news is that even before these songs were really out in the open, we'd gotten "Bergenfield, NJ" placed in an upcoming indie film called "Old Fashioned," and have just been approached about placing it in another film as well (that one I will mention once it's final). I guess it helped that this song was on "World Go Blue" as the final track. During the week I spent in Nashville this past June, we were approached by a publisher about an exclusive pub deal, which means we may be on our way to accomplishing the goals we had for our songs (here's praying!). After our EP comes out next week, we'll release a new music video, which I am producing alongside the guys at Homeroom Creative. I'm really excited for this one, since it will be an illustrated video, with a story that is near and dear to me.
All good things. But at the heart of everything, it's just amazing that Marc and I set out to do something and have completed it... or at least, gotten it rolling. We've still got more music in store... but before I jump ahead of myself, I'm going to do what I'm not that great at doing: take a look at all that was created, and see that it is good. :)
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
WAR! Teaser // Season of writing.
"WAR!" is debuting on April 22nd on ISAtv, but here's a quick teaser courtesy of Conrad, the director.
I've been transitioning back to a season of writing, and the whole thing feels slightly off-kilter for me. I've learned that the best way to get into creativity is to find a sense of calm. A lot of the time, this means that normally minor distractions can start to feel like frustrating ones. That doesn't mean they aren't good distractions - I just played the songwriter's round that I host at Renaissance Hotel last night, and am gearing up for a showcase I'm playing with my publishing company in a few weeks, not to mention I'll be MOH at my sister's wedding in 2 weeks - but my first goal is to be more productive with songwriting. So hyper-focused am I at getting to this goal, that I often forget that the trick is sometimes just to let it go (cue that song from "Frozen" that I'm not actually a big fan of. Sorry.)
So far I've averaged a song per week. That's OK, the gears are just warming up. More scratches to come soon...
By the way, here is the flyer for the showcase I am playing next month. It is hosted by Gas Can Music, which publishes "World Go Blue," and is open to music supervisors looking to license. If by happenstance you are a music supervisor who's stumbled onto my blog and would like to join the event, you can email Licensing@GasCanMusic.com.
I've been transitioning back to a season of writing, and the whole thing feels slightly off-kilter for me. I've learned that the best way to get into creativity is to find a sense of calm. A lot of the time, this means that normally minor distractions can start to feel like frustrating ones. That doesn't mean they aren't good distractions - I just played the songwriter's round that I host at Renaissance Hotel last night, and am gearing up for a showcase I'm playing with my publishing company in a few weeks, not to mention I'll be MOH at my sister's wedding in 2 weeks - but my first goal is to be more productive with songwriting. So hyper-focused am I at getting to this goal, that I often forget that the trick is sometimes just to let it go (cue that song from "Frozen" that I'm not actually a big fan of. Sorry.)
So far I've averaged a song per week. That's OK, the gears are just warming up. More scratches to come soon...
By the way, here is the flyer for the showcase I am playing next month. It is hosted by Gas Can Music, which publishes "World Go Blue," and is open to music supervisors looking to license. If by happenstance you are a music supervisor who's stumbled onto my blog and would like to join the event, you can email Licensing@GasCanMusic.com.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Shooting the War! Video
Two weekends ago, I had the immense pleasure of gathering some friends together to help me shoot my video for "War!", which will debut on April 22nd. I can't actually properly express how much fun this whole thing was, so here's a GIF to give you an idea. Photos shot by Red Lebrun:
As you can see, we are decked out in face paint and some interesting costume choices. We got together one Sunday for a massive pillow fight in the park. We will be pairing these shots with some band footage we gathered at The Great Company in downtown LA.
The idea for this video was born out of a small idea I had a long time ago to pair the song "War!" with some kind of fight. I ran over the list in my head - zombie fight, paintball fight, water fight, and eventually pillow fight. After approaching a couple directors and running into small hiccups left and right, I put the idea on the back burner while doing my travels in the Fall and Winter. Eventually, I brought the idea to my friend and director Conrad Lihilihi, running the idea of a zombie fight past him. He instantly got excited about the concept and came back with some of his own input. I was getting a really good feeling that we were on the same page, and also felt that the video would need the kind of comic timing that Conrad is naturally great at. Eventually, we fleshed out the logistics and realized the zombie fight would get costly and might seem too violent (I wanted to move away from anything controversial - like in last year's "Blue" video). We opted for the pillow fight instead, and I'm super happy with the way it all came out. Stay tuned - the video will be officially out soon, but in the meantime, you can listen to it on Bandcamp!
As you can see, we are decked out in face paint and some interesting costume choices. We got together one Sunday for a massive pillow fight in the park. We will be pairing these shots with some band footage we gathered at The Great Company in downtown LA.
The idea for this video was born out of a small idea I had a long time ago to pair the song "War!" with some kind of fight. I ran over the list in my head - zombie fight, paintball fight, water fight, and eventually pillow fight. After approaching a couple directors and running into small hiccups left and right, I put the idea on the back burner while doing my travels in the Fall and Winter. Eventually, I brought the idea to my friend and director Conrad Lihilihi, running the idea of a zombie fight past him. He instantly got excited about the concept and came back with some of his own input. I was getting a really good feeling that we were on the same page, and also felt that the video would need the kind of comic timing that Conrad is naturally great at. Eventually, we fleshed out the logistics and realized the zombie fight would get costly and might seem too violent (I wanted to move away from anything controversial - like in last year's "Blue" video). We opted for the pillow fight instead, and I'm super happy with the way it all came out. Stay tuned - the video will be officially out soon, but in the meantime, you can listen to it on Bandcamp!
Friday, March 21, 2014
3 years.
It just hit me that today marks the 3-year-anniversary of my first day in LA. It's crazy to think that all this time has already passed. Where do I even begin reminiscing or recapping on all the incredible, surprising, overwhelming, life-changing things that have come to pass?
Before I moved to LA, I was a little more naive - swallowed by unsatisfied hunger and insatiable curiosity, but only because I hadn't yet crossed waters I wanted to tread. I was 25 then, but in my memory, I seem so much younger. This day 3 years ago was the end of a month-long journey across the U.S. I had seen so much of this country that I hadn't seen before - I'd grown so much as a musician while exploring Nashville and touring Texas, and had learned just how much of this world I'd been missing. Despite many travels out of the country in earlier years, the U.S. had never seemed like a wide open expanse until I took that trip.
When comparing my life now to life then, it all seems to have shifted in a whirlwind. I am sorry to use so many cliches, but I guess I'm at a loss for words. I could tell you about all the things that have happened since moving here - the songwriting, the albums, the touring, the contacts, the new friends, the chance encounters, the side projects - but in truth, it's the more subtle things that give me pause. The way I approach my career as well as other people; the way I've learned to manage my time; how I discovered my love for teaching music; my incremental-then-exponential vocal growth and comfort onstage. Then there's the difficult stuff: how jaded I can be after being exposed to the "industry;" learning that there are still ways for me to feel insecure, if I do not learn to manage my mind; realizing the challenges that are always present in this field. But it gives me hope that despite the hardships, I'm still in the game, still hungry to create, hungry to continue this love for music. I'm in a different chapter now - with shows behind me, I'm looking towards more writing - but I am so thankful for the last year and a half since Kickstarting "World Go Blue," recording it, and then touring and promoting it here and abroad. I've learned so much, and have been given so many more opportunities via placements, endorsements, and much more. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Before I moved to LA, I was a little more naive - swallowed by unsatisfied hunger and insatiable curiosity, but only because I hadn't yet crossed waters I wanted to tread. I was 25 then, but in my memory, I seem so much younger. This day 3 years ago was the end of a month-long journey across the U.S. I had seen so much of this country that I hadn't seen before - I'd grown so much as a musician while exploring Nashville and touring Texas, and had learned just how much of this world I'd been missing. Despite many travels out of the country in earlier years, the U.S. had never seemed like a wide open expanse until I took that trip.
When comparing my life now to life then, it all seems to have shifted in a whirlwind. I am sorry to use so many cliches, but I guess I'm at a loss for words. I could tell you about all the things that have happened since moving here - the songwriting, the albums, the touring, the contacts, the new friends, the chance encounters, the side projects - but in truth, it's the more subtle things that give me pause. The way I approach my career as well as other people; the way I've learned to manage my time; how I discovered my love for teaching music; my incremental-then-exponential vocal growth and comfort onstage. Then there's the difficult stuff: how jaded I can be after being exposed to the "industry;" learning that there are still ways for me to feel insecure, if I do not learn to manage my mind; realizing the challenges that are always present in this field. But it gives me hope that despite the hardships, I'm still in the game, still hungry to create, hungry to continue this love for music. I'm in a different chapter now - with shows behind me, I'm looking towards more writing - but I am so thankful for the last year and a half since Kickstarting "World Go Blue," recording it, and then touring and promoting it here and abroad. I've learned so much, and have been given so many more opportunities via placements, endorsements, and much more. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Pictures from the day I left NJ: 2.20.11
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
When you have woman-parts.
A few weeks ago I did a video interview for Planet X, hosted by my good friend and musician-extraodinaire Inch Chua. The show was ahead of the She Rocks Awards, which focuses on women in the music industry, and so I was asked about any difficulties I run into as a woman in the "music business." At the time I couldn't think of what to say - I had never felt like my gender got in the way of progress, and even if it had, nothing in my memory felt worth mentioning.
Recently I ran into a bit of a head-butt with a sound guy. I know this isn't exactly unique - every working musician runs into this kind of snafoo - but I couldn't help wondering if my gender had anything to do with the blowout we exchanged. In short, I was the only female in the line-up, and in trying to verbalize my sound needs, I noticed he was getting very short and sarcastic with me. I couldn't imagine what I might have said that quickly switched the tides - I'd barely been onstage for 2 minutes when I felt his attitude flare. At one point, he even compared me to the other acts, saying they were all "cool", except me.
There are two things at work here. First, are the circumstances causing a certain level of self-consciousness: being a woman, I am used to being underestimated in many cases, and have learned to be forthright about my sound needs. I'm not mean about it, I just know what I want to hear through the monitors. I see that this can probably be misinterpreted as "attitude", particularly if the sound engineer isn't used to a woman asking for certain adjustments to be made for more than 30 seconds. Now it's very possible this could apply to every artist in particular, but I ask you - if a guy got on stage and asked for the sound through the monitors to be made "more intimate", do you think the sound engineer would snap back at him? Doubt it.
Second: ego. The guy had a big ego about what his capabilities were; he thought it insulting that I wanted adjustments made, and furthermore, seemed to want me to "coddle" him in the way I asked for certain changes, as evidenced by him mistaking my simple sound requests as attitude. Of course I'm sure my own ego had something to do with it too - I instantly took his shortness with me to mean he didn't think I was a knowledgeable musician, and the snowball began. Ego is such a funny thing, though. We love it in men but hate it in women - why? It's a by-product of working at something we love; it isn't always good and it isn't always bad, and that goes for both genders.
In the end, the show was great and went off without a hitch, but I couldn't help wondering how it all would have gone down if I weren't a female. The expectation for us women is to be softer, less targeted in our demands; and it's a shame all sound guys can't just set aside those expectations and be real pros.
Recently I ran into a bit of a head-butt with a sound guy. I know this isn't exactly unique - every working musician runs into this kind of snafoo - but I couldn't help wondering if my gender had anything to do with the blowout we exchanged. In short, I was the only female in the line-up, and in trying to verbalize my sound needs, I noticed he was getting very short and sarcastic with me. I couldn't imagine what I might have said that quickly switched the tides - I'd barely been onstage for 2 minutes when I felt his attitude flare. At one point, he even compared me to the other acts, saying they were all "cool", except me.
There are two things at work here. First, are the circumstances causing a certain level of self-consciousness: being a woman, I am used to being underestimated in many cases, and have learned to be forthright about my sound needs. I'm not mean about it, I just know what I want to hear through the monitors. I see that this can probably be misinterpreted as "attitude", particularly if the sound engineer isn't used to a woman asking for certain adjustments to be made for more than 30 seconds. Now it's very possible this could apply to every artist in particular, but I ask you - if a guy got on stage and asked for the sound through the monitors to be made "more intimate", do you think the sound engineer would snap back at him? Doubt it.
Second: ego. The guy had a big ego about what his capabilities were; he thought it insulting that I wanted adjustments made, and furthermore, seemed to want me to "coddle" him in the way I asked for certain changes, as evidenced by him mistaking my simple sound requests as attitude. Of course I'm sure my own ego had something to do with it too - I instantly took his shortness with me to mean he didn't think I was a knowledgeable musician, and the snowball began. Ego is such a funny thing, though. We love it in men but hate it in women - why? It's a by-product of working at something we love; it isn't always good and it isn't always bad, and that goes for both genders.
In the end, the show was great and went off without a hitch, but I couldn't help wondering how it all would have gone down if I weren't a female. The expectation for us women is to be softer, less targeted in our demands; and it's a shame all sound guys can't just set aside those expectations and be real pros.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Cozy in blustery Rochester.
It's a freezing 1-degree outside my hotel room here in Fairport, NY, Philip Seymour Hoffman's hometown (according to NPR) and the town next to Rochester. Nestled between Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes, the biting cold is a staple here during winters, but the students at Nazareth College told me it's nothing anyone really gets used to.
I made the drive up from Reading earlier today; watched the sky turn from blue to gray, as snow began to fall, light and airy at first, then fiercely as I winded up local roads. The Interstate doesn't cut through the north-central part of Pennsylvania, so I found myself caught in the post-industrial romantic beauty of forgotten river towns and rural villages. The trek was a solid 5 hours, but it didn't seem too long to me - maybe the scenery forced me to be present in the drive. I let my mind get lost in it. I found comfort in the twang of country radio. On the homestretch, I found myself engulfed in tornadoes of powdery snow, dispersed by blustery winds that were born from stretches of open fields to the left, to the right. I slowed the car and turned on my headlights. I felt my nerves and kept the steering wheel straight, hoping pavement was still ahead. I was worried, but I felt it would work itself out. Tonight, after the show, a similar predicament befell. My GPS wasn't working on my phone. Frustrated, I called Rob to see if he could help. I knew it'd be hard to pinpoint my location, but he did his best. I tried to piece my route together by looking at Google Maps, even if it wouldn't actually direct me. After wandering, lost, through pitch black country roads, making a U-turn and dodging ridges of slippery ice, I found myself back at the hotel - a fancy Hotel/Spa that sits large and stately atop a hill, unlike its more modest surroundings.
I checked my e-mail and silently chastised myself - I'm checking e-mail and social networks too often. I'm tempted to give Facebook a rest for a month. I'm craving some time to myself. But something good came out of it. The student adviser at last night's show at Albright had passed on some music, including Dawn & Hawkes - an Austin couple that made their way to Tuesday's episode of The Voice. I love the idea of them. I hope they make it through the show... http://www.dawnandhawkes.com/ One of their videos is below. Goodnight for now.
I made the drive up from Reading earlier today; watched the sky turn from blue to gray, as snow began to fall, light and airy at first, then fiercely as I winded up local roads. The Interstate doesn't cut through the north-central part of Pennsylvania, so I found myself caught in the post-industrial romantic beauty of forgotten river towns and rural villages. The trek was a solid 5 hours, but it didn't seem too long to me - maybe the scenery forced me to be present in the drive. I let my mind get lost in it. I found comfort in the twang of country radio. On the homestretch, I found myself engulfed in tornadoes of powdery snow, dispersed by blustery winds that were born from stretches of open fields to the left, to the right. I slowed the car and turned on my headlights. I felt my nerves and kept the steering wheel straight, hoping pavement was still ahead. I was worried, but I felt it would work itself out. Tonight, after the show, a similar predicament befell. My GPS wasn't working on my phone. Frustrated, I called Rob to see if he could help. I knew it'd be hard to pinpoint my location, but he did his best. I tried to piece my route together by looking at Google Maps, even if it wouldn't actually direct me. After wandering, lost, through pitch black country roads, making a U-turn and dodging ridges of slippery ice, I found myself back at the hotel - a fancy Hotel/Spa that sits large and stately atop a hill, unlike its more modest surroundings.
I checked my e-mail and silently chastised myself - I'm checking e-mail and social networks too often. I'm tempted to give Facebook a rest for a month. I'm craving some time to myself. But something good came out of it. The student adviser at last night's show at Albright had passed on some music, including Dawn & Hawkes - an Austin couple that made their way to Tuesday's episode of The Voice. I love the idea of them. I hope they make it through the show... http://www.dawnandhawkes.com/ One of their videos is below. Goodnight for now.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Back in NYC.
After 5 days of straight shows (and driving), I finally have 2 days to catch my breath. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until today. As much as I wanted to, I wasn't able to sleep in this morning, but after lunch with an old friend and a stop at Uniqlo in Paramus, NJ, I indulged in a much-needed 2.5-hour nap. Of course that means it's 4:15am and I'm fighting sleep. Bottomless cups of green tea at dinner with another friend probably didn't help. But it's OK. I can write instead.
Last night was my NYC show at The Bitter End, a venue with a long history to me. It's probably one of the earliest places I played in my career. It was nice to be back and warmly welcomed by the door man and Riyoshi, the sound engineer who I know I can always count on. Despite the Sunday 10pm time slot, the crowd was great, and a lot of folks stayed after the songwriter session beforehand. CD's were sold, hands were shook, greetings abounded, and even a movie star was in our midst (a Filipina one, KC Concepcion, but still cool! She bought CD's and asked for a picture...which I will post soon, promise). My heart just felt so full. It meant a lot to be able to come back to the place where I started and feel like I've grown as a performer since the early days. It was another great moment to add to many from this tour: an intimate house show at my friend Eric's place in Boston, kazoo-choruses at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, a performance and interview with Lasell College Radio in Massachusetts, making new fans at Penn State, and grabbing pizza and wings with the students at LeMoyne in Syracuse. I'm thankful for all the posts on my Facebook wall from the show too, since I didn't have photos of my own to post. :)
Here's the set list from last night:
War!
A Simple Life
Missed Opportunity
First Sight of Land
Blue
Man On the Radio
From Me
Replaced/Counting Stars cover
Isabelle
Photo by Peter Ou.
Photo by Gordon Nash.
Last night was my NYC show at The Bitter End, a venue with a long history to me. It's probably one of the earliest places I played in my career. It was nice to be back and warmly welcomed by the door man and Riyoshi, the sound engineer who I know I can always count on. Despite the Sunday 10pm time slot, the crowd was great, and a lot of folks stayed after the songwriter session beforehand. CD's were sold, hands were shook, greetings abounded, and even a movie star was in our midst (a Filipina one, KC Concepcion, but still cool! She bought CD's and asked for a picture...which I will post soon, promise). My heart just felt so full. It meant a lot to be able to come back to the place where I started and feel like I've grown as a performer since the early days. It was another great moment to add to many from this tour: an intimate house show at my friend Eric's place in Boston, kazoo-choruses at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, a performance and interview with Lasell College Radio in Massachusetts, making new fans at Penn State, and grabbing pizza and wings with the students at LeMoyne in Syracuse. I'm thankful for all the posts on my Facebook wall from the show too, since I didn't have photos of my own to post. :)
Here's the set list from last night:
War!
A Simple Life
Missed Opportunity
First Sight of Land
Blue
Man On the Radio
From Me
Replaced/Counting Stars cover
Isabelle
Photo by Peter Ou.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
From the road.
It isn't always easy being on tour. In fact, it's probably the least easy thing. There's a heck of a lot of traveling, a lot of catching up with schedules, a lot of coordinating, a lot of meeting strangers, and then there's that snippet of time when you get to do that thing that you love to do, for about an hour or so, when it becomes wonderful. But once in a while, there are shows that don't turn out wonderful (not so on this tour so far, I'm happy to report). I find myself surprised sometimes that I can still do this, even when it's not easy, when I'm running on a few hours of sleep and lots of caffeine; I'm missing "real" food and people I know. Last night I played a show here in Syracuse, and I had had a really long drive from Boston. I'm not sure how I had the ability to smile, chat, and socialize with the Le Moyne students after the late-night show (they were super funny and relaxed, which helped).
I thought about that this morning, and since it's Sunday and I'm craving my spiritual pick-me-up since I couldn't make it to my family church in Queens, I read some devotionals and came upon this verse, one I've read before but rings fairly true now:
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal;g but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved,h I do not consider that I have made it my own;i but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead... (Philippians 3)
Thinking about this verse, I get very overwhelmed by grace that allows me to continue what I do, even if it's not easy. Somehow, there's a love for music that was placed in my heart, and I feel close to it, even if it's full of struggles - on tour and off tour - and it's a big part of who I am. So, I guess the question I wrestle with is what the main purpose of this is. Sure, it's therapeutic, it's fun to sing about things I write, but how can my music effect bigger change? Is that even what it's meant for? Off I go to live that question...
I thought about that this morning, and since it's Sunday and I'm craving my spiritual pick-me-up since I couldn't make it to my family church in Queens, I read some devotionals and came upon this verse, one I've read before but rings fairly true now:
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal;g but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved,h I do not consider that I have made it my own;i but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead... (Philippians 3)
Thinking about this verse, I get very overwhelmed by grace that allows me to continue what I do, even if it's not easy. Somehow, there's a love for music that was placed in my heart, and I feel close to it, even if it's full of struggles - on tour and off tour - and it's a big part of who I am. So, I guess the question I wrestle with is what the main purpose of this is. Sure, it's therapeutic, it's fun to sing about things I write, but how can my music effect bigger change? Is that even what it's meant for? Off I go to live that question...
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Music Connection / Kacey Musgraves love / FilmOn TV
I see-saw over whether or not to divulge details of my non-artist/songwriter life on this blog, but ultimately have decided that I wouldn't feel right withholding the facts. So, I guess you should know that I teach music once a week at a preschool in Walnut, CA. I really love it, even if it means being out there from 9:30 to 5:30 with just a 45-minute break. I teach 5 classes and 9 private voice students. All that time, I am in awe of how open and enthusiastic young kids are, how viscerally music affects them, and how my heart melts a little when they call my name excitedly (I'm "Miss Alfa" to them). Once in a while, like today, I'll get reports from a student or teacher who has stumbled on my videos on YouTube. The reaction usually hovers around fascinated-shocked-amused on the general reaction scale.
Anyway, since I was out there today, I wasn't exactly plastered to my phone and therefore was a little slow on the uptake: Music Connection Magazine, which had critiqued "World Go Blue" last month 8.0 out of 10, wrote a bit about my recent endorsement with Kawai, and NAMM, and Walden. Of course, I thought this was pretty rad. It's crazy to think of everything that's happened since "World Go Blue" was released just a little over a year ago. You can see the whole link here, and screen shot is below.
In other news, I've been falling in love with Kacey Musgraves' album. I remember driving through Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee last year and hearing "Merry Go Round" constantly on the radio. I thought the song was really great - still country, but with a melancholic, introspective touch any folk-influenced writer can appreciate. I got around to hearing the rest of it, and wow. I wish the best for her - the album is extremely well-written and sophisticated in its production (what I mean by this is that it's not overproduced, but exercises brevity in instrumentation and arrangement). Her voice isn't standout - she's no Allison Krauss or Kelly Clarkson - but she works what she has, and what has materialized is a well-crafted album with great lyrics, melodies that sneak up on you when least expected, and great vocal delivery. Some of my favorites: "Merry Go Round," "Step Off," "Follow Your Arrow," "My House." Turns out that Marc Lacuesta, who produced my record, lives a few blocks on the same street, and has spoken to her at various Nashville parties. This is right around the time I fight the urge to buy a plane ticket to go out there... Anyway, check her album out - I have been Spotifying it on a daily basis.
I also did a TV appearance yesterday with FilmOn TV. Guess who hosted the show? None other than Kato Kaelin, of OJ Simpson trial fame. He was way sweet, though, and not too slathered in L.A. sheen, believe it or not. The show has an interactive chat feature that goes on-screen simultaneously with the show. This made for some laughs and awkward moments. Apparently it's a popular primetime station in U.K., so shoutout to the folks out that way.
Anyway, since I was out there today, I wasn't exactly plastered to my phone and therefore was a little slow on the uptake: Music Connection Magazine, which had critiqued "World Go Blue" last month 8.0 out of 10, wrote a bit about my recent endorsement with Kawai, and NAMM, and Walden. Of course, I thought this was pretty rad. It's crazy to think of everything that's happened since "World Go Blue" was released just a little over a year ago. You can see the whole link here, and screen shot is below.
In other news, I've been falling in love with Kacey Musgraves' album. I remember driving through Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee last year and hearing "Merry Go Round" constantly on the radio. I thought the song was really great - still country, but with a melancholic, introspective touch any folk-influenced writer can appreciate. I got around to hearing the rest of it, and wow. I wish the best for her - the album is extremely well-written and sophisticated in its production (what I mean by this is that it's not overproduced, but exercises brevity in instrumentation and arrangement). Her voice isn't standout - she's no Allison Krauss or Kelly Clarkson - but she works what she has, and what has materialized is a well-crafted album with great lyrics, melodies that sneak up on you when least expected, and great vocal delivery. Some of my favorites: "Merry Go Round," "Step Off," "Follow Your Arrow," "My House." Turns out that Marc Lacuesta, who produced my record, lives a few blocks on the same street, and has spoken to her at various Nashville parties. This is right around the time I fight the urge to buy a plane ticket to go out there... Anyway, check her album out - I have been Spotifying it on a daily basis.
I also did a TV appearance yesterday with FilmOn TV. Guess who hosted the show? None other than Kato Kaelin, of OJ Simpson trial fame. He was way sweet, though, and not too slathered in L.A. sheen, believe it or not. The show has an interactive chat feature that goes on-screen simultaneously with the show. This made for some laughs and awkward moments. Apparently it's a popular primetime station in U.K., so shoutout to the folks out that way.
Monday, January 27, 2014
The Post-NAMM
This weekend was the marvelous chaotic grandness that is The NAMM Show, aka the yearly convention for the National Association of Music Merchants. Word on the street is that it is THE convention of conventions - apparently the largest of US conventions. Doesn't surprise me. Based on my news feed alone, you'd think Stevie Wonder had cloned himself and was walking every inch of the exhibit hall, but I did not see him with my own eyes. Same with handfuls of friends who had attended the convention, all of whom were pretty much untrackable to me.
NAMM is probably the only place where being an "Artist" is a disadvantage. The show isn't open to the public, and it's where some major deals get done by retailers and sellers large and small. But for us lowly musicians, it's a place where some endorsements can be had, and along with it, some validation, ease on the wallet, and important relationships that can carry a career onward. It was my first year with a Kawai badge, and I played a demo set with their beautiful $200,000 concert grand. And although we spent the first 30 minutes scrambling for a PA system, all went well. Blue Microphones helped out and lent an enCORE 100, Walden gave us a stand, and my friend and fellow songwriter Matt Koelsch had one of my amps I'd lent him in his car, which was parked nearby. Thank heavens, otherwise we wouldn't have had the opportunity for this cool panorama shot of the set:
I also had a badge from Walden (which would have been great to pass on to a friend if badges were transferable), my awesome guitar company from Nashville, who have always treated me well and even put my big face on their booth for the 2nd year in a row.
A new deal was struck with D'Addario, which is great news since guitar strings come and go, got dibs on an awesome piano stand prototype from Hamilton, and I can now grab an artist discount with Focusrite for one of their awesome interfaces. Next phase: building up the artillery to make more music once touring is over in March.
While I am, for now, a simple indie songwriter upstart, I found myself dreaming big about the possibilities - NAMM is, after all, where you'll see big guys like Steve Tyler, Marilyn Manson and Adam Levine circumnavigating the same halls as student musicians, aspiring songwriters and freebie-hungry music fans. It's quite a thing.
Me and my friend/Singaporean indie rock princess Inch Chua before she interviewed me for Planet X.
NAMM is probably the only place where being an "Artist" is a disadvantage. The show isn't open to the public, and it's where some major deals get done by retailers and sellers large and small. But for us lowly musicians, it's a place where some endorsements can be had, and along with it, some validation, ease on the wallet, and important relationships that can carry a career onward. It was my first year with a Kawai badge, and I played a demo set with their beautiful $200,000 concert grand. And although we spent the first 30 minutes scrambling for a PA system, all went well. Blue Microphones helped out and lent an enCORE 100, Walden gave us a stand, and my friend and fellow songwriter Matt Koelsch had one of my amps I'd lent him in his car, which was parked nearby. Thank heavens, otherwise we wouldn't have had the opportunity for this cool panorama shot of the set:
I also had a badge from Walden (which would have been great to pass on to a friend if badges were transferable), my awesome guitar company from Nashville, who have always treated me well and even put my big face on their booth for the 2nd year in a row.
A new deal was struck with D'Addario, which is great news since guitar strings come and go, got dibs on an awesome piano stand prototype from Hamilton, and I can now grab an artist discount with Focusrite for one of their awesome interfaces. Next phase: building up the artillery to make more music once touring is over in March.
While I am, for now, a simple indie songwriter upstart, I found myself dreaming big about the possibilities - NAMM is, after all, where you'll see big guys like Steve Tyler, Marilyn Manson and Adam Levine circumnavigating the same halls as student musicians, aspiring songwriters and freebie-hungry music fans. It's quite a thing.
Me and my friend/Singaporean indie rock princess Inch Chua before she interviewed me for Planet X.
After my songwriter friend Kevin So introduced me to Will Champlin, of "The Voice" fame. The two go way back to Will's Berklee days.
Kevin invited me to the Hilton to play a song at a private party. Picture's a little dark, but here's me singing "War!" with Kevin on solo guit.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
2013, you wonderful thing of beauty, you.
I must be the only person in the world who wants to curl up in a self-made fort and spend New Year's Eve in solitude and safe comfort. It's not that I don't want 2014 to come, it's just that 2013 has been one of the biggest years in my life and I don't know what to expect now. I am both overwhelmed by things still to come (in goals personal and professional), and thinking that the new year could only underwhelm after the accomplishments of 2013. So, my gut reaction is to be silent and look inward for answers, maybe look outward in honest prayer.
2013 was the year I released "World Go Blue," got radio play and press coverage nationally, toured the U.S. and the Philippines, learned how to be a better performer, got a manager, heard my song on E!, got a piano endorsement from Kawai, made 2 music videos, traveled every month except two (May and July), and started hosting a songwriter's round; I saw my best friend lose her mom, get engaged, get married twice (with me as her maid of honor both times), and have a baby; 2013 was the year my dad reached out for the first time in almost 10 years, the year I got closer to my only direct aunt/uncle/cousins in the U.S.; the year I learned how to savor the simple things with Rob; the year I made stronger friendships in L.A.; the year I collaborated; the year on which I could look back and say, "OK. Leaving the place where I grew up was a good decision."
Thanks 2013. And 2014, I hope you understand why I'm a little hesitant to find out what you have in store.
But perhaps now I should just be proud of what happened and be inspired by the potential of things to come. Life is still writing itself, after all...
2013 was the year I released "World Go Blue," got radio play and press coverage nationally, toured the U.S. and the Philippines, learned how to be a better performer, got a manager, heard my song on E!, got a piano endorsement from Kawai, made 2 music videos, traveled every month except two (May and July), and started hosting a songwriter's round; I saw my best friend lose her mom, get engaged, get married twice (with me as her maid of honor both times), and have a baby; 2013 was the year my dad reached out for the first time in almost 10 years, the year I got closer to my only direct aunt/uncle/cousins in the U.S.; the year I learned how to savor the simple things with Rob; the year I made stronger friendships in L.A.; the year I collaborated; the year on which I could look back and say, "OK. Leaving the place where I grew up was a good decision."
Thanks 2013. And 2014, I hope you understand why I'm a little hesitant to find out what you have in store.
But perhaps now I should just be proud of what happened and be inspired by the potential of things to come. Life is still writing itself, after all...
Friday, December 13, 2013
Behind the "Cup of Coffee" Music Video
This was an amazing and incredibly busy day in April. It took us a long time to get the video out because I'd been hoping that I'd be able to get a video for "War!" out first. Alas, I underestimated how busy 2013 would be, but I'm happy that I was able to release this before year's end.
"Cup of Coffee" (the video) is a project spearheaded by Eliot Aether, who approached me earlier this year saying he felt a connection to the song and wanted to do it justice by putting a video together. Eliot has worked with some great talent in the past, and I knew I'd be in good hands. He singlehandedly gathered a team of camera operators, a Director or Photography (Sergio Arguello, guy with a great eye and amazing resume), a makeup/hair person (Tammie Lee), as well as an post-production team that worked for months to get the final video together. We shot in the beautiful piano studio of David Andersen (davidandersenpianos.com), a room full of Steinways that just about took my breath away. Also to thank - for her warmth, openness, and sweaters (it was cold that day) is the sculptor Tanya Ragir (tanyaragir.com), who lives with David and agreed to let us take over their backyard for an afternoon. You can't see it in the video, but her sculptures are placed around the backyard, and they're perfectly inspired. Justin Juarez is the handsome guy who agreed last-minute to be part of the shoot. I think we pulled off our romance fairly convincingly - apartment arguments and awkward beach strolls included. My favorite part of shooting with Justin was making up something to be mad at him about (kind of hard, since he's such a nice dude). I think I recall making up a bit about how I had caught him talking to some girl at a bar, some blonde girl with big boobs. To which he retorted, "I don't even like big boobs!" That got us laughing for a little while.
Anyway, here's the video if you haven't seen it! Thank you to the amazing team who put it all together!
Official music video for "Cup of Coffee" // DOWNLOAD the track at [http://alfamusic.bandcamp.com] // Heard on E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians"
Presented by Antidote30/Playa Design
Executive Producer: James Elliot Green | Producer: Jared Green
Director: Eliot Aether | Director of Photography: Sergio Arguello
Camera Operator: Abdul Malik Abbott
Editor: Katrin Leo Pako | Colorist: Jake Blackstone
VFX: Jason Fordham | Makeup & Hair: Tammie Lee
Actor: Justin Juarez | Special thanks: Tanya Ragir (tanyaragir.com) & David Andersen (davidandersenpianos.com), Phil Roc, Katz Carter, Paul Condon, Rob Bieselin.
About the track:
"Cup of Coffee" is from the album "World Go Blue", released 29 January 2013
Nick Adams (drums), Alfa Garcia (lead vocals, piano, guitar), Marc Lacuesta (BGV's), Paul Wight (electric guitar), Steve Wight (bass)
Written by Alfa Garcia. Published by Gas Can Music, Orange County, CA.
Recorded and mixed by Paul Wight. Monrovia, CA. Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music. New Windsor, NY.
LYRICS: http://alfamusic.bandcamp.com/track/c...
www.alfa-music.com
"Cup of Coffee" (the video) is a project spearheaded by Eliot Aether, who approached me earlier this year saying he felt a connection to the song and wanted to do it justice by putting a video together. Eliot has worked with some great talent in the past, and I knew I'd be in good hands. He singlehandedly gathered a team of camera operators, a Director or Photography (Sergio Arguello, guy with a great eye and amazing resume), a makeup/hair person (Tammie Lee), as well as an post-production team that worked for months to get the final video together. We shot in the beautiful piano studio of David Andersen (davidandersenpianos.com), a room full of Steinways that just about took my breath away. Also to thank - for her warmth, openness, and sweaters (it was cold that day) is the sculptor Tanya Ragir (tanyaragir.com), who lives with David and agreed to let us take over their backyard for an afternoon. You can't see it in the video, but her sculptures are placed around the backyard, and they're perfectly inspired. Justin Juarez is the handsome guy who agreed last-minute to be part of the shoot. I think we pulled off our romance fairly convincingly - apartment arguments and awkward beach strolls included. My favorite part of shooting with Justin was making up something to be mad at him about (kind of hard, since he's such a nice dude). I think I recall making up a bit about how I had caught him talking to some girl at a bar, some blonde girl with big boobs. To which he retorted, "I don't even like big boobs!" That got us laughing for a little while.
Official music video for "Cup of Coffee" // DOWNLOAD the track at [http://alfamusic.bandcamp.com] // Heard on E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians"
Presented by Antidote30/Playa Design
Executive Producer: James Elliot Green | Producer: Jared Green
Director: Eliot Aether | Director of Photography: Sergio Arguello
Camera Operator: Abdul Malik Abbott
Editor: Katrin Leo Pako | Colorist: Jake Blackstone
VFX: Jason Fordham | Makeup & Hair: Tammie Lee
Actor: Justin Juarez | Special thanks: Tanya Ragir (tanyaragir.com) & David Andersen (davidandersenpianos.com), Phil Roc, Katz Carter, Paul Condon, Rob Bieselin.
About the track:
"Cup of Coffee" is from the album "World Go Blue", released 29 January 2013
Nick Adams (drums), Alfa Garcia (lead vocals, piano, guitar), Marc Lacuesta (BGV's), Paul Wight (electric guitar), Steve Wight (bass)
Written by Alfa Garcia. Published by Gas Can Music, Orange County, CA.
Recorded and mixed by Paul Wight. Monrovia, CA. Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music. New Windsor, NY.
LYRICS: http://alfamusic.bandcamp.com/track/c...
www.alfa-music.com
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Mid-December; digging out thermals.
The cold is a daily fixture now, creeping in despite the sun; making things still and forcing the hurried mind to slow. I am grateful that "cold" in LA is in the 40's-50's. See, I'm headed for Chicago this weekend, where it's more like 18 degrees. Brrr. I'll have to dig out the thermals.
But despite that, I am happy to be able to go back and headline for Mt. Prospect's fundraiser event to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan and the recent Illinois tornadoes. I got a call a few weeks ago from an acquaintance I'd made out there, who owns the beautiful E+O restaurant out in the suburb. I don't know what made him think of me, but I'm grateful. Chicago will become my most-visited city in 2013. I think this will be my 4th trip out there this year.
Speaking of benefits, my songwriter friend Andrew Abaria and I put together a fundraiser concert this weekend at his gorgeous home in Silver Lake. We raised $900 for Direct Relief's efforts in the Philippines and got 4 boxes worth of clothing to donate to my family's church in Bohol, which is distributing goods to the earthquake victims. I couldn't help but think about how lucky we are, as I folded well-made polo shirts, designer jeans and intricately woven blouses into Atlas shipping boxes. How lucky we can give this stuff away. How insane there are people in this world who don't even have a reliable set of clothing to wear every day.
But despite that, I am happy to be able to go back and headline for Mt. Prospect's fundraiser event to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan and the recent Illinois tornadoes. I got a call a few weeks ago from an acquaintance I'd made out there, who owns the beautiful E+O restaurant out in the suburb. I don't know what made him think of me, but I'm grateful. Chicago will become my most-visited city in 2013. I think this will be my 4th trip out there this year.
Speaking of benefits, my songwriter friend Andrew Abaria and I put together a fundraiser concert this weekend at his gorgeous home in Silver Lake. We raised $900 for Direct Relief's efforts in the Philippines and got 4 boxes worth of clothing to donate to my family's church in Bohol, which is distributing goods to the earthquake victims. I couldn't help but think about how lucky we are, as I folded well-made polo shirts, designer jeans and intricately woven blouses into Atlas shipping boxes. How lucky we can give this stuff away. How insane there are people in this world who don't even have a reliable set of clothing to wear every day.
Austin, Rob and me putting together the last of the clothing donations.
Meanwhile, I'm getting together the December songwriter's Round at The Renaissance on Friday, which I'll be playing along with some other new LA songwriters I've met. And then debuting the "Cup of Coffee" music video tomorrow. I am really excited for this one. I was a little unsure at first - thought the whole ordeal was too made up for me - but now...now I think it's just right. For as much as it's about sticking to your guns, being an artist is also about trying out new experiences. And that's definitely how I see the whole experience of shooting this music video.
Oh, by the way. I almost forgot. I was featured in Candy Magazine in this month's issue! Kind of awesome. The shot is below. I've never seen Friday Night Lights, but it sounds like a neat comparison...
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