When and why did you become a musician?
I grew up surrounded by music. My dad would constantly have music playing, whether it was CCR’s Cosmo’s Factory, Prince’s Batman Soundtrack, or anything by The Beatles. Around the time The Beatles Anthology came out, I was playing air guitar and mimicking the strumming pattern of many Beatles songs. Around 2000-2001, my Uncle Tom gave me my first guitar and my dad taught me how to play one of my favorite songs at the time, Wilco’s “California Stars.” From there, I taught myself how to play, occasionally asking my dad for help in figuring out a chord.
What track would you play for a new listener if they’ve never heard your music before?
I think I would probably pick “Remember.” It is the title track off of my forthcoming album. The album’s central theme is living with and trying to overcome depression and anxiety and this song is that cry for help. The lyrics and music have a bit of a melodic drone feel with the synthesizer and electronic drums throughout the verses and is describing the realization that I have fallen into a deep depression. When the lyrics end, the music turns into an explosion of sound with the real drum kit and the guitars coming in representing that it is time to get some help.
What does your typical songwriting process look like?
For me, the songwriting process almost always starts with me and my acoustic guitar. I usually start out with a chord progression then attach a melody to it. From there, I will start writing lyrics to match the melody. After that, I will record a demo and begin to flesh out the rest of the song. The process of choosing the tones on the song is less based on guitar pedals, but more on which emotion or feeling I want to convey. For example, on the song “Can’t Wait To,” I wanted the music to feel sparse. My acoustic guitar is a Gibson J-45 and it is a very full and warm sounding guitar. I slid a piece of foam in between the body and the strings to completely kill the sustain. Another example of this would be on the song “Race to the Bottom,” where I wanted the lead guitars to feel like an anxiety attack. The tone is very aggressive and the playing is really choppy representing how I feel during an anxiety attack.
What inspires you to create music?
In my first release, there weren’t many songs that I wrote that I felt any connection to. That is different on this release. Every song on this album is deeply personal to me. The main theme about the forthcoming album is dealing with depression and anxiety, while remaining hopeful that things will get better. In June of 2019, I was fortunate enough to perform a song with Wilco at their Solid Sound Festival as a part of “Wilco Karaoke” with 9 other participants. Being around the others who performed with the band as well as performing with the band inspired me to write a flurry of songs; most have ended up on my forthcoming album “Remember.”
What can you tell us about your latest singles ‘Inevitable’ and ‘Race to the Bottom’?
“Inevitable” is a song I wrote for my dad in hopes that it will comfort him. Over the last seven or so years, he lost his dad, brother and several of his best friends. The second verse contains a nod to my grandfather who, after my grandmother died, visited her grave every day after she passed. When he talked about her, he would say that he wouldn’t want to trade anything for the time he had with her, even the bad times. Musically, it is a pretty up-tempo song, which is intentional since the subject is facing one’s own mortality.
“Race to the Bottom” is about the anxieties of the 2020 election. Years ago, my dad introduced me to “Hallogallo” by Neu! I loved the relentless motorik beat that drove the song, along with the ambient guitars. When I wrote “Race to the Bottom,” I wanted the drums to have that same driving force. Unlike “Hallogallo,” which is based around only the E chord, “Race to the Bottom” is in D and features some chord changes. Like I mentioned earlier, I wanted the lead guitars to feel like an anxiety attack to mimic the anxieties surrounding the 2020 election. The verses are meant to be a brief respite in between the lead guitar sections.
How did the tracks come about and what do you hope listeners will take away from them?
Both tracks on this single were recorded in quarantine. My friend and collaborator Pete Carparelli (he has his own band, Bloodletter) and I have our own recording space and setups. For both songs I recorded the guitars, synths and vocals and sent the files over to Pete where he added bass and drums. After that, he mixed the songs and sent them back over to me to listen to. From there, we would listen and decide if any changes or additions would be needed. If I had to guess, about 70% of the album was recorded like this.
I hope listeners will be inspired to create their own form of art. Overall, with the single and with the forthcoming album, the tracks came about from someone who has had depression and anxiety for the last decade and is now able to manage it. I think many people over the course of their lives have to deal with some form of depression. That doesn’t make them any less of a person. It took me a long time to feel okay with living with depression and anxiety.
Where would be your dream venue to perform at and why?
Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Besides the fact that The Beatles performed there, it is a breathtakingly beautiful venue with top-notch acoustics.
Do you have any plans for performing live this year?
At this point, it all depends on getting COVID under control where people can safely go out to enjoy live music again. Since the pandemic started, I have performed live over Zoom and Instagram Live. I can’t wait to be able to perform live again.
What can we expect creatively from you for the remainder of 2021?
For 2021, I’m pretty confident that my album “Remember” will be released. I am always looking ahead and continuing to write new music. Hopefully, live music will return safely and I can play live again.
How can our readers support your music?
If you want to directly support my music, check out my Bandcamp at https://modernhistory.bandcamp.com or through Apple Music and Spotify.
Otherwise, follow Modern History on social media here:
