It's been almost three years since my first EP release, "Fuser" as a solo artist in 2011. Prior to that release I have always been a apart of an actual band. Recording a project with only me and an acoustic guitar was a huge challenge. It felt like an extremely vulnerable decision to make.
Listening to own voice has always been a strange thing. I've never considered myself a strong vocalist nor a talented musician. I pretty much self taught myself how to play instruments growing up in church. So diving into the solo world scared the life out of me especially in a city like Nashville where everyone is an out of this world amazing singer, writer and musician. But it was something I had to do, because it is what I love to do! Between 2010-2011, with the help of some amazingly talented friends I was able to record and release my first ever solo endeavor. The love and support I have received for that release has been much more then I could've ever imagined. My single "Someday" was featured and played locally on Nashville radio and the song went on to be featured in multiple films, another set to release this September. Since 2011 I have been performing songs from that release as well as introducing new material. With my wife taking on her last year of Interior Design school, in August 2013 after my last show of that year, I decided to pull back from booking any other shows, recording new material and focusing on the home front instead. Since then though, I have been writing away...
Last month I stepped into a studio to begin the journey to what will be my sophomore solo EP. It felt amazing to be in a room again surrounded by gear, a talented producer and new material to bring to life. Stepping into the studio took me back in time musically. To my first time... You see, growing up in church I wasn't allowed to listen to mainstream music. The Imperials, Carmen and Spanish gospel artists was as good as it got for a while. I constantly heard friends talking about various bands they were listening to, but I had no clue who they were, but I wanted to. One day a close friend to our family gave me a cassette tape of a record that would forever change my life of music. When I first listened to U2's The Joshua Tree I knew that this was something I wanted to do one day. Yeah, I was a late bloomer but it was better late then never.
Going into the production of this next EP I decided to look to these first records for some inspiration. U2, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Pink Floyd, Anything Box, Erasure & The Police. I am so excited about this! As of right now you can expect three songs to be released in 2014... a few more if I can raise enough financial support to pull it off! Can't wait to record these new tunes and share them with all of you! Thanks for hang'n with me all these years and reading this far down! Stay close and stay tuned.
Cheers,
-JS
