What music first captured your ear and got you interested in music?
I was home schooled and it seems I spent most of my free time listening to music, or making it. My first musical exposure was with classical music which started my journey, I discovered college radio and found myself more attracted to the music that they played even when I was young than the commercial stations. The artists I fell in love with first were Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, then Massive Attack, Enigma, NIN, Portishead, Tricky, Tori Amos, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, The Cure, The Smiths, a huge amount of Electronic music from Brian Eno to John Digweed, Rabbit in The Moon, Paul Okenfold and its only grown. Now that I think about it, I have always been obsessed with music, I find often it is the only language I know how to speak, and that I really understand. Music created a soundtrack to my life and that created a life based on the music. Music is magical I can’t see it but I can feel it, being without it feels as if I have lost a part of myself. I love music not only making it but listening, it is like taking a thousand trips through someone else’s soul.
Do you come from a background of training in the arts?
Never attending school allowed me the freedom to focus more on just being “creative”. I studied piano, voice, dance and basically dived in head first into the arts by doing and being around others who did it as well. I never went to school for it and I am self taught. I have worked with and been mentored by, some other amazing artists in many fields. I have been blessed to spend my entire life around other artist and that in and as of itself, has provided me with a massive life of education and training. I have always been fascinated with both the visual and the musical side of the arts and have spent years learning how to fuse them both together, from writing a song to creating a live show to producing a music video to showcase the music visually. Because of this I have always had one foot in both the visual and the musical world.
How did you start working on your current project?
My life has become one large project, this one happened after moving to LA and connecting with Bruce Somers of kidneythieves, we have the same manager who connected us and its been magic since.
I also am working on a few other things, and touring with Auditory Canvas which started after being invited to perform with them at Lightning In A Bottle a well known west coast electronica festival.
Do you prefer playing live or recording?
I love them both, but they are entirely different. When I am making music, I tend to isolate and not leave my loft, living on very little food and lots of coffee. I work till I fall asleep for days on end then do it again till I have to leave for a show or because some friends of mine drag me out who have not seen me in days or even weeks. I love the creative process of writing and recording home alone, its like birthing a child from the spirit world. Performing live has become my social life, the other musicians my friends, and often I will cocoon until I need to play a show or have to work on a photo shoot. If I did not have to perform live I might easily never really leave that isolated yet creative state. I love people but I am completely happy in my isolation with my muses. Playing live is magical, every show is a teacher , every show I feel and learn something new and every show I meet or have a conversation with someone that sparks another song or I encounter another muse and so I don't think I could chose one over the other.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
I LOVE festivals , in nature for days with great food art and music, as an artist its hard to not want to stay and just become part of it. The festivals in Europe and on the west coast so far are the ones I have fallen the hardest for. There is something so inspiring about being in nature with thousands of people who are all there to share a space, dance and dream together, being the nature art lover I am, I tend to want to stay and play and dance myself and see my fellow artist perform. I love Lightning In A Bottle and Symbiosis, two of the best festivals I have ever been to or performed at . I love tours as well, but the kind where you are in a new town everyday, I love landing somewhere and meeting lots of other people who love music and art, staying up till sunrise, sleeping till I have to get back on the plane. That can be really inspiring in its own way and also a challenge to find balance in, but I love a good challenge.
Has anything crazy ever happened at a show?
I have my fair share of technical problems and general strangeness on stage like being in front of 8,000 + people only to find out my microphone wasn't connected to the front of house and the stage manager was nowhere to be seen. I've lost my voice and was given some crazy mixtures to get me through, I've had beautiful ladies come up and kiss me during a show, had the police come and shut down a show we were playing, but does that count as crazy?. I've had a fifty plus year old man get on stage and try to grind me, but nothing crazy really. :)
Are there any other creative mediums you work in?
I have been a muse to many photographers for many years, I have started being more involved with the creation of music videos and films, I write poetry, paint, build websites, make costumes and music of course. Basically the question is what mediums do I not work in, in one way or another I seem to have a finger in them all except clay :)
What do you like to do for fun?
My entire life is fun, but I am a huge fan of making out, dancing, running, yoga, deep conversations, seeing others’ art and creations, learning, traveling, finding and seeking out new music, or anything that expands my mind. I love anything that inspires me and tend to spend my time around those things, be it art, places, nature, people or activities :)