So this is my first "real" full length album.
Finally.
12 songs written and recorded in 12 months.
It feels like in many ways that it all happened in the blink of an eye, but at the same time a good portion of my year went into this album. Ten flights back and forth to LA to work with Producer Ran Pink was amazing adventure.
Back home in Canada, I was writing constantly. Whereas my first 6 song EP "Two Birds" was literally a diary of every song I wrote, this album I didn't record or even finish a bunch of songs that I felt didn't "make the cut" not that they weren't good enough, but now that I was conscious that other people were going to be expecting something from me, I wanted to do something very different than what the industry says is normal. I decided to have this album cross genres, there are dance/ pop/folk/ and almost even a country song on it! I realize that may confuse people, myself included. As I discover what I want to say as a songwriter and singer, I also discovered that I love many genres of music and don't just listen to melancholy acoustic stuff.
Two Canadian producers, Danny Craig and Troy Samson played a big role in this album. Danny produced the title track "Run Away With Me" and "Miracles" Troy Samson produced "Shine" and "Rewind" Foo Fighter keyboard player Rami Jaffee played on a song called Miracles along with Jesse Greene from WallFlowers and Pink. La beatboxer Mr Wobbles also appears in Shine.
I became good friends with LA guitarist Tom Strahle, best know for playing and writing with Justin Bieber. Tom played on Right Kind of Love, and Forest Fire. Tom is the kind of person I want to grow up to be...so genuine and fun and what a brilliant diverse musician I asked him to come in and have him play on "Rewind" with me, and also "Runaway With Me"
I am headed back to LA jan 23 to attend a guitar show NAMM and hang out for a bit with Tom, Ran and a few other industry people in Hollywood for 10 days, and grab a little sun for my Canadian legs at Venice beach... that wouldn't hurt.
Every song on this album feels special to me. I was a little anxious to release it. It's strange but I don't feel like they are mine anymore. They belong to anyone that can relate to them. The reason I wrote them may not be the same as the what you get from them, and that's kind of beautiful to me for a few reasons.
I am excited to start writing for the next album already and co-writing is in my future.
I was asked to write for a few artist recently for their albums and it's something I really enjoy. To be honest I wasn't sure I would be any good at it! I wrote about my life, my friends and the world around me... how am I supposed to write for someone else? Well it appears that we all share in common more than we know.
As I write this, it is Jan 1 2018, and I have never been more happy in my life. For this I thank God, the Universe and you. Without you to hear it, music doesn't exist.
peace and love
AG
Extra thoughts:
Also made a great friend with recording artist Jon Bryant. We met to co-write and became like long lost brothers. His wife Bree is also an amazing person... Strange how you can meet people and they instantly feel like family, maybe a past life connection? who knows, but there is a song in there somewhere.
I highly recommend you check out Jon's music, www.JonBryantmusic.com
Jon is the best I have heard in a long time... I am insanely jealous and inspired by him.
I also just started to work with a Vocal coach, a very knowledgable and cool one too... her name in Red and yes she has Red hair. I have learned so much about the voice already I cannot wait to see where I can take my voice for album #3.
As a solo Artist, I miss playing in a band quite a bit...So I may start playing in a band for fun, just to make some noise. I never thought I would say it, but I miss driving in a van and loading gear onto a stage... more soon.