It's Friday may and were talking with -- scandal like flannel -- I'm doing and a solo set tomorrow or actually Saturday as part of our big Niagara Falls show with a hard rock cafe. Have you have you been -- the falls.
I have EI got soaking wet and actually since he -- it made admissible and other stuff I did yeah I would like out there -- of love and and then I realized like part of loving it was getting -- that started the -- they turned out it's a pretty big thing I think if you guys kind of like spread the word. If people might come from miles around the country that thanks.
He you have beyond the something. You founded the group vertical horizon nineteen years ago actually in my old stomping grounds to DC area -- does it seem like twenty years do you --
You know ladies does seem like you would play in a flash but you know certainly we've been doing this for a long time and you know so at some level that does I guess.
You and -- change founded the group you guys high school buddies or did you meet at Georgetown.
Yet no we we met or actually our senior year. Georgetown. And key had a regular acoustic gig small little club down in Georgetown where he was playing largely covered tunes and he invited me to sit in one night and we just hit it off to -- really great time of you know it's sort of went from there.
took a few years before you guys got a major label deal for the benefit of other musicians who -- trying to get discovered he had any any advice form.
certainly. The business now is largely changed I mean so much so that it almost unrecognizable for the way it was -- and that's just it's with the Internet and FaceBook and you know Twitter all these things that are social networking you know sites that are available to us I think you can really. Get to as many if not more people by doing it on your own with grassroots and real passionate fan base that's the most. I think that's with the biggest key nowadays is getting a real active fan base.
So to start somewhere tour regionally and get discovered that way.
It just -- a word of mouth you know because -- spread so easily we've been finding that Asia has the huge show markets for us now minorities and back and forth yes. It'll a lot of that really is just word of mouth and you know having people aren't trying to sort through there are one must accomplish so we made it.
Wow that's cool everybody knows the big album and the big single everything you while we still played quite a bit. Three big singles off that album and then you had another great -- and I really like called forever from the goes CD. -- thank you tell you welcome and a few years -- and now you're back with burning to gays could tell me what -- people can expect from the new CD.
Well I think it does sound like you know if you like vertical horizon back benefits a similar sound now I think. It's sort of naturally my voice tends to lend -- At certain sonic characteristics to the music that would be recognizable as vertical horizon. The other the that is the first person that I produced for the band we recorded it at my studio in Los Angeles. And it's it's -- that level it was pretty fun record to make. Yeah when you go into these major studios and nothing against them. You wanna know spending had a whole lot of money and it's always in the back your mind like well if we don't get this done today it's another 2500 dollars to try to do it tomorrow. And that pressure pressure can be a good thing but it can also I think. Stifle you a little bit so this record we that we felt treated just. Take it wherever we wanted to go. Another thing the -- fund for me about this record this particular bit of all time. You know growing up and to this day is brush. Yeah. And I just -- that then you know they were just such a huge part of my musical development and over the past couple years I've become really really good friends that the -- appeared to drummer. And -- here and I decided to work together and -- altogether -- and we wrote the last song on the record together so called even now. And while we were recording the drums. For that song. I -- begged and pleaded with him to play on a couple more songs so. She plays like he played drums and three songs on the record including the single facility -- right now save me from myself.
So so O'Neill was on drums for save me from myself.
Yeah had a lot I know I know it's crazy it's crazy. The fan boy dream come true for me but even more amazing for me now is that he's one of my best friends and don't play my -- playing -- who also turned out to be one of the most amazing drummers of all time.
He is in my opinion the absolute best what was it like working with him.
Well it was a it was a real dream come true of course. You know I never really realized how much you play these for the singer. You know Getty Lee and I are two very very different singers. And he kind of you know molded his style to really fit my way it's singing and I think. I was amazed at it I don't think I could have realized this before. Without actually playing with him. But that he made he made me raise my game to another level just by the way he was. Playing you know playing the drums are to meet who made the -- he's here to sing. Which is pretty pretty awesome this news incredible of course I was producing recession to which. Was very bizarre being -- Also be you know being in the position to offer him some direction. And I can certainly comfortable in this.
as we know -- now as a musician for a long time but still to be. Producing what -- your heroes and could've gotten me a little bit crazy so I just thought that if he's been one of my best friend.
I think it's time we played this song this is the latest vertical horizon single save me from myself undrawn this meal -- on star winner two point five. It's -- rule. Who watched the that leaves a strong vote is -- This afternoon. Oh yeah. I think two weeks to get. Star 102 point five -- no repeat -- the latest from vertical horizon it sees me from myself we're talking with -- scandal. -- vertical horizon and Matt. The imagery is pretty dark. What does that come from what's the inspiration for that.
Yeah no incidents unfortunately just coming out of me. Unfortunately we have I did yeah I mean everyone through all you gotta write a real dark corner in this supportive kind of dark but it. You know that's life goes to meet that guy right I turned to music to try to. To get some of that stuff about it's almost like at -- but I've been there before me.
I think music is always been for the best artists sort of cathartic. And I it's it's a great song we love it and actually -- on Saturday. Absolutely thank you -- welcome I ask this of everybody what is the songwriting process for using words first music later or do you do it all at once.
Well generally speaking for me it's just sitting in -- room and acoustic guitar which is one of the reasons wise this show on Saturday will be fun. For me because it's really returning back to the roots of how these songs are created. I just didn't remove -- acoustic guitar and start playing. Justice for the love of playing guitar because that's where it all starts for me very much. From -- acoustic guitar. And and I'll sort of stumble upon some chord changes that are like that maybe -- melodies or something in the it and I'll start singing nonsense. Syllables words that don't really have any relation to anything just try to create some semblance of a form. And then what they really have a melodies that I can latch onto and sometimes even. While you're searching formality -- and -- it -- to you just out of the -- And our -- sometimes these melodies -- right themselves who lyric right themselves -- That. That's sort of empty space where inspiration comes from.
Wolf when did you start writing songs was it a young teenager -- you ten -- before wanted to start.
I think I wrote a phone call the whole zoos but hold off on was the name of the song and and basically that's the course went something like I'll hold on now baby I'll hold on his physical and really if you're really just an actual -- excellent front. I think excel hero Delano and about thirteen or so -- me and I was listening to you know pop music on the radio slowly learning how to play guitar. But it wasn't until I guess I was probably sixteen or so that I. Really started to get serious about trying to -- writes songs you know proper song.
Any chance of these songs seeing the light of day. I certainly hope not but not a compliment listen I think you gotta love it on Saturday it's gonna be huge stage is very appreciative audience and plus you're staying at one of the finest hotels in Western New York -- Seneca Niagara casino and hotel -- have a good time and I can't wait. I am really looking forward protection -- I've learned to appreciate it absolutely looking forward to meeting you in person on Saturday and have a great show and a great trip. Thank you very much thanks.
