My Ode to San Diego

To those of you mentioned in this article: I want everybody to know that I write what I write because it is a writer’s job to keep readers interested. And as a fan/friend/fellow musician, I have nothing but respect for each of you.

As some of you know, I’m not really from Portland.

So now I am finally going.

BEFORE I go up to your town, before I genuinely sell my soul to rock and roll, I have to pay homage to my hometown, a place that is warmer, a place that has cool things like Shamu, a place that has some fantastic music in its own right:

San Diego, California.

In my opinion, San Diego is on the verge of something really good – which I’m going to outline for you with an up-to-date “family tree”:

We’ve got this cool band called Lady Dottie & the Diamonds.

I know they’re a cover band. But they are special. To play out consistently (3 times a week) and to draw youthful audiences time and again, proves that they are all able musicians, that age is but a number, and if it gives us kids something to inspire us to keep on playing, then being a cover band doesn’t mean you are “selling out.”

Dottie & the Diamonds have paved the way for many bands to come. I don’t even think they know it yet.
Why? Because she made blues cool again.

Which brings me to the (now dearly departed) Scarlet Symphony

In an interview ages ago, Scarlet mentioned Dottie, which resulted in her getting some attention, and eventually led to a Dottie explosion. You can walk into The fabled Tower Bar on a Monday night and feel like you were in a bar on a Friday in 1965. Pre-internet. Wow.

The Scarlet Symphony still hails as the first and only band to make me dance, and I was sad to see them break up, but they’ve all got my respect as perhaps some of the first gentlemen of rock and roll. One day I would like to shake the hands of all your moms, because they raised you well. That sounds sooo not cool for me to say about a rock band. But really! These dudes are so nice for playing such dark & scary rock music! That impresses me! And I’m really looking forward to the new bands being born from The Scarlet Symphony, like the UV Tigers, and the Wheeler Twins’ thing, ¡Society! (The punctuation is critical!) I was lucky enough to hear a bit of this the other day and those twins are on the mark with something danceable, for sure. Joining them is Dottie & The Diamonds pianoman, Joey Guevara.

The UV Tigers.

Lead singer Gary has a subtlety and expression to him that makes me want to call him The Method Actor of rock & roll. Gary has these cool little style quirks. It’s something that the rocker in him tries to hold back, but the artist in him can’t deny. That thing with the eyeliner? YOU are awesome. I might copy that sometime.

The drummer of the UltraViolet Tigers is obviously sober. Not just sober when he plays, I mean SOBER sober, because he plays sharp, man!

Aaron, UV Tigers’ guitarist, is a prolific songwriter, able musician, and also a (gasp!) pro-tools free engineer. (and smart! Aaron should teach a Learning Annex class about the music publishing industry.)

Is Chris [Aarons brother] in your band? No? Well do something about it! Give him five gold stars, and a hug, RIGHT NOW, for your bestest fan & friend ever. Brothers make for the best fans. Just talk to Matt Lynott, of the Jade Shader. (He’s on the left.)

The Jade Shader

These guys are touring with Pinback right about now (another San Diego-based band) and they are playing in Portland, I think today! Good luck, guys!

The Singer/bassist in The Jade Shader used to be in this band called Boilermaker which I know nothing about, but I hear they were really cool.

Jade Shader Guitarist (Chris Prescott) used to be in a band called NO KNIFE. People still get a case of the warm & fuzzies for No Knife. We love No Knife. And Mitch.

The other guitarist in The Jade Shader, Gabe F., has this solo project going called Old Man Hands. That song that you wrote about breaking your legs? That was a damn good song.

The Jade Shader’s album was recorded/engineered/produced by Christopher Hoffee.

Chris also ponders the many musical wonders of Portland. Hoffee is like his own compartmentalized Portland, right here in San Diego. Don’t forget Alan Sanderson (who can give you something radio-ready in a jiffy, and is one of the few true professionals in San Diego, and thankfully NOT in L.A.) But back to Chris, if studios make you nervous, and you want to stay indie…if you want to record with somebody who will take some time to experiment and give you something that represents you (the artist), go record with Christopher Hoffee, in the comfort of a lovely home. And have his lady do your landscaping because that garden of theirs is really amazing.

On to the next band!

Grand Ole Party
In a recent radio interview with Tim Pyles of fm 94.9
(one of their biggest fans and a local hero in his own right), Grand Ole Party mentioned that Scarlet Symphony (again!) is partially responsible for getting them out of San Fran and into San Diego. Thank you for that. Welcome home.

Three cheers for Grand Ole Party!

90 percent of the singers in this town I would like to strangle by their acoustic guitar straps, but not Kristin, cuz she plays the drums! Ta-da!

Kristin, don’t listen to what ANYONE says about your drumming. You only have to be as good as Meg White. But don’t get better than her, because that will narrow your chances of touring with them. You can download their song (which is “the one” if I do say so) for FREE on their myspace page. You HAVE TO DOWNLOAD this song, ok?

I hope you enjoyed my haphazard outlining of San Diego music that surrounds us. Or me.

P.S. Reeve Oliver is signed to Capitol records. Their drummer’s ninja turtle drumkit is amazing. But the songs are extremely well written. Youthful but still smart.

Their bassplayer, O (yes like the letter) is like the Jedi Master of music here. For now.

P.P.S. If I didn’t mention you, it’s because you should leave your house/coffeeshop/lift the emo hair out of your eyes to say hello to people and play some shows, or I want to strangle you by your acoustic guitar strap (except for Anya Marina, cuz she is Russian so she’s ok.) I am tired of San Diego (to San Diegans!) being a “singer-songwriter’s town.” We’ve got some good bands, and if you don’t like what I wrote, you can strangle me by my acoustic guitar strap. But not for long.

 

Vanja James, Northwest Noise Six Doses of Songwriting Magic from California

Six Doses of Songwriting Magic

Hello readers of Northwest Noise! It’s about time for me to check in with all of you
and tell you about some of my favorite songs and songwriters of the last six months to a year.
Yes! I’m just going to give it to you all in one hit.

Demasiado – SHADES OF GREY

“Tell me he sings in your dreams
Tell me he’s better than me.”

Jon – Eric – Clayton – Damon. These young men not only are some of the coolest people I know, they are also some of the most talented musicians I know, and together, well in the world of bandland, I think they all got married and found their happy house with a white picket fence. The house happens to be purple…and my house…with a fake lawn…but we won’t go into that now. Basically – what you need to do is when you are feeling certifiably out of love, you should put on some headphones, go to their myspace page, and listen to Shades of Grey. Enjoy the lyrics, and sop up the “slightest chance to feel electric.” and I guarantee you will feel better. Demasiado on Myspace

Gayle Skidmore – HOPES FALL

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Gayle Skidmore is
A. One of the most well rounded musicians I know
B. Went to school for music/composing
C. Has an impeccable ear for harmonies
D. Writes the music for her musicians to play (Cellists, etc.)
E. Has this ethereal magical thing going for her
F. Brings back the purity of what it means to be a true musician and a songwriter’s songwriter.

I highly suggest you go to Gayle’s myspace page and listen to her songs.
My favorite is one called Hopes Fall. I am waiting for her to put up this song that goes “Turn up the radio/turn down my heart”, but maybe she will take a hint and put that one up too.
Gayle Skidmore on Myspace

The Federalists – HIT ME LOVELY

Luke Franks is a great songwriter with a knack for writing americana folk pop. Hit Me Lovely is a fine display of lyrical simplicity, great production work, playing “in the pocket”, and overall musicality. Keep your eye on the Feds. They’re young and squeaky clean and will outgrow their homeland known as The East Bay soon. See them play live – they always have fun up there. Also let it be known that you can DOWNLOAD their music on ITUNES.
The Federalists on Myspace

Cold Hot Crash – SOMEBODY MADE UP

Cold Hot Crash will (guessing?) probably tell you their favorite song to play is Dividing up Circles. That’s their favorite. But MY favorite, is one called Somebody Made Up. Mick (vocals/guitar) and Adam (backup voc/bass) when they perform this song live, do a fantastic job harmonizing. Mick always tells a cool story about the song before it plays, and this makes me happy. I also like the song Like me Too. – which should be on a TV show…I am working on that. While I am a recluse in the East Bay finishing my own silly album, I urge all SF and East Bay Residents to see Cold Hot Crash play live and learn the lyrics so you can raise your O’Douls or whatever in the air, and sing along. Now – I would tell you to “go download their song online” but really the WHOLE CD IS GOOD. You need to BUY THE WHOLE CD, and listen in quality CDA format. Ok? Ok. Cold Hot Crash on Myspace

The Associated Press – BLACKOUT CITY: POPULATION YOU

I am touring with these guys – Aaron (bass/vocal) and Corey (guitar/vocal) are notorious for “partyin”, and…I’ve gotta say, they write some pretty catchy songs. This brand-new band hails from my hometown San Diego, and will be embarking on a major, MAJOR MAJOR tour, at the end of May. You can see them in Portland at the RED ROOM on June 9th. Enjoy the chorus of this song, which sings, “There will be bloodshed.” They are dirty punk and flawlessness is not their fare, but aint that kinda the point?
The Associated Press on Myspace

Jason Moss – SEARCHIN’ FOR MY SOUL

Jason Moss is my lil’ buddy. He is age 14, and he records everything himself, he plays all his own instruments, and his technical and musical knowledge, accompanied by his songwriting prowess, will blow you away. Send him fan mail, give this talented fellow a round of applause, and watch him grow up as his songs do too. One of life’s coolest joys is watching artists stick with it for the right reasons and do what they love and…Jason Moss can teach us all a thing or two about that.
Jason Moss on Myspace



Well thank you everybody for reading. I hope you enjoyed my six doses of songwriting magic. If you have a song that you think is awesome or know somebody who does, and it’s by a band who is not yet known or discovered, send them my way. Vanja@vanjajames.com