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Music Interview: Joe Colledge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Joe Colledge is a AAA/Singer-Songwriter from Morristown, NJ. His music combines a current pop/rock feel with a taste of Americana in the same vein as Tom Petty, Counting Crows, and Train. | ||
I recently have the pleasure to do a review of this next recording artist new CD entitled “Table for One” last week. Here is the link of this review for those of you who did not get a chance to catch this one:
http://www.juniorscave.com/index284.html
Now I am excited about this newest interview with Joe Colledge who took the time from his hectic schedule to enlighten us on about what’s he is all about. More info about his bio please click on link above.
Q. What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?
A. I really enjoy the art of starting from scratch with just a thought or
melody in my head and just a few chords, to going through the entire
process of creating a song, recording it, and then hearing the final
product. To me, that is the most exciting thing about making music -
hearing the finished product from what started as nothing more than a
thought in your head.
Q. What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?
A. I try to never get discouraged and always stay positive and
open-minded, but there are times when you just have writer's block and you
just seem to have a hard time writing a song. I always know it's only
temporary, though, and just tell myself to maybe put down the notepad and
guitar and just come back to it when I'm feeling more inspired. Something
good eventually will happen and you'll get your mojo back when you're
ready.
Q. What are you up to right now, music-wise? (Current or upcoming
recordings, tours, extravaganzas, experiments, top-secret projects,
etc).
A. I just released my sophomore album called "Table For One" in June -
it's available on Amazon, CD Baby, iTunes, and most other digital
distributors. So far, it's building an amazing buzz in the indie music
community. I was recently named Jersey's "Best Male Vocalist" by Daily
Record readers, am getting a lot of FM and Satellite radio play, and have
signed numerous publishing deals for some of the songs on the album for
Film & TV placement. We're in the process of scheduling a series of
performances in the NY Metro area to promote the album, so people should
check out www.joecolledge.com to keep up-to-date on the shows we're
playing soon. All in all, things are awesome and I'm having a blast.
Q. What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a
recording? How did the qualities of that place affect the
show/recording?
A. Well, first, the most unusual place I've ever played a show. That would
have to be at a wealthy prep school's alumni reunion in a very small tent
- no one there was under the age of 50, it was extremely loud in there,
and I don't think the alumni in attendance cared for rock music all that
much. But we still made the best of it, got paid well, and still laugh
about it. As for the strangest place I've ever recorded...when I first
started recording my "Table For One" album, my producer rented a detached
2-floor garage and put his Pro Tools rig in there until he later moved
into his new studio...it was hot as hell in the summer and freezing in the
winter, but I somehow managed to record two tracks from the album in there
- "Table For One" (the title track) and "Playin' Around", which I think
came out well, so it wasn't all that bad.
Q. In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have
lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music?
A. I live in Northern New Jersey, the capital of the cover band...so in a
way, it's difficult being an original artist. You really have to be
creative as far as booking shows and finding reputable original venues to
perform in. The only real game in town around here is Hoboken, Asbury
Park, and the Village for making a name for yourself as an original
artist. The other potential trap about being from New Jersey is that
everyone compares you to the Boss or Bon Jovi, so you really have to have
a fresh and unique sound to stand out. As for my own taste in music, I
like any rock music from AAA (Adult Album Alternative) to heavy metal, but
I always write with an acoustic guitar in my hands, so my sound tends to
follow slightly mellower artists like my biggest influence, Tom Petty.
Q. When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about
it?
A. I have not written a full song in a while because I have been busy
recording and releasing my latest album, and now I am promoting it, so
writing new material has kind of taken a back seat for the time being.
But, it's always in the blood, and there are times when I lie in bed,
think of a catchy hook in my head, and run downstairs to my studio at 3 AM
to lay down the lyric or chord sequence in my 8-track so I won't forget
it. I probably have 30 clips in there of song ideas waiting to be worked
into final songs and eventually recorded. I'll get to it again soon when
the craziness of this new album release subsides.
Q. As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less
interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other
people...and why do you think that is?
A. Whenever I write a song, I always attempt to make it a "hit" - in terms
of song structure, phrasing, lyrical or instrumental hooks - whatever the
case may be...but I never just write a filler track and move on, like some
artists do. Yes - every artist is always influenced by some other artist
when they write, whether they realize it or not. I always try to listen to
the great artists out there, break down their hit songs, and take some
ideas from them in terms of arrangement, production, hooks, lyrics, etc. I
think the great artists always keep an open mind, hear what's successful
out there, and take elements from that and use them to write even better
songs.
Q. Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn
to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from
yours?)
A. Although my main musical influences are artists like Tom Petty and
Counting Crows, I tend to listen to heavy stuff or alternative artists
like Velvet Revolver, Chili Peppers, Collective Soul, and Gin Blossoms.
That's the stuff I enjoy listening to when I'm driving down the highway.
But when I write, I usually have an acoustic guitar in my hand, so my
music tends to have more of a pop/rock/Americana feel to it once the song
is written.
Q. Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and
think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time
favorite recordings by this band/musician?
A. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a die-hard Tom Petty fan. I think
he is one of the greatest geniuses in musical history as a songwriter and
performer. And I'm not talking about just the stuff everyone knows from
him, like "Full Moon Fever"...if you listen to his older stuff with the
Heartbreakers and even some of his newer solo stuff, and really digest his
songs and their message, it just hits your soul. My favorite song from him
(or anyone) is "Here Comes My Girl" from "Damn the Torpedoes" - forget it,
no other song comes close. As for solo artists, I think Shawn Mullins is
the best there is - he's had his two or three hits, but the guy can write
a song like no one else's business, he's got the best voice of any male
artist out there, and he's one hell of a nice and humble guy on top of all
that. He's not a household name but if you aren't a listener of his music
now, you have to be. Check out his "Soul's Core" album - you'll be hooked.
Q. What's the saddest song you've ever heard?
A. Oh man, I'd have to say "Losing Faith (Goodbye)", by yours truly, from
my new album "Table For One"...even though I wrote it, I still get choked
up when I perform it...it's a very personal song, but if you listen to the
lyrics, there's no hidden message there - it's about giving up and ending
it all - something everyone can relate to at one time or another. But
still, there's so much to be thankful for in life, and no matter how bad
things get sometimes, it's always better to be on this side of the ground.
Keep the faith.
Photo used in this story was provided by Joe Colledge.
Joe Colledge
Junior's Cave Online Magazine/JC Internet Radio Staff Team, PO BOX 2494 Brunswick, Georgia 31521 toll free number 866-554-3997 office number 678-826-0850 fax: 912-265-8093 http://www.jcinternetradio.com http://www.juniorscave.com http://www.friendsmix.net http://www.live365.com/profiles/juniorscave http://www.live365.com/stations/juniorscave Junior's Cave Search View My Stats | |||||||||||||
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