Alie

I started my musical life in the womb.. Born from a line of musical history from both sides of my family. My mother, gave me my Italian roots. My Pops, from a long line of French Cajun musical talent and history. My mom and dad saw Alice Cooper while she was pregnant with me. I grew up with amps, and drums, and gear all over the house. Started singing and playing pots and pans at 2. I got my first drum set at 3. Listening to a mixture of music, Boston, Queen, Beethoven , Hendrix ,George Jones, Journey, David Bowie, Rod Stewart. To my brothers bringing in AC/DC, Ozzy, DIO. Scorpions, Randy Rhoads. My dad took me to my first concert at 8, it was Journey. That broad sound, and those lights turned me on for sure........................................................ ... The beginning of the evolution of hip-hop, was the greatest period in recent music history, and I was hooked from the jump. LL Cool J, RUN-DMC, Fat Boys, Public Enemy, NWA, Beastie Boys, WHOODINI, Whistle. At 12, I got my first two turntables, and mixer, and worked it out. I met L.L. Cool J at the 1st fresh fest. I later met Jam Master Jay . I asked Jam Master Jay what the mixer was for, he let me know how to fade, and cut as opposed to just scratching. Break dancing, and djayin, would lead me to get my first beat machine. It was a Casio RZ-1. It had a 1 or 2 second sample time. Started hip hop groups, and djayed for local MC’s. Talent shows and variety performances were a big deal for us…. Picked up piano, at 17, and moved into the world of R&B, while still in touch with my rock roots, and drumming. My first keyboard workstation helped me with classical composition, and soundtrack design. Determined to become a song writer, and transfer the musical styles I loved into my own voice through song. Fronted a few groups, Boys to Men, and Jodeci knock offs. Johnny Gill, New Edition, Motown, Stevie Wonder frequented my pallet. Prince played a big role in my musical life. Purple Rain was the first song I learned on the piano, and the guitar. I used to rebuild songs by playing all of the instruments, and would play 3 hour guitar solos....................................................... ...........Always producing beats, and stayin heavy in the world of dance, picked up the guitar at 20. I was in a couple of bands, and started learning in the studio through the connections of my family around the industry. I also consider the 90s rock movement as monumental in my life. Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Janes Addiction, Tool, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, gave a lot back to the rock scene. I wanted to eventually get to a place where I could combine all of the elements I have picked up. The heavy riffs, with break beats, and more of a programmed, hip hop edge to the production. As well, the more intimate, soundscapes, and intimate pieces are a huge part of my journey..................................................... ............................................ A major change in my life occurred in October 1999. I had been under the hold of a major trauma in my life. It was one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult 8 months of my life... Coming out of this experience, I was in need of a rebuilding metamorphosis.. I was struck by lightning. The bolt struck as close to me, without devastation, as possible. It burned me, and knocked me back. Though I was lucky it was only minor, I honestly believe that it deeply affected me. In the coming year, I feel I became more in touch with what really matters, and things about me changed. I grew an inch, and became very aware of the power of ENERGY, and FAITH...... When your mortality is challenged, you tend to hit faith head on.......... I met Chris Cornell in 1999. This was monumental for me. Normally very reclusive, he took an interest to me, and my art. I went on the road with him, and learned what I could. He helped me to realize what matters, and that we are capable of changing things if we believe in ourselves. At this point, I had the ultimate privilege of meeting and hanging with Johnny Cash. He lived in the same town I am from. I got to witness a very intimate and private family moment with him, just a couple of years before his passing. Through my relationship with Chris Cornell, and encouraged by him and the band Eleven, I moved to L.A. in 2000. There I met and worked on occasion with Dave Hillis. Daves credits include engineering Pearl Jam 10, Would from Alice in Chains. As an artist he was signed with his band Cybil Vein, and he formed legendary Seattle metal band Mace. Our like mindedness produced some great things. Jerry Cantrell, Comes With the Fall,, Hillis, and a core of great friends lived in the same building as I did in Hollywood. We ran a studio in West Hollywood along with Kevin Martin of Candlebox, beside the museum of death. I think it made great energy for the place. Produce or die….. I also had the pleasure of a recording stint at London Bridge Studios in Seattle. The same rooms where Temple of the Dog, Ten, Alice in Chains, Blind Melon, and Nickleback recorded............ Moving around L.A. for 3 years or so, I made progress, but not the jump I needed. A big turn in my life musically was the conception of my tuning. I had always been drawn to certain tones, I usually ended up in the same area on piano and guitar. I always felt like I wanted to hear sounds that were “different”. Though it has all been done before, there IS a way to make a new sound . This tuning has actually become an extension of my soul, and my voice. I always felt like standard tuning really did not lend itself rhythmically to the beats, and flavors I like to compose. I set it up to where many more rhythms can be applied, and as well added resonance through the intonation of the tuning...................................................... ..............Returning to Nashville, I have committed myself to getting closer every day to what those who know me, see in our future. One of the biggest attributes of my development was my parents unselfish attitude. For years, they would extend themselves to help me obtain certain tools. Growing up in a few different modest, yet nice homes, they never, NOT ONCE, ever asked me to turn down ANY of the musical styles that blasted through our houses. I have worked with peers, and stood on stage with legends. I am humbled by the experiences I have had, and this is the beginning. Soon, I am releasing so much material. Soldier of Circumstance leads the revolution. A modern day Rooster. I am anti war, and at times anti gov., but I am PRO soldier. Their reality is so worthy of recognition. The least that I can do is write a song. I aspire to produce in all fields of music, as well as be a multi-genre artist. There are so many to thank for my blessings, I will start with GOD, and leave it at that. I vow to continue to nurture the gift, and as long as I can, I will continue to help others move to emotion. A lilting, hypnotic, lullaby. A driving break beat, and a bone crushing riff. Something to make you cry while you are laughing. Just to know that you are ALIVE, and you can feel as deep as you want to allow yourself to.......................................................... ...........................................I create music for myself, and I hopefully touch the ones I LOVE the most. In my opinion, art should be used to figure things out, or inspire others to figure them out. As artists, we should move to heal, nurture, and learn. Through communication, compassion, understanding, and tolerance. As long As I grow within myself, and push myself to think outside the lines, while being completely open, FEELING with my whole range of emotions exposed, then it is not in vain................. "The truly creative mind, in any field, is no more than this: a human born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive. To him, a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create-so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency, he is not really alive unless he is creating." -Pearl S. Buck..That just about sums up exactly how I feel. .. mspobj enableJSURL="false" enableHREF="false" saveEmbedTags="true" allowScriptAccess="never" allownetworking="internal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="never" allownetworking="internal" height="230" width="445" align="middle" body, div, p, strong, td, .text, .blacktext10, .blacktext12, a.searchlinkSmall, a.searchlinkSmall:link, a.searchlinkSmall:visited{ font-size:12pt; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; text-transform:none;