Jeff Blake
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I've been playing music for over 20 years. I played in bands during the 80's and 90's and took an extended break from recording from 2000-2006. In 2007-2008 I wrote and recorded again and haven't done much since then.
Why this name?
I've had it for as long as I can remember. I prefer it to people calling me "hey you." I used to use a band name for my solo stuff, but I figure what's the point, so I'm just using my name.
Do you play live?
I haven't played live since 1999, but I enjoyed almost every show I ever played.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
I love being able to share my music on the internet.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
I think it would be a cold day in Hades if I was ever offered a record contract, but if the record label lost their mind and decided to go with me, I'd go for it only if the terms were acceptable to me.
Band History:
You know those people that just LOVE music too much? The ones that are always listening to or thinking about it, or trying to scrape up some cash to buy some more albums or CD's. If you've ever worked in a record store, you know the type. These frequent customers are likely to be buying a dub reggae CD, a used Les Baxter album, and some honkytonk country in the same purchase. They know the most obscure trivia about the most obscure trivial bands? They have no idea who's on the charts and they are secure in their knowledge that the best music will never be played on the radio anyway... I'm one of those guys.
You also know those Don Quixote types who are idealistic in a way that doesn't make much sense? Eventually, they may even realize that it was all a fool's errand and they forget what you were fighting against in the first place. That's me. I've spent a lot of time doing battle with windmills. As I have a tendency to disengage, in the past, I wasn't too interested in jumping through any hoops in order to be successful in music.
So what happens when I mixed these qualities together? I didn't pass 'Go' and collect the $200, nobody knows my name. I got older, found a career in order to survive. At least I have my memories...
Thankfully, I can't get music out of my blood. After nearly a decade of musical inactivity. I have decided to follow my muse and create music for creation's sake.
Previously, I was a member of the following bands: Broken Arrow (1986), The Withdrawal (1986-1987), Just Population (1987-1989), The Sunshine Truck (1989-1993), Saturn Return (1993-1994) and the Crumbling Lights (1998-1999).
During the years 1993-1997, I recorded five solo albums on my trusty 4-track:
1994 - Smarvelous
1995 - Fozzyburger (Looking For My Marbles in the Chapel Perilous)
1996 - And I Fly
1996 - Pandemonium
1997 - Sunflowers
I haven't done any solo recordings since 1997. In January 2007, I started to write and record again. I'm enjoying the process of creating again. It's strange how addictive recording is. I forgot how easy it is to get lost in the music.
I released my last album, The Mad Capricorn, in 2009 and it is available on the "official web page" link.
If you like what I'm doing, know where I'm coming from, or just want to say hello, please write. I'd love to hear from you.
You also know those Don Quixote types who are idealistic in a way that doesn't make much sense? Eventually, they may even realize that it was all a fool's errand and they forget what you were fighting against in the first place. That's me. I've spent a lot of time doing battle with windmills. As I have a tendency to disengage, in the past, I wasn't too interested in jumping through any hoops in order to be successful in music.
So what happens when I mixed these qualities together? I didn't pass 'Go' and collect the $200, nobody knows my name. I got older, found a career in order to survive. At least I have my memories...
Thankfully, I can't get music out of my blood. After nearly a decade of musical inactivity. I have decided to follow my muse and create music for creation's sake.
Previously, I was a member of the following bands: Broken Arrow (1986), The Withdrawal (1986-1987), Just Population (1987-1989), The Sunshine Truck (1989-1993), Saturn Return (1993-1994) and the Crumbling Lights (1998-1999).
During the years 1993-1997, I recorded five solo albums on my trusty 4-track:
1994 - Smarvelous
1995 - Fozzyburger (Looking For My Marbles in the Chapel Perilous)
1996 - And I Fly
1996 - Pandemonium
1997 - Sunflowers
I haven't done any solo recordings since 1997. In January 2007, I started to write and record again. I'm enjoying the process of creating again. It's strange how addictive recording is. I forgot how easy it is to get lost in the music.
I released my last album, The Mad Capricorn, in 2009 and it is available on the "official web page" link.
If you like what I'm doing, know where I'm coming from, or just want to say hello, please write. I'd love to hear from you.
Your influences?
I really love a lot of different music. I don't really know how my influences show in my music, but here are some of my favorites:
Late 60's San Francisco/UK Folk/Psych, Bakersfield Country, Jazz (Swing, Bop, Hard Bop, Avant Garde), Bluegrass, Reggae, Krautrock, Classical, almost anything with drones & overtones, All Night Radio, Syd Barrett, Beach Boys, Beachwood Sparks, Beatles, Jimmy Bryant, Tim Buckley, Byrds, CAN, Captain Beefheart, Gene Clark, Cluster, John Coltrane, Julian Cope, Elvis Costello, David Crosby, Cure, Current 93, Dillard and Clark Expedition, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Brian Eno, Flying Burrito Bros, Grateful Dead, Merle Haggard, George Harrison, John Hartford, Lee Hazlewood, Jimi Hendrix, High Llamas, Icicle Works, Incredible String Band, Charles Ives, Jefferson Airplane, Waylon Jennings, Kaleidoscope (US), Albert King, Freddie King, Kinks, Kraftwerk, Fela Kuti, Long Ryders, Loop, Love, Paul McCartney, Moby Grape, Mother Hips, Music Machine, Willie Nelson, Nurse With Wound, Buck Owens, Pentangle, Pink Floyd, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Radiohead, early R.E.M., Sagittarius, Ravi Shankar, Soft Machine, Sorrow, Spacemen 3, Skip Spence, Stereolab, Surf, Supergrass, David Sylvian, Talk Talk, Velvet Underground, Scott Walker, T-Bone Walker, Speedy West, Clarence White, Bob Wills, Robert Wyatt, X, XTC, Yes, Neil Young, Frank Zappa
And a whole lot more...
Late 60's San Francisco/UK Folk/Psych, Bakersfield Country, Jazz (Swing, Bop, Hard Bop, Avant Garde), Bluegrass, Reggae, Krautrock, Classical, almost anything with drones & overtones, All Night Radio, Syd Barrett, Beach Boys, Beachwood Sparks, Beatles, Jimmy Bryant, Tim Buckley, Byrds, CAN, Captain Beefheart, Gene Clark, Cluster, John Coltrane, Julian Cope, Elvis Costello, David Crosby, Cure, Current 93, Dillard and Clark Expedition, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Brian Eno, Flying Burrito Bros, Grateful Dead, Merle Haggard, George Harrison, John Hartford, Lee Hazlewood, Jimi Hendrix, High Llamas, Icicle Works, Incredible String Band, Charles Ives, Jefferson Airplane, Waylon Jennings, Kaleidoscope (US), Albert King, Freddie King, Kinks, Kraftwerk, Fela Kuti, Long Ryders, Loop, Love, Paul McCartney, Moby Grape, Mother Hips, Music Machine, Willie Nelson, Nurse With Wound, Buck Owens, Pentangle, Pink Floyd, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Radiohead, early R.E.M., Sagittarius, Ravi Shankar, Soft Machine, Sorrow, Spacemen 3, Skip Spence, Stereolab, Surf, Supergrass, David Sylvian, Talk Talk, Velvet Underground, Scott Walker, T-Bone Walker, Speedy West, Clarence White, Bob Wills, Robert Wyatt, X, XTC, Yes, Neil Young, Frank Zappa
And a whole lot more...
Favorite spot?
I like the city. I did the country thing for a while and fell in love again with the city.
Equipment used:
I sing and play the guitar.
Anything else...?
I hope you will listen to and enjoy my music.