Alex grew up on the Front Range and moved to the San Juans about a decade ago. Music has been a substantial part of his life for the last 20 plus years and just keeps becoming even more of a focus and priority. His trajectory really shifted and gained some momentum last year after receiving a Small Arts Grant from Telluride Arts District and then winning the Blues Challenge at Blues and Brews fest.
Since then, he’s started a band project with two of his best friends called Birds of Play and they’ve been touring all over the Western half of the country. They also released their debut album this past summer at the Transfer Warehouse thanks in large part to the support of Telluride Arts District.
We asked Alex a few questions:
Who/what is your musical inspiration?
Mostly mama nature and the belief that songs have the capacity to heal and move people. I like to write about feeling feelings and being joyful, but I feel the most substantially inspired by this magnificently beautiful world.
Describe your creative process?
It varies wildly but these days I’ll have an idea for a song’s narrative arc and just kind of chew on it and play with words and sentiments in my head for a couple of weeks before I put pen to paper. Other times, I’ll just be fiddling about on the guitar and then something enigmatic will happen and I’ll think to myself, “Alex! Look at you go! You’re writing a song! Great job, pal!” It’s all very strange and mysterious.
Do you collect anything?
Really good people. Not in a creepy locked-up-in-my-basement kind of way - partly because I don’t have a basement. I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by so many hilarious, fascinating, big-hearted weirdos.
Why Telluride?
The only thing I like less than a nice long summer is a lung-full of oxygen. This place just ticks the boxes. The soul-stirringly beautiful land and my heartbreakingly supportive and funky-to-the-bones tribe of humans are just the cake’s icing.
Favorite Adventure?
5 years ago I rode my motorcycle (with a guitar strapped to it) from Durango to Belize with some of my nearest and dearest friends and then lived in Belize for a few months playing music. Then I rode all the way home, all by myself. It got weird. Good weird, sure, but weird no less.
What are you looking forward to in the New Year?
I think I’m going to be at least a little bit better at being me next year. Also, next year will be the first time that the numerical representation of the year will line up with the numerical representation of my vision… That should be neat. Also, also, I’m working on an art non-profit called Augment Project that helps up and coming musicians on their paths towards sustainable careers in the music industry. Also, also, also, Birds of Play will be doing lots of touring and creating and we’ll be releasing our second album sometime next summer!