One of my favorite tour memories from 2011 was when I got to sing for Alexander, a 7-year old autistic boy, whose favorite songs are “The Sun” by Tigers Jaw (#PApride) and “Spring Song” by me. My friend Adam works after school with students like Alexander and when he’s not in school himself or working with special needs kids, he’s putting on DIY shows and playing in his hardcore band. It’s difficult to not be inspired on tour because of the amazing people that make up this music community. I can’t tell you how special it was to be invited to participate in the awesome work that a guy like Adam is doing (just hours before the awesome house show he put on for me that night in Reno.) This is just one person out of many in this global arts community making a huge impact. It leads me to wonder what amazing things all of you (reading this) are working on.
I’m beginning the year optimistic and hopeful for what’s to come. Music is where we connect. It’s exciting to know that we’ll be able to continue the conversation. Please reach out to me if you’d be interested in hosting a DIY house or alternative space show in February through April for the taping of Spring Song Vol. 2, which will be coming out on Run For Cover Records later this year. E-mail me at colormake@gmail.com.
Keep working hard, fighting the good fight, singin’ out. We are many, friends. Peace to you.
Hey, this is an excellent way to download my music. Thanks to @cpoj for compiling the links. The higher quality versions are available for free at http://kojisaysaloha.bandcamp.com. If you do grab some of my music, please join me in calling on our legislators today to oppose the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act as they are written. As an artist and as a human who values freedom of speech, I ask that you please get involved, remain engaged, and call others to action!
-K
ps. To the IHOP House, thanks for making all ages music available in North Philly!
The next Playlist in our ongoing series features A Loss For Words, Koji, and Brian Marquis. All three bands are about to head out on a special acoustic tour together, so we thought it’d be great to match them together. Check out the Playlists and listen to the songs while reading everyone’s thoughts!
(Click on image to listen in Spotify) Sunny Day Real Estate - Pillars There is nothing to say about this song other than you just have to put your headphones on and close your eyes and listen. This is the intro to my mixtape. Enjoy. Smashing Pumpkins - Mayonaise This is one of my favorite songs off of one of my all time favorite albums. This song reminds me of middle school into high school, a simpler time, and it just makes me feel good and nostalic. At this time I had really started getting serious about learning guitar and I tried to learn a lot of the songs off this album but never actually got to Mayonaise until this past year when I started learning it on acoustic. The guitar tone alone on this song and album is just killer; thick and fuzzy and squeely. I plan to start playing my acoustic cover of this song soon. Cave In - Requiem I was one of the few people who could not only (eventually) get over Cave In’s seemingly 180 degree genre switch from metal to prog indie rock but I love them both equally. Of course I was a bit pissed and thrown off that they switched it so abruptly since Until Your Heart Stops is still my favorite heavy record but Jupiter became a monumental album for me and my guitar playing, use of guitar effects and dynamics. This song is one you just listen to with headphones and close your eyes and it just engulfs you. I also love the fact that this whole album was recorded and tracked live with no overdubs – something rare nowadays and even back then. Failure - Stuck on You Without Failure, there would be no Cave In - period. Steve Brodksy, singer of Cave In, would always mention Failure as an influence in interviews and I finally checked them out one day with the album Fantastic Planet and it was blaringly obvious Cave In had taken a huge influence not only from Failure but especially from this album. But instead of this being a negative thing it seemed more of a homage to an amazing and underrated band from the mid 90s. Ken Andrews vocals lull you into a daze in the verses and then right into a heavy guitar laden wall of sound at the chorus. So heavy. Great song. Muse - Stockholm Syndrome My friend Adam turned me onto Muse just after Absolution came out. At the time you could only buy it as an import cd for $30 and it was worth every penny (I was really pissed when it was on sale at Newbury Comics years later for $8.99 when they finally got US distribution). This record was everything I could want in a rock band. Epic, huge guitars, musically intelligent, intense vocals, dynamics and heavy as fuck. This song always got my blood pumping and the end is so damn heavy I love it. Such a climactic song. Intense. Mars Volta - The Widow Beautiful song. When the Mars Volta are coherent enough for me to enjoy I love them. This song is a brief moment when they let their instruments breathe. Cedric’s vocal performance is one of my favorites from any Volta record. Then half way through the song the acid kicks in and well, there goes that sweet song… Live - T.B.D. The bassline of this song just sets the tone of the lyrics so well. This is a deep track in a record that had so many great radio hits but none of them compare to this one for me. I love the way it builds and builds with suspense and finally lets loose and then – relief. Kid:Nap:Kin - (Lovely Day for a) Parade One of my favorite Boston bands. Highly underappreciated but such is life. This band and this song in particular mix so many great influences. I’d describe them as Jeff Buckley singing for At the Drive-In. The chorus is intense as fuck and Dan Ellis’ chipmunk vocal highs are ridiculous. Great song and great guitar work. Radiohead - Everything in its Right Place Turn this one up loud. That is all. Jeremy Enigk - World Waits Jeremy Enigk’s vocals will be the bookends of this mixtape, it seemed fitting that way. This is one of those albums that I wish I made. It’s a great complete album but this closing track about heartache really just sinks it’s teeth into your heart. Jeremy’s sandpapery whiskey soaked vocals just ring with sincerity and honesty. I was lucky enough to have my band open for him on this album’s tour and just hearing him soundcheck with this song made me choke up. Truly a great one. - Brian Marquis
(Click on image to listen in Spotify) Dead End Path - Never Have Heaven Ever A$AP Rocky - Trilla Ft. A$AP Twelvy & A$AP Nast Clipse - Gangsta Lean D’Angelo - Left and Right Ghostface Killah - Nutmeg Freeway - What We Do Ft. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel The Roots - Proceed Outkast - Return Of The “G” Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor Daylight - Selfish Miles Davis - Pharaoh’s Dance Frank Ocean - Swim Good Minority Unit - C.M.F. If you know, then you know. - Koji
(Click on image to listen in Spotify) AFI - Leaving Song I remember one of my best friends griff made a legit mixtape not cd with bands such as cave-in, lagwagon, no use for a name, etc… And this song was on it and I was addicted to it and very quickly became a very big AFI fan! Acceptance - Take Cover I would have to say that overall acceptance full length phantoms is my overall favorite record!! So smooth and catchy! Reminds me of a loss for words first tour that was 4 weeks with maverick! We jammed this cd all the time. Alkaline Trio - Private Eye This cd never gets old! I could listen to any alkaline trio record from front to back any day. Reason is the lyrics are so untouchable, matt and dan I look up too for sure! They are the realist band out. Also this is the anthem to my best friends basement party’s throughout high school. Band practice, skateboarding, partying, bridge jumping, shows, relationships, and playing air guitar/sing alongs with all my best friends! To be honest my life hasn’t changed much! Haha Junction 18 - Sweet Steps If you don’t know this band I really suggest you check them out! They were one of the original bands on fearless records back in the day! These guys grew up in my town so my band really looked up to these guys. Andy (vocalist) is still to this day one of my good friends and still the dude I go to when I need advice. So many memories playing and seeing these guys over the years! Rest in peace MIKE G. Aka POOPA.
