Local singer/songwriter Lee Alexander has been working the pub and wine bar scene for the last few years, and it’s paid off. His CD Out of Place was on many local critic’s “Best of 2006” list and has received several regional music nominations and awards. Alexander plays tonight at one of our favorite wine bars – The Corkscrew. They are hosting a new Monday evening acoustic set, which puts Lee Alexander right at home (and the show is free!). We spoke to him recently about his music.
Last year, you had several nominations in the annual Houston Press music awards. It’s that time again – what’s happening this year?
Well, actually the nominating process isn’t over and finished and we won’t know officially who made the ballot till mid summer maybe. Last year we were stunned to have been nominated in 5 categories. Hopefully, we’ll get lucky again this year.
Let's go back to the younger years: how did your interest in music start?
My mother played piano a lot, and my grandfather played the ukulele singing songs he picked up in the Navy. They got me into Ink Spots, Glen Miller and classical music. But the seminal moment was when I overheard my uncle playing “Should Have Known Better” by the Beatles when I was 8. I was never the same after that. At age 11 my mother taught me to play “Tom Dooley”” (a two chord song) and gave me a book of chords, I pretty much taught myself everything by ear after that and later picked up piano in my teens. When I was in 4-H, I would go to the Fair and Rodeo to see my uncle Carl Finney in a local country band he had at the time. I remember thinking how cool being in a band must be, and that’s about when I was bit by the music bug.
Did you find any musical inspiration while attending college in a small East Texas town (Nacogdoches)?
Yeah, I really got into the music that was inherent to that region: namely blues, folk, & blue grass. There is an old general store there in Nac called The Old Time String Shop & General Merchantile. On weekends the owner hosted folk & bluegrass jam sessions on the front steps of the building and I picked up a thing or two there on the accordion, mandolin, and such. My time in Nacogdoches is what really sparked my interest in experimenting with different genres. I was also in a blues/rock band with Sheila Marshall, where I was able to hone my keyboard and harmonica skills.
You're CD Out of Place is a mixture of musical styles. How would you describe your music to someone?
In a word – eclectic. It’s really just making music merely for music’s sake, regardless of genre. These days a lot of artists create what I call “audible fashion” – a homogenous sound they can slap an image on and sell on a designated shelf. It’s a concept I find both soulless and boring. The diversity of rhythms and sounds found in all forms of music available out there are a veritable estuary where songwriters can mix, experiment, and explore all sound possibilities … you just have to be open to following your instincts and not whether people will think it’s cool or not.
What's your take on the current music scene in Houston?
Well, if you’re a rap, gospel, or R&B artist, it’s terrific! But outside those genres, there really is no real music business in town, so for the rest of us outsiders, it’s a harder road to hoe. But that is double edged sword that works both ways. Everyone complains about the fact that it’s so spread out, poor zoning, too many talented musicians moving away to Austin, and so on… which is all true of course. But if you’re a glass-half full type of character, this is a great place to make music. You can move to Austin or Nashville and get lost along with the 30,000 other songwriters who live there trying to do the same thing, or stay here where it’s easier to stand out in the crowd.
Do you have a favorite gig from the past few years?
We had just finished up a show in Nacogdoches playing right around the corner from where the Gougers were playing. Rather than head back home, the guitarist Steve Gibbs and I met up with the Gougers for an impromptu jam-session at a friend’s house. We were up all night playing Bee Gees’ tunes on mandolin’s, harmonicas, and accordions – it was a fabulous time! Those are always the best performances…the ones that you don’t expect or have any control over.
We're sure you're writing new material. When can we expect a follow up to Out of Place, and any hints on what we'll find there?
As with Out of Place, there will be no lack of variety. And being the Socratic gadfly that I am, there will be a fair share of political statements made. But the genre dabbling I’m doing now is much more regressive, drawing back further to the points of origin for these genres. That means doing away with amplification, and relying more on acoustics and reeded instruments. In terms of conception and writing the album is set to go. As for the question of “when” – well, that’s up in the air. Putting together and promoting and album on your own takes a lot of time, energy and money. And all three of those things are in short supply with me. I’m in a much lower league than my songwriting contemporaries here in Houston - I’m the sole breadwinner with two preschoolers and a full-time job. On top of that, trying to be a one man show promoting, web design, booking, playing, and pursuing opportunities has really burned me out. I’m deliberating taking a break from music for a while. Realistically I don’t see an album coming out any sooner than summer of 2008.
If you were a Houston landmark, what would it be?
The Beer Can House. It’s garish symbol of nonconformity, and a shrine to one of the most significant beverages in history. That place is me all over!
Lee Alexander
Tonight, 8.pm.
The Corkscrew
1919 Washington
Free!
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