INTERVIEW: WAZ
Eliza: Musicians often don’t like their music being described as a specific genre: how do you describe your music?
Waz: I usually say that I am a singer songwriter and that I play acoustic rock. Then I start referencing Foghat and Whitesnake for kicks! No— just kidding if people want examples: David Gray, Pete Yorn, and Richard Ashcroft usually seem to describe it pretty well.
Listening to the album, one of the things I thought is “girls are going to dig this.” Do you find that’s true?
Yes I think it’s true that a lot of girls like my music. I do have quite a large male Fanbase to though I’m pretty open and honest in my lyrics, so I think a lot of people get to know me through the songs. I think it’s very disarming when an artist says exactly how they’re feeling or what they’re going through. I’m not hiding anything, and I think that’s appealing to a lot of people.
You were part of Pete Yorn’s outfit; now it’s all you. Tell me about your first solo show.
I think it was at the Hotel Café a couple years ago a lot of my friends came down to support me so it was a warm welcome into the solo world. But it was also kind of weird to be front and center singing in my lyrics and playing my songs. It definitely takes a bit of getting used to, and you can’t have as many cocktails before the show. I really love it, it’s part of who I am.
How do you prepare for writing your music: listening to other music? Connecting to something else that makes you get creative, so to speak?
I don’t think it’s a matter of preparing as much as it is always being open to what’s around me. I’m very visual so I observe everything around me – mostly strangers, or my friends relationships. I’ve also found that if I have had a bit too much wine the night before, the next day I’m usually in a very different state of mind when it comes to observing things sometimes that’s when I let my guard down and tap into something unique and special.
Is there a particular song of yours that you find yourself thinking about a lot, or one that has a particular special or meaning?
It’s usually new ideas that I’m always thinking about. No matter what I’m doing, I’m always working on some aspect of a new song. I do a lot of working out ideas in my head, especially when I walk to the grocery store, which explains why I go five times a day. To answer your question, I’d say that “Holding On” and “She’s Gone“ are definitely my two favorites off of the suite by and buy. In the song “Holding On” there’s a line, “fight for the love we deserve.“ People seem quite drawn to that lyric. After listening to the song a friend of mine said, “we are born with one right, and that’s the right to be loved,” I thought that was such a great line!
Let’s get shallow for a second, you’re dressing sharp. Why do you choose your particular style to present yourself?
I’ve always been fond of people who dress sharp especially as a performer, I think it’s important to remember that people are there to hear and see something they wouldn’t get if they had just stayed at home. I don’t do it as well as Leonard Cohen, but I try!
Is there a particular song you can’t get out of your head at the moment?
“Better Days“ from Graham Nash‘s album songs for beginners. There’s a line where he says, “Although you are where you wanna be, you are not where you belong.“ His songs are simple, and his delivery of lyrics is completely honest.
Waz: I usually say that I am a singer songwriter and that I play acoustic rock. Then I start referencing Foghat and Whitesnake for kicks! No— just kidding if people want examples: David Gray, Pete Yorn, and Richard Ashcroft usually seem to describe it pretty well.
Listening to the album, one of the things I thought is “girls are going to dig this.” Do you find that’s true?
Yes I think it’s true that a lot of girls like my music. I do have quite a large male Fanbase to though I’m pretty open and honest in my lyrics, so I think a lot of people get to know me through the songs. I think it’s very disarming when an artist says exactly how they’re feeling or what they’re going through. I’m not hiding anything, and I think that’s appealing to a lot of people.
You were part of Pete Yorn’s outfit; now it’s all you. Tell me about your first solo show.
I think it was at the Hotel Café a couple years ago a lot of my friends came down to support me so it was a warm welcome into the solo world. But it was also kind of weird to be front and center singing in my lyrics and playing my songs. It definitely takes a bit of getting used to, and you can’t have as many cocktails before the show. I really love it, it’s part of who I am.
How do you prepare for writing your music: listening to other music? Connecting to something else that makes you get creative, so to speak?
I don’t think it’s a matter of preparing as much as it is always being open to what’s around me. I’m very visual so I observe everything around me – mostly strangers, or my friends relationships. I’ve also found that if I have had a bit too much wine the night before, the next day I’m usually in a very different state of mind when it comes to observing things sometimes that’s when I let my guard down and tap into something unique and special.
Is there a particular song of yours that you find yourself thinking about a lot, or one that has a particular special or meaning?
It’s usually new ideas that I’m always thinking about. No matter what I’m doing, I’m always working on some aspect of a new song. I do a lot of working out ideas in my head, especially when I walk to the grocery store, which explains why I go five times a day. To answer your question, I’d say that “Holding On” and “She’s Gone“ are definitely my two favorites off of the suite by and buy. In the song “Holding On” there’s a line, “fight for the love we deserve.“ People seem quite drawn to that lyric. After listening to the song a friend of mine said, “we are born with one right, and that’s the right to be loved,” I thought that was such a great line!
Let’s get shallow for a second, you’re dressing sharp. Why do you choose your particular style to present yourself?
I’ve always been fond of people who dress sharp especially as a performer, I think it’s important to remember that people are there to hear and see something they wouldn’t get if they had just stayed at home. I don’t do it as well as Leonard Cohen, but I try!
Is there a particular song you can’t get out of your head at the moment?
“Better Days“ from Graham Nash‘s album songs for beginners. There’s a line where he says, “Although you are where you wanna be, you are not where you belong.“ His songs are simple, and his delivery of lyrics is completely honest.