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ShoalsBEAT interview with Stacey Blood

SB* Have you played in any other bands before? 

Stacey* I have been in one other band outside of my own "band".  In 1994 I was in a hard rock band called The Hollowmen.  Seems like a lifetime ago!  Did it really even happen?

SB* How long have you been playing music? 

Stacey* I started playing music in the 6th grade band, but I would say seriously playing and writing since just after high school.
    
SB* What instruments did you learn to play?

Stacey* First instrument I started on was trumpet.  My father was a session player and performer in Hollywood in the 60s and 70s so it was really the instrument I knew the most about.  That and bass guitar, as he played bass also.  I picked that up in high school and really enjoyed it, but I found it really hard to write music on the bass so I transfered over to the guitar where I've been ever since.  I have also dabbled around on piano as a writing tool as well.

SB* Where did you grow up?

Stacey*  I grew up on the west side of Fort Worth, TX just a few miles from Carswell Air Force Base.  I attended a private school for three years there and most of my life-long friends are from that time in that neighborhood.  I moved to Mesqquite, TX for high school and left for California immediately after.

SB* What genre of music do you lean towards in your performances?

Stacey*  I would say probably a combination of stripped down acoustic and Americana rock n' roll.  It's hard to mess that up!

SB* Who are your major influences?

 Stacey*  Well I have influences of all kinds.  Jack Kerouac was a big influence on me.  I was introduced to him by a friend of mine years ago from France.  I read On The Road and was just blown away and it really taught me that there are no real rules for expression and there can be so many reasons to use a word or a phrase.  It motivated me to pursue more self eduacation also because I was embarrassed that somebody from France had to introduce me to one of the greatest and most influencial authors in American history.  Public school didn't utter a peep about him, sadly.  Bob Dylan had a huge impact on me for many of the same reasons, but that brought simplicity to the forefront of my mind.  The Beatles.  Johnny Cash.  Floyd.  The Band has been perhaps the biggest influence on me musically.  Fiona Apple really lights a fire for me, she is and always has been just incredible.  The Rolling Stones obviously.  Even my own father.  His musical sounds were the first I ever heard and it's still there in me.

SB* How did you get into the music scene?  

Stacey*  I think I've always been in it.  I was born right into it.  It has always had my spirit.  Then I went into radio as a job, more music there.  I don't think I've ever not been in it, to tell you the truth.

SB* Have you met any famous musicians and how did that affect you career?

  Stacey*  Actually, having worked as a radio DJ for over ten years I met quite a few.  There are only two, however, that I would say had any impact on my career.  Citizen Cope I interviewed in 2002 and was very impressed with him.  During the whole interview I was just thinking "what am I doing on this side of the console?".  He was just the real deal and it pushed me to get off my ass and get serious.  The other is Duran Duran.  I attended a private party of theirs in San Francisco right before I quit radio.  How professional they were left a huge impression on me.  Just the patience they had and the time they took to speak with everybody individually was an eye-opener.  They weren't on top of the world anymore, but you can tell they had been at one time because they were absolute pros.  I had enormous respect for that.

SB* What inspires your music?

Stacey*  Pretty much anything and everything can inspire music in me.  In fact, years ago in times I thought about quitting music it was short-lived because I was immediately hit with the thought "Quitting music... hmm how does that song go?" so... yeah I can't get away from it.    


SB* What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to 
       brand loyalty or will you play with whatever's available? What made you choose 
       the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color 
       preference?

Stacey*  Typically I don't spare any expense with instruments.  Someone once told me "you're only as good as your instrument will allow you to be" and it is so true.  I'm not really a fanboy of any brand or anything like that (there goes my sponsorship opportunities!)  No really, I just play whatever instrument gives me the sound I'm looking for.  My Gibson Hummingbird is vital to my sound because it has such definition across the spectrum.  A lot of my arrangements have very subtle chord augmentations in the mid-range and the H-bird is very pronounced there.  I also play a Telecaster that I bought the same day I got the H-bird.  While they were packing the H-bird up for me I was messing around with this Tele to kill time and it sounded fucking great.  The harder I hit it the better it sounded.. so you see, I had to buy that too.  That's the way it goes sometimes.  I also own a '94 Les Paul Studio.  '71 Fender Vibrolux I use for an amp.


SB* Who writes your songs?

Stacey*  I write all of my songs.  Always have.

SB* What are the main themes or topics for most of  your songs? 

 Stacey*  I don't think there's any topic that occurs the most.  I write a lot in alegories I guess you could say.  Dreams I transcribe into lyrics pretty often as that's a different story every night.  This time around I've written about the past quite a bit, abandonment.  It's been stalking me lately.

SB* Do you think these topics will change over time?

Stacey*  Absolutely, they have continued to so I see no reason for that to change as I live, see, and experience more.

SB* Could you briefly describe the music-making process?

Stacey*  The process is always different so I guess there really isn't one specific process.  For me, anyway, things happen in all kinds of ways.  Ideas come from anything I might witness or feel at the time.  Sometimes music comes first then lyrics.  Sometimes lyrics first.  It's quite chaotic.  I think what you do mostly is just have faith that the creative energy, wherever it comes from, just keeps flowing.

SB* How has your music evolved since you first began playing music?

Stacey*  It has evolved 180 degrees.  I'm always learning new things.  As soon as I think I have a pretty good idea of how deep the rabbit hole goes something shows me that there's still more.  I hope that keeps on happening forever.  I shudder to think of a time where there isn't anything new to learn, but thankfully that's impossible.

SB* What has been your biggest challenge as an artist? 

Stacey*  Making a living.  You don't just go down to RCA with your accoustic guitar anymore and say "Hello, I'm Harry Nilsson and this is a song called '1941'" and they say "wow, that was great, sign here".  Artists have to already prove they can promote themselves, sell units, get a large following, and show commitment before major label backing is realistic.  Basically the stuff they used to do.  But there are many more options for artists available now, so that offsets it quite a bit.  If you want it bad enough you can get it out.

SB* Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

Stacey*  Perspective.  That's how you overcome it.  The great thing about perspective is that you can craft it any way you like to meet your acceptance.  My perspective changes all the time to meet the current state of affairs.  It works.  Stay positive and keep on creating and doing nothing to compramise your intentions.

SB* What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands or be in the music industry?

 Stacey*  Whatever you do, do your own thing.  Be an individual.  Have something to say and say it like you mean it.  And when you encounter disapproval or resistance wave the flag higher.
SB* How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? 

 Stacey*  My music and videos can be found at my website www.staceyblood.com and it can be purchased at any digital music website including iTunes.

SB* Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering support?

   Stacey*  Absolutely.  David Norris, my long time friend and producer has always propped me up and encouraged me to keep growing as an artist even when times have been tough.  Darlene Cavaletto has been a dear friend for a long time since my radio days.  She has always carried the torch for my music and helped me in many ways... usually when I needed it the most.  And of course my family who have always supported even my most reckless of whims.

SB* Any last words?

  Stacey*  I'm innocent!!!

http://staceyblood.com/