Blaise Smith - The Fox & Hound Pub, Studio City, California. July 2009 I interrogated him one night while having pints of Stella Artois at his favorite Pub, The Fox and Hounds. He had just come off stage from an acoustic performance and his appearance was that of one very satisfied man. He was in his realm and his comfort zone, just where i wanted him. First he wipes the sweat off his forehead then he lights a cigarette, then he sits down. He was unaware of my recording this conversation with my iPhone. Consequently, I recorded a very candid and personal conversation. My intentions were to write his bio, but now, I want to write his book.?,
After 10 Years of writing and performing, and 15 years of guitar, 24 year old L.A. native, Blaise Smith boasts 69 and a half songs. His subject matter ranging broadly from love, loss, labor and inner strife to spirituality, war, addiction, greed and death. Subtle hints of the occult and mysticism characterize his song style. While his voice is a synthesis of his own heroes and heroines, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Bradley Nowell, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Morrison, Jethro Tull, Nick Drake, Bob Marley, Al Green, and seriously everything in between. His Musical composition is heavily influenced by the classic greats, most of whom have passed away. Poetically, his life's mission is to spread his love to every corner of the Earth through his performance, and not die like his heroes.
His live performance is charismatic. His personality, very edgy, but very welcoming, and in between songs, he cheers the audience, makes speeches and is kind of chaotic in the sense that you'll never know what situation his nuttiness will create next, and who he will involve, or what he will do, but when the song begins the room becomes attentive and musical as he conveys his message with that powerful voice of his with those lyrics.
Those special lyrics, oh my. Inspiring thought and emotion in even the dullest individuals. His ear is natural, stellar and he openly challenges his players to improvise with him live onstage under the scrutiny of his audience. Therefore his audience bears witness to the process, and is themselves inspired to improvise in life, in their own ways of expressing. Also, he calls his crowd his "tribe". His life story seems wildly fictional and sometimes unbelievable but I definitely believe him, because of his conviction as a person. There's my novel. He just finished his first album called "Little Book" and his 2nd album, which will include 5 songs he wrote this month. He has over 50 songs recorded and continues to record always.??Blaise Smith. He is way special and you should take interest in him if you dig real music.
-Gary Ludwig is a freelance writer that resides in Los Angeles
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Blaise Smith on Indieclectic, an online music store click here to buy me
