Author: Emma Loggins
Date: 2009-04-02


Interview:
We had the honor of chatting with Kelley James about his current tour, his interests, and what was next for the musician. Here's what he had to say:

How did you get started in music?

Kelley James: I started playing guitar at 12 and writing songs at 14. I was in a band in high school... you know one of those "4 high school kids in a garage after school" type bands that thinks they're just one show away from touring with U2. We were called Limestrike, and in my mind ... well ... we were only one show away from making enough money to buy tickets to a U2 concert. Anyway, I always played sports growing up, football and basketball in high school, so music to me was this little side passion. When I was 16 years old I saw a concert at The Fillmore in San Francisco, and I told myself that I would do whatever it took to be the guy standing on stage there ... still working on that one. I went to college, got a major in business with an emphasis in The Music Industry, released an album in college that had a little success and decided that with the knowledge and connections I had made I could pursue a path as an independent artist when I graduated ... I'm still rolling down that path, and it has been amazing.

For those people that haven't heard your music, how would you describe it?

Kelley James: Well -- I got into music through Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots etc ... moved over into Sublime/GreenDay in the mid 90s and always listened to Rap music. When I started playing guitar I gravitated towards guitar players like Ben Harper, Dave Matthews which lead me to Jack Johnson, Mayer, Mraz. My goal is to be the hip hop influenced, rock version of those guys. We'll see. [Grins]

Which one of your songs is the most personal or the most meaningful to you? Why?

Kelley James: "In Between" is a song I wrote pretty quickly and from a very true place. It encapsulated one specific moment in my life and every time I play it I get thrown back into that moment.

How does the songwriting process work for you?

Kelley James: It's all over the place ... I can write to anything, anywhere, anytime. I can write on guitar, piano, playing an instrument, listening to a beat ... starting with lyrics or starting with the music. Whatever the situation may be, once I get the inspiration I HAVE to roll with the idea and finish the song then or it never comes out the way I want it to later down the road. I end up writing about the thought of an idea rather than the direct idea/emotion itself.