Albee Blue and the Life Altering Drug
Albee Blue creates gems on Soundcloud to feel, dream, move, keep moving, and keep searching.
What inspired you to begin your musical journey?
I was 12 or so, I had just discovered music as this life altering medium/drug. I wanted to learn how to play drums, but my mom was like “Hell no (paraphrased)” 'cause that’s a huge headache for a parent I would imagine. So my parents let me take guitar lessons instead - I think my sister already had a guitar. I started taking lessons after school and ended up loving it, so I stuck with it. Eventually I started jamming with friends, writing, singing, playing shows, recording… and I’ve been doing it ever since.
Photographed by Jacobus
What do you find to be the biggest challenge in creating your art?
I find it hard to let go of it. You create this thing and you grow it and nurture it from a little idea and then attach yourself to it. I always want to keep holding onto it or keep perfecting it or keep living in it. Eventually you have to just let it go and give it away and say it’s finished now. It’s not mine anymore, it’s everyone’s. It’s hard to know when to do that.
Who are three of your favourite artists?
I don’t like to choose favorites :-P but I’ll tell you three albums that I think shaped the way I view music, or gave me a new hope, or blew my mind:
Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
What gave you the push to post your music on Soundcloud?
Soundcloud to me is a super casual way to release music. I always just thought of it as a place where I can post ideas and try them out - maybe someone will listen and maybe someone won’t. Some of the songs I put up there are less developed, some of them are silly, a lot of them are covers… it’s a good place for all the less polished things that don’t end up on Spotify or Apple music and it’s part of how I try out different sounds or directions - especially in relation to covers.
If you could collaborate with anyone else on Soundcloud, who would it be?
Lil Uzi Vert
What is the message you are trying to spread through your art?
I just try to be real and authentic to an emotion or a value that I found true at some point. It’s almost like preserving a version of yourself that might not exist anymore. I’m trying to find my way and that seems to be a recurring theme in my music. Where is this taking me… how did I get here… how do I get there. Music is part of the way I process and cope with pain, joy, life, death, love... So really, it’s about my humanity and what makes me feel/dream/move/keep moving/keep searching.
Finally, what is your favourite type of cake?
Call it basic as fuck, but nothing compares to the spongy goodness of angel food cake :-P
Check out Albee on Instagram: @albee_blue or Soundcloud: /albeeblue to keep up-to-date with latest releases!
