Gabe James – City of Lost Angels

By starrymag | March 24, 2022

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I would say it’s very acoustic guitar driven, with a little bit of soft rock. I usually begin writing songs on acoustic guitar and I love how acoustic guitar sounds. I like stuff that sounds big with lots of vocal layers so I would say there’s usually a lot of vocal harmonies in my songs!

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) I grew up listening to a lot of singer-songwriter artists like John Mayer, Ed Sheeran and Chet Faker. So, I think my writing in the stuff I’ve put out thus far has been pretty inspired by that kind of writing.

I also had a huge love for electronic music growing up and listened to a lot of louis the child and whethan.

 

Q) How did growing up in Colorado help shape you as a musician?

A) I think it really exposed me a lot to the singer songwriter and electronic scene of music since that’s what everyone at my high school was listening to!

I don’t know if I see myself ever trying to make any of that electronic type of music, but melodically I think I took a lot from listening to that music because there’s a lot of unique vocal melodies that come from electronic music and chopping up vocals.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Gracie.”

A) context: So, when I record ideas for the first time or songs that I’m writing, I record in my voice memos app. And when u record on that app it automatically puts down the location of where you’re recording it.

I had originally named that song “Daisy” and showed it to my manager (He said, “Dude, whose name is Daisy? You need to change it to something more relevant.” [laughs]).

So, I went back to the original recording I had taken of the song and realized that the studio I recorded it was right next to a place called (Gracie’s Pizza). So, I thought, “Maybe I’ll just call it Gracie.” [laughs]

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I feel like, for me, that song is meant to capture that feeling you get when you really like someone and you feel like you never get to have a conversation with them of where they see your true side because you’re always nervous and they don’t even know that you like them because of that. I felt like I used to go through that a lot as a kid throughout high school and I guess other people might relate to that too!

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) The video for “Gracie” plays in more to the concept for the EP story as a whole, which was meant to capture me having just moved to LA from Colorado to pursue my dreams and step into adulthood, while still feeling like a kid fresh out of high school. In the video I’m wearing a suit and tie to symbolize me coming into adulthood while I’m still going around Santa Monica Pier doing things a kid might do (since I still felt like a kid when I moved to LA).

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) I usually start with acoustic guitar and try to produce a beat out of it with some simple drums and maybe some bass and then I hum melodies and try to write over that.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) I stay very involved with all of the production of my music. I track out all of my vocals, and guitar and usually stay pretty involved on the drum production going on in the songs too!

 

Q) Your new EP City of Lost Angels is out now. What track challenged you the most to create it?

A) “Long Time” is probably my favorite song on the EP.

 

Q) What song(s) on it hold a special place in your heart and why?

A) I think that “FLICKER” was probably the hardest to finish. [laughs] I’ve tracked about fifteen to twenty different demos of that one song just trying to get the feel right!! But that song is like my baby, I love “FLICKER.” It’s definitely my favorite on the EP, followed by “Colorado!” I just love it because of the feeling it gives me, and I love the chords in that song.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) My new favorite place to perform is currently the mercury lounge in NYC. I just started off tour there with Ryan Woods and that was the most energetic amazing crowd I’ve ever gotten to play for, it was so sick! Shoutout NEW YORK LOVE U!!!

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) JACK KAYS – he is so freaking sick

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) I love Turnstiles new album GLOW ON. The energy it has is just so sick and there’s so much variety in the whole project. It’s so cool!

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) I think it’s just such a huge part of the time we live in now. Sharing pictures and content has never been easier to do that now with phones and social media. And I think kids really want to be able to interact with artists in every way possible, so it’s important to be involved and connect with people on there!

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) First of all, thank you so much. I’m so thankful to have people that love and want to support me!!

I hope my music can give you an outlet to just be yourself and escape from the real world.