Alexander Golden writes and performs dreamy folk compositions as a means to express the experience of an over-saturated world. Songs of a personal nature meant to paint a picture of the beautiful side of a confused and digitally altered life. I sat down with Alexander to talk about the music that first made an impression on him as a child, life during COVID and his latest E.P. “Wing Of The Whale” which you can listen to here.
What was the first music that really made an impact on you when you were a child?
I know it’s a cliché answer, but it’s true: The Beatles. I was obsessed with the Yellow Submarine movie when I was a child and the soundtrack was also the first ever CD that I owned. My parents certainly aren’t/weren’t hippies of any variety so I’m not sure how all of that came to be. Either way I’m thankful for it, as I still very much enjoy the music of The Beatles as an adult. George Harrison specifically was a huge influence when I started this solo project, among others.
When did you first start playing instruments and writing your own songs?
I got my first guitar in I believe 3rd grade. My parents signed me up for some lessons that I took very briefly, in which I learned to tune and play a couple of songs like “Secret Agent Man” and the intro to “Crazy Train”. But at the time I wasn’t much for diligence and extra homework, so the lessons stopped and I picked it up here and there but never challenged myself in any way. However, by the time high school rolled around I was pretty obsessed with music in general, and a deep dive into the guitar followed after. My bass playing began as a necessity when I couldn’t find the right bassist for a project, and has since become possibly my favorite instrument to play. As far as songwriting goes, I feel like I’ve always written in some capacity ever since my first guitar. I can’t vouch for in what year of my life those songs actually became listenable or interesting, though.
How did your first E.P. “Lullabies” come about?
“Lullabies” was a COVID project, basically. Pre-COVID I was in a Zappa-esque 8-piece band that was a lot of fun but a bit lacking in the “expressing myself/my emotions” department. By the time COVID started I was already expecting a newborn child, and everything just got kind of heavy all of a sudden. Sort of as a juxtaposition to the music I had been writing/playing previously, the three songs on “Lullabies” came about as a reflection of a very beautiful time in my life that happened to be set in a very dark time for humanity.
What was the writing and recording process like for your new E.P. “Wing Of The Whale”? There are some really awesome experimental sounds layered into the songs. Any particular gear you used that really helped shape specific parts of the record?
The “Wing Of The Whale” EP took a long time to write and record as it was being worked on all while I was also learning the whole dad thing. A time consuming process, to say the least. Also, “The Sick” was actually a song I wrote while I was extremely sick from COVID. Despite being vaccinated, I had a wretched fever for over a week, in which I was quarantined in my studio. As far as non-acoustic sounds on the record go, it’s mostly an old Ibanez Jet King guitar from the early 2000s (similar to what Omar Rodriguez-Lopez from The Mars Volta played/plays), with some custom Zhangbucker pickups, going through a series of pedal effects and DAW processing. The Digitech Bass Whammy pedal was huge for the entirety of the title track, for sure, and I hear they aren’t making pedals anymore so I need to hold onto it!
If you could do a soundtrack for any film director who would it be and what would the film be about?
That’s a good question… Maybe Michel Gondry? He’s not necessarily my favorite, but someone who does surreal/dreamy stuff, for sure. It could be about anything, I love the absurd just as much as the reality.
What’s up next for you? Any new recordings/shows etc etc?
Working on shows for fall/winter as we speak, and writing/recording is underway for the next batch of songs, as well. Folks who want to be kept in the loop on my comings and goings should follow me on instagram @
