A Moment with Alec Bridges

by Andrew Moreno

Photo © Art Brewer

As my friend introduced me to Alec Bridges' music, I was eager to learn more about this artist, who through his music was able to relay meaningful messages about life's good and bad moments. I submitted my interview request, and Alec was more than generous enough to meet me for an interview. Alec Bridges was born in Laguna Beach, California. At age 10, he rented his first guitar and began taking lessons at the local guitar shop. Growing up, Alec played in several different Orange County bands, playing every style from funk to fusion to metal to acoustic pop. Most notably, Alec spent a year and a half touring with South Africa's biggest rock band, Just Jinger, until 2004 when he left the band to pursue the realization of his own music. In 2006, Alec released his first full-length album, Look Inside. It won the Best Triple "A" (Adult Alternative Americana) Album of the Year in the 16th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards. The music of Alec Bridges comes from a deep, spiritual place inspired by the search for truth in life. Its purpose is to inspire people to look inside themselves, find out what is most important, and live to their fullest potential. Musically, you could say that there are two sides to Alec's music. There is the quiet acoustic side and the electric driven side. Both are unified by a powerful groove and profound poetic words. Here is how Alec sums up the overall theme of his lyrics: "I mostly write about the struggles of being true to one's self while trying to find balance between the pain and joy of life and the importance of being fully alive in the face of life's fragility and impermanence. We can learn from one another and love one another, but ultimately, the answers must be found deep within us." Alec's easy charm and approachable manner are just a small part of the reason people leave his consistently packed shows as avid new fans. He plans to spend 2007 working on his next album and touring the US; however, before he visits the recording studio, he promised me a moment of his time. Andrew Moreno and Lifted Magazine present Alec Bridges.

Photo © Nathan Wauk

Moreno: When did the madness begin? Bridges: I started playing guitar when I was 10 years old. I don't even really know what led me to start playing. I think it was somewhere along the lines of my friend Brian and I seeing a Def Leppard video on MTV and saying, "We want to do that!" Our parents brought us to the local guitar shop, where we rented guitars and started taking lessons. I am still playing now [but] I am not so interested in guitar these days, as much as I am singing. I feel that singing is a more direct musical outlet for me, although it took me a long time to feel comfortable enough in my own skin to sing in front of people. Moreno: Let's go back. Tell us about your childhood. Bridges: I had a pretty normal and happy childhood. I am an only child, and I was very quiet, somewhat shy and reserved. I spent a lot of time practicing guitar. I used to practice 6 – 8 hours a day. When I was around 19, I realized that I was spending most of my life sitting behind a piece of wood and decided that I had to go out and experience life more. Ever since then, I practice significantly less. Moreno: Did your parents support your decision to enter the world of arts? Bridges: I have a great relationship with my family. My parents are still married and they have always been very supportive of whatever it is that I aspire to do. I am very blessed. Moreno: Tell me about you as the artist. How are you different than others? Bridges: My focus on spirituality. Moreno: Out of all the artists I have interviewed thus far, you appear to be the most spiritual. In that, I think you see music as more than a form of entertainment. Is my assumption correct? Bridges: Yes. I think in its most exulted form, music is a tool to open oneself up to let the divine speak through them. This is a great thing because both the creator and the listener reap the benefits. Having said that, I also love great visceral music that makes me want to jump up and shake it, like James Brown or P-Funk. I would like to be somewhere in the middle, though, with my own music. I often lean more towards the more spiritual side of music. Moreno: What do you ultimately want to accomplish in your professional life as a musician? Bridges: I would love to touch and inspire as many people with music as possible. I want people to be left feeling uplifted, but more importantly, I would like people to be inspired to look deeper within themselves. I see our society constantly changing outwardly. Trends come and go, clothing styles change every year, what is popular in music, movies, art, etc. changes faster than I care to keep up with. I see this as an indication that people are looking for something outside of themselves to make them happy and to identify with. If you look at a monk, they are far happier than most people that live normal lives, and they wear the same robes everyday. They have an inner identity, because they constantly look within. That is the only place true happiness exists. If the music I make can inspire people even just a tiny bit to take a look inside, then I will feel I have accomplished something.

Photo © Austin Bauman

Moreno: How do you define success? Bridges: I define success as having a goal and doing your best to achieve it. Succeeding in achieving your goal is nice, but I think the most important thing is being unattached to the outcome, learning something in the process, and growing along the way even if you do not hit the mark. Moreno: For those who are interested in purchasing/learning more about your work, where should they go? Bridges: All of that info can be found on my website – www.alecbridges.com. You can order my CD directly from my website, or you can get it from the iTunes music store. If you are interested in signing up for my email list, you can send me an email at mailinglist@alecbridges.com Moreno: Outside of music, what are your other interests? Bridges: I love Yoga and Vipassana Meditation. I enjoy astrology too, but that is more just an interest/hobby. Having grown up in Laguna Beach, I also love going to the beach and bodysurfing. Moreno: What do you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses? Bridges: The most difficult thing for me as an artist is writing enough lyrics to fill up a song. I have always been a man of few words, so I often feel that I have said all that I want to say in a couple of lines. Lyrics are usually the last thing I really pay attention to while listening to music. I feel that the real message of a song is carried in the emotion put into the song. My strength as an artist is the ability to open myself up as a channel while performing live, and having the focus to always play in the moment. Moreno: Is there anything in the entertainment industry that bothers you? Bridges: Yes. I think a lot of artistic integrity gets sacrificed for what record companies think will sell more records. It is obviously not working though. CD sales continue to drop and record labels continue to cut back their employees. You can blame it on the internet all day, but what do the labels honestly think is going to happen when they release CDs of artists recording songs they didn’t even write and can’t even pull off singing live? Moreno: You're very conscious of your surroundings and your business. Are you the same way with your friends? What qualities do you look for in friendship? Bridges: I think the 'Who I’d Like To Meet' section of my personal MySpace page says it best..."People who are beautiful, honest, positive, healthy, genuine, creative, funny, witty, fun to be with, extraordinary, and wise beyond their years." Moreno: What do you think about? Bridges: Loss and impermanence. I know it is the way things are, but it is still difficult at times. Moreno: Does anything annoy you or give you pleasure? Bridges: Getting stuck chatting on the phone annoys me. Things not working the way they are supposed to annoy me. Lack of consideration annoys me even more. Thai food brings me pleasure. Good sushi brings me pleasure. Laughing to the point of gasping for breath and crying with good friends brings me great pleasure. Moreno: You seem to be on your way to enlightenment. I wish you well on your journeys. One more item: What do you ultimately want from life? Bridges: Ultimately, I want what every other living thing wants - to be happy.