Julia Dawn (Folk/Pop)

Julia Dawn
Posted Apr 21, 2007.


Band name: Julia Dawn, I am a singer-songwriter. Every album differs. Common Band members include Jason Jurzak, Jeff Simpson, Eva Scow, Sam Rocha, Randy Stindt, Thomas Delgado.

What is your MySpace?
www.myspace.com/juliadawnmusic

What genre is your music?
Its really a mix of folk, jazz, pop and even punk. Often its put into “singer-songwriter” when I perform alone but w/ the band its hard to classify.

What are some of your shows coming up?
I am on tour as of now. I will be going through Flagstaff, Tucson, Austin, San Antonio, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Pocotello and Portland.

What is music to you?
A very good friend.

What venue would you like to play the most that you haven't played at?
Honestly, all venue’s big or small really depend on the crowd. I played the Fillmore in SF and thought that would be the tip of the iceburg, but the crowd made the show, the venue was a room w/ nice sound and lights and history.

When, Where and How was your first show?
I guess my first show would have been at Coffee Roasting Club in Morgan Hill, CA. It was 2 hours long. I don’t know how I got through it. I had barely been playing and writing songs for 1 year or so.

How have you seen yourselves get better since then?
Lets hope! I defiantly think I have matured as a songwriter and as a musician since then.

Where was your best show?
The Fillmore was pretty dope, biggest crowd, but I think the first time I played w/ my band at Tokyo Garden in Fresno would have to be what I would say was the BEST.

What makes a show the best?
The crowd’s energy for sure mixed w/ one’s own energy. Especially w/ a band… looking at each other while your playing… feeling the movements …

Who do you one day want to play a show with or open for?
Ani Difranco, Bjork or Martin Sexton

What inspires most of your lyrics?
Sexual tension and change

Why would anyone want to hear your music?
Its different and honest and brutal and thoughtful.

When was your band formed?
Ive been seriously writing songs since 2000 or so. I starting playing and recording with others since 2004 or so. The folks I play with now? We’ve been playing for about 8 months or so.

Where do you wish for your band to be in 5 years?
Making enough money to live off of.

What do you think its going to take to get there?
Lots of publicity stunts.

Where have you been playing lately and how has your response been?
Ive been playing in my hometown Fresno and around the bay area. The response has been convincingly strong. People seem to be drawn to the music and lyrics. Either they like to lie, or they really like me.

What religion are you?
Agnostic, if that is a religion, which its not. I use to be Christian like most Americans.

Does your religion effect your music?
I think my Christian past and how I interpret those feelings of loss greatly effect my writing.

Any funny or interesting stories?
I streaked my High School on a motor cycle.

What do you think about UFOs?
I have one.

What do you guys do for work right now, other than playing music?
I don’t have a day job right now, I just play. But I often resort to waiting tables.

Does being involved in playing music make you miss out on anything?
Its hard to go to a show or hang out w/ out feeling like you need to be promoting something all the time.

What advantage do you have above other people because you play music?
I get a lot of play.

What were some of your favorite bands growing up?
Loved Jan and Dean, Paul Simon, New Kids on the Block and Debbie Gibson

What would you saw if you saw yourself as a 10 year old kid playing at
the park? (words of advice)
Grow up slower

How old were each of you when starting to play instruments?
I started goofing of the guitar at age 17 or so

Do any of the members of the band play in any other bands?
Some play in the World Famous Blue Street Jazz Band

Every bands music changes over the years, but do you like playing and
the style of the old stuff?
Yeah, I still play very old songs. I think they make my set more interesting to have a variety of writing styles.

Anything you would like to say to your fans reading this interview?
Do what you love, live for it.

Is this your first tour?
Yes, I am embarking on my first tour.

How does it feel to tour with the band members?
I am doing it all alone, and its very challenging and very rewarding.

What do you do on the road to keep busy?
Drive, Read, Sing, Talk to myself… Go insane and then regain sanity.

Do you have any advice to bands about to go on their first tour?
Not yet, but I’ll hit you back up.

What's your latest cd?
Falling 2007 ep

How did you come up with the title?
It seemed at the time that all I had I was letting go of. The title track “falling” has a lyric that goes “the fruit ripenes and falls from the tree”… and I felt like that. Like all I use to be was changing.

How long did you wait from start to finish making the CD and how did it
feel? (did it take to long, or go by fast)
Its started by just playing around. Jason Jurzak and I hadn’t thought it was the beginning of a new cd, but eventually the songs starting pilling in. The first 3 songs took 4 or 5 months, the second 4 songs took a little more than 1 month.

What do you guys think about it?
It’s a nice little ep.

Where can we get it?
www.cdbaby.com/cd/juliadawn

What do you want people to get out of listening to "Falling"?
What they are use to, try something a bit different on and see how it makes you feel.

What did your fans say about it?
That its produced more than their use to, and it is, that’s the point. Also they say it “bumps”.

Any advice for anyone thinking about making a CD?
Recording