Next week Felly will be unloading his music and swagger onto the Music Hall of Williamsburg stage.
The first impression of producer/singer/instrumentalist Felly is that he wants to continue the peace movement left behind from the sixties. He does so through art, through sound. And, similarly, you cannot put that sound in a box, as he loves all types of music and inputs that into his own.
Felly’s new LP, Bad Radio, gives off a glow, each song a bright, musical light. His latest single, “Crying In Sunshine” (featuring Arden Jones), is a great example of that, as he sings, “Pray on shooting stars, but they far up in outer space / Give me grace, give me faith. give me something you can’t fake.” This star has set out to make every negative experience a positive one, and singles and records like these prove that.
The Aquarian’s Robert Frezza sat down with the singer-songwriter to talk about this new record, how he balances producing and playing, and what it’s like to dive into a plethora of influences to create something original.
You blend a lot of different instruments – from keys to horns – on the single “Crying In Sunshine.” Do you play all the instruments?
I don’t play the horns, but I know where to get the sounds I want – I have a great network out here in Los Angeles. I added horns, which were a real last minute thing, and I had a great group of talented musicians and writers that day when we were putting the song together. Then we [put] the horn progression and music together rather quickly.
What’s the song itself about?
It’s a blues song. I think it’s bluesy and sad-boy-ish. The song is about the paradoxes of life – how the world can be a dark and horrible place, but you can still be in a really good place and look at the small pockets of beauty, marrying that with the other parts that are terrible.
I was on the way to a session that day and had a flat tire. It was raining that day. Four hours later I finally get to the session and got to remember the positives in life: that I was going to make music. It’s that type of energy of push and pull. Life can get you down, but there are other people that are struggling. I’m trying to make records that are more up-ful. It’s not a word,but it’s a goal.
To make ‘up-ful’ music, who and what do you listen to?
I listen to a lot of alternative indie music and inspiring rap music. I mostly focused on songwriting – Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and John Fogerty mixed with alt-J and Rage Against the Machine. Then there’s Jay-Z and Bob Marley that makes me want to be a hustler and put me in a good mood. If I could ideally marry the two, I’ve done a good job. I’m writing songs on a guitar now, though, and I’m learning I’d rather write a melody that sticks with me forever.
What are the themes of Bad Radio?
I was metaphorically telling it like a relationship at the time; how a radio can be static and it’s not coming in that clear. It’s about the chemistry in a relationship. If there’s not even love chemistry, you can still feel lonely.
What is the best thing about touring?
Probably watching the songs become something that I didn’t expect them to; how a song can evolve and take different moods to it and be sung in different ways. There are different atoms in the room that can make up a certain moment and it’s all unique to that one room and that one crowd.
How do you balance producing, singing, and playing?
It sounds corny, but they all become one. You just make a song. I have three different melodies for some songs that are in my head. I’ll pick up the guitar and see if anything comes. I have 3,000 notes in my voice memos on my iPhone.
You have said that music is your “attempt at talking with God.” What did you mean by this?
I think it’s more of an experience of getting closer to God. When you have a blank canvas, you create a relationship, but the relationship is with yourself; it’s a chemical of creativity that goes on. If you make music that is pure, it would feel pure to what as I’d imagine God would be like.
What’s next for you?
I could release a bunch of singles or I can wait ’til I have something [bigger] and amazing. I’d like to release another project after my tour, though.
FOR TICKETS AND INFO ON FELLY’S TOUR, VISIT HIS WEBSITE!
