Coda Cannon & the SidezProject
All instruments and music performed by Coda Cannon
Electric Citizen is:
Coda Cannon
Tommy Carlson
Mitch Carlson
Brandon Scott
Port Republic is:
Coda Cannon
Josh D'Elia
Davey Guitar
Patrick Fritz
Ryan Sayward
Influences
1. Delise Hall- She was my childhood piano teacher, the pianist at my church, and my music teacher at school. The lady was and still is a genius. She taught me all about music, the rules; and which rules can and can’t be broken. I know she will never understand just how big of an impact she had on my development. But for a kid such as I was being allowed to play with the rules of music, learn, and do so without much ado or a flood of tears was a big deal to me.
2. Petra (a contemporary-christian band big in the 80s) This was my favorite band growing up. The singer’s voice is amazing and the lyrics had a message without the cheesiness often found in Christian music.
3. Tchaikovsky- A Classical Russian composer best known for “the Nutcracker.” When I was an infant the only way my mother could put me to sleep was with the aid of the Nutcracker” Since then I have loved, listened, and worn out many a nutcracker cd.
4. The Beatles- Growing up I had heard of the Beatles and some of their music. However coming from a conservative-christian household, when I was younger the first things that came to mind concerning the Beatles was John Lennon’s “bigger than Jesus” comment and their Middle Eastern influences. In college I really discovered them. I quickly fell in love with their melodies and harmonies, their experimentation with soundscapes, the uniqueness of their sound, and the sing-a-long quality of their choruses. They were pretty much all I was listening to when I first started writing songs and so they have been one of the biggest influences on my songwriting.
5. Josh D’Elia- Here is another amazing musician that I have been fortunate to know and play with. I met him in a multicultural summer program that we both were required to take before receiving admission to college. He was in the process of learning bass as I was with guitar. We quickly started playing and writing songs together. He introduced me to a lot of amazing groups and albums. He is probably the most prolific and creative musician I’ve ever met and he played a big part in my musical development.
My favorite artist:
The Beatles, The Cure, Elvis, the Beatles, Smokey Robinson, the Beachboys, Tchaikovsky, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Otis Redding, Nirvanna, Radiohead, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, Moby, Spoon, the Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode, the Pixies, Micheal Jackson, James Brown, 4 lads from Liverpool, REM, They Might Be Giants, Cream and Eric Clapton, the Smiths and Morrissey, D'Angelo, Chopin, Petra, Isreal's Hope, George Winston, Beethoven, Moby, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Star.
Charcoal Drawings by Gitta Gläser
www.myspace.com/gittaglaeser
Coda Cannon’s love of music was clearly apparent to his parents at the earliest of ages. When he was only a couple of days old Coda’s mother realized that the only way she could get her restless infant to sleep was to have the “Nutcracker” playing in his bedroom. Coda didn’t speak his first words until the age of three. To the astonishment of his parents, his first words came out in the form of a sentence. His first song followed shortly thereafter. “Ring That Doorbell”, “I Ate a Lady”, and “Superman, I Need Your Help”, were among the first of his original compositions.
On his fifth Christmas, Coda’s grandmother bought him a guitar and a mini-drum set. With the help of his little sister and his friend and neighbor Michael, Coda began putting his little songs to music. “Back then music was just one of the many games we played”, recounts Coda. “’Do you want to play music or Transformers?’ It was like that. Our instruments were just toys. I don’t think anybody thought that one day we’d be making music for the masses. In fact Michael and I wanted to be world famous astronauts.” Michael would later go on to become multi-Grammy award winning R&B superstar D’Angelo.
At the age of seven, Coda’s mom enrolled him in piano lessons. He wasn’t a standout student. He spent more time writing his own songs and learning the theme music of his favorite wrestlers than he did learning his sheet music. He did however learn the fundamentals of music, which would become invaluable to his musical development in later years.
In his junior year in high school Coda decided that he wanted to learn guitar. His grandmother bought him an acoustic guitar and he began teaching himself chords and Nirvana songs. After graduating from high school Coda decided to attend James Madison University. However, his admission to JMU was granted only after successful completion of a multi-cultural summer transition program for students who tested high but whose grades may not have reflected their potential. That summer, with a lot of free time on their hands, Coda and his roommate decided to form a band. They decided that writing their own songs would be easier than learning other artist’s material. By the start of the fall semester they had compiled a full set of original material. After the band’s first show Coda knew that music was going to be his thing. During their winter break the aspiring musicians decided to take a trip to New York City to visit Coda’s old friend D’Angelo. He was there recording his sophomore album Voodoo at Electric Lady Studios. Being in the studio only whetted Coda's appetite all the more for music and upon his return to school Coda was more sure than ever that music was his calling.
After school Coda decided to strike out on his own. He packed up everything he owned and made the move to Los Angeles. There he was discovered by pop producer Gianpierro Scuderi. Scuderi liked what he heard and signed Coda to his production company. Shortly thereafter the two began work on Coda's debut album. Unfortunately it became quickly evident to the both of them that Coda and Scuderi had two different visions for his music. After many months of work and little to show for it, the pair decided to part ways. "It was the case of having too many cooks in the kitchen"; Coda says with a chuckle. "We both had good chops and great ears for pop music. We just were trying to go in totally different directions." Their biggest blow-out came during the pre-production of Coda’s song On the Line. The song is in the time signature of 3/4, which is a little unique for a "pop" song. “And since On the Line was going to be my first single, J.P. Scuderi was adamant that the song be in 4/4, the “standard” time signature for pop music. He challenged me to name one radio hit that wasn't in 4/4. It took me a while but I found one. Mazzy Star’s Fade Into You is in 3/4', but J.P. was unmoved". The producer informed Coda that according to their contract he was also the executive producer and the executive producer has the final say in all creative differences. “I finally relented and we recorded the song in 4/4, and I hated it. To me it sounded like a cheesy Backstreet Boys song.”
After parting ways with Scuderi, Coda decided to come back to Virginia to regroup. After being home a couple of weeks his beloved Grandmother died. "I was completely devastated! Grandma was my rock. She was my biggest fan and closest friend. After she passed I went into a deep depression." After the funeral Coda decided against returning to L.A. Instead he moved to Fredericksburg, Va. where he got a job waiting tables at a little mom and pop Italian restaurant. Eventually he saved up enough money to purchase his own recording equipment. Learning everything he could about the recording process, he began work on the album he previously started two years before in Los Angeles.
"Neo-Classical Soul" is the album Coda always wanted to make. "I'm very proud of this album, not just because it's a great album but because it is truly a labor of love. I've never worked so hard on anything in my life. It's my baby and I hope everybody likes it."
THANKS CODA CANNON YES SANTA IS GIVING ME MORE THAN I ASKED FOR & THAT IS YOUR FRIENDSHIP, I'M SO GREATFULL FOR IT HAPPY HOLIDAYS & MERRY CHRISTMAS PEACE & LOVE GEORGE
HELLO THERE MY BEAUTIFUL CODA --- MERRY MERRY XMAS BABY - TO YOU AND YOUR WONDERFUL FAMILY - THANKS 4 ALL THE LOVE YOU GAVE SHARED AND SHOWED- KNOW ONE CAN COMPETE WITH YOUR GIVING - WHY 4 I FEEL YOU ALWAYS GAVE AND SHARED FROM THE HEART- THERE HASNT BEEN A MOMENT THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN SPARKS- I HOPE ALL YOUR PRAYS AND WISH - APPEAR UNDER NEATH THE XMAS TREE -- OR ROOF, DONT WANT MUCH 4 XMAS - JUST THOUGHT I COULD ASK - ALL I WANT IS YOUR PRESENCE IN ( 2O 1 O) MY FRIEND -MAY YOUR DAY BE EXCITING - COZY- WARM - REFRESHING - MOST OF ALL TO YOUR LIKEING- YOU ARE INDEED A GREAT FRIEND A WELL PROVIDER 4 THE HEART AND MIND- THANKS 4 ALL YOUR LOVE AND TIME - MUCH LOVE TO YOU AND BAND MERRY MERRY XMAS AND TO YOU MANY MANY GOOD NITE - LOVE YOU NEYICE
Enjoy the true meaning of these days to come, and realize I know you as a hope Coda. A hope to have as a friend for another year, a friend to hold for laugh and tear. Fight and know we are all going to be carefree once again. I will lose you for now, to true family and friends, but a gift like you always holds the promise of return. My talk is easy, but enjoy this time of family and counting of time. Time is all we have in the end. Experiences are the only things we carry with us. You have been a wonderful friend. Thank you and I wish you a Merry Christmas. Obviously frivolous things like our myspace talk is margin at best in these months of cloud but please take care and take care of loved ones and let loved ones take care of you. You see, we share gifts all year round and I never forget that.
Faith makes all things possible, Hope makes all things work, Love makes all things beautiful, May u have all the three for this Christmas. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Thank you very much,Coda! Merry Chistmas to you too,my friend! Wishing you and your family lots of joy,peace ,happiness and love! Happy Holidays! LOve:Mariela :)
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