Coin toss is it head or tails/In the fields of Ohio I set my sails/Longing for a life and change of scene/To be lost is not to be alone/Because the fun in the run is to surround yourself with everything you don't know Far Cry by Gran Bel Fisher
Like so much classic literature, art, and poetry, 24-year-old GRAN BEL FISHER's circuitous journey from rural Sabina, Ohio to Los Angeles, California begins with something essential and ultimately inexplicable: life, love and death. These themes are movingly explored on his Hollywood Records debut album FULL MOON CIGARETTE and based wholly on personal experience.
The Littleton Funeral Home has been in my family since 1905, explains GRAN BEL FISHER, who has grown accustomed to the barrage of questions about the family business. Our attitude was that it was a very normal occupation. Working there gave me a different perspective on things: I realized early on that everyone has the same reaction to death. Ultimately, I think working there made me more sensitive to life.
Indeed FULL MOON CIGARETTE finds GBFs unique, life-affirming perspective fueled by his powerful and mellifluous voice, passionate songwriting, and consummate musicianship. Witness the title track, which opens with GRAN BEL playing a single piano note suddenly transformed into a complex piano fugue before exploding into a full-throttle rock groove with his gorgeous, soaring baritone. The song is a reflection of my life, he explains. I started thinking about how I see everything: life, love and death and those themes embody this entire album. The songs are inspired by my everyday realizations of life.
FULL MOON CIGARETTE is also about GRAN BEL FISHERs utterly original songs and brilliant voice, which transcend fleeting fashions and simple categorization.
Baring this out are soul-stirring tracks like Edible, with its melodically-addictive chorus and GRAN BEL FISHERs multi-octave voice, Far Crys emotive expression of dislocation and alienation, and Moment, which builds from a gentle Delta-blues croon to a ferocious, primal roar. Elsewhere, the gorgeous ballad Bound by Love explores the tension and release of heartache and solace while the anthemic Crash and Burn showcases GBFs accomplished piano playing while simultaneously burning the whole place down.
To understand GRAN BEL FISHERs multi-faceted references, one has to go back to Sabina, Ohio (est. population: 2,827), a single-stop light town and farming community nicknamed the Eden of Ohio. His idyllic childhood was filled with music as GBFs mother and father (a gifted pianist) introduced him and his three siblings to music. Beginning in second grade we all took piano lessons, he recalls. Thus began an eclectic music education where everyone from Beethoven to Tom Waits (my dad does the craziest impression), Duke Ellington to Pink Floyd, and Glenn Miller to Janis Joplin found their way into GBFs musical collection. By fifth grade the budding musician had written his first song, soloed in the church choir, and first heard--or rather misheard--his moniker. My Great, Great Grandfather Granville Fisher Littleton founded the Littleton Funeral Home. I always thought my Aunt had said his name was Gran Bel Fisher and it stuck with me. Something about it just clicked and it created a special connection between my music and my roots.
By high school, GBF had taught himself guitar and was recording original songs. In addition to acts like Led Zeppelin and Ben Folds further informing his music purview, leading roles in two musicals (The Music Man and Brigadoon) helped him realize how much he enjoyed performing before audiences. It was apparent, however, the wunderkind's 80-person high school class couldn't contain or nurture his growing music talents. With his parents' blessing, GBF transferred to Cincinnati's School for the Creative & Performing Arts. It was like Fame, he says. I was living on my own in downtown Cincinnati, playing open-mics, recording on an 8-track, and my songwriting was evolving.
With overwhelmingly positive feedback, GRAN BEL FISHER left school to pursue music full-time, working in a restaurant and woodshedding dozens and dozens of new songs. I know this part is going to sound silly, but I swear its true he says sheepishly, One night I had this dream that I had to go to New York City. I told my dad about it the next day and he was like, You gotta go with your gut. GBF contacted a friend of friend who worked in the music industry. I showed up at their office with my guitar and started playing. And, what usually happens when GRAN BEL FISHER performs live happened: people were blown-away. This led to a cross-country move to Los Angeles and a life-changing introduction.
I met [producer and songwriter] Dave Bassett at a party and the next day I went to his house, GBF recalls. I played a few measures and he started playing along. I stopped mid-song and said, You're the guy! In that moment I just knew. We had this unspoken musical chemistry I've never had with anybody else.
Within days, Bassett and GRAN BEL FISHER recorded demo versions of Edible, Moment, and Do We Say Bye. Demo in hand, GBF played exactly one showcase at L.A.'s famed Viper Room before signing with Hollywood Records.
GRAN BEL FISHER signed his contract on November 12th and by November 14th he went into the studio collaborating with Joey Waronker and Justin Meldal-Johnsen (who also play with Beck). Tracking then began at the legendary Sunset Sound, where seminal bands like Led Zeppelin and the Doors recorded. One night I opened up this hidden room behind a wall where Jim Morrison did his vocals, GBF explains. It was very haunting.
The bulk of FULL MOON CIGARETTE was made in Los Angeles and mixed in New York with Michael Brauer (Coldplay, My Morning Jacket) and the preliminary reactions have been astonishing. Lyrically and musically this is the record Ive always wanted to make, GBF says. The journey of making this album, even with some hard times and problems I ran into along the way, was really just a blessing in disguise. And with one listen to FULL MOON CIGARETTE, youll understand exactly what he means.
Hello Gran Bel, it's that time of year, a time for sharing. Go to my profile and where it says "Band Website" - click on that link and you will have access to free downloads of all 12 songs from my cd "Chasin' the Timberline". So help yourself and share with your friends. I hope that the upcoming holidays will be special for you this year.
New Split EP Presale Begins November 18th, 2009 Fourth Album Arrives January 2010 American Dollar MP3 Discography Special, Only $20 For All Four Albums! Go To: www.theamericandollar.info/merchstore.html Thanks For Listening!
My apologies for not stoppin by your page but work can get hectic and I can't keep up sometimes!! =) But I try!! Anyways I wanted to share some of my recent work with you!!
Feel free to stop by my page and listen to my music when you get a chance!
www.unitedfrontcompany.com follow my ass www.twitter.com/oryntherebel www.youtube.com/unitedfrontcoboss www.soundclick.com/oryntherebel www.myspace.com/vitamincoryn
HEY FRIENDS AND MUSICIANS, WE OFFER MYSPACE PROMOTION! YOU NEED MYSPACE PLAYS, VIEWS, FRIEND REQUESTS? TRYING TO TOP THE CHARTS AND GET NOTICED? CHECK THIS OUT.
***PROMO SPECIAL~ RIGHT NOW GET 1,000,000 PLAYS FOR $40 OR 5,000,000 PLAYS FOR $99. HURRY! LIMITED TIME OFFER***
1000 PLAYS ONLY $2.99 10,000 PLAYS ONLY $7 50,000 PLAYS ONLY $10 100,000 PLAYS ONLY $15 250,000 PLAYS ONLY $25 500,000 PLAYS ONLY $35 1,000,000 PLAYS ONLY $65 2,000,000 PLAYS ONLY$105 5,000,000 PLAYS ONLY $240 10,000,000 PLAYS ONLY $420
WE ALSO HAVE FRIEND REQUEST PACKAGES. GET AT US.. WE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING NOTICED OR NOT GETTING NOTICED. MYSPACE IS THE LARGEST MUSIC NETWORK ON THE INTERNET AND IN THE WORLD SO IT MAKES SENSE TO GET NOTICED HERE.. KEEP THAT IN MIND! LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. THINK BIG.
Hey we want to talk to you. Do you like Barack Obama how about Death Metal or metalcore lol. We just got our cd up on iTunes and We got a new shirt design on chokeemrecords.bigcartel.com. Will you please go on itunes check out the disc maybe buy it or review it either way works for me, Thanks so much. Hope to hear back from you! Brandon Betray Your Own
Hey yo! Whats up? WE HAVE SHIRTS FINALLY. LOL GO TO CHOKEEMRECORDS.BIGCARTEL.COM AND BUY ONE. Also we have new music posted so come check us out and cooment us!! We hope your having an awesome day thanks!
I Can Hardly Wait ****************** Every morning, every night, sometimes in the middle of the day... Escaping into dark, quiet corners to relieve myself Sometimes calmly, sometimes furiously... shamelessly Three times again today, is no surprise Laughing every time... seeing what I'd do to satisfy I want to take you up on all your offers... let you try Fulfill all the scintillating needs inside Heavenly wings and spitfire tongues taste like lullabies!
Hey i just wanted to tell you that we just signed Martha Beck!! Out of the UK I thought you might like them so come to my page listen and comment me. I haven't heard from you well........EVER lol Come be friends! Tyler Choke EM!! Records Hit me up on AIM - Kingtylerlee
Check it out yo we just signed the almighty "MARTHA BECK". So come check out or new page layout and check them out. YEAH! come comment us we comment back! Tyler
YO!!! WHATS UP!! We want you to know that we just launched a new site check it chokeemrecords.bigcartel.com , we just put up a deal check it yo, one shirt and a Betray Your Owns new self titled Cd for $15 come buy it and BYO will autograph it! Thanks Tyler
Online Now!
![A Midnight Tragedy [New Layout]!!](http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/67/s_707d78d57b734be5b0e90d480178f349.jpg)
