Beejae

On September 6, Beejae spent five hours in a studio laying down songs for the Double-CD. Beejae didn’t plan on recording an album as soon as he did, and according to him, he still hasn’t. “I didn’t record an album,” he stresses, “I recorded a demo. With fans e-mailing and asking me at shows if I had a CD for sale, it was frustrating to tell them ‘no’. And it’s always a good idea to have something to hand someone to book you a show if they require a CD” He titled it ‘Damage’, partially after one of the oldest songs on the CD, and also because he sees it as an “unfinished work”.

With songs as brave as “Hate Crimes” (Martin Luther Deserved to die/stick a bullet in his eyehey James, were you sure, it was a hate crime worth going to hell for?) where he touches on racism, homophobia, and even Terri Schiavo, to songs where he bluntly states “When I said you were fake at best, I meant to say you weren’t even good at faking it / No, you wouldn’t Know real if it fucked your brains out every night.”, Beejae’s writing isn’t subtle. Instead of whining or complaining, all of his songs seem to attack whatever issue they’re dealing with. They are action songs, they are empowering to anyone who listensthey make you want to DO something (Somewhere out west, the sun hasn’t yet, knowing you’re too far east) A line like that can make you feel like there is always hope, but get off your ass before your time runs out.

Seven years of serious performing, two EPs, four CDs, one Double CD, and over 150 songs later, Beejae still claims to have just started doing the things he’s wanted to do. Though only 22 years old, his solo career dates back to 2001, but since 1999 has been in bands such as Melodic Noize and Livid, formed DEADLock, and had a lot of regional success with a band he founded called The Peace, from 2002-2005. Early in 2005, Beejae decided to go solo for good, mainly as a way to be able to creatively do what he felt he could not in a rock band. The singer is moving to New York City in January 2006 to further his musical career.

CURRENTLY:

“Fashion” has become a TOP 10 SOUNDCLICK HIT: (Do your drugs /betray your friends /you may as well it’s become a trend /and you said you were never into fashion).

Beejae plays Mr. Small's Sat. Nov. 5.

DAMAGE, the debut solo DOUBLE CD is coming out TUE. NOV 8., but can be picked up starting Nov. 5 at Small's.

I don't play dead. I usually play at places where they have live music like Hard Rock Cafe, CBGB, CB's Gallery, Club Cafe, Small's, or on the radio. Special moment? When Mel got up on stage behind me at Coyote Cafe and started playing. It was chemestry. It was fun. Yay.

Influences include The Verve, The Who, Bob Dylan, Counting Crows, Death Cab, Guster, Alice in Chains, Postal Service, Taking Back Sunday, Pink Floyd, Oasis, The Music, Doves, Foo Fighters, Epidemic, Divinyls (older punkier stuff), Green Day, AFI (older as well), Dead Kennedys, Neil Young, Richard Ashcroft, Simon & Garfunkle ...

I use a guitar and microphones and things of that nature.

"There is something about a man and his acoustic guitar that will just live on forever..." -Richard Ashcroft