"I'd like to break the carbon copy streak of processed and
manufactured music," he says, "I want to bring emotion
back into the mainstream." Emotions, in this case doesn't mean
drippy, self-obsessed wallowing. Derek Martinez' music is emotional
and intensely personal but is, essentially, a reassertion of vitality.
It's an acceptance of reality without losing sight of the good stuff,
and of fighting the good fight.
While
a constant longing runs thematically through PileUP- a pulsing want
for something lost, something denied or just something more, Martinez'
songs are gleaming with hope. He is on the brink, within arm's reach
and so are you. This fundamentally human predicament, expressed
in lyrics that are sometimes playful, often pensive and always pure,
has attracted a growing fanbase solely, and literally, through word
of mouth.
Perhaps
even more alluring than his lyrics is a style shaped by years of
eclectic musical exposure. An early appreciation for The Beatles,
Santana, Grandmaster Flash and later, the proliferation of hip hop
and grunge have informed Martinez' approach. His offerings on PileUP,
however, are most apparently influenced by Eddie Vedder and Dave
Matthews - an integration of styles that led to the varied and often
surprising musicality of PileUP. From the staccato snap of "Downfall"
to the slow and heavy beat of "Exit", the dynamic percussion
frames Martinez' guitar, the centerpiece for what he calls "neo-folk"
music. PileUP assembles Martinez' adventurous streaks without compromising
a sense of direction and purpose, from the lively and frenetic "No
1" to the quiet sparseness of "Songs to Drive To - Pt
I."
"Recording
PileUP was a long, arduous process," he says, " and a
culmination of different phases in my life. These songs are about
trying to fit in, about 'growing up' and about escape." Born
and raised in Northern California, Martinez' first major foray into
music was a collaboration with drummer Bryan Sakamoto, when Martinez
decided that his music would - unlike much of the music that pervaded
the early 90's - be focused on inspiring positive change. "This
prompted a shift in focus from being just an entertainer to becoming
an artist driven to create music that can heal."
As
this project, called Heavens To Betsy, was short lived, Martinez
formed a 7-piece funk/rock band collectively known as Mad Hank.
After being accepted to the University of Southern California's
exclusive Thornton School of Music, he moved to Los Angeles where
he found an artistic spark in singer/songwriters Jennifer Cordero
and Jon Jon San Juan. Their monthly jam sessions at the local Highland
Grounds prompted a creative freeflow and a surge of confidence that
pushed PileUP to its completion. The writing and recording of the
record spans over five years and was entirely a guerilla operation.
Martinez played and recorded every instrument at his home.
Independently
released, PileUP is Martinez' first solo LP and he continues to
perform the club circuit in Los Angeles, with recent and repeat
performances in The Rainbow Room and Whiskey-A-Gogo.
