Future Work

Hello Again, Yes, this is a second post...but, the focus is completely different. Just bear with me, k? thx. In my time away, we sort of away, I made a discovery about my personality/temperament. I "knew" that I was quieter than I seemed to most people, but I did not know all that that meant. I'm actually quite introverted and had no idea I was not taking care of myself properly. I am energized when I am alone or with just one particular person I love. I tell you all of this, to say that my recent alone times have given me the direction for four of my next albums. In the next few years, I plan to release around 5 total albums. I am not going to put a number on that, because how albums come about can change and I do not have any set plan on how I will begin the recording process. In any case, 4 of my next records will actually be one album in 4 parts. I will release each section by itself first and then, eventually, make a full album that has everything all together. The album series is called "Love in Stereo." The four parts each have their own theme, and I will go into that shortly. The whole idea behind the album is to explore the entirety of a relationship from beginning to possible end. Each record will coorespond to a season, thereby cooresponding to phases in one's relationship. Obviously, this means "Love in Stereo" parts I-IV are as follows: Spring Summer Autumn (I may change this to "fall," but I've always preferred the term "autumn" Winter Now, this whole thing is probably the most ambitious thing that I have ever thought of, because I want each album to have a distinct feel of its own. Clearly, the sequence will go from a plethora of light and bright songs in the first two records to darker and brooding one's in the final ones. In fact, I want the Spring album to be mainly 60s/70s in style, with an emphasis on psychedelia. I have actually begun delving further into those sorts of records in preparation. The summer album will likely be an old style R&B/Pop feel. I have had the sudden inspiration that the Autumn record might need to be more folky in nature, or perhaps the winter one. Those are the two that will likely be made last (depending on inspiration), so I won't worry much about those just yet. Besides these records, I will have just a regular, non-concept album, one that is just a collection of songs. I have previously indicated that I wanted to write about a night out at the bar/sinning, but that will be incorporated into the "Love in Stereo" sequence. This other album, I have no idea what I am going to do with it, other than I will be delving deep into my song catalogue. I have a lot of material that is unfinished or has not be arranged. I plan to do that for this particular album. It has no title, it is a wait and see album. Anyway, I was just letting you guys know I'm busy and teeming with ideas. Releasing my first album has opened the floodgates and lifted a huge weight off my back. Again, I hope you guys are enjoying it and you'll hear from me from time to time. Love and Peace, Zaire Kariff

Lots of Updates and Things and STUFF

Hey Everyone, It has been ages since my last post. This is partly because I was simply exhausted after finishing the album and been on a journey of self-discovery. I have yielded a great deal of insight throughout this time and will probably be able to post a bit more. I usually have things on my mind, but I was...feeling claustrophobic. Anyway, here is the biggest deal: Here is the album. Feel free to check it out! Buy it, stream it, and spread the love to as many people as you can. I am extremely proud of my work. It took the better part of six months to reach that point and this is a huge milestone for me. In a previous post, I indicated that was part of the reason for the album's title. I have received good and promising reviews from those who have listened to the record. I think I will soon send it to a music blog and see if I can get a review. If I could find a way to expand things for my next normal record I will be incredibly happy. I happened to meet an engineer who might be able ot help me with that side, as I was just making it up as I go. So, in closing (before I head to my next post) thank you all who have already listened to the record and intend to do so in the near feature. I hope you find songs that touch you and maybe even make you dance little. Spread the word! Love and Peace, Zaire Kariff

Just Because...

I am just writing this in an album making delirium...I think that means that I am "le tired." Now, before I "have a nap," I want to make some comments on what I did tonight. I locked myself in the Cove Studios (also known as my room) at around 8:30pm tonight and I am just now reaching the state of epic sleepiness that precedes a wonderful night's sleep. I worked (Please) Don't Leave Me, Walking On the Sky, Scarlet Moon, and You Told Me You'd Be Back. All of the songs are in excellent shape, and the first single will definitely be ready for this weekend. I am hella excited about that. Prepare yourselves for (Please) Don't Leave Me. It's a good summer song, methinks. In any case, I am extremely proud to note that,while the songs I have written for this album definitely sound like me, they are all incredibly different sorts of songs. I do not think any song sounds the same, and they are still pretty cohesive as an album. I have stated--on twitter I believe--that most modern records don't have such a quality (because they don't have to). That, however, would ne'er stop my desire to make albums in a way similar to my heroes. The album is an entire body of work, and should be taken as such. Making a record is more fun than I thought it would be, and doing so much on my own is quite rewarding. I look forward to sharing the fruits of my labor. I worked Something Strange (and part of (Please) Don't Leave Me) with my friend, Vinay. He plays bass, so you'll hear some of his work on this record in instances where I wasn't sure of my own line. He has been a great help. Anyway, sleep is taking me. I am just SO EXCITED! Love and Peace, ZK

Updates!

Hello Dear Ones! I apologize for being so scarce in these past couple of months. I have been hard at work on the album and planning my next moves. Now, I am ready to unveil those things. I made a facebook for my music persona (note: this is different from the page). You can friend me on facebook this way. It will essentially serve as a website and gives me an interesting way to connect with fans and well-wishers. The address is here: http://www.facebook.com/zaire.kariff.7 I also had to update my facebook page. This may be redundant, but it gives people access to the music I create that they can purchase and listen to online. A normal profile, does not connect as easily to those sites. The new site is: http://www.facebook.com/zairekariffjams Either way, liking this page and friending me will give reverbnation (among other things) a good indication of any buzz I am generating. As grateful I am to all of you who have already supported me, I do want my music to reach many more. So, you all help me more, but publicly declaring your interest in my sounds. Please like the page, for sure, and friend me if you so wish. All that said, I will soon be giving the upstart, dentonradio.com, rights to a few of my songs. It is an online radio station that plays local Denton artists, of which I still sort of am (I had to move for personal reasons). The scene is alive and well, and extremely eclectic. I am listening to it now and it has spanned pop, soul, and rock in just 3 songs. I encourage all of you to give the site a chance! All that said, the record is really coming together. I should be getting to mastering shortly. My first album related single, (Please) Don't Leave Me, will be released this week. I have been tightening the vocals and bass lines. It has been a fun, fun experience. My release date for the whole record still stands at: October 13th. I thank you all for journeying with me and look forward to it continuing. Love and Peace, Zaire Kariff

The State of the...Zaire

Hey Guys, It has been a while, but I just want to let you all know what's going on. I am now going on a performing hiatus until I finish this record. I have a lot of songs far along and performing, often as I have, is going to diminish the quality of the recordings. I will be exhausted from my day job and performing, thereby not being able to really delve into my studio recordings. Additionally, I have written a number of new songs and they may make the record. So, that first track listing may, in fact, be obsolete come October 13th. I will be making a facebook even for the album release, by the by. All that said, I am really excited moving forward and have greatly upgrading my recording equipment and capabilities. It still isn't a real studio's quality, but it sounds far superior to what I could do before. Love to you all, Zaire Kariff

News and Whatnot

Hey, everybody! I have some updates and errthang. That's a word, right?

Anyway, my song "City of Flames" has officially been delivered to itunes, Spotify, and the like. They still have not posted it live, but it is much closer than before. I'll do another post when that finally happens.

Also, the album is coming along nicely. When I finish upgrading my equipment, I can start finalizing some things. I already mentioned the track listing, and that is pretty set--even though I have started writing several new songs. This is a delightfully creative and free period in my life and music. I am ecstatic to see just where this all leads me.

This brings me to my next point: how I am relishing being completely independent from a label. I am just starting to appreciate how freeing it is to be independent and how this gives me free rain to do whatever I want musically. If I want to experiment with electronica, there is no problem. If I decide to do random EPs or singles, I can do that. If I become a completely different person, my "image" can reflect that.

Actually, I do realize that there are a lot of artists that are allowed such freedom; but, in the end, the record business is more about the money than the music. Images are built (how ever well or how poorly it reflects the actual artist) for the sake of selling the records. The music is rarely allowed to stand alone, or to really breathe. If an artist debuts with one image, it will be extremely hard for them to shed said image.

A primary example of this comes in the form of two of the most influential music artists in my life: Terence Trent D'arby (Sananda Maitreya) and Michael Jackson.

I've been waxing philosophical on this thought for a while now, and I feel that it points to two possibilities: fading away or being so big one can hardly change. TTD represents the former while MJ represents the latter.

When people hear of TTD, they tend to only remember his debut "The Hardline According to Terence Trent D'arby." Most people have yet to delve any further into his catalogue under his original name. They are truly missing out, if you ask me, and it is due to his having been mishandled by the record company.

On his debut, TTD mostly stayed in the realm of R&B and Funk. These are traditional forms of music blacks did in the industry. Upon doing that, the company thought they had him pegged. It turns out that they were completely wrong, though; as TTD began to show his far larger artistic vision that incorporated elements of world music, rock, soul, and anything he could get his hands on. His second record was, needless to say, not what the company was expecting.

I cannot now recall how long he took to make the record, but it certainly clashed with how the company desired to market him. There was also an alleged tussle with another big artist who further pigeonholed TTD into the realm of "non promotion." The company did not put forth nearly the effort they did in hyping his first record.

The record, "Neither Fish Nor Flesh," would actually serve as a preview of the synthesis he was trying to achieve. It was received by some as being pretentious and, while it was true that TTD was incredibly cocky, I would have to say that those opinions likely reflected the state of race in the music industry. Most black artists, excepting Prince, TTD, and (at times) MJ; fit into a desired mold. It was simple and easy. Most were not attempting to blend or experiment with different sounds. Such forays into realms as of then unheard of, made it difficult for the music machine to know exactly how to profit from such artists.

Artists like Prince and MJ were established enough that weird directions in music were not as big of a deal, but TTD was just starting out and he already was doing weird stuff. Due to this, his company didn't hype him as they should. Their lack of promotion lead to declining sales (though still fairly good sales, if memory serves) and interest in TTD. Thus, the two records where he successfully pulled everything he tried in "Neither Fish nor Flesh" in brilliant fashion, were relatively ignored on many levels. "Symphony or Damn" and "Vibrator," moreso the former, are some of my favorite albums and influenced me greatly, as I grew as a musician.

After those two records weren't well received, TTD slowly lost his confidence and eventually himself. He changed his name because, in his mind, "they killed that boy (TTD)." That is what represents the fading away. As Sananda, TTD is still releasing music, just independently. He kept a good following as TTD and most of those likely followed him in his next "iteration." He is living in Europe somewhere and likely gaining new fans there. He releases music when he wants and makes the records he wants. He is free.

The other side of the spectrum is MJ. MJ was famous at 11 and then had to go through puberty, in front of the world. He also had to make the transition into adulthood, which he did with "Off the Wall." That record is probably his most complete work in my opinion. The subsequent three albums of Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, were solid records; but, they were made with the intent of popular appeal. There is nothing wrong with that, but they were not done in the artful, free-flowing way he approached "Off the Wall" with.

A lot of this had to do with Michael's psyche and the damage that had been done to it; however, public and critical perception played a huge role in how he made his albums. MJ would make the albums in a way that would strike a chord and be successful. It was a response to the rather tepid recognition of "Off the Wall" in the Grammys. As slick and awesome the record was, it wasn't even in the running for anything outside of R&B (he won the award for best male R&B vocal).

There again is that whole pigeonholing of black artists thing. He was really distraught about that slight and then said it wouldn't happen again. It didn't. He structured each of his records in a way that the Grammys and other awards ceremonies could not ignore. One good thing that came out of this was Michael's reaching into more rock n roll and expanding his sound a bit. I just wonder what he could have done with expanding the sound of "Off the Wall" instead of the sound of "Thriller."

After "Thriller," people--more than ever--wanted Michael to be a very specific thing. I think that crushed him artistically.

I could go on, but my main point is that I can avoid such things and be far more connected with fans, which will get my name out there more and more. I don't need an image. I don't have to stick to certain types of music. If I want to do an oddball album like Kanye's "808's and Heartbreaks," I can do just that. I won't HAVE to change my image, because it is myself.

So, in closing, I want to thank everyone who has supported me thus far. I hope that you will spread the word of my musical deeds as I continue to grow as an artist, performer, etc. This free reign that I find myself in is perfect and will help me provide some very special music for all of you!

Peace and Love,
ZK

Interesting Developments

I am fairly sure that I told you all that I have really narrowed down the songs. I have every song picked out and it is just going to take perfecting the production to finish the record. I hope to have everything finished and mastered by the end of August. This will give reverbnation time to deliver the album for its actual release date; October 13, 2012.

I am also fairly sure that I mentioned my "Speaking In Cursive" album. I said I planned to release it around this time next year, but there has been a change of plans. Here's what I mean: I just realized that I have plenty of old, mostly finished material that will NOT fit on "Speaking In Cursive."Basically, these songs are of a completely different vibe and belong on a different release.

Actually, I have so many songs; that I can, and now plan to, make two whole LPs for early next year. I guess one could call this a syphoning off on all my pre-recording artist material. I've been a songwriter for a number of years, but had not really delved far into recording because I felt that I NEEDED a legitimate studio and producer to make a good record. I had little faith in my own abilities in that regard, mostly because I lacked a tremendous amount of experience, however much I listened and--hopefully--learned from my favorite artists. I have since shed that timidness, as is made obvious by the fact that I am independently producing and releasing my first album this year. 


That said, most of the songs on these two new EPs are B-sides to "The Green Line" in many ways. A majority of these songs were considered for "The Green Line," but are getting left off the record because they either did not flow with the rest of the songs or simply were not far enough along in their production to be viable options. There are also a great many of these songs that had no chance from the beginning because I had no idea how to approach those songs or felt they weren't close enough to even consider producing for the first album.


Lest we make some false assumptions, I must note that my B-sides are songs I think could all have been A-sides. They definitely can and will be able to stand on their own. These are not throw away songs, just songs that weren't ready at the time of my recording "The Green Line" in my Cove Studio.

In the spirit of these songs being worthy of being A-side songs, I decided on making two new LPs that will be released ahead of "Speaking In Cursive" and hopefully will both be released by this time next year. The first of these is called "Once Upon A Time In Waco" and are clearly songs I wrote just before or during my time at Baylor University. This, of course, means that they just were not able to fit in the first 5 songs of "The Green Line."

The second LP is called "A Long Night in Denton." This is, obviously, a group of songs that I wrote during my post-Baylor years in Denton, Texas until now; thus, they were songs that couldn't make the second half of "The Green Line."

I am finding out that I have steadily become a better songwriter and producer as time has gone on. So, I desire to showcase that. Listeners will hopefully be able to note a difference between earlier songs and later ones, though not one that would make the first album weak. The songs are still quite strong, but I was in a different place when I wrote that material. I was just entering a long period of depression and dealing with the effects of my rather rough upbringing. The tone of most of the songs will reflect this, lost love, fear, and the like are constant motifs. Surprisingly enough, there are also a lot of songs that are hopeful or about hoping. This reflects the fact that I still, despite everything, viewed people and the world in a brighter light, whatever my depressions would make me say. Death was also alluded to fairly often.

In the "Denton" record, I hope people notice that these were more hopeful times for me. The songs that will end the album will reflect the changes I've gone through the past year, while the earlier tracks will more than likely be on the darker side of life. At least, that is how things seem to be shaping up.

In closing, I am really excited about my music career and want you all to be on the lookout for more music from me. I am feeling like this is going to be a period much like the great Stevie Wonder had in the early 70s. I will have released 3 records within a year and will likely be releasing a 4th within the same time period. These are exciting times!

Peace & Love,

ZK

GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE!

I have another most excellent update! I have officially done the things necessary to release my first single. The song is called "City of Flames" and will be available on a great amount of online retailers including:

Spotify
Itunes (globally)
Zune
Amazon MP3
and many more!

I am hella excited about this, but it will take a while for it to officially post, so be on the lookout. When I am aware of where it is available, I will post again on my various interwebby things for my music.

So, in closing, keep on the look out for "City of Flames" by Zaire Kariff! Buy the song, you won't regret it! Next month, be on the look out for "Dancing Under Orion" and "(Please) Don't Leave me," as well.

Blessings and Whatnot,

ZK


P.S. I now have an email add list, in case you haven't noticed. It is on the top right of the blog and will give you more access than ever before. You'll learn about shows, specific release dates, and many other important tidbits by signing up! So...do that too, or something!

More On The Green Line

Alright, it is high time for another blog. So, here is another album update.

Last post, I told you the title of the album and a bit of the reasoning behind the title. I am of the opinion that names should always be chosen carefully, and this carries over into what I do with making my own album titles. Speaking of which, soon after I finish "The Green Line," I will start on two more projects.

The first of these is an EP that will show the B-sides, also known as the songs that didn't make my first album. I'm thinking that I will release that around February and maybe title it "Love On the Green Line: The B-sides."6 songs that didn't make the album will comprise the contents of this record.

The second project will be my second LP, and I play to release it around June 2013. This project actually already has a legitimate theme to it. It will be called "Speaking In Cursive: A Night at the Bar" or some variation of that. The idea is to explore a night of drinking with a person who is lost in their life. I have yet to decide what sort of lostness I'll use, but that is the basic theme. There is plenty of time to flesh it out.

So, be on the lookout for those.

That said, here is more about "The Green Line." Here is my current tracklisting, though the current order is subject to change:

Current Tracklisting:

8th Street Station

1. You Told Me You’d Be Back
2. Walking On the Sky
3. Scarlet Moon
4. n/a
5. Don’t Forget Me (When I Go)
6. Wishing Well

25th Street and Beyond

1. Something Strange
2. Sparrowheart (Kyrie)
3. Take Me Down
4. n/a
5. My Dear Flower
6.  Wagon Wheel

The cover songs, 'Wagon Wheel' and 'Wishing Well,' are in stone. I am going to keep the album at 2 covers because it costs money to put those on the record. Also, these songs are really far along and I don't need to belabour the work I am doing.

The two n/a parts are cleary where I want to place songs that are not finished yet. i'm not sure which ones should make it or not. It is a tough decision that I revel in making. Making this album is so much and sincerely hope that you all enjoy it! Mark your calendars, cause "The Green Line" comes out October 13th.

As a final note, I am releasing 3 singles this month and will update on when that happens for sure. Due to the lull it takes to get online, it might not be July 'til they are actually available. If that happens before hand then I will let you all know!

Thanks for stopping by!

-Zaire Kariff

Album Update

Hey, guys!

It is about time for another album update.

What I have loved most about working on my first record is that it has all been so organic. There have been a lot of changes in my personal life and things finally are settling down. I've ended up with a most inspiring woman in my life and this relationship has caused many new songs.

Besides all of that, I have actually turned this record into a bit of a concept album. The concept is basically  a metaphor using travel by train to show how far I have come in my life and in my art. The album, if I was able to put it on vinyl, would technically be a short double album divided into two specific sections. Sections one, I have dubbed "8th and Waco" and the second section is (as of now) "25th and Beyond."

I'm not completely sold on those two titles, but I am sold on what they represent. The first section will be a selection of the many songs I wrote while I attended Baylor University, which was the only place I really felt at home in since the Bay Area of California, or before that period in my life when I first started writing songs in 2004.

There are a couple of songs from that time period that will not make the album by virtue or there already being produced by another guy back when I was starting out (shoutout to Steve Collins whereever you are). Those two songs are "dancing under orion" and "city of flames," two cuts I am supremely proud of having made. It was a good experience and gave me more insight into studio work. In any case, those two songs will be released in single form and available for purchase on itunes and the like in the next month.

Anyway, the first 5 songs of the record are related to that epoch of my life. The subsequent 5 songs will be from the period of May 2009 until now. These songs highlight my time living in Denton and various other things about my life for the past three years. So, in keeping with the subway metaphor, I called it "25th and Beyond," as I previously stated.

I plan on putting my interpretations of 1 to 3 songs by other artists I love. The only explanation for this is simply that it is fun to do that, and interpretation and different expressions are what make music beautiful.

So, that is where I am with the album, I've decided that I am fairly sure about 6 out of the many, many songs I have written are going to make the record. They all are in similar phases of polish and just need to be perfected before they are truly ready. The other songs need to be arranged and brought to the fullness of their being.

With that, I bid thee all adieu.

ZK

Album Update

Hey Everyone!

I am just writing this to show you all where my head is at for this record.

Things are going quite well, a lot of songs are very far along, and this pleases me greatly. Some of the songs need more work, but I feel as though the production aspects are coming along nicely for an overwhelming majority of the songs I have written.

In fact, I've been fairly prolific with my producing and arranging. I have 9 songs that are in excellent position to be strong tracks. Some of the songs are fairly new, while others are ancient and have taken a completely different direction than they were originally written in. I am loving the whole process, actually. I am learning to have patience and to not fret when things do not immediately fall into place. I do have at least 3 months to complete the entire album, after all. I am hoping to release it on my birthday (Oct 13th) when I will turn 25. I feel as though it is going to be a significant year for me, so it seems fitting.

That said, this is my first time really trying to produce and arrange my own material. I have primarily stuck to playing acoustic shows and my first EP lacked real production, as we recorded every track in one take and I merely added the vocals later because I had no microphone for singing. I am trying to figure out how to make this album available for like 2-3 dollars on itunes and everywhere else, just so people can get  a feel for how far I've come.

The fact that I am attempting this signifies a jump in both my seriousness about my craft and confidence in my abilities. I am excited for the future!

I lost my train of thought, but I may pop up again to talk about specific songs.

Love and Peace,
ZK

On My Purpose In Music And Whether Or Not I Will End Up With A Major Label

Well, it already looks as though I am infinitely better at keeping up with this blog than my other blog(s). Yes, that's plural and mostly because I suck at blogging.

That, however, is not what I am writing about today; though, that would be quite the interesting blog. Today, I am going to write about an interview I read recently that featured one of my major musical influences: Sananda Matreiya (formerly Terence Tren D'arby. If you don't know who he is, you've likely at least heard this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6iHxDoLEz0 It's called 'Sign Your Name' and from his first album "The Hardline According to Terence Trent D'arby." I LOVE this song, but it isn't my favorite song nor favorite album. If I can find some, I'll show some samples from my favorite albums. If not, he can be found on Spotify for free under his former name.

So, why is this guy a big influence on me? Well, first of all, a good friend of mine once pointed out that there were similar qualities between my voice and his, particularly in our vibrato. Thanks for that, Diane, if you ever read this. This perked up my interest in his work even more, though the music from the first record was certainly enough. In any case, I try to make it a habit to collect all of an artist's works. 

TTD, as he was commonly called, also was of interest me for racial reasons. He and I are both, obviously,  Black folk. He is more on the "high-yellow" side of the spectrum, but our heritage is just the same. He was born in the U.S., so there you have it: slave heritage. This also gives us a connection musically. Ours is the race that first produced rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues, which is also known as the base of an overwhelming majority of American music. I am unsure of country's origins, I would say it is probably more European in nature, though. Still, there was Black presence in early country music. As you can see, we were and are everywhere. I want to keep the fact that I consider this "Black" music in mind as I go on.

Now, when I delved into his musical catalogue, I found much more than the neo-soul sound he pushed on his first record. Unfortunately, that record may have pigeonholed him in the eyes of many. His second album, "Neither Fish Nor Flesh," was a bit scattered; but, it was very adventurous. Still, it didn't do as well as his debut. I don't think it was as good, since the other was more cohesive, but it shouldn't have been so dismal. There were plenty of great cuts and enough to sell maybe 5 million. According to his interview, the record company did not properly promote the record and the sales suffered (which gave them the excuse for less and less support). This happened to Michael Jackson towards the end of his career. Since TTD was new, I am sure the record execs thought they could get away with it. Michael, in his prime, was untouchable. 

After the sophomore album, he honed the sound he was cultivating and made great records. Two under-appreciated records. They are called "Symphony or Damn" and "Vibrator." They may be a bit too sprawling at times, particularly the former album, but they are brilliant. If I were you, and you were taking my musical suggestion, I would follow "The Hardline" with either of these two. I think "Neither Fish Nor Flesh" would be better understood in that light.

In any case, the lack of success for these albums and quarrels with his record company left him pretty drained. He had one more album in him as TTD before he became Sananda Matreiya. That album is Wildcard, and I believe it to be its best and the one that has the most influence on the sound I desire for myself. Gems like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj630wY9V2E Litter the record. 

Anyway, that long winded series of paragraphs was actually a preface to help you guys understand that I respect this man quite a bit musically, even if I think some of his spiritual beliefs are, well, CRAZY. So, when he was talking about the industry in that interview, I listened. You see, he explains that the name change was kind of a resurrection for himself. TTD was worn down by his battle and lost his desire as a musician. He now releases his stuff independently and makes good money from that because he is who he is.

Now, for the meat and potatoes. Sananda explains some of the racial issues within the industry and being pigeonholed. This is something that I am wanting to avoid. I am as serious about being an artist as he is, and that picture of the industry makes me wary. Perhaps, I should stay independent, little though I like business. Things are much different in this day and age, and musicians can better afford to be independent. So, I think I shall take his advice for now. 

There was one other thing he said that struck me, and that was this: "I've always considered myself a rock star, not an R&B singer." I could see this in how he presented himself. I also feel the same about myself, I'm an artist and a ROCK STAR. YES, I SAID IT! ROCK STAR! On stage, I hope to cultivate the swagger and same fire that made artists like TTD, Prince, and MJ great. I want a killer show with killer art to show for it. I want to explore different philosophical, musical, and theological ground with my music (and eventually poetry and fiction novels). 

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that I was right to start modeling myself after TTD, and I hope to cause as many waves in my own rather quiet way.

Hope This Made Sense,

Zaire Kariff

Let's Get Serious

Hey Possible Fans and Accidental Acquaintances,

My name is Zaire Kariff. That is my stage name, anyhow. 

I have created this blog for the purpose of discussing my music, myself, songs and albums I've come across, things that influence me musically, and my dreams for my music. I have another blog where I am going by my birth name. The title of that one is "Thoughts of a Would-Be Monk." That one is for theological, philosophical, and more intellectual pursuits. You may have a look see at it, but you may not always like what you find. 

Anyway, this is the first post, obviously; so, what should I update everyone on? Well, I have been hard at work performing live at various places and writing music, as I should be. I have decided that, in the next year, I will be relocating to either Boston, Chapel Hill, Portland, or Britain for the purpose of finding new digs and grooving with new people. It isn't that I don't like Texas...well, that is partly to blame. You see, I am not a Texan...I just live here. But, that is for another blog post. Therefore, I find it wise to move on.

So, moving on. I am relocating to another area to pursue my musical dreams and I felt it was high time for me to make new recordings. I have come a long way from my "The Government Thinks I Have Kids EP" (for those in the know) and I need music that reflects that. However, until quite recently, I have felt stunted and unable to get what I wanted musically without a band. That has since changed. I've been experimenting with garageband and loops and made enough pleasant discoveries that I think I can make a legit album, EP, and add to my live shows through the use of my gorgeous computer, Whilemena (I know I BUTCHERED THAT, sorry. I should rename here since I cannot spell her blasted name). 

Doing this (and, look at that, this is turning into a long post) has obviously opened up my options and I plan to use them. I hope to finish my record, to my satisfaction, by Fall 2012. The working title is terrible, so I'll spare you all that one. Thus far, I have extremely workable demos for 11 songs and enough pieces of many others that I could probably round out a 15 song album, if I so choose. I do want it kept in mind that creating an album is, or use to be more frequently, about putting songs that work together (even if it isn't thematically). It is a whole body of work. I come at the tail end of the generations that understood that. I'm nearly 25 now, but I remember when albums were more than a bunch of random singles. There was cohesion, right down to the album art. 

I realize not everyone is into the art aspect, and there is a place for that, but I am. So, I won't be satisfied with, whatever I title this album, until I feel that sort of cohesion (even if it is imperfect, this is my first time after all). 

I plan to make available, for extremely cheap prices, my first aforementioned EP. It is not going to be nearly as together as what I am putting together now (we didn't even have drums), but it is a good way to see my growth as an artist. I had only been writing songs a year when I created it and my playing was not as good as it is now. I still need improvement (something I'll always strive for), but I am better able to express what is in my head now than I was then. 

That's why I am going to rerelease it. It'll be cheaper than what I sold it for back then as well. I can't give it away for free because money helps you build even better albums. You understand. 

So, that is where I am, essentially. I am ready to really give this music thing a show and I am growing by leaps and bounds with every song I write, orchestrate, and arrange. I couldn't arrange worth a flip when I started out. Thankfully that has changed. Thus, I deem it good to say that you all have good things to look forward to. I will post snippets from time to time and random thoughts on my progress, while also giving you glimpses to artists I am incorporating into my own style. I'm eclectic, it has to be the Californian in me, and I hope my music will continue to reflect that.

Love and Harmony,

ZK