The L.A. Project part 1 “From the Algarve to L.A. “
The L.A. Project is an album recorded and produced in L.A. In this series of articles I will take you back to the start of my music career, back to how it all started.
It was the spring of 1991. With the end of our twenties looming, my friend Frank Giebels, (who I met at the conservatoire, but more on this later) and I decided the time had come to seriously start thinking about the future.
What better setting do some brainstorming and start your grown-up music career than an all-inclusive, all-arranged no-thinking-required trip to the sun. The Portuguese, Algarve sun, to be precise. (As precise as possible; as I mentioned before, this was a mindless airport-bus-hotel-bus-airport type of trip). We booked, arrived and enjoyed about a week of daily tours from one terrace to the next, with the occasional adventurous trip to the beach or a restaurant.
Of course there was also music. Being true music fanatics, our daily terrace visits where alternated with long listening sessions (and possibly a bit of drinking and smoking) on our balcony. Overlooking the hotel patio, we treated the other hotel guests to a series of unexpected DJ sets. Not having reached this pursued state of adulthood just yet, we must have had the outward appearance of two unhinged, unshaven hard rock (listening) rogues at that point. The presented mix of styles completed a puzzling scene. My favourite of the moment, Mozart’s Requiem, was followed the best of Frank’s extensive jazz collection and mixed with a variety of musical highlights from literally all genres. Astonishingly, none of the hotel guests ever complained about the unsolicited musical accompaniment to their holiday. Whether it was the interesting mix of musical styles or our intimidating appearance, we’ll never know.
Believe it or not, but in middle of all the craziness and laziness, the foundation of my music career was actually laid. This great sunny, busy, touristy cultural void turned out to be the perfect starting point. Listening, talking and dreaming, step by step, we started a musical project that eventually took us on an amazing series of real tours… “The L.A. Project” was born.
Some of L.A. Project’s songs are for sale in my webshop now. Click here to listen!
