LA.CityZine brings you artist, Merlinmoon, as part of your Know Your LA Bands series. Alex Deep, formerly a DJ, decides to take a different spin on genres. With more psychedelic rock, you can’t help but call his music groovy for today. To help him fill out peaceful jams, Bradley Greenberg (drums), Payvand Salehi (bass), and Michael Wise are additional band members to Alex’s solo project of mystical tunes.
You can catch Merlinmoon play at The Roxy tomorrow, July 2nd. The show is a late one, so if you’re too busy during the day, you have no excuse! Alex and his band take the stage at 11:00 PM. Who knows. You may meet your special someone to make your own flower child. Check out the interview below to read about Merlinmoon’s Alex and his travels around the world, his favorite quotes, and his thoughts on Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.”
Could you give a brief description of your band?
Actually it’s not a band - Merlinmoon is the name of my solo project. The mission is to lead people towards what I call their “golden flower†– in other words, their passion.
What was the first record/cd/tape you ever bought? And where did you buy it?
It’s hard for me to recall at this point, but probably Legend by Bob Marley. My brother listened to Bob Marley a lot. Actually, I didn’t buy it – I asked my brother if I could borrow it for a while and I never gave it back.
How long have you been playing music and how many instruments can you play?
I started as a DJ when I was fifteen, then five years ago I crossed over to psychedelic rock. I consider myself more of a writer than a musician. I use instruments to give sound to my words. I mainly play the piano, but in the last few years I’ve become better acquainted with my guitar.
What’s the best cure for a hangover?
Pancakes.
How do you get ready for a live show?
I listen to Bob Marley and Beethoven on headphones. It helps me breathe the day in, so when I sing onstage I can think back to the day when the song was born – and let the audience dive in my eyes so they can feel it, too.
What’s your favorite song to play live?
“Stoned by Dreams.â€Â
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Lots of melted chocolate, a naked woman, and imagination.
Dead or alive. What 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival?
Bob Marley, Beethoven, Pink Floyd, Sigur Ros, and Jack Johnson.
How did you come up with the name for your band? How many names did you have to go through before deciding on this one? What were come of the other contenders?
I don’t believe in naming things - everything already has a name, but it’s up to us to connect and find it. Merlin was the wizard who would appear in my dreams at night. He feared nothing, so I followed his words, and here I am. In my dreams, “I saw Merlin reflected in the ocean by the moon.”
If you could rid the world of one song, what would it be?
“Moonlight Sonata.†I would love to listen to it for the first time again.
Who would play you in a film based upon your life?
If I played myself it would be an ego trip. I’d rather have someone else interpret it and present it, but I don’t know who.
What messages do you hope your songs send out to listeners? If any.
I wrote a small philosophy book called Free the Chains in your Mind. I believe that the real apocalypse is made up of depressed young minds sleeping all day. My mission is to motivate them to follow their dreams. I don’t want people to think that Earth is a standby to heaven, where heaven is the vision of life made possible when we are not afraid to walk further.
What is your favorite venue for a show?
I played at the LA Crash Mansion last week and the sound was amazing. I’m looking forward to playing at Spaceland, given that I hang out there a lot.
What’s your most memorable experience on the road story?
A girl came to me after the show and showed me a tattoo of Merlinmoon on her arm. She said that my music and words gave her hope to give life another chance.
What’s the best piece of advice someone has ever given you and did you take notice?
“The road we fear to walk is the one that we should take.†I did.
What would be your perfect LA day?
A beautiful day at the beach, followed by a rainy afternoon to put the senses to sleep.
What would be the best compliment someone could give you about your music?
Someone that I look up to once said to me, “Roger Waters would be proud.”
What three things could you not live without?
Rain, the moon and women.
Tell us a fact about yourself we probably don’t already know.
Even though I’m never alone, I sometimes feel lonely…
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