A Very Special #FF

What I'm about to post here won't fit on twitter. Plus I'm too lazy to sign up for twittlonger. For this #FF shout out, here are a few musicians that you NEED to listen to!

Adam Lee - One of my closest twitter friends and in my opinion, one of the best guitarists in the world today. Did I mention he's a huge Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston fan?

Twitter - @AdamLeeGuitar

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/adamleeguitarist

Lisa Somers - Like myself, she also plays originals and covers on YouTube. Also one of my best buddies from Ireland. Show some love for her new original song, "Everything (I Will)"!!

Twitter - @littlelisaabear

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/LisasMoosic

Gavrielle - The reason I got the bravery to turn on my video camera and play music in front of you. Such a beautiful voice and amazing songwriting. Everyone needs to know her name!

Twitter - @gavrielle

Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/gavrielle 

Madilyn Bailey - This artist never disappoints. Her voice makes every song sound absolutely amazing. I strongly recommend the Bad Habit EP!

Twitter - @MadilynBailey

Website - madilynbailey.com

Peter Hollens - It's one thing to perform acapella. It takes great skill to do it solo. This man, I believe, is one of the best guys doing multitrack acapella today. Just listen to everything and you'll be blown away!

Twitter - @PeterHollens

YouTube - youtube.com/peterhollens

Kait Weston - Perhaps I have a soft spot because she's from Upstate New York, but damn it this girl can sing. Her new single, "Last Dance", is absolutely amazing. You're gonna go download it on iTunes right? OF COURSE YOU ARE!

Twitter - @KaitWeston

YouTube - youtube.com/kaitwestonmusic

McKenna Loren - Recently nominated by the Artists in Music Awards for Best Country Artist. For good reason too! She is truly an amazing talent! Check out the new single, "It's Been So Long".

Twitter - @McKennaLoren
Website - mckennaloren.com

If you wanna hear some awesome, talented people, go show some love to these musicians. All of them are rockstars!

Lessthanthree,

Doug

A Dog Chasing Cars

When I auditioned for The Voice, I read the rules from cover to cover two days before the audition. A word was being used in the reading and the audition itself. That word was "identity". It doesn't matter how talented or decorated you are as an artist. You need to present yourself in a way that defines you. One of my mistakes at the audition is that I didn't quite understand what my musical identity was. For that reason, I have been spending the last little while searching for it. Tonight, I have come to an answer.

It's not "who am I as a musician?" It's "who am I as a person?

Heath Ledger said it best. "I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. I just do things." I'm not just a musician. There are so many things I'm into. So many things I'm good at. Musician, gamer, writer, movie buff, Sherlockian, hotel representative, brother, son, and more importantly friend. And I do all of this while following my own beliefs and values. Not once in the past five years have I followed anyone's rules but my own. A free spirit if you will. All the qualities of a rockstar.

Normally, one would associate that term with a famous person. More specifically, a musically gifted, famous person. I say that there's no need to be famous. One who lives for the moment and can find happiness doing so could easily be considered one. Therefore, as of this writing, I no longer consider myself just a musician. I am a guy who lives by his own code and listens to his own advice. A guy who favors music but still tinkers in everything that he wants to get his hands on. Above all, I don't need to be famous. I'm just....me.

A not so well known rockstar making his way in the world.

Lessthanthree,
Doug

I Am [Not] The Voice

I've been telling people that New York was an adventure. In all fairness, that's an understatement. Auditioning for network television is overwhelming. At one point I felt like I was being processed for the Hunger Games. 

ID checks. Bag checks. Metal detectors. Contracts. Follow the people in the red shirts. Make sure you use the bathroom before you get called up. And that was the first five minutes of me arriving.

To be honest, I was a lot less scared than I should have been. Even with all of the other applicants singing their hearts out in the waiting room. And trust me, THESE GUYS WERE GREAT! Even the best of them, however, were not selected to advance. There was actually a guy in my group, who after hearing us sing before him, decided to back out. Dad believes he was fed up with the process. I'm more willing to believe our talents combined shook him (which boosted my already inflated ego).

As I said to most of you already, it was the best no I've ever heard. The producer was a cool guy who really knew his stuff and unlike most judges for these shows, he was very encouraging. Would I go back next year and do it again? In a heartbeat.

I did realize two things after being dismissed. For one, I'm alright with being the "indie guy". It allows me to make music at my own pace and let's me develop an identity. If the journey is anything like this past weekend, I'm stoked for where I may go. 

The other thing I realized is maybe the most important thing. I don't have millions of YouTube views and my name isn't in the tabloids for all the wrong reasons. If you can read this, however, I have you. You guys sent me soooooo much love on Saturday. I can't and never will be able to thank you enough for all of your kind words. From here on in, I don't care if I get famous. As long as I have you, I'm the luckiest dude on the planet. A million times, thank you!!

Lessthanthree,

Doug

I Am The Voice?

My audition is Saturday. Counting my call back pieces, I have five songs prepared for it. How am I feeling?

That's the damndest thing really. I don't know know how to feel. You hear about it all the time. People auditioning/in these reality shows. Some are nervous. Some cry. Some have a flat out panic attack. Actually, if I heard right, 50% of them will lose their shit come their audition.

Me? I'm looking at this through different eyes than everyone else is. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. On one hand, I impress the producers enough to go on TV. By doing so I not only gain thousands of fans, but I, for better or worse, will be critiqued by four of the best performers in the country, if not the world. On the other, I don't impress them and I go home to Liverpool, New York. If the latter becomes the case, I will not, under any circumstances, be sad about it. Why? Because I got brave.

It takes true bravery as a musician to put yourself out there in front of the masses, be it fifty or fifty thousand people. This Saturday, I am auditioning for the opportunity to show the world the true talent I have. Whether I make it or not, I will have a confidence that I've never had before. The confidence to stand in front of people and be myself for once and sing my heart out.

I can't promise I'll make it. And if I do, I can't promise I'll win the whole thing. Here's what I can promise. I will be brave. I will do my best. I will make you all proud. And win or lose, I will return to Liverpool, New York a better, more confident musician.

Besides, I've never been to NYC. This audition's a good excuse to go on vacation.

Lessthanthree,
Doug

Two Zero One Three

Happy New Year, my gentle snowflakes! Let's have a chat!

2012 was interesting. It wasn't bad by any means. Just interesting. I accomplished a lot more than I thought I was going to. The biggest of which was my EP. Click here if you haven't yet ---> soundcloud.com/dmasonmusic

Gotta love shameless plugs!!

For the most part, however, 2012 was a learning experience. At least the latter part was. For those of you who don't know, around Thanksgiving-ish I started to feel a bit off health wise. I won't get into too many details but let's just say two rounds of antibiotics, four panic attacks, and seven doctor visits later, I'm good as new. During this not so fun experience I learned two things.

1. According to WebMD, the only reason I wasn't legally dead is because I was still eating solid food. DO NOT LOOK UP YOUR SYMPTOMS ON WEBMD!!

2. I am not invincible.

The second lesson is probably the most important one. Twenty six years on this earth and I always believed that I was untouchable. Not just health wise but with everything. Even my music. I had this thought in the back of my head of instant fame, thousands of hits, and standing ovations at all of my shows without fail. The truth is, none of these things are given. They are earned.

So instead of starting 2013 with making all of these resolutions I'll never be able to keep, I'm going to make two promises that I can keep.

1. I'm going to take better care of myself. The internet is not my doctor.

2. Be it The Voice, extra practices, or just plain traveling the world and playing anywhere that will give me a microphone, I will earn my place in the music world.

This is going to be a great year. Five days in and I know that much for sure. The best part? I'm starting off as a new man. Let the fun begin!

Lessthanthree,
Doug

Do I Have Everybody's Attention Now?

Why did I choose music?

I haven't gotten that question lately. It is, however, one that has been running through my head. Is it fame? Fortune? The hope I may star in an Old Navy commercial fifteen years after my prime? No. None of those reasons. I chose this, because I love it.

It goes back to that day in Utica. I was playing guitar with Ryan's band and I was in the spotlight for at least two minutes. In those two minutes, I felt the greatest rush that anyone could possibly feel. Playing music for people and getting a reaction. That's what I love. That's what I live for.

Which brings me to my announcement tonight. I want to feel that rush again. I want to feel it on a grand scale. More importantly, I want to make a career doing it. To do so, I need to get some exposure. So for that reason, I am happy to announce the following.

On Saturday, February 16th, 2013 at 2:00pm EST, I will be auditioning for the upcoming season of NBC's The Voice!

I'm tired of being the musician who writes in his bedroom, goes out and plays for twenty people, comes home, rinse and repeat. I want be heard. I want the world to hear my voice. I want to have a room full of people sing my songs back to me. The only way I can get there is through this opportunity.

These open mic nights? Rehersal. The real fun comes in February. What do I have to lose right? If I do awesome, the world gets to hear my voice. Mission accomplished. If I don't, I keep trying. Not like they have an age limit. Right, Idol??

The road to The Voice begins tonight! Who wants to come with??

Lessthanthree,
Doug

Let October Come

What a crazy summer. That's the best way I can possibly describe it. Let's get the important stuff out of the way first.

If I take nothing away from the last few months, one thing will be certain. I will always be surrounded by people who care. If you're reading this now, odds are you're one of those people. For those who don't know, I was on the verge of leaving music, making about 6 years of school completely meaningless. The reason I decided to keep going, was all of you. You told me not to quit. Which means that you believe I'm pretty good at this whole singing thing. From here on in, the only way I'm going to give this up is if you say so.

Now here's the plan for the future.

It's time to promote my Black And White EP. The only way I'm going to do that is go out and play. If pulled some strings so I'll at least be able to go to open mic nights. More than likely I'll be at Red House Cafe and Funk N' Waffles. Either way, I start spreading the word in October. Hopefully, this leads to me getting on some local shows.

Speaking of EPs, after a bit of thought and writing, I do have another EP on the way. I'll begin fine tuning in within the next few months. Once I get some more money, I'm back to the studio again. I can't give away the name or anything yet. Let's just say that creating this round of songs was a scary process.

Finally, I think everyone will agree that I haven't done a YouTube video in a long fucking time. It's time to get back to what I do best. Here's what I had in mind.

"Stay Awhile" by Ryan Star
"It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette
"Snuff" by Slipknot
"Daniel" by Elton John
"Hero" by Foo Fighters
"Lightning Crashes" by Live

If you would like to add to the list, let me know what you want to hear.

You guys don't want me to quit. So I won't quit. I can't. This is what I love. Let October come...

Lessthanthree,
Doug

PS: I've been staring at this web page for months now. Your thoughts? http://www.nbcthevoice.com/how-to-audition/audition-process.php