Do you think you could be having a positive influence on someone else’s life?
There’s probably things that come to you naturally that other people find terrifying. You may even be influencing them without realizing it. I have an amazing story about how I was unknowingly inspiring one of my musical heroes, Angelo Moore of Fishbone, to take a step into doing something he was terrified of. Angelo also played Sax on my song Wanderlust and is in the video below shot mainly in Sagres, Portugal where I lived for 6 months. It’s easily one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world.
A Chance To Give Back To A Musical Hero…
I lived in Los Angeles for 5 years. While I was there I met someone who transformed my life. Angelo Moore, lead singer and Saxophonist of the legendary Fishbone, turned out to be my next door neighbor. As a teenager I always admired Angelo because I knew he was the real thing, a true talent and a musical genius. Our budding friendship led to a working relationship that was an incredible experience of growth for both of us. What I learned from him most is that when he couldn’t do something musically he kept trying until he got it without a second thought.
Angelo was struggling to step out of Fishbone and do some more stuff on his own. I was just falling into a new area of study, Shamanic Practices from The Amazon, and was keen on helping myself and others break through emotional and creative blocks. I also had a lot of experience recording musicians.. What began by casually recording Angelo’s ideas wound up becoming much more than that. Angelo found a friend in me, someone whom he could trust and open up to. Having my brother on the TV show Scrubs I wasn’t under the spell of fame some people have around public figures. I told Angelo the way it was, encouraged him to believe in himself and pursue his musical vision. I let him know that there were musicians all over the world who would love to play with him and it was a great opportunity for him to expand
Well our little recording project turned into a full on album
…..and a successful Kickstarter campaign which I launched. Angelo also got to know my music and became a fan – what a compliment! It went so far that he played on some of my tracks including Sax on “Wanderlust” (which you have) as well as doing gospel vocal harmonies on the track “Step Into The Love”. But the most important thing is we influenced each others lives. On a recent email Angelo sent me while on a solo tour he wrote this: “Zay I cannot express to you how much you are an inspiration to me and have been for a long time. Thanks for the words and lessons”. For me this is what makes all of the crazy work of being a musician worth every minute….
So my album “Wanderlust” is inspired by those same lessons I learned studying Shamanism and passed on to Angelo. And let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever impacted someone’s life in a big way only to realize it afterward??
Click The Pics Below To Check It Wanderlust!
Save "Inch Away" On Your Favorite Platform
Song Background
Do you ever get overly self critical? I certainly have. Let me ask you this: If a 5 year old child walked up to you and was upset would you tell them it is all their fault and that they’re bad person?
Many of us succumb to the voices that say we’re undeserving. It’s a framework we often develop as children that can govern the way we live as adults. This innocent defense mechanism may have seemed to keep us safe in childhood but may not serve us in adulthood.
So what can we do? My solution in my own life is not trying to ignore these voices or feeling bad for having them. I listen to them, I challenge them and redirect them. Awareness breaks the habit. Setting a new intention is next because it is the foundation to create a better framework for yourself. I’m not perfect at it by any means. But I do try to make it a daily practice.
“Inch Away” is on my 3rd solo release ‘Shadows’
The Video
For the lyric video I used some footage from a Stand Up Paddle Boarding trip I took while living in Sagres Portugal with another friend of mine’s company ‘Coastline Algarve’. I also used video from Aquariums in both Berlin & Lisbon. The music against the picture seemed to create a vibe so I decided to created a 15 second clip to promote the song. It was received really well so I decided to turn it into an entire video. I think the result is really unique and interesting for a lyric video, something that could only come about spontaneously…my favorite way to make art.
Scroll Through To See What People Are Saying…
“Inch Away” is a favorite of mine and the video seems to be touching a lot of people. I wrote the lyrics as a gift to inspire a friend who was holding herself back from being the amazing person she was. I hope it does the same for you….
Bring Your Truth
So today I invite you to move past the place of self criticism into your true self. What is the vision of yourself that you’d love to bring into the world? Or maybe you’re already doing it? Again this is a brand new page so feel free to be one of the first to leave a comment below…
Thanks for Watching!
-John Zay
