Between rhythms, riffs, beats, and melodies, the stories unfurl - driven by characters immortalized in the lyrics. Storytelling drives both Chapell’s writing and his live show. The New York band led by enigmatic front man Alan Chapell recounts real and raw stories throughout a prolific catalog of genre-agnostic pop amplified by rock energy, new wave soul, Americana vulnerability, and even Latin flavor. Chapell’s live performances are gaining notoriety by the minute – having been invited to play with the likes of Gin Blossoms, Everclear, Lisa Loeb, 38 Special, Bighead Todd, Iron Butterfly, Flock of Seagulls and Jackopearce.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Can you write us what life is like in New York?
I’ve been mostly living in the houseboat community of Sausalito, California over the past two years. Just outside of San Francisco. Sausalito is a beautiful place to live – and the houseboat community is incredibly supportive of music and the arts. Sausalito was one of the few places that continued to host (outdoor) concerts throughout the pandemic. It’s a great place to be creative.
What is your creative process like?
Song ideas tend to come up when you least expect them to. I try to capture ideas in my phone – whether it's a vocal part, a guitar line, a phrase… whatever. I typically work on music on Saturdays – for whatever reason, that’s become my go to day. I’ll start by banging out different ideas on the piano and just trying to sing along. Sooner or later (sometimes MUCH later), an idea emerges. I’ll start with some chords and a vocal line. After playing the idea on the piano several hundred thousand times, I’ll take a walk around the neighborhood looking for inspiration around lyrics. Once I get a general sense of the lyrics, I’ll go back home and work on writing parts on Garageband. The idea is to put together a demo. And then I’ll bring it to my band – and we’ll play the song a bunch of times until its ready to play out somewhere… and eventually, it’ll be ready to record. But the whole creative process is akin to that Schoolhouse Rock cartoon about making laws. There are so many places where things can go sideways when you’re writing – and songs never even make it to the point where my band gets to play them.
Your latest song is 'Wave as You Walk Past'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
We recorded the whole Two Fishes album up in Waterford, Connecticut. Personally, I love getting my band out of the city when we record. It makes for a fun hang, and it also helps everyone focus when they aren’t thinking about beating traffic after the session. The song “Wave…” is about an old friend who I reconnected with a few years ago. I’d see her and her husband in the west village of NYC. Well…. the first few times, we’d see each other and talk and catch up. And then the next time, it was a quicker chat. Each time, the interaction felt more rushed. Until one day, she just sort of waved in my direction while she was on the phone. And from then on, that’s where we settled – a wave as she walked past. Was it something I said? I thought the whole thing was pretty funny – watching a friendship just sort of rot on the vine from mutual disinterest. But it gave me the idea – what if I came at this with a bit of faux outrage?
What is the biggest mistake you have made within your career to this point?
Good question. I think almost everything in life is a learning opportunity. So every time I write a song, or record a song… or even perform a song – there are things I that in retrospect I would have done differently.
What made you decide to start learning to play instruments?
I started playing the trumpet at the age of 4. It’s hard to say why. My dad is a musician, and it was never really an option in my family not to take lessons. My brothers saw that as torture, while I saw it as a blessing.
How do you view your relationship with your fans?
I’m always touched when anyone tells me they like one of my songs. When I’m playing out live, I try to create a connection with the audience.
Do you have a mentor or coach?
Anyone who considers themselves as successful probably has a bunch of people to thank. I’ve had so many different people have a positive impact on my life and my music. My childhood piano teacher Ogden Booker (RIP) who instilled a sense of discipline in me at a very young age but also showed me how a love for music can enrich my own life and the lives of others. Jimmy Ienner took me under his wing as a teenager and helped me understand what a gift it is to enter a recording studio. And more recently, Talking Head Jerry Harrison who produced a Chapell album several years ago and remains a close friend and mentor. Jerry helped me understand that anything is possible. And of course, Don Lawrence - who literally taught me how to sing.
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
I’ve done a bunch of solo shows over the past year – mostly due to Covid. While you can’t beat the power of a five or six piece band, there’s a wonderful intimacy of a solo performance. I’ll be in the middle of telling a story about a particular song and I’ll look out and see that the story or the song is really connecting with someone in particular. And we’ll each smile – knowing that we’ve shared a moment. Multiply that over an audience of a few hundred, or even a thousand – just a wonderful feeling.
What are your plans for the coming weeks or months?
I’m back out touring and will have a bunch of shows announced pretty soon in California, Vermont, New York and bunch of other places. As I write this, I’m gearing up for a concert with Walk the Moon – one of my favorite live bands. I’m also finishing up recording a double album that I hope to release in 2023.
Storytelling drives both Chapell’s writing and his live show. The New York based singer / songwriter recounts real and raw stories throughout a prolific catalog of genre-agnostic songwriting. Streamed over 1.5 million times and counting and fresh off of a wildly successful tour with the Gin Blossoms, Chapell’s live show gushes earnestness and charm. Chapell’s solo performances are gaining notoriety by the minute – having been invited to play with the likes of Gin Blossoms, Everclear, Lisa Loeb, 38 Special, Bighead Todd, Iron Butterfly, Flock of Seagulls and Jackopearce. Alan closed out 2021 with a performance on Rob Reinhart wildly influential radio program, Acoustic Café.
In Alan Chapell’s own words, “More than ever, people want to feel like they genuinely belong to something. It’s similar to how you go to church or yoga or whatever you do with a group of people in order to feel the warmth of a community. For me, the goal is always to draw inspiration from the collective – whether it’s during a more intimate solo concert or with my entire five-piece band. I want to bring the feeling of hope while we have a great time with all of you!”