Posted 2 years ago
5 Questions for… Julian Velard!
When I started thinking about writing this post, I realized that over the past few years I’ve seen Julian Velard play at the Lizard Lounge, Middle East Club, Red Room at Café 939, the old Paradise Lounge, and the Paradise Rock Club. I guess you could say I’m a fan.
So, how would he describe his music to his fans-to-be? He said, “Larry David meets Woody Allen on a piano with the voice of Tom Waits, the heart of Pepé Le Pew, and the face of Kevin from the Wonder Years all grown up.” Have I mentioned he’s got a sense of humor? And even though he’s tethered to a piano bench, Julian is also a captivating performer. Let’s just say, I’ve seen him play a bar in Boston
when the Red Sox were on and he still had people paying attention.
After a couple years in London where he played on a whole lot of pianos, this Brooklyn born musician is now back on the east coast for the US release of his CD, The Planeteer. Here’s what he had to say about playing solo, his thoughts on a musical faux family, and who he’s listening to right now.
Have you ever been in a dedicated band? The Julian Velard Experience,
perhaps? Or have you always rocked it solo?
No, it’s always been a solo show. Don’t think my ego would allow it,
sadly. I thought about changing my project’s name to the JV3 or something
really lame at the urging of a former manager. Thankfully I didn’t.
What is your first memory connected to music? Did you try out any other
instruments before gravitating to the piano?
I think it started with me making up songs in the bathroom as a kid and my
Mom saying, “Hey, you’re pretty good at that.” I didn’t really find music
as my path until much later in college, long after studying voice in a
performing arts high school (I wanted to do acting but didn’t get in). I
think I got my heart broken pretty bad a couple times and that’s when the
songs really started pouring out. They haven’t stopped since.
I think you told me you wanted to go to film school at one point. What
kind of movies did you want to make?
Horror. I have a real affinity for B-grade gore with a physiological twist
a la David Cronenberg or John Carpenter. But I’d probably end up making
some really mainstream schmaltzy romcom like Failure to Launch. However,
my movie would definitely be Matthew McConaughey’s finest hour.
I’ve heard you call Michael Jackson and Peewee Herman your very strange
uncles. What other artists make up your musical family tree? Aunts,
stepbrothers, first cousins once removed?
Well, I think Harry Nilsson is like the cool uncle I see once every
Christmas. Jamie Cullum is definitely my first cousin. And Bjork is my stepsister that I was strangely and inappropriately attracted to. Is that too weird? Sorry.
Name 3 artists that have made your playlist this past year.
I’ve been listening a lot to Richard Swift, a great piano player and singer on Secretly Candian. Also Miike Snow, an electronic act in the UK, along
with a few other UK based bands like Friendly Fires and Temper Trap (they’re from Australia actually).
Also enamored with Julian Velard? Lucky for you we’ve got a pair of tickets to
both his Boston show (w/Tim Blane) in the Red Room at Café 939 AND his DC
show at DC9 (w/Jonah Smith & Bess Rogers).
Follow @BandsinBoston and @BandsinDC for more details!
