Around Her Everything Gets Hazy by Colin McShane

Colin McShane is a singer/songwriter hailing from New York City. He has had songs featured in several TV shows including CBS’ Guiding Light, MTV’s The Hills, VH1’s Sober House, FUSE TV and many others. His latest EP, 888, is getting a lot of attention on blogs due to the growing hype around this particular song.

The track is alternative rock/blues in style, bringing to mind the catchiness and rhythmic feel of Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz along with the quirkiness and raw sound of bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys. It grabs your attention straight away with an addictive guitar hook and a vocal refrain of “Everything gets hazy…”.

The full band kick in for the verse with a crisp, funky beat and melodic bass line filling out the sound. Colin has a great voice for this kind of bluesy rock and he delivers an electrifying vocal performance here. The chorus latches in the mind straight away, capturing the excitement of attraction and infatuation: “I don’t know if I’ll fall in love, but I think she kinda dug me….”.

Overall, this a fantastic piece of modern blues rock that you can well imagine becoming the theme tune to a TV show or used in a film. With it’s addictive chorus and general commercial vibe, it also has the potential to become a big hit on radio. I look forward to hearing more from this artist.

By Alex Faulkner

Exclusive Interview with Colin:

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Colin: I grew up in Rockville Centre, NY – a town on the south shore of Long Island… I had an innate love of music since I can remember but if I were to pinpoint an early inspiration, it would have to be Michael Jackson, I mean, he’s just the best – I can remember his rhythm and melody speaking to me at a young age.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

Colin: I believe that online music sharing is stealing. Plain and simple. It’s the same as walking into a museum, taking a painting or sculpture, and walking out with it; that’s not cool – this is someone’s art, a piece of someone’s soul and they are making it available for purchase so that they can make a living… you can’t just take it… and if you do, I question your character.
Now… if the artist wishes to give the music away for free, I feel people should take full advantage.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Colin: It sounds so cliché, but my advice to anyone trying to do anything is believe in yourself. You know, we hear that type of thing all the time, and always have, like forever, right? It’s so true though. What’s so confusing about it is that no one who gives this advice offers a caveat that would help them adopt this ideology correctly. Let me be the one to…
You are a god, in that you create your reality. Believing in yourself means to believe in the power of your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is the tool given to all people which displays your most dominant thought in your screen of space.
Here’s how to get started: saturate your conscious mind with thoughts of love, joy, positivity, and abundance at all times, energize those thoughts with emotionalized feeling, and while doing this, visualize your desired end result. Once you find out that it really is all up to you… you’ll start living life a whole lot different. Believe in yourself.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

Colin: No.

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

Colin: While I do play in states outside of NY from time to time, I am not currently touring. I am lucky enough to play with fantastic musicians all over Manhattan often though. Two guys I went to high school with, Dan Weiss and Vinnie Fiorillo have played with me on my last two records. Their musicianship is beyond outstanding. The three of us really vibe well together. Both are currently working with their group Stella Never Sleeps – you should check them out on iTunes 

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

Colin: Inspiration is everywhere man… it’s a blessing available to all of us all the time. Although inspired by a lot, I really have to feel the situation, the melody, the rhythm…. Deep in my soul in order to write the song properly. Without this trilogy it’s nothing.
For me, lyrics usually come first. Once I am able to form my thoughts around a particular situation properly, I get them down and establish a rhythm, finally bringing in a music compliment. If those three things don’t gel, I’ll start from the top with a new idea. That’s not to say that sometimes lyrics come second… because sometimes they do. It all depends on the moment.
Exposed Vocals: What online platforms do you use to share your music?

Colin: I have my music on Soundcloud, iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic… I have worldwide distribution so you can find my music anywhere.

Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?

Colin: I believe all art is from the soul. I would never be embarrassed by my musical taste, or anything else.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

Colin: I would first make sure everyone around me was alright and interject where I feel would be needed. I would then start a 24 hour food distribution program to those in need in NYC. I am currently living in Manhattan and often volunteer at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in Chelsea – we, as a people, are here for one thing, to help people, and this is the cause where my heart lies. I already have everything I could ever need, I want to give hope and love to those that may have lost their way.

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

Colin: I love Nina Simone. I identify with her energy, with her soul.. that would be my choice for sure.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Colin: I’m writing right now and have some great stuff… no plans yet but we’ll see. I’m playing a lot at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar in Manhattan, from time to time Valerie Simpson and I will play the Ashford & Simpson song “I Don’t Need No Doctor” recorded by Ray Charles.
I’m also playing with a great band, The Rakiem Walker Project, from time to time at the Red Rooster in Harlem. They rock out there every Monday night at 7pm – the place is always packed and filled with Spirit – it’s awesome.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

Colin: Hmmm. I would be painting. To me, music is painting but with notes instead of acrylic.

Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

Colin: Wow, such a good question. I have no recollection of the first album *I* ever bought but the first album ever bought FOR me was Michael Jackson’s Thriller – I still remember my dad coming home with it and my sister and I putting on “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” – I still get the chills with that song. My daughter Jadie is a huge fan – loves that song.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

Colin: Life is broken up into dances; you find the groove of your heart and you apply it to the collective rhythm.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?

Colin: Man… I’m just getting started. You’re gonna see a whole bunch of me, get used to it.