Exposed Vocals Interviews Singer Songwriter North Easton

Born on Vancouver Island, the youngest of three boys, North Easton began writing songs as an escape from his older brothers. North’s mother (and inspiration) had not only forbid the older boys to pick on him while he practiced the piano, but was a pretty savvy singer and guitar player herself. Many social gatherings ended at the kitchen in late night mornings singing to the likes of Cat Stevens, James Taylor and Don McClean. It was no surprise when North traded great grades in school for blisters on his fingers and some pretty cool early music accomplishments.

Winner of 106.9 The Bear’s Rock Search, $100,000 in NEWCAP Radio’s Big Money Shot (live 88.5), Indie Pop Album of the year with his band Garrity, Winner of Song of the year.com’s for best Country Song. (Stuck on the Stairs). His song “Love like that” (also on North’s new album) was a finalist in the 2015 International Songwriting Competition. A number of Norths songs have also been synced to independent movies and this year, North acquired a placement in Twentieth Century Fox’s Animated Hit Series American Dad for his tune the “Texting Song.”

Today, North performs in music festivals and eclectic venues across the country. He has just released his first single “CHANGE” to AC Radio from his debut solo album “One of the Lucky Ones”. Calling Ottawa home these days, North also spends a great deal of time inspiring other Canadian songwriters as the Songwriters Association of Canada’s local coordinator. He is also one of eight prominent founding members of the Toronto Songwriting initiative entitled THE COLLABOR8TORS and works with a number of up and coming artists throughout Canada on the development of their songs and musical careers.

North dreams of one day inventing a time machine and travelling back to fix some of the dumb things he did when he was younger, and to meet some of the songwriting greats in their prime, but until then, he writes music every day in search of that elusive song that will find its way into the hearts of millions in the world.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: I grew up in the small town of Deep Cove, BC on Vancouver Island at the bottom of a hill on a dead-end street. Creative thinking comes out of survival and problem solving, and my childhood was full of it. Mom threw me into Piano Lessons when I was 6 and banging away on the keys was an incredible outlet. Between the late-night kitchen table gatherings where my mom would sing and play some of the greatest songs written from artists like Paul Simon, Cat Stevens and James Taylor, to the early morning record player ritual that my father would blast throughout the house carrying the voices of Elvis, Rod Stewart, The Beatles and Buddy Holly. I guess it was safe to say that music was all around me.

Becoming an artist was not the early dream, but after I let go of the plan to be a policeman, a fireman, a doctor, and a professional athlete, music found me more than once and pulled me out of the heap of emotion that challenges the best of us on any given day. When what you want to do in life hits you with the sledgehammer of passion, and the sun and moon no longer control the waking hours…well…wrap yourself up in that blanket and learn all you can about it.

My decision to be an artist came when I was 18 and it hit me like a train, saved my life and opened doors to a world that has grabbed hold and never let go. At the end of this ride, I will be playing my guitar looking out at the roads I took in my life with a new song on the last breath I take.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

[NORTH EASTON]: My dad was a welder by trade. A hard-working man who had the honour of choosing my name on the day I was born…I’m pretty sure he was out celebrating when the decision was made because he chose not only his middle name as my first, but my brothers middle name as well. It didn’t help that two streets over carried the same name as me and so did the local park. So I pretty much hated it. And for those of you diving deep into this interview looking for more goods on me, Wayne was the handle that my father settled on.

When I was 16 I stood my ground and I told everyone I knew to call me by my middle name. You see I wanted to stand out from the pack and funny enough because I came from a small town I was pretty sure that my middle name had a more solid ring to it…That was until I got into the first day of school in Ottawa, when my mom moved us out there for work and realized that 6 other people in the class were using the same one. Michael. Great (I thought in a sarcastic tone).

So why North? We pick where we live. Who we love. What we do. What we drive. The clothes that we wear. The people we hang around with, but our names are carved in stone? Not for this guy. Being that my last name was Easton and I was constantly searching for a direction in my life…North just seemed to have a strong sound to it. Looking to make a splash in the world and being from Canada (the great white north) well the pieces fit. I grew up in the west and moved East…North Easton it was and has been for near 20 years.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: This industry has watched Records turn to 8 tracks, to audio cassettes then Cd’s to mp3’s, and now online streaming…Its the medium in which music is available these days. It is how people consume the soundtrack to their everyday lives. I am certainly not against the availability of music at our fingertips. But we pay $6 for a fancy cup of coffee and music that was built on blood, sweat, tears and pain is available for free? That pill is hard to swallow.

Music is the backdrop to the memories we have…the relationships we build, the gatherings of friends and family on holidays, and the people that we say goodbye to. The heartfelt writers unleash great songs, not because of the money that they will make from it, but because of the flow of emotion that can only be expressed sometimes by a well-crafted song. And for that experience…that moment that impacts others lives…I gladly share that precious feeling with people for free…with the hope that they will recognize the depth of what it took to create something honest and real and that maybe…just maybe…the music will inspire or change something in their daily routine. Contribution is one of the 6 human needs…and sharing music has always been a human necessity…I would love to get paid for every song I write…but payment does not always need to be a pay check.

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?

[NORTH EASTON]: From the time, you wake up in the morning, till the time you close your eyes at night…LEARN. Watch, listen, read, practice, network and keep an open mind when speaking with others. Be true to your heart but understand that in any industry, most overnight success takes years to achieve. Be real out there on stage, and spend an equal amount of time on developing your business mind.

Doors will not open because you dream of them doing so…they will open because you are bringing the person on the other side something they need or believe in. Research as much as you can about where you want to be…but more importantly that what you are doing, where you are doing it, when you knock or call out…understand the WHY you are doing it. It is the reason others will follow you, get behind you, and tell everyone they know about you. That’s what I believe.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: Wrinkles in the skin come from laughter and experience. Scars are the lessons we learned along the way. Mistakes are the greatest things that can happen to anyone because each time you fall, you learn how to get back up. When you watch my show…if you know my tunes…it will be very easy to see that every time I play… it’s different. If the day comes where I complete a show with absolutely no mistakes…I’ll change my set and try again. The mistakes in my life have led to some of my favourite songs…So I look forward to making more mistakes…so I can write some more tunes.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: Just this past summer, I spent 34 days travelling across Canada with my wife and 5 kids in the car, playing venues and festivals along the way. Ya I tour. I love it. The people you meet along the path paint their way into the songs that rest underneath the surface waiting to break free when the moment is right. Our van broke down a number of times on this last tour. A dead battery in Thunder Bay Ontario had us sitting in a parking lot outside of a grocery store asking the nearest guy for a boost. Our jumper cables were on the fritz, but this good Samaritan offered to drive home and pick up his cables and come back and give us a boost. This stranger who we had just met was ready to give us a hand…As he drove away to pick up the cables, I asked him for his name and his number just in case someone else came along. My wife did a quick Facebook search of his name and realized that she had a couple friends in common with him. One of those friends was her cousin. So, when he returned she asked…how do you know my cousin Charlie Laforge….and the man (Todd) said…my little sister is married to him. That is just one reason why touring is so cool. You never know where you are going to end up or with who. We ended up having out with him and his family the following night and made life long friends with people we randomly ran into in a parking lot in Thunder Bay. Ya..I tour…How can I not?

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

[NORTH EASTON]: Life is the biggest album you will ever listen to. When you open your heart, and swallow the fear of letting the world see who you truly are and how you feel, then inspiration to write becomes ubiquitous. Yep…I just used that word…and although it was on the tip of my tongue, I had to look up how to spell it. My children’s eyes…my wife’s smile…my mother and father’s short lived lives…the witness to incredible settings, scenarios, experiences that all lead to song. The observer, the listener, the channeled emotion that pours out like a pitcher of cold lemonade on a hot day. Inspiration is all around me…and like the scavenger hunts I have been on in my life…I thirst to find it in every experience I undergo. When it comes to process…that is also an evolution. Some songs just spill out onto the page while others can take weeks or years of incubation. I am always in the middle of writing at least 15 different songs…. each of them a different mood, melody, essence. Sometimes with a guitar, sometimes a piano, acapella, a drum loop…or even just tapping on my leg can unleash the next creation. I am a believer in honing the craft of writing, and I am constantly in search of other processes that will aid in the growth and progress of mine.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

[NORTH EASTON]: My Website is www.northeaston.ca . I use all the basic platforms you would expect in this industry. Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, YouTube, iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and of course directly through the site.
https://www.facebook.com/northeastonsongwriter/
Tweets by NorthEaston
https://www.youtube.com/user/myfavouritetragedy
https://soundcloud.com/northeaston

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

[NORTH EASTON]: I actually have an old Adam Sander CD. Yes, for those of you that don’t know…he is also a singer and a musician. This Cd has songs with titles like “My Hobby is Moida” and “Pop the zit on my back”. Now…I don’t listen to those anymore…but..they are still in there somewhere.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: I would take my family on a world adventure and perform in as many different places as I could. The great thing about that question is that my heart loves what it is doing right now. Music is all around me and all the money in the world wouldn’t change the desire to do it as much as I can…but that million bucks would sure buy some kick ass things along the path. I have always wanted a Hang Drum…so I would pick one of those up immediately I think.

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

[NORTH EASTON]: I use Studio One version 3. I’m a fan of it as a DAW. Not overly complicated, and it is incredibly user friendly. As for additional gear…yes…would love to throw some coin into upgrades of mics and pre-amps…but I love working with producers in studios as well…being on the other side of the glass is a great place to let the creative energy out in the performance and not get so hung up on the sonic floor.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

[NORTH EASTON]: The best way I have found to promote my music is in individual communication. Reaching out to people one on one. We are slammed with invites to events, like my page, share my post…blah blah blah…In a world that is getting smaller by the second….one thing remains…the honesty of connection. When I message someone to come to my show, I kind of want to know what is happening in their lives, and how I can give them something back. Obviously interviews and articles, t.v. performances, and opening slots for bigger acts can draw in the new fans….but at the end of the day…it is important that those who are tuning into the music feel something bigger than just the song, otherwise it is easy to just move to the next tune on the playlist.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: Adam Duritz from the counting crows sharing the bill with Tracy Chapman and North Easton. Yep…that would be cool. Both of these artists sing from the heart. The depth of their music moves me in a way that always makes me want to write another song. As for where…in an intimate room (1000 people). The setting is quiet…the sound impeccable….the dynamics and rise and fall of emotion intense. Whispers and screams in the same set like an epic movie that shatters the soul and puts it back together in a way that brings tears of all flavours to the surface.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: This album “One of the Lucky Ones” is brand new. Just released it. My best work to date, and I really feel happy with it. I look forward to touring this album for this next year and writing new songs along the way.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: I love film. I’m a huge movie buff, and have no doubt that if music was not something I could do, then I would be neck deep in the creation of movies. I am a videographer as well, and putting a visual in conjunction with audio is truly a taste of something special with a direct line to countless emotions that evoke memory and change perspectives. Yep…I’d make movies.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: When I was 13, I bought a Fresh Prince Record. Nightmare on My Street was the song I wanted to listen to over and over again. I was a fan of scary movies…Friday the 13th, Halloween, Evil Dead…and of course Nightmare on Elm Street. I thought Will Smith’s wit was uncanny and it impressed me to buy the record.

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

[NORTH EASTON]: Life is busy…And with 5 kids at home…that’s right…I said 5…you can only imagine the easy distractions on any given day…but that’s why they invented night. My wife is amazing and together we work hard on all aspects of our worlds. My kids pick up the slack when I am away, and we have a pretty easy going lifestyle which makes it easier. Listening to ted talks and reading books from motivating people like Stephen Covey, Dale Carnegie, Anthony Robbins…to name just a few, keep me growing mentally and staying in good physical shape is another way to get the most from a day. That has not been an easy task but a challenge I look forward to conquering daily.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?

[NORTH EASTON]: Over the next year, I plan on releasing more songs than just the ones on this album. I love writing, and if I could would write a song a day for the rest of my life, I would. Touring is a big part of what I am building right now. I plan on going across this country a couple times over the next 365 days. I will venture into the United States, make more music videos, and share the journey along the way with video updates and blogs from the road. The cool thing about the year ahead is how unwritten it is. It’s exciting and I look forward to soaking in the moments as they unravel before me.