Gavin DeGraw |
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Mon. April 14.2003 12:00 AM EDT |
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Gavin DeGraw: Songs in the Key of GBilly Joel and Carly Simon inspire a new piano man whose voice will give you goosebumps. by C. Bottomley |
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Gavin Degraw (Frank Roldan) |
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Guide the careers of Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, and Whitney Houston, and youll make a lot of A-list friends. When legendary music exec Clive Davis decided to show the world his latest discovery before this years Grammys, he had no problem
From underneath his omnipresent cap, the kid from the Catskills gave his star-studded audience a sidelong glance, flashing the mischievous smile that's a perpetual part of his charm. Then he started pounding the ascendant piano line to his very catchy song, Follow Through." By the time his powerful voice began to deliver its natural passion, it was obvious that DeGraws soul might be a little bit deeper than that of Joe Jackson. See three VH1 exclusive live performances, "Just Friends", "Follow Through" and "Get Lost". In the humbler surroundings of VH1s studio, the 26-year-old singer is an easy-going kid with a quick laugh who seems to delight in his aw-shucks demeanor. Get him talking about music, though, and he becomes much more serious. He roars with enthusiasm over the Kinks Victoria, and acts thunderstruck over the Beatles harmonies. DeGraw has been singing since the cradle. Part of his schooling came from playing bars in upstate New York. When he hit Manhattans cabaret joints in the late 90s, Time Out magazine anointed him the citys best-kept secret. Even with his star on the rise, he remains the worshipful student, perpetually eager to share the lessons learned from listening to his heroes. Those skills will be handy when that best-kept secret thing gets blown away by the release of his debut album, Chariot. Davis has recently revived Santanas career and introduced the world to Alicia Keys. Theres little reason to doubt that his golden touch wont work with the young pianist. DeGraw told VH1 about having his life changed by Billy Joel, how he learned not to screw up on stage, and what we all missed at his fabulous coming-out party. VH1: What was it like playing in Clive Davis pre-Grammy bash in front of such a star-studded crowd? Gavin DeGraw: Ever been to an auction? I felt like I was on sale, but I wasnt sure if anybody else really wanted me. I was up there feeling like a painting, thinking, I hope people bid on me. Its was like when you love the person, but you dont know if they love you back, but you have to get it off your chest, like Here it is! You just hope people love the music. [Watch Clip] VH1: Did you meet anybody there who gave you a warm glow? DeGraw: Carly Simon. When my band started playing, I looked to my right, and she was about 20 feet away. She had this big, gorgeous smile and she looked so happy - it set me at ease. I was thinking, Carly Simons right there and shes digging it! To see a songwriter enjoying your work is a big compliment. That really helped me out at the time. VH1: What was the first show that prompted ideas of becoming a musician yourself? DeGraw: I had been going to hair-band concerts as a kid, but then I saw Billy Joel. I saw how happy he made everybody at this arena. He had a certain rapport with the audience - almost like you knew him as a regular guy. Most artists Ive seen dont ever develop the conversational skill that he had - you really felt like you knew him. [Watch Clip] VH1: Had you been playing piano for a long time at that point? DeGraw: Ive been playing the piano since I was nine. I had been playing bars as a kid. It would be me and my brother, and sometimes even my dad. My dad was always a great singer. Wed bring him out and show him off. Our set lists were all classic rock: Neil Young, the Beatles, the Doors, Tom Petty, and Creedence. VH1: Youve played a lot of residencies at chic New York clubs, like Wilsons and Joes Pub. Is that a valuable training ground? DeGraw: Having a steady gig lets you experiment. You can practice all day, but no amount of practice can equal getting up on stage, playing for people, and taking risks. The growth is so much faster when youre doing it in front of people because theres an embarrassment factor. When you screw up, everybody knows. So you always have to know your chords and your words. If you screw them up once, you wont screw them up again. Some things you have to learn immediately - out of terror! [Watch Clip] VH1: Your songs tap into a very exultant kind of mood. How do you sustain that feeling when youre writing? DeGraw: I enjoy looking for some higher ground in the lyric. So you set up your story and your situation in the verses, and then at your chorus you should be saying, This is how it gets settled. It should feel and sound satisfying. If the song isnt going where you expect it to go, somethings wrong with it. VH1: Do those rules apply for happy and sad songs? Is one easier to write than the other? DeGraw: No - you need to let the song carry itself through and get out of the way. Im not out to confuse anybody. Once the song is in motion you should let it go and keep it true to what it is and let the music take care of itself & and make sure your lyrics make sense! VH1: Live, you covered Sam Cookes Change Is Gonna Come, Marvin Gayes Lets Get it On and Leonard Cohens Hallelujah. What is the common ground between those three? DeGraw: Theyre exceptional singers and people who have something to say about themselves in their lyrics. If you check the lifestyles of the people who wrote the songs, each of the songs really suits them. Lets Get it On makes sense given Marvin Gayes lifestyle. At the time of A Change is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke was a huge part of African-American cultures development. It was written for people who want something more than they have. I come from a town that doesnt have much, so I can identify with that. VH1: Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips recently said he didnt think a protest song had ever changed anything. Is he right? DeGraw: I couldnt agree with that. Art affects society. It reflects how people feel - like a book or a newspaper. Wherever theres a lyricist, theres a writer. People become fans or political allies through writing or art. People who like the same music tend to agree politically with each other. Your good friends probably have similar musical tastes as you do. So youre going to find societies talking together through different styles of music. VH1: Do you find you gravitate to music of a particular era? DeGraw: Im definitely into older music, from the late 50s up to early 80s. Theres something about the singing that a lot of people did back then. It makes me odd man out; I dont represent my generation [when it comes to listening habits]; I would say Im into a lot of stuff that people in my generation never heard of. This is not to say they wouldnt like it - theyre just not exposed to it. VH1: So what is one of your more obscure albums in your collection? DeGraw: Im not really into obscure music so much as music that was popular at one point and now isnt. The strangest sounding record I enjoy is Chris Whitleys second album, Din of Ecstasy. Thats a heavy, heavy record. Lyrically its dreamy, but the playing is intense - it might not make sense to you until you hear it a couple of times. Thats the way it works with some really good records. The more people hear something, the more they like it. VH1: So if you were on American Idol do you think youd win? DeGraw: Thats ridiculous - I dont even dance! No way Id make that cut! |
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