Cyle Veazey
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Cyle Veazey

Band Folk Acoustic

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"Interview"

So who’s Cyle Veazey?

How much time you got? haha. Cyle Veazey is like Freddie Mercury- I’m one way on stage and a completely different way off stage. On stage, I’m a king. I control the audience. Off stage, I have a bad problem stuttering and being anxious. I wish I could be like I am on stage when I’m off. When i was 11 I was diagnosed with cancer and it spread to 6 places, including my vocal chords. At 15 I was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had 2 strokes. Not to mention I’m extremely ocd (obsessive NOT compulsive) and bipolar. But on stage, all of that goes away and I become this awesome entertainer. It’s really cool.



How did you get started in the music scene?

Well, I’ve always wanted to be a rock star. When I was little I used to watch elvis: aloha from hawaii all the time and I knew every song; but I didnt get into it professionally until I was about 21. When I was 20 we moved to Chattanooga which is about 2 hours from Nashville and I took some songs I had written up to nashville to record. One thing lead to another and I got an apprenticeship with a publishing company to learn how to write commercially. After my apprenticeship ended, I started playing open mics to hone my craft, it took me about 6 years to finally figure out my style which is a blend of 80s metal and modern country.



What are your music influences?

EVERYTHING!! I borrow different things from every style, everything from heavy metal to rap to classical. I use an ipad to record all my songs and I use 3 electric guitars, a piano, an organ, an electric bass, 2 violins, a viola, a cello, an upright bass, and a drums and hand percussion. I’m probably more influenced by the production side of things. I’m a big fan of producers like Bob Rock and Mutt Lang. I’m really into big productions and orchestra pieces. My biggest influenceal album as far as production goes is def dark side of the moon. People just dont make albums like that anymore. I’m a big fan of recording albums and not just 4 singles and a bunch of fillers. I’m old school in my mentality of recording an album, more so like led zeppelin- producing a solid album. My lyric structure is most influenced by Taylor Swift. She’s just such a phenomenal songwriter. Like her style or not you cant tell me shes not like a prodigy for her lyrical ability. I like to blend country melodies with the instrumental side of metal.



What’s your method at the time of writing a song?

Its like sex- quick and easy haha. I really add, so I can’ t take more than like 30 minutes to write a song. I studied free styling back in high school to I’ve gotten to the point now where I can write a song in under 10 minutes cause I just free style the lyrics. My method has evolved over time, but now its pretty constant- first I figure out a progression with 1-4-5-6b, then hum a melody. After I have a melody I figure out a hook at the end of the chorus then base the whole song around that one hook. The lead singer for metallica does the exact same thing.



What would you say are the CONs and PROs of doing an EP with your iPad?

CONs are the memory of the ipad. Memory on it sucks so its much more tedious; but the PROs outweigh the CONs by far. You are allowed such freedom with your iPad and if you have a mac which at the time I dont, but I plan on getting one, you can transfer the sessions from your ipad to your mac and change the instruments to allow for more elaborate productions. Its been a life saver, and really a career starter.



Speaking of which, you are working on a new EP. Can you tell us more about it? Any official title, release date in mind?

I actually am working on an EP. I’m currently recording the bg tracks. i’ ll be doing vocals after i order some more production software. I’m trying to come up with some catchy titles. I’m a big fan of albums with titles like dark side of the moon that just scream great album. The EP should be released to iTunes in the spring of 2013. You can follow me on twitter @cyleveazey or “Like” me @facebook.com/cyleveazey to get an official release date as the time draws closer. You can download a rough cut for free by visiting @youtube.com/cyleveazey. The song is called Big Pile of Whiskey Bottles. It’s a blend of 80s thrash and texas honkey tonk. Really catchy.



Are there any plans for the future we should be aware of?

I’m currently planning on doing a battle of the bands in atlanta in January and possibly a showcase for warner brothers at the hard rock cafe in Nashville, also in January. I would like to start touring next summer. I’ve got a tour schedule planned that covers the southeast, northeast, and midwest covering a little over a month in a little under 30 cities. I figured out a way to tour that many cities and stay at hotels for under $3000 total including gas. That was a big break.



Where can we find more about your music?

Facebook, twitter, and youtube. i love talking to fans and im really good about answering tweets and facebook comments. My tweets have become a lot like black shelton where they arent serious at all. I’ve gotten kind of obsessed with taking pictures and tweeting them with a funny line about the picture. I guess you could say I’ve got a little ron white in me. :p



Do you feel like moving on the right direction?

I think so… right now its like the turtle rather than the hare, but its a constant move. It’s been a long 6 six years but I’m glad its gone this slow because its taught me a lot about the business side of things. - Vents Magazine


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

Cyle Veazey’s life is as if it was based on an Oscar-winning drama. From cancer to a brain tumor to not one, but two strokes all before the age of sixteen, Cyle Veazey has seen his share of tragedy. However, instead of giving in to the trials and tribulations, he has found a way to focus on what he has rather than what he has not. Cyle Veazey was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia. When he was three, his father joined the FBI, and began a series of moves that Cyle would have trouble with in his teenage years, but that proved to be beneficial as he matured.

When Cyle was nine years old, his father was transferred to Washington D.C. It would be here that Cyle’s medical life would begin. When he was eleven years old, he was having the best basketball season of his life. He would go on to score over one hundred points in only thirteen games. However, after every game, he would go home, and sleep for hours on end. He began losing weight, and complaining about it being cold all the time. When visiting his doctor for a routine check-up, she pointed to his throat, and said to his mother, “Do you see that big lump?”

Surprised, his mother said, “I do now.”

After weeks of testing, Cyle’s parents called him into the kitchen one night. Cyle tells the story of what it was like being told he had cancer-

“I was sitting in the kitchen. My mom was standing to my left, my dad to my right. My dad doesn’t like to beat around the bush, so as if he couldn’t believe it either, bluntly he said, ‘Son, you have cancer.’

I just sat there for what seemed like hours, then, slowly, I walked over to my dad, wrapped my arms around him, and waited for the director to say, ‘Cut! Great job Cyle. That sure was great acting. But don’t worry, you don’t really have cancer.’

But there was no director, and this was no movie. My life would never be the same.”

Cyle would undergo a total of three surgeries in his lifetime for the cancer, as well as three radiation treatments. But nothing would prepare him for what would happen in September of 2001.

On September 11th, 2001, Cyle was lying in a hospital bed following surgery to remove a brain tumor. All of a sudden, he, and his father saw smoke billowing out of the building next to them. They thought nothing of it. Cyle’s father received a call from Cyle’s mother, asking if he had to go into work. Cyle’s father replied, “No. I’ve got the day off. Why would I have to go into work?”

“Turn to the television,” she said.

As he did, they saw a plane smash into the side of a building. September 11th, 2001 is a day that would change America forever. September 12th, 2001 would be a day that would change Cyle forever. On September 12th, as Cyle was lying in ICU, suddenly, he shot up, his eyes were bulging. His mouth was as if it was trying to scream something, but nothing was coming out. Then, as abruptly as he shot up, he fell back to the bed as if lifeless.

He’d suffered not one, but two stroke leaving him completely paralyzed from the face down on the right side of his body. Not only months of rehabilitation would follow, but years of depression. However, that all changed one night when Cyle, and his then eight year old brother were sitting in their parent’s basement. They were talking about life- not something most eight year olds can carry on a conversation about.

“[My brother] was not your typical eight year old,” explains Cyle.

As they were sitting there, Cyle said to his brother, “I’m really mad that I can’t play guitar anymore, and I’m really mad that I’ll never amount to anything.”

Then, Cyle asked him, “What should I do?”

Proving that he was wise beyond his years, his brother looked him in the eye, and said something Cyle would never forget. He simply said, “Don’t focus on the past. Don’t look to the future, live for today.”