Reed Waddle $ 13th Street Special

By Brandi Ball
freshtracksmusic.com
Filed date 5/13/2005

Available for pre-order beginning May 13, Reed Waddle and 13th Street Special gear up for the June 13 release of the much-anticipated "This Paperback Town." Unlucky 13? Not quite. You'll feel nothing but sheer LUCK to have this in your hands before the rest of the world


'This Paperback Town' a must for the ears
By Brandi Ball

Releasing three albums in three years is not an easy feat – just ask any mainstream artist flooding today’s airwaves. But Reed Waddle, a 22 year old singer-songwriter from the channels of the Southeast, has managed to write and record a trifecta that would make some of the most seasoned music veterans salivate. Not only did he put all of his spare energy and money into the albums, he earned a college degree in the process. Oh, and he also had another job, too. Pretty impressive since fitting in a shower is usually too constraining on the time schedule of most college students. But for Reed, a built-in support system headed up by his father, Dave Waddle -- who dabbles in the production and management of his son --seemed to help keep everything in check.

“I know that without him I don’t know if I would have had the courage to be doing this right now,” Reed said. “He’s the one who pushed me to write and he really brought the drive out in me. He always said, ‘You have a gift and you should honor that gift.’

“I love that he did that, he kept on me so I wouldn’t waste the talent. You can’t help but appreciate that as an artist – or as a man, I guess you could say.”

Waddle will reveal to the world the new direction he is taking with his music, and his new band, 13th Street Special, on June 13th when “This Paperback Town” is released.

The lyrics and basics of the songwriting are more of the same genius that have made Reed Waddle fans drive out to dives across Florida to catch him live. The difference, Reed said, lies in the quality of production. With the first two albums, Reed would record when he had the time off from school – he was in classes almost five hours a day – and Dave would mix it.

“This album, the way we’ve done things has been the traditional way,” he said. “We did it at a studio in Destin (Fla.) this time and it was a step up in the right direction as far as the recording process goes. You can definitely tell that, too. It is obvious even to the naked ear. It isn’t just a step, I guess, it is more like a quantum leap for us.”

13th Street Special – composed of keyboardist Alfredo Lapuz Jr., percussionist Geoff Schifrin and bass player Iver Bayne Thue – got their unique moniker from the street Reed lived on while living and attending classes at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

“We started as just 'Reed Waddle,' but that was pretty boring and it didn’t reflect that we are a group, a band,” he said. “We have such a connection with (the name) because it hammers home that we are who we are and that we have roots.”

The debut of 13th Street Special in “This Paperback Town” helps to further define the strengths of Reed’s songwriting abilities. Because, as he puts it, a musician is only as good as the people he has surrounding him.

“I love the creative process, but with some songs, the musicianship from me doesn’t have to be all that great,” he said. “What I mean is, for a song to be great, people don’t have to 'get it,' they just have to feel it.

“With these guys playing with me, I don’t think a show goes by that someone doesn’t ‘feel’ it. They are some pretty talented guys to have backing you.”

Reed admits he is a bit of a perfectionist about writing his material. But, placing his mind and heart out there as a window for fans to peer into is just how he likes it, and he couldn’t imagine it any other way.

“Most of the songs I sing are based on real-life experiences. I take an idea or something that I feel, an initial reaction to something in my life, and I start from that feeling. Whether I get that inspiration from the mountains in Colorado or from a human relationship, I just harness that feeling and begin developing it into a song,” he said. “I am not one of those guys that can sit down and have a song in an hour. It is a long process that I like to nurture, you know, nurturing something tends to shape it into its best form.”

Reed is rightly proud of “This Paperback Town,” which oozes of an island vibe, and takes your mind to a sandy hut in the Gulf at dusk where the margarita pitchers are never less than full.

“With these guys, we have been playing with each other for about a year now and we have grown together and developed our own uniqueness. The whole makeup of the band is on a different level, we have new music, and it shows our place in the world at this moment,” Reed said.

With his father at his side, and his mother perched in a front-row cheerleader position, Reed notes that his family involvement, and the introduction of his workh - Fresh Tracks Music

REED WADDLE. At 22, Reed's voice and music is truly coming into its own space. Since featuring "I Saw Stars" almost two years ago, I have been following Reed's development. The raw talent is pretty much undeniable. The addition of his band "13th Street Special" and time in the woodshed are evident. With this latest batch of songs, Reed has the potential to take the next step. The production on the album is top notch (hats off to Dave Cox at MGI/Destin Recording). To me, the gems of the album include: "Song For The Summertime"; "All the Lovely People"; "The Way That You Do"; "Traveling Show." Click Tunewerkz above to listen. Contact Soundwerkz or www.reedwaddle.com for more info.

- soundwerkz.com