The Stage - Tomorrow's Music. Today.

Bret Alexander ,
by Melissa Evanko

Songwriter, guitarist, music producer, and solo-artist are just a few of the terms used to describe Bret Alexander. He is very much an artist living every musicians dream; to have their career be what they love; making music. Alexander shares his thoughts about scoring the film Everything's Jake, a novel approach to music, and what you'll find in his backyard.

The song that Alexander performed on The Stage was " I Want to Win In This World, which is on the independent film soundtrack for Everything's Jake. The film stars Ernie Hudson (of Ghostbusters fame) as a homeless man on the streets of New York City. The film will be released on DVD in the fall. Alexander explains the song "exactly as the title implies, how do you succeed in the world and be a decent person."

Everything's Jake marks the first time Alexander has scored a film. The process entailed Alexander watching the movie, composing along with some of the scenes. Also, he worked on material based on ideas from the movie. Trying to find the "feeling within the scene and enhance that'. The soundtrack will be released on S.A.M. Records. If Alexander could re-score any film, this Billy Bob Thornton fan would choose Sling Blade.

This format of film composition suits Alexander well. With a band you are "kind of regulated to one style and have an audience who expect certain things." With a film you are "serving a movie, you are not in it," as with a band.

When it comes to his music Alexander compares it to a good book. 'When you read a good book and go back to it years later you find whole pieces that you missed." Alexander hopes his songs have "enough layers that people can look at it from different angles and draw their own conclusions. '

The prolific songwriter Alexander, compares his craft to that of an artist. "Talk to a painter, he gets up in the morning and paints." Alexander gets up every morning and writes. Basically, "activity happens and you never can tell where an inspiration will come from. The best songs tend to write themselves."

Gentleman East is the first solo CD from Alexander that will be released in March. Alexander, being the principal songsmith for the Badless had a lot of material that didn't fit the band and was just 'sitting in a box."

The recording studio Saturation Acres, located in Danville PA, is run by Alexander and fellow bandmate Paul Smith, They also helm the independent music label S.A.M. Records. The studio, formed in 1999, was a result of dissatisfaction from the Badlees record label. Basically it "became impractical not to have our own space." Alexander enjoys "passing on all that they've learned to other artists." Seeing the recording studio atmosphere and all the different genres as a "neat crossing of streams."

If you wander around to the backyard of the Alexander house you'll meet Lila, the family's pet goat. Alexander gives a laugh, as he waxes poetics about this little lady, claiming goats are very affectionate. Alexander sums up his day as 'I get up feed the goat and the wild turkeys in the yard and go record rock."