Perry Montauredes has done it again – and this time he’s educating us about saving our planet. Perry is a Grammy Nominated vocalist / producer, with decades of experience as a professional singer and teacher.
Having been in many bands over the years including the The Rebekka Frame, Perry recently started the Tide of Time Band which will be recording songs about heavy issues such as environment.
Thin Ice is the first in this new collection of songs, co-written by middle schooler Jayden Ming Yap who is one of Perry’s students.
(Pssst… Perry is offering 20% off your first vocal lesson during the Stay at Home directive. Details HERE.)
Putting together a song and video is not easy. Perry talked with NJ Stage about the process.
What made you want to put out a song and video about climate change?
I personally believe that we are headed down a disastrous path and that we need to drastically change the way we live on our planet. I saw Greta Thunberg, speaking out about climate change. She has inspired so many people to stand up and be heard. School students from around the world are participating in “Fridays for Future”, boycotting school on Fridays to show how they feel about climate change. She is the voice of a global movement. But there are those who oppose her, who hate her for speaking out, and she has received many death threats. Through my music I wanted to ad my voice of support, and that is why I dedicated the song “Thin Ice” to her. Thin Ice is the first song so far on my YouTube channel, which is called “Tide of Time Band”.
What inspiration did you draw from when deciding on the topic?
Once I started writing the song I saw inspiration coming at me from everywhere. There were news stories about the fires in California and Australia, flooding in so many parts of the world, rising ocean temperatures that have changed the eco system of the sea. I couldn’t escape it.
How long did the process take from inception to completion?
It took three months from start to finish. I remember sitting at the piano when the opening melody came to me; the piano figure that you hear in the beginning of the song. It felt ominous, hypnotic, and I liked it immediately. I recorded the first track of piano, and overdubbed my voice, singing, “rains fall tides rise”. I added some orchestral samples and percussion during that 1st week and then played it for my voice student, Jayden Yap. We listened to the music and it was dark, very dark. But we also talked about bringing hope to such a dire subject. With that in mind, during the next few weeks I wrote music and lyrics for the verses and chorus, and tracked my vocals. I asked Jayden to come up with an answer vocal that weaved in and around the spaces of my singing, and he did a wonderful job. From there I had several other students add their voices to the rains fall section. At this point we were almost finished, but I wanted my students from “The Green Planet Band”, Kylee, Tyler and Anna, to sing in the last section. They added just the right climactic energy. The song wound up being recorded on forty-one separate tracks. After it was mixed I sent the song to Paul Wickliffe, a brilliant mastering engineer, and he added his magic touch.
I was on a huge learning curve when it came to working on the video. I had some video ideas for the song that kept evolving during the process of recording the music, and was trying to find my way around the video-editing program called, Final Cut Pro. Working with video is new for me, but I’m excited to have a new creative outlet.
Will you be performing the song live at any related events?
As for performing, I have no immediate plans, but I wouldn’t rule it out if the right opportunity arises. Meanwhile, I’d like to concentrate on doing more writing, recording, and videos.
Tell us about the writing process and how you involved your co-writer Jayden Yap.
I think of writing music as if I’m going into a dark cave, unable to see. I feel my way, maybe finding one sound or note to latch onto, and hopefully it will lead me to the next and the next. The structure and the arrangement of the other parts and instruments come later and are more on a conscious level.
Jayden came to me for voice lessons, and after a few weeks when we couldn’t decide on a song for him to sing I suggested that we write one together. The first song went so well that we wrote another. So I was happy for his input on Thin Ice, which is our third.
Is Thin Ice a part of a project you're working on or a stand-alone?
It’s part of a bigger project. The idea behind it is to put out music that feels positive, hopeful, and kind. There is so much anger in the world. We are adamantly for this side or against another. I just want to keep good energy flowing through the music I do, and at the same time, give my students a chance to sing in a professional setting so they can learn what they are capable of doing in the recording studio.
Tell us about your Grammy nomination.
The Incredible Dollface is a band I worked with since the early 90’s. We did a lot of recording together. In 2003, Scotty Deluca, the band’s founder, writer, and lead vocalist, asked me to work on an album entitled, “Please God Protect Me from Your Followers”. It was nominated for “Best Independent Release”.
You're a vocal coach based in NJ. Where can people find out more information?
Yes, I teach at my studio in South Bound Brook, NJ. My website is: www.perrymontauredes.com, and I also have a Google page, Perry Montauredes – Voice Lessons. 20% OFF 1st Lesson
With everything going on with the Coronavirus, places are closing and isolations are taking place. We are all trying to do what we can to stay safe, protect each other, and survive. I am a voice and music teacher, and I teach from my home. For the safety of my family and students I will only be teaching via SKYPE and Facebook Messenger video chat. If you are feeling a need to do something to break the boredom, or want to learn something new, or are a member of a choir and just want to keep your voice in shape, I am offering new students a 20% discount on your 1st lesson. I can teach one on one lessons, or you can try it as a family. I teach singing, guitar and piano. Music is a soothing force, and a source of refuge in these troubling times. We are all in this together. Let us continue to be helpful and kind to each other.
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