I'd rather Not Talk About It has been streaming for a few weeks now. I wanted to share a few interesting tidbits about my process and inspiration while writing this song. If you haven't heard it yet you can listen on my website or add it to a playlist on your favourite streaming service. 

My lyric writing process is not very linear. I will often jot down ideas as I go about my day and piece them together when I've got a new piece of music. This song was originally written in the summer of 2019 when I was spending a lot of evenings exploring Calgary and meeting new people. I cam across a particular phrase that stuck out to me and anchors this song. "Some nights we push too far. . . rubbing bar stamps off our arms". I used this line as a jumping off point to tell a story that explores the explosive nature of attraction (especially at the outset of a relationship), and how this intense emotion interplays with obsession. 

My working title for the song was "Make You Mine". I decided to go with the tongue-in-cheek "I'd Rather Not Talk About It". I like the mystery and intrigue in this title. It has been funny trying to talk to people about the new song. They are very confused when I say "I'd rather not talk about it", and often take that to mean I want to change the conversation.

My earliest demo of the song was slower, with an entirely finger-picked guitar line. We went in a different direction on the final production, but there was a broodiness to the original demos that I liked. Ultimately I think the intensity of the recorded version suits the song, but I will get an acoustic version posted soon so you can get a feel for those original thoughts. 

Thanks for listening and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Oh-oh-WOAH-oh-oh! I'm excited to announce the release of my brand new track “I'd Rather Not Talk About It”. 

This one is a true toe tapper that found its voice in Calgary's dive bars. I've been playing this song out at shows for a few years, but when I met producer Joel Pearson I knew this was one he had to get his hands on. Definitely a more aggressive sound than my last record, and I love it!

I'm also very happy that I was able to get pieces of the old band back together for the recording process. My good friends Tony Harrison and Rob Burgis joined me at Bucket Brigade Studio to hash this one out back in the fall of 2022. With Tony on guitar and Rob on drums we captured some perfectly executed jangly bits and tippy-taps. 

Give the record a spin and stay tuned for more behind the scenes info.

This was a good week. Started with a decisive victory by my ball hockey team. I scored a neat goal on a cross-court tip-in to seal the win. 

Thursday marked the return of songwriter night at Gravity after a 5-month COVID hiatus. I was a little nervous to brush off the cobwebs. In the brief period we were back hosting events (somewhere between wave 3 and 5) I was having a really hard time finding guests to join me, so I'm happy to say we started back on a very very high note. I was joined on stage by Graham Ko and Max Mann. The night we pieced together was stellar, the songwriting was strong, and the audience was with us the entire night. It felt really good to be back.  

The good times kept rolling into the weekend when I had a chance to attend the East Town Get Down music festival. I spent Saturday evening on International Avenue trekking between sets and venues. I loved the different spaces where live music was happening. There's something intriguing to me about how a space shapes the music. It was certainly proved this weekend that you can totally push the chairs aside and have a show in a Vietnamese restaurant. 

I'm always reaffirmed that community is integral to happiness. Whether it's the hockey team playing hard for the win, a round of songwriters engrossing the audience, or a few hundred like-minded music fans excitedly scurrying form show to show, we are here together. I don't think there's anything more important. As an incredibly shy and unassuming person there were moments this week I felt on the outside of what was going on. More of an observer than a participant. I'm going to try and work on that. Regardless I'm excited about the depth of Calgary's music scene and everything here I've got left to explore.  

Rocket 

Ps. Let's go Oilers!

I'm excited to be hosting a writer's night at local hangout Gravity Cafe. This will be the first show in a monthly series of where I have the privilege of welcoming local songwriters to the stage. They will have the opportunity to share a few songs and the stories that go with them. 

This month I am joined by Andrew Douglas and Greg Rider. Really stoked to hear what they have put together. 

My goal is to seek out artists who haven't necessarily had many opportunities to play the local scene and showcase the vast amount of unknown talent we have in YYC. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, or at an upcoming songwriter night! Check the Shows page for more info!

I started my first band in the 7th grade and our first practice was ridiculous. We didn't own any instruments . . . 🤷‍♂️  We were 3 awkward preteens sitting in a living room, dreaming about making music. Looking back on it now first steps are first steps and I'm glad I showed up.   

I've found it challenging to stay creative 14 months into the pandemic. I was busy with the album as the pandemic struck. I remember being optimistic at that time. My understanding was we'd be down and out for a few short weeks, kick COVID to the curb and be back playing shows. Lololololololo. . . 

I spent the first few months of lockdown making hokey lyric videos for my tunes. It was fun and kept me occupied. I recommend checking out the video for Nothing Less. As the summer stretched on and COVID remained, it became increasingly difficult to stay motivated. I've felt a few creative surges here and there, but nothing sustained. 

Things are looking up though. Got my first vaccine and it sounds like we are getting ready to ramp things up in the live music sector! Time to get back with it. See you on the stage!

According to Wikipedia "Liner notes were an occasion for thoughtful signed essays on the artist by another party, often a sympathetic music journalist". I can't promise that I'll take on a second personality, deliver thoughtful essays, or try my hand at music journalism, but I will endeavour to "pull back the curtain" to provide my views on artistry and creativity. 

My name is Rocket Alexander. I am a musician/doodler/sci-fi enthusiast and all around creative person. I've spent the better part of 32 years writing songs, playing gigs, and day dreaming about my next creative project. I'm not purporting to be any kind of authority on music making, artwork, or creative living. I am just a lonely artists trying to navigate the COVID pandemic with the hopes of finding a community of creative loving people.  

My absolute favourite part of being a musician has been live performance. Give me a dimly lit stage in a grimy basement bar and I'm one happy astronaut. It's been almost a year since live music had to take an abrupt and indefinite hiatus. The adjustment has been difficult, and left me feeling disconnected from my creative comrades.   

In an attempt to re-establish myself as a creator I'm offering the community my own insight into living a creative life. Let's have a conversation about creativity and community! I want to share my experiences, swap stories, and get back in the scene. Silent no more.

I really do like drawing things. Here is a quick self-portrait: