Artist description Rock

Music Style AAA/Rock

Musical Influences Springsteen, Dylan

Similar Artists Counting Crows, Wallflowers, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Live, Ryan Adams, Jackopierce, Edwin McCain, Better Than Ezra, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne

Artist History With the success of their independent release Nowhere Near Here, Alex Woodard and his band (members of the Posies, Fountains of Wayne, and Gigolo Aunts, among others) spent most of 2001 on the road playing gigs and making new friends. They've returned to Southern California from the Pacific Northwest with their sophomore release, Saturn Returns. Growing up in Southern California, Alex's first passion was, and still is, surfing. When not in the water, he spent much of his childhood performing in television shows, commercials and movies, like Skippy peanut butter and the Love Boat. If you ever saw a Love Boat episode with Charo, you probably saw Alex. Music was always a love, and he spent countless hours playing the piano with his favorite songs on the radio. However, this love did not translate to formal lessons, which were limited to a couple of months when he was 8. His greatest musical education was on Sunday mornings, when the piano was his and the radio was on. He went to UCLA to study a field not at all related to songwriting, picked up guitar in his free time, and soon started writing songs. After graduation he moved to Boston, where he found a job in the financial district by day and spent nights writing in his one-room studio that looked out on Landsdowne Street. One of the favorites off Nowhere Near Here is a song called "Welcome to L.A.", which chronicles his time looking down on that street after a late night wandering around Kenmore Square. After a year in the financial market grind, Alex realized that his heart was in two places: music and out West. The Seattle scene had just exploded, so Alex moved to the Northwest and got a temp job working at Progressive Networks (later to become behemoth RealNetworks), where he met local scene veteran Tony Taylor. The band was born with their first show at the University Sports Bar in Seattle, and on his birthday six months later Alex walked away from his day job. His first studio effort, produced in late 1996 and released in early 1997, garnered a local buzz with the self-titled EP receiving airplay on KMTT, KISW, and KEXP’s the Live Room. The 1998 follow-up EP Horse to Water gained airplay on KISW and KNDD, broadened Alex’s fan base, and took the band on the road for a well-received west coast tour. By the summer of 1999 Alex was looking to develop a new sound, and began playing a series of solo shows. It was at one of these shows, at Seattle’s venerable Tractor Tavern, where he was approached by producer Martin Feveyear, whose credits include Mark Lanegan’s critically acclaimed I’ll Take Care of You and Loaded from Duff McKagan (Guns 'n Roses). In assembling a new band to help him carry out his vision, Alex enlisted the help of Joe Bass (Posies, Sky Cries Mary, Sunny Day Real Estate) and Posies, Fountains of Wayne, and Ivy drummer Brian Young. The guitar slots were filled by Phil Hurley (Gigolo Aunts, Tracy Bonham) and Abel Ames, who played on Alex’s first two EPs. With Feveyear heading the project, the tracks soon took shape, and Nowhere Near Here began to exceed even Alex’s ambitious expectations. Released on his own label, Nowhere Near Here gained airplay on over 60 stations nationally. He hit #2 on the New Music chart at San Diego's infamous 91x and #78 on the commercial AAA charts, the only independent artist to do so. The record showed up in indie films, Abercrombie and Fitch soundtracks, and many restaurant and retail establishments, from Vegas casinos to Home Depot. He signed deals with AEI and MTV, performed at SXSW 2001 as a result of strong sales in Austin, TX, and toured most of the year. A highlight was seeing Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz in the front row at one of his L.A. shows, beer in hand, nodding his head in what seemed to be approval. Alex appeared at SXSW again in 2002, and then returned to Seattle to record the second full-length release with his band. Saturn Returns is set for release in August 2002. Alex and the band now live in Southern California, where they play shows together and with great bands like Fountains of Wayne, Gigolo Aunts, and Ivy.

Group Members joe bassbrian youngphil hurleyabel amesalex woodard

Instruments bass, drums, guitars, piano, vocals

Albums Nowhere Near Here, Saturn Returns

Press Reviews "Woodard is back with his band of Seattle pop castaways. The songs are as thoughtful and full of grace as can be imagined. I'm still at a loss to figure out how it is Woodard is still releasing these songs on his own." -Aiding and Abetting, October 2002 “Saturn Returns is overflowing with catchy, radio-worthy pop. Although singer/songwriter Alex Woodard gets some outstanding production help from a veteran studio band, these tunes wouldn't reach out and grab you without Woodard's driving talent. The song flow is seamless - from the Adam Schmitt-ish "Every Road" to "December 14," which features a string arrangement right out of vintage Harry Chapin. The combination of Woodard's husky voice and plenty of rocking guitars make this one interstellar album.” -Amplifier Magazine, October 2002 “The gruff-voiced singer/songwriter’s truest gift is his storytelling. He’s an intense guitarist who is also well-versed on acoustic piano and B-3 (used mostly for harmony lines). "Billie Holiday"’s icon-filled lyrics might have you expecting jazz, but it's a tough rocker all the way. "Levitate" is a gritty prayer for a friend's deliverance, while "Slow" paints stark images of New Orleans over a brooding groove that explodes at the chorus. Those opening tracks have the listener expecting a total guitar album, but the introspective "Rise" (a song filled with hope amidst despair) is a showcase for Woodard’s piano skills. "Drive Me Down" blends the lightheartedness of his acoustic piano with brimming B-3 riffs and a power guitar-driven anthemic hook. "Welcome to L.A." is a haunting waltz-like tribute to the big city reminiscent of Marc Cohn’s best work. Overall, very strong, unpretentious rock with diverse elements that keep it hopping as it seduces you. Similar albums include The Beatles, Blues Traveler, Crowded House and Dave Matthews.” -John Widran, allmusic.com "the best songwriting I've heard from a new artist this year... a reaction record” -Matt Cooper, WVOD, North Carolina “At a time when sensation is celebrated over substance, Alex Woodard is a modern rock poet poised to go cross-genre... his voice is a surreal blend of Arlo Guthrie and Eddie Vedder. Subtle influences imbue his songs with distinct personalities, and he could easily turn these songs into adult alternative radio hits. Highly recommended for fans of Five for Fighting, Dave Matthews, and Live.” -Rockpile, December 2001 “Alex Woodard is in the mold of Dave Matthews and David Gray, with a band featuring members of the Posies, Sunny Day Real Estate, Fountains of Wayne, and Gigolo Aunts, and has already generated radio play nationwide.” -Austin Daily Chronicle, SXSW PICK, March 17, 2001 “This was clearly the highlight of the evening and one of most interesting “discoveries” all week. From the opening chords of the outstanding song “Slow”, Alex had my full attention. I was reminded of Live in their Throwing Copper days. Radio-compatible, and I mean that in the best possible way; very strong songs and a great band. The 40 minutes passed by too quickly, but the good news is that his debut Nowhere Near Here captures the energy of the show very well. Highly recommended” -SXSW Turn it Up Review 2002 "Seattle's Alex Woodard is currently making waves west of the Mississippi with a stirring batch of rootsy modern-rock story songs that have rightfully found a home on a number of commercial radio playlists. With his deep, soulful vocal style, he pulls off uptempo numbers just as effortlessly as his more tender tales of lost love and isolation... his music has the ability to connect with listeners, and may actually mean something to them years from now. There is no reason that Woodard, who is currently 100 percent indie, couldn't soon build a sizable following on both sides of the Mississippi." -Music Connection Live Review at the Mint, Hollywood, Fall 2001 “the songs, all written by Woodard, are intelligent, with thoughtful lyrics, beautiful backing vocals, and melodies and guitar hooks that target your heart and make your breath catch. Make no mistake: this is rock music. But it’s the best kind, an example of why the music continues to remain a vital form that offers such a wide spectrum of delivery of expression and accessibility. Shipments of Nowhere Near Here at Waterloo Records have sold out three times. With good reason.” -Laredo Times, April 12, 2001 “His voice is a cross between Eddie Vedder and Tom Petty, and his songs are very radio friendly. Woodard’s voice is soulful, his lyrics are poignant, and the band is top-notch. Nowhere Near Here is a marvelous CD from an up and coming artist with a bright future.” -Best New CDs, Suite101, May 31, 2001 “moves between a Springsteen slice of life and a road weary take on the journey through, his quieter moments moving like a midnight highway.” -Ink19, November 2001

Location Manhattan Beach, CA - USA

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