Valley of Bones: a Greetings and honor to you. how are you this evening?
Xavier Acorea: Hello!Well honor right back Mr. bonez. Fine, fine...weatherz nice, i got my coffee and whipped cream and will be awake ALL NITE!!!!!! Nothing like cold coffee and hot pizza ya know.

VOB: hmm.. is it a goth thing to whip your cream? or something you've done since birth?
XA: Hmm...iz it goth?...i wouldnt know...im not goth...i'm inbred.

VOB: Inbred with what?
XA: Something scary, something sweet, something sexy, and something else.

VOB: let us delve into the dark secrets of Xavier Acorea. You are a musician right?*blinks
XA: That iz a good question.LOL

VOB: shall we make you a hostile witness?
XA: Yes i am a musician. But i am also very much just an all around creative person. I am of the creative artists...not so much about performance az most 2day.

VOB: Very Interesting, lets go with the musical part right now. first, what role do you play in the music realm?
XA: Well, az of right now, i am a very independent writer/producer of my own work, building block by block, a reality out of the empire in my head. I write, record, produced and distribute all of my music myself, hoping 2 reach a darker audience who haz reached out 2 me, with music they might otherwize never have a chance 2 even imagine existed. I do this all, not 4 me, but becauze there iz a calling 4 it, and i have found that i can do it ...and 4 that reazon i think i waz put here 2 do exactly what i have been with all of my work thus far.

VOB: so it's a dark style that really can't be placed inside of a box?
XA: Thats pretty much the way i see it. A box haz barrierz, hopefully my music will have no barrierz and will be able 2 reach outside of the usual obstaclez of time and be around 4 alot longer than i could ever imagine with it kind of resting in a genre all its own.

VOB: Rawk on. As for producing, how long have you be doing this? do you have any training or are you self taught?
XA: I have been producing my own music 4 about a year, though ive been writing 4 several yearz now. Its taken me a long time 2 get the courage up enuff 2 make "the leap" and dedicate myself 2 something that haz, and probably at timez in the future will, leave me a bit on the hungry side. I have a very slight amount of field training in engineering that i gained through working closely with an old acquaintance of mine who also wrote music with me a long time ago. I have a very basic knowledge of how production worx and have 2 handle the rest pretty much by instinct.

VOB: A very punkish attitude, i would observe, with the Do It Yourself format. What kind of instruments do you use to make the music? Equipment to record and mix... etc. being a solo artist, do you play all instruments?
XA: Yes it iz a very DO it yourself format and i think more musicianz should lean towardz that direction with all the problemz and chaos in the music industry right now. The only way 2 win that war iz not 2 fight it. I have been known 2 call a bassist or a guitarist in 2 fill in on tracks, especially with the last CD, but pretty much everything else iz performed by me. I do have a little knowledge on playing most of the instruments u find on the cd'z but mostly its performed on a Yamaha S30 connected via midi 2 my computer 4 writing and recording.

VOB: do you use computer programs for mixing or music generating?
XA: 4 generating, no. 4 mixing yes. I use Cakewalk Homestudio and sometimez Protoolz 4 mixing, tracking and editing. All of the music iz recorded az its played....i dont use the software 2 generate loops and such so it doeznt loze that "human" quality 2 it. In fact if u listen 2 the last cd closely, u can hear slightly out of time notes in the bass and guitar. I left it that way, kind of like a painter might leave flawz in hiz own work so that people wouldnt mistake hiz work 4 a photograph.

VOB: What do you think of artists that use looping software? not what you think of them personally.. but.. of the concept
XA: I think that they are what u might call "collage" musicianz. What they do iz patch 2gether a collage of soundz. Would u call a quilt maker an artist? or the one who made the original designz on the fabrics uzed?

VOB: Interesting.. never thought of it like that. so rather than artists, they are more craft workers in your eyes?
XA: There are thoze artist i do know however that do use looping software in order 2 cut down on production time...which with the speed of the industry 2day..i do not have any qualmz with

XA: yes craft workerz iz a better term than artist i believe. kind of like a modern metal sculptor

VOB: The revolution is among us.How long have you been making music? have you always been a solo artist? What other projects/bands were you involved with?
XA: I have been making music since i waz 10, only after taking piano lessonz 4 a year and a half and getting fed up with it. I started creating music with my friendz and had been involved with 2 bandz 4 long periodz of time which though we were very dedicated, never went anywhere. After that i found myself contributing 2 playing in live situationz 4 country artist and other bandz. And finally i had bought a home about 6 yearz ago which i had spent 5 of thoze yearz locked inside rather reclusive, starting 2 build the foundation of what i am doing now. Just last march i had moved here 2 florida from NC after quitting my job 2 purposefully delve in2 my music more than ever be4, come hell or high water.

VOB: Your two bands, what style were they? Were you always a dark child?
XA: The first, "Crucifix" waz a mere hair band, with a line up of songz like "Dirty Girls" and "Metal Heaven". The 2nd waz a much more mature band, a much more educated and theory based band called "Realm". Az Realm developed we naturally shot 4 a style very similar 2 Dream Theater even long be4 discovering who they were. I myself in my own music at the time waz very much shooting 4 a quality of sound very similar 2 that of Metallica's "S&M" project, though this waz a few yearz be4 that CD ever even hit the market.

XA: Waz i alwayz a dark Child? Very much so. I lived in the attic of my parents first home....and yes by choice. I waz alwayz very reclusive az a child and still carry some of thoze qualitiez 2day; i call them qualitiez becuz i have found people like myself who dont necessarily depend on human affection 24-7 are very much a rarity and usually carry a high fondness 4 deeper matterz in life than marriage and living up 2 otherz expectationz

VOB: What are your expectations? as an artist in all forms of the word
XA: My expectationz of the future 4 myself?

XA: At this point i think its really hard 2 know or 2 say what 2 expect. I think its going 2 take alot more work and promotion and backing 2 turn the tablez on the industry enuff 2 get alot of what i have planned 4 the future off the ground, and az well its going 2 take some help from a person or people with alot of imagination in marketing. I think we're facing a pretty new puzzle here with what i'm looking 2 do and we're facing it in a very puzzling time with the industry being such a whirl wind of a turnstyle, signing and dropping artists like Macdonaldz employeez.

VOB: How are you promoting yourself? how should other indie bands/artists promote themselves?
XA: I am promoting myself, through myspace mainly and through my website. The internet haz proven 2 be probably the most efficient marketing tool we could ever ask 4. I am also, when possible, hitting the streets with my CD'z and spreading the music on foot directly out of my hand in2 the handz of potential new listenerz. Whenever possible i try 2 do something a little extra 2 make sure not only the listening of the CD iz cherished, but az well, the moment that the music package waz recieved. If u can make a spark when u turn a CD over 2 a new listener, U'll create a fire that will last longer than a lifetime, and yes it will pay off in this lifetime 2, becuz that listener will surely tell all of their friendz.

VOB: How many releases do you have?
XA: I have 3 actually "known" releasez, but have probably a few hundred copiez of various "demo" type singlez floating around that i have spread just 4 the sake of getting the word out.

VOB: How can we get hold of the 3?
XA: If u vizit XAVIERACOREA.COM, u can find all 3 of the cd'z from this past yearz work. The first, "the Elsewhere" iz a fun pop synth CD with a definite air of sexual mysticizm and romance. The 2nd release "Euphonic Arcanum" Iz a bit more personal and darker with a great deal of intricate piano and stringz. The 3rd, "Garden of ruin" Iz more guitar based and dealz not only with real life personal matterz but handlez it in a very heroically new and dark way. I have found that all 3 CD'z are selling 2gether now, not because of them possibly being collectors itemz az i have tried 2 promote them , but becuz i never realized how open 2 new thingz my audience could be, so in searching 4 a sound that i have wanted 2 stick with, ive ended up pleazing the same audience 3 timez over accidentally. Oops.

VOB: Hahaha. so you don't neccessarily write lyrics about one common theme through all your music?
XA: Oh no not at all...i dont concentrate heavily on the lyrics except 2 try 2 decipher them az they come 2 me az syllablez in my head with the music. Ive alwayz felt i've just naturally been handicapped in the lyric department, but i feel like someone or something iz helping out or at least clueing me in...i never know what a song iz going 2 be about when i start writing the music...the lyrics just flow naturally az im playing. Luckily when its all said and done somehow they form some sort of a theme or mood and its even been said 2 very deeply reach in2 people with some of the wordz that have come with the music.

VOB: How do you feel about other performers/artists expressing thier views/beliefs, religious or political etc., in their music?
XA: I think emotionz no matter what they are about should be expressed thru music, az long az its not done with malicious intent. Thats why we have music... its a secondary form of communication between all of us. So even though some of us might not know exactly how 2 express ourselves directly 2 a certain political leader or said group, music can be a very useful tool in reaching the onez we cant communicate the best with linguistically.

"I do this all, not 4 me, but becauze there iz a calling 4 it, and i have found that i can do it... and 4 that reazon i think i waz put here 2 do exactly what i have been with all of my work thus far."

VOB: Have you ever produced another artist's project? Would you be willing? Deathrock bands from michigan?
XA: Though i have never produced another groups full CD project i have produced a few artists singlez all from varying genrez. And yes az well, i will be looking very VERY 4ward 2 future opportunitiez 2 produce other bandz full projects az well az hopefully co-managing and promoting future artists if at all possible. If deathrock bandz come 2 me with something they want 2 do, and can pinpoint what they all believe in 2gether az a group, i would very much take on the task.

VOB: Do you play live shows?
XA: Az of right now, no i am not able 2 play out live. I have had several contacts interested in gettign a "solo" show going 4 me, but its never panned out simply becauze its a bit of a leap financially 2 be able 2 do what would need 2 be done with the show asthetically. But i do look 4ward 2 meeting new musicianz everyday 2 help pull 2gether enuff of a live show in the very near future. I realize that i'm going 2 have 2 cut some cornerz in the live realm but i think i have also proven a few timez in the past year that NOTHING iz impossible.

VOB: You have a very good attitude for self promotion/achievement. So once this live show problem gets solved, can we expect Xavier Acorea touring and coming to a venue near us?
XA: Thanx, Luke. And if the live angle worx out (which i will never give up on) I already have a plan of attack 4 certain key citiez around the states, some of which have already expressed much welcome from several venuez around them. If i had a dollar 4 everytime a person asked me if or when i waz going 2 start performing i'd be a rich man. If i had one dedicated musician 2 play 4 me 4 every venue that haz invited me 2 come play, i'd have a band put 2gether with a full orchestra by now.....and then i would be a modestly middle classed and HAPPY man.

VOB: *nods*. I think i could talk to you forever about what you do and where you're going. but i believe it is time to wrap things up and wind things down. Do you have any parting words for the listeners and readers?
XA: Thanx. Theze have all been very good and challenging questionz, luke. I look forward 2 sending ALOT of people 2 read this since u have made it very interesting even 2 me. Parting wordz 4 the listenerz and readerz....hmm, well lets let this be the landmark 4 some newz that im sure will be greatly appreciated by the current fanz and listenerz az well az the future onez. Xavier Acorea - "Purityz Neglect" - Available only thru xavieracorea.com August 2005.