Sun Songs

Some 25 years into his career as a recording artist, ART ALEXAKIS— best-known as the singer-guitarist and sole songwriter behind the iconic alt-rock outfit EVERCLEAR—has started a new chapter in his remarkably prolific career, now as a solo artist. Writing songs and performing all instruments on his own, Alexakis recently began working on compositions that will comprise his first-ever solo album, which he intends to unveil in 2019 via The End Records/BMG. A key driver for Alexakis’ solo initiative has been the work/rehearsal/recording space he recently constructed near his home in Southern California. The singer-guitarist—who’s also a husband and father— enjoys an inspiring work-life balance that allows him to conveniently create whenever he likes, quickly shifting back and forth between the studio and home. He uses his studio HQ—which is also Everclear’s rehearsal space—to frequently collaborate with co-producer/engineer Stuart Schenk (Invisible Stars), who is helping Alexakis develop his still-forming solo material. For several years Alexakis has been performing solo shows, dubbed “Songs and Stories,” where the singer-songwriter plays stripped-down acoustic versions of past favorites, while also offering the audiences tales and anecdotes pertaining to those compositions. He says he hopes to showcase new solo material at upcoming acoustic shows, but future live solo performances may expand upon that concept, with backing musicians potentially helping Alexakis recreate the diverse sounds he’s now exploring as a solo artist. Creating outside of the Everclear realm also gives Alexakis the chance to explore styles and sounds that don’t necessarily work for his band. His solo work will continue to push the boundaries of what you can expect from an Art Alexakis composition, as no direction or source of inspiration is really off the table. He cites everything from the Hamilton soundtrack to the great acoustic singer-songwriters as influences for his own writing.