“International, rock, theatric”. These are three words that Alex York used to describe himself and I can’t think of any description more accurate than this. Musician Alex York, takes a unique approach to his music, and it’s clear how his life in the Big Apple has influenced this.
“I take pride in the aspect of pastiche and collage in my music, in my production, and New York, as you know, is known as the melting pot so it’s a place where all different sorts of ideas and aesthetics and people and cultures congress and I think that that sort of culture encouraged me to translate that sort of collage quality into my music. So, for example, I’ll use 808 hip hop beats with glam-rock guitar and basically anything goes.”
One would wonder how a song could be a collage of many different styles, but they need only listen to tracks by Alex York like "Tokyo Heartbreak" or "Salvation" which get your body swaying with their smooth electronic rock sound.
The collaged characteristics of Alex York’s music also come alive in his very lively performances. “I draw a lot of inspiration from David Bowie, the theatrical aspect of his performances and the visual aspect of his performances…I draw a lot from
If you attend one live Alex York performance, you will see exactly the sort of theatric show that he wants you to see. He does an excellent job of taking his influences, especially Japanese, and making them apparent in his shows.
In some of his performances, the band members behind him often wear masks, which add to the theatric mood. “I always try to bring a theatrical aspect to the performance so that it’s not just kind of like a guy playing the guitar or just standing on stage. I feel like it is my duty to give the audience an experience that elevates them and lets them escape from reality.”
Alex York has an incredible connection with his fans that you rarely find anywhere else. He goes beyond giving the audience a show they’ll never forget.
At one performance the sound completely cut out, yet he still gave the audience a show. “I decided… it’s my duty to put on a good show so I pulled up some kids on stage, they kinda went nuts dancing to the music, and I just sort of tried to engage people with eye contact, whatever sort of performance I could do minus the vocals on stage”
His dedication to his fans and his art is very admirable, especially when he applies this to the rest of the world. Because he loves
If you couldn’t see his theatric and kind hearted soul through his music, you would certainly find it in any conversation you have with Alex York.
He is most definitely a star on the rise and someone to watch as he flies past the more superficial artists of today’s music.
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