From our friends at MuzicNotez.com comes John Haesemeyer “Love, Why So Far Away:”
San Francisco-based Americana artist, Haesemeyer, released a new music video this week – a collaboration with the San Francisco hip hop community.
Haesemeyer wrote the song in response to the political stagnation in Washington, DC. The song’s title and repeated chorus — “Love, why so far away?” — is a response to the animosity, spin, and political gamesmanship occurring in Washington DC while “street level” social issues (e.g., poverty, addiction, gang warfare) remain neglected.
“I didn’t set out to write a rap song,” Haesemeyer explains, “but as my producer [Nahuel Bronzini] and I were shaping the song in pre-production, there was a moment where we both turned to each other, and said, “Holy smoke, this song needs a rapper!’”
Scared by the prospect of writing a song that was so far from his his normal genre (Americana, Folk), Haesemeyer worked hard to tap his local music network to find an accomplished rapper (JENDOR), and develop a rap line that completed the arc of the song. Haesemeyer recounts how the rap was written. “We just started free associating images of the problems that result from poverty, and JENDOR, as if by magic, locked them into a rap. It came together very fast, like it was meant to be – a really special collaboration for me as a songwriter.”
In making the video, Haesemeyer explains that he learned a lot about the breakdance scene in San Francisco. “I didn’t even know what a b-boy was until my director [Julian Bendana] and I started looking for dancers for the music video.” Haesemeyer was introduced to the dancers [Profo Won, Marty MacFleezy, Dopey Fresh] by Micaya, renowned SF dance instructor, choreographer, and organizer of the SF International Hip Hop DanceFest. “Everyone was very professional and open to the experiment of mixing musical genres,” Haesemeyer remarks.
What does Haesemeyer hope people take away from the video? “Ultimately, I hope when people see the video, they appreciate not only the great amazing performances but also pause to contemplate the real issues that surround them in the diverse communities in which they live.”
Haesemeyer (HAZE-mire) is an SF-based performing artist who fuses folk and pop genres, emphasizing intimate vocals, acoustic instruments, and the rhythm section of a rock band.
Sounds like: Ryan Adams, Neil Young, Mumford & Sons, Springsteen, Dan Wilson, The Blank Tapes. On January 13, Haesemeyer released his debut record (Come Along Quickly, Hyde Street Studios) and is currently performing in California, making music videos, and working on a new EP for release early 2014.