Music Q&A with David Rosales
Photo by David Tosti
Americana artist, David Rosales, recently released his single, “Turn It Around” and if you’re from L.A., the locations in the music video will look familiar! In this Q&A, David talked about the single, the driveway concert series he did last year, his nonprofit organization, the time he talked to Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, and more!
Congratulations on the release of your newest single, "Turn It Around"! The music video is awesome. How did you decide to film the video at the locations you filmed at?
Thanks, it was a fun one to make. I drew inspiration from that classic training montage in ROCKY, where you see him running through Philadelphia in the early morning hours. It gives a great little snapshot tour of the city and showcases a diversity in locations. I wanted to do the same with my hometown of Los Angeles. Having grown up here, each selected location, from downtown LA to Venice Beach, has a certain personal memory or meaning attached for me.
With music fans not being able to go to shows after tours were put on hold last year, you decided to start a driveway concert series in your neighborhood. You did that for three months. What did you take away from that experience?
It was a crazy time there for a bit. Yeah, after that first week we locked down here in California (3/20/20) I set up my PA and performed in the driveway for my neighborhood. I had just finished recording my album and was going a little stir crazy in the house. At the end of that first performance I said, “I’ll keep playing every Friday, until things open up and I go back on tour.” Little did I know I would end up playing every Friday for the next 3 months in my driveway. My neighbors loved it and it felt good to bring some great vibes to the neighborhood. People in other neighborhoods began to come by and check it out. They’d turn around and ask me to perform in their neighborhood. It was wild. I was touring neighborhoods. We called it “The DriveWay Hop”. Each neighborhood looked a little different, but the positive reaction was always the same. I realized that people really needed music. They needed an outlet and a release. It was a beautiful thing to be able to provide that for my community during a tough stretch.
During the concert series, you also raised awareness about your non-profit, BraveOnes Foundation, which you started in 2018. Since you started it, what have you experienced and learned that you wouldn't have otherwise?
I think the biggest thing I’ve learned in being a co-founder of our non-profit is that, without a doubt, people need people. We focus a lot of our energy on helping children in need and their families in our local community here in Orange County, CA. I believe that a child’s innocence and joy should be preserved as long as possible. They should have the opportunity to be a kid, no matter how tough a hand they are dealt.
When did you realize you wanted to create music?
Music has always been something I’ve gravitated towards since I was a little guy. I knew I wanted to be on-stage and play in a band ever since I saw Guns n’ Roses’ “Paradise City” music video on MTV when I was in elementary school. My older brother had a white Yamaha bass guitar and I’d sneak into his room after he’d leave for junior high and throw the strap on over my shoulder and pretend I was playing in that big stadium with the band. MTV and those videos had a huge impact on me very early on. My grandfather sent me a dusty nylon string guitar he bought while picking through a barn in North Dakota when I was 11. Once I put my fingers on the strings, I was off to the races.
What's the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
I was in an elevator at the old House of Blues in Anaheim with Joe Perry from Aerosmith once. A band I was in at the time was opening the show. We were on our way down to the stage and in walked Joe “fkn’” Perry! I couldn’t believe it and I was freakin’ out a bit on the inside. What was I going to ask him? So many questions I had. Should I play it cool and not say anything? He probably gets people asking him all kinds of crazy stuff all the time and doesn’t want to be bothered by the opener’s drabble. I decided I’d go or it. I introduced myself and ask him how tour was going. You know what he said? He said it was going well and we proceeded to chat for a bit about “normal” day-to-day tour life, the dangers of hitting deer while driving through the East Coast and Disneyland. He was totally cool and it blew my mind that he was so down to earth. Without giving me advice per se, Joe gave me one of the best pieces of advice in that elevator…be humble and treat the opener (or anyone else for that matter) with kindness and respect.
What is one artist or band that you haven't seen in concert, that you hope to see someday?
The Foo Fighters.
We all have our days where it may not be going as well as we'd like. People deal with their worst days in different ways. What helps you get through the bad days? How do you stay positive?
If I get out for a run or a surf to start the day, I find that I have far more good days than bad ones. I’m just able to deal with whatever is thrown my way so much easier if I’ve gotten up early and break a sweat. I focus less on the negative and more on the positive for any given situation.
Thank you for taking the time for this Q&A. Any last words or final message for the readers?
Thanks for having me. It’s been a pleasure. Do something to make someone smile today. You, me and rest of the world will be better off for it. Cheers.