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This week’s guest on The 21st Century Creative podcast is Javier Weyler, musician, composer and music designer.
Javier will need no introduction for fans of Stereophonics – he was the band’s drummer for 8 years, recording albums, touring the globe and playing to packed stadiums, including the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park that was broadcast worldwide in 2005.
These days he records his own albums, as well as playing drums with the likes of Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music, and Zak Starkey. He also produces other artists, composes soundtracks for feature films and documentaries, and creates music for brands including Uniqlo, the BBC, ITV and Hasbro.
Javier on stage with Stereophonics at Live8
As a listener to the 21st Century Creative, you are already familiar with Javier’s work – he composed and recorded all the music and sound effects for the podcast, and his production agency Breaking Waves, produces every episode of the show.
UNIQLO campaign featuring Javier’s music
For this interview we did something very different, which was Javier’s idea. We met up in Hammersmith in London, and walked along the bank of the river Thames while he told me about his journey, from growing up in Venezuela to achieving success with Claroscuro, to moving to London, playing with Stereophonics, and his current work as a composer and producer.
Along the way, he shares his thoughts on what it takes to succeed as a musician, and how the music business has changed radically in the time he’s been involved with it.
As we walk along the river, you can hear the sounds of birds singing, passers-by talking, planes flying overhead and traffic coming and going. Javier wanted to capture the soundscape and to give us a glimpse of what it’s like to live in his world, where he is acutely aware of the sounds around him and the feelings they evoke.
When I listened back to the interview, it reminded me of some of his work for films, where the sounds in the background have a subtle but important effect on the people in the foreground. To experience the effect for yourself, I hope you’ll join Javier and me on a walk along the river and a journey into sound.
You can follow Javier’s further adventures on Instagram and Twitter.
Trailer for The Book of Judith, soundtrack by Javier Weyler and Aleph Aguiar
Music from Dead Seem Old – co-written, produced and engineered by Javier
About The 21st Century Creative podcast
At the end of the interview, I ask my guest to set you a Creative Challenge that will help you put the ideas from the interview in to practice in your own work.
And in the first part of the show, I share insights and practical guidance based on my 21+ years experience of coaching creatives like you.
Make sure you receive every episode of The 21st Century Creative by subscribing to the show in iTunes.