photo by: Keith Zacharski / In The Barrel

Shining above the storm and in the great unknown, with

Stick Figure music.

Has music ever been more powerful than it is right here and now? You can certainly make the argument that a live performance or having tunes accompany an experience provides immeasurable moments, but if I’ve learned anything the past year… it’s that the power of music is something we can all agree upon. It’s calibrating, and it’s the sound of my addiction.

With the world on fire, music has been essential to my focus and serenity. Something to serve as a getaway while also dosing my frame of mind with constant injections of positive vibes. For me, a key to that companionship has been the sweet sounds of Stick Figure.

In the morning to start the day with the right energy? To accompany an early evening surf? To pick me up off the ground? To take my mind out of the lane of fear and into the lane of hope and dreams? To inspire my writing and creative content? Stick Figure. Just… let the music play, because we all need that escape.

You see… Scott Woodruff and I geographically share an area. The region I’m currently in is where he comes from, and we’ve crossed paths on occasion. Here, the Atlantic Ocean stares you in the face. It draws you in, but you have to embrace it and treat it right in order to join its forces to ultimately find your tribe.

Woodruff’s east coast wave had some winds from the west and settled him upon the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Through the spirit of Stick Figure, he was able to take what the south shore Atlantic instilled in him and adjoin it with the tides of the west coast. Thus, we have seven Stick Figure records (and new music in the works) to indulge in. Furthermore, the community (Stick Figure Family) the music has created is one of great friendship to the point where sometimes it feels like…

“There’s a little old town
And it’s tucked away on an island on the sea
So far away from everything
Where time, it don’t mean a thing
And time moves slow, and certainly we got no place to be

We can go, we can stay
We can hide, we can run away
We can feel and swim in the ocean
We’ve fallen, life keeps calling.”

artwork by: Carlos Vargas

Melody thrives in Stick Figure music. From the opening reggae beat in “Walk of Life” to the last kick drum stomp on “Burn The Night”, the songs are filled with messages of inspiration. Woodruff’s storytelling continuously dips into true-life examples for any listener to call their own. The choice is yours. And then there’s the art. The merch meets the mood of the music, the coffee ignites the brightest of bonfires, and the album covers are a masterpiece of their own.

With a catalog of nearly 100 songs, selecting 10 lyrics is no easy task. Cruising through the past 15 years of Stick Figure music you can find themes of gratitude, a love of nature, and a drive to always stoke the passion… you’re way.

photo by: Keith Zacharski/In The Barrel

 “Let The Music Play”
Fire flies lighting up the night sky
Seeing nature is the only thing that doesn’t lie
I got directions from the trees

“Rise Above”
Life is too short to do not what you love
Taking a step back from reality and rise up above
You coming around, you feel the sound
Stand up to the one who’s been keeping you on the ground

When you’re feeling misunderstood
When you’re feeling like you’re no good
You got no money, but it’s alright
Feel the music, play it all night

“Hawaii Song”
Well I am on my way
To an island on the sea
I will escape and Lord I be will free

… I love this world and all it can do for me.

photos by: Keith Zacharski / In The Barrel

“Breathe”
It’s a brand new day, it’s a brand new start
To greet the world it’s just me and my guitar

“Sunshine and Rain”
There will never be a cloud that the sunshine couldn’t shine through
For each time you smile, you will find it is true
Somebody somewhere will smile back at you
There’s nothing on this earth that can make life more worthwhile
Then the sunshine and the warmth of a beautiful smile

 

photos by: Keith Zacharski / In The Barrel

“Choice is Yours”
When you focus on the good things, all things under the sun
You free yourself from negativity and the good shall come

“Sound of the Sea”
And I believe it, that good things are coming our way
So keep dreaming, I’m feeling like I’m dreaming always

“Fire On The Horizon”
So many miles I’ve walked
So many rivers I’ve crossed
So many battles I’ve lost
Make me who I am today
And when tomorrow, it comes
There’ll be a brand new sun
This song is not over
It’s just begun

“Above The Storm”
Close your eyes for a moment
Focus on the air that you breathe
Think good thoughts and now hold them
Now you slip into a dream

photos by: Keith Zacharski / In The Barrel

“Angels Above Me”
Searching for the meaning of it all
I spend all my days trying to make some sense of it all
The ocean and the seas and the windblown trees are changing
And your love for me is all I need to keep believing…

Featured artwork by: Carlos Vargas. Check out more of Carlos’ work HERE:

All photography by: Keith Zacharski 

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JeffGorra@ArtistWaves.com