Art & Life with Ash Lemus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ash Lemus.

Ash, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Well, I started off obsessing over The Beatles as soon as I was born. Their animated film “Yellow Submarine” became a childhood landmark of mine, as well as their other live action films. My first instrument was a small red drum set, which I received when I was three or so. I played along with Ringo in all the those Beatles films. Five to six years go by, and my interest in playing music sparks up again. The Beatles continued heavily influencing me as well as Devo and Nirvana.

I started writing “songs” when I was ten. You know, the songs where you add your own lyrics to the melody of “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” The next year I founded a band, and we went on to play our school’s Talent Show two years in a row. First with a horrid cover of “Seven Nation Army” and then with a decent cover of “Song 2” by Blur. I eventually left the band as I started playing bass and guitar, That’s when I started writing my own music, as well as lyrics. I did the Talent Show alone in seventh grade and covered Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World,” and yes, I had the lightning bolt on my face. I was 13 when I recorded my first song, an anthem among my friends, “Sean Is Depressed,” with local Phoenix musician, Greg Kirk. He showed me the basics of recording and my interest in audio production started there. A few months after I put out “Sean Is Depressed,” I started to listen to music other than Nirvana or “Cannibal’ by Scratch Acid. Bands like Deerhunter opened my mind up to a whole new genre, or rather experience, of music. So, after a couple garage band recordings I started using the software, Studio One, where I recorded my first SoundCloud song, “Dramaqueen,” heavily influenced by not only Deerhunter but The Jesus and Mary Chain. In the weeks that followed I frequently went back into my room late at night and just started recording, that’s how it’s always been for me. The first album I put out is under the moniker, The Hanging Garden. That first album is titled “Eveningness,” because of the late night/late evening golden hour sensation to it and the time it was recorded. That was released on September 3rd but recorded in the back half of summer. The inspiration for that was the album “Primary Colours” by The Horrors. I didn’t release or fully record another song until late November when I released “So, Lose Yourself.” That’s when I started to lower the reverb and let the song speak for itself. I got a pretty good response from that and decided to record another album. It is under a different moniker though, Sleepwalker. It’s a self-titled album. Since then I’ve formed a new band, The Pharmacists, with my friend of eleven years, Tyler Rodgers, who is the drummer. I’m also joined by rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Nick Marin, bassist Jesse Gobber and Dillon Narang on keyboards/synths, I play lead guitar and occasionally sing, when necessary.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I primarily make music, but I also write and paint. I make music not only because it’s a fantastic release and great way to meet people, but so I can expose our lobotomized generation to something that is unique, original and passionate, I’m not really at a level where I can publicly say that my art’s message is that anyone can do it, but in reality just about anyone can. I also hope that after people hear my music or read one of my dark stories that they can try and be their own person rather than fold into conformity and clone those who are around them.

How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
As an artist, I feel like success is based on how pleased you are with your finished work of art and how if it manages to connect with people. A characteristic I would define as essential to success as an artist is having an open mind.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can check out my work at my YouTube channel “Ash Barrett” Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfhHTesujX0-_x5CkeKhqsQ/videos?view_as=subscriber

People can support my work by coming to shows and spreading the word about my new band The Pharmacists.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 602-802-6945
• Email: thedrummerash@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelemuslemur/?hl=en

Image Credit:
Julia Angoco

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