Tag: Clay Finch

BGS 5+5: Mapache

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Mapache
Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Answers by Clay Finch

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?

Surfing. It is a wonderful mirror to playing music. It’s the same spiritual exercise, but it’s played out more on the physical plane. It’s spontaneous, super immersive, and requires deep concentration and awareness of your environment. The best wave riding experience is just like a really good jam. And in my best musical moments I feel like I’m gliding across a wave with the same grace.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

Before a show we all do a lot of stretching. I feel like it’s the best way to release stress and tension and get the blood moving, and get your chi meridians all dialed before you make music with everyone. Ten minutes before we go on the green room is a bunch of dudes getting all bendy and weird.

What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?

Some of the best advice I’ve been given is just maintaining a foundation of gratitude. When life gets really challenging or confusing, just putting one foot in front of the other is much simpler when you take a moment to count your blessings. And on a lighter note, another piece of advice that’s stayed with me is one time my friend Ben told me my guitar was too beautiful to have a plastic capo or tuner clipped to the headstock, so since then I always keep those resting on my amp or in my pocket when I’m done using them.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I spend a lot of time in the ocean and in the sun when I’m home and I feel like that keeps my body pretty relaxed, and I think that keeps a lot of the music I end up writing on the mellow side.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

I think the dream scenario would change depending on the season, but being that it is summer I would love to see Ledward Kaapana playing with a traditional slack key group, with a large serving of sushi and some iced tea and fresh fruit juice.

Photo Credit: Nydia Gonzalez

LISTEN: Mapache, “Midnight Moonlight”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Mapache
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Midnight Moonlight” (Old & In the Way cover)
Album: Mapache: 3
Release Date: November 19, 2021
Label: Innovative Leisure

In Their Words: “I used to play ‘Midnight Moonlight’ with Billy Scott Wilson. Billy was a deeply-loved surfer, musician, and sometimes resident (after the Woolsey fires) of the Malibu First Point scene. He was famous for ALWAYS having his 1940s Martin in hand, usually no shirt, always playing. The last time we ever played together was a late August night when we both were sleeping in the lot. The last song we picked was ‘Midnight Moonlight.’ Afterwards he walked back to his van with his arms out exclaiming, ‘IT’S THE LAST FULL MOON OF THE SUMMER!’ It really was one of those especially beautiful summer nights on the LA coast and I will always think of my friend Billy when we play this song.” — Clay Finch, Mapache

Photo Credit: Matt Correia

BGS 5+5: Mapache

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Mapache (Sam Blasucci and Clay Finch)
Hometown: Glendale, California
Latest Album: From Liberty Street
Rejected band names: La Cabañita, Sam & Clay, Clam. Not sure why we thought Mapache was any better than the rest.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?

All of the above really. Everything going in and out of the psyche is what we tend to be writing in our songs. The books we read play a big role in what we write, things like Sy Montgomery’s The Soul of an Octopus, Kon-Tiki, Charlotte’s Web, Christian Wiman’s Joy anthology. Lots of films, too, like young Kiefer Sutherland in The Lost Boys, Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, Frozen II, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Seems Like Old Times, and lots of others.

Other art forms like gardening and painting as well. I’ve only recently started painting and I know that it looks dreadful to anyone else who sees my finished products, but they look nice to me and allow me to open up in other ways that eventually come back around in their turn to our music as well. — Sam

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

Not until after our second record was recorded and we had been traveling and playing music for about four years. It’s a lot of questioning constantly of whether or not this is really what I want to do and I’m happy about that. I think it has taken time for me to realize that it is actually something I can do. I feel like now I’m committed to it and that I really do want to do it because it feels right. But I won’t ever really stop wondering. I think the wondering is what gives you the reason to do it anyway.

Many musical moments in the past have lead me to love music the way I do now. Raffi in my crib, hearing my dad’s guitar solos, our first battle of the bands in high school, our first time recording anything or trying to learn how to sing harmonies — those are all growing pains for me musically. Painful in some ways looking at the level of our talent back then but definitely key in figuring out our taste and what we want to do with music. — Sam

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

I think my favorite moment on stage happens fairly often: It’s when Sam and I look at each other and start laughing, usually mid-song, and I think it’s because in the same weird moment we sort of realize how strange and funny and awesome playing music on a stage is. Some other favorite moments were playing in Spain and having the crowd sing along to our songs in Spanish, having Jonathan Richman watch us play a set, sharing the stage with Beachwood Sparks, and anytime we get to play in Big Sur. — Clay

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I spend a lot of time in the ocean. This leaves me pretty sunburned and sleepy a lot of the time, and when it’s really good I see waves rolling when I close my eyes. Feeling like this and playing music is the best. — Clay

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

The best pairing of food and music is at El Compadre in Echo Park where you can watch Trio Los Principes and eat beans and chips and drink flaming margaritas. The trio is truly one of the most badass bands in LA. Sam and I like to go like to meet up with our buddy Tim Hill there and plot world domination and watch Dodgers games. — Clay

Photo courtesy of Mapache