We are so excited to have Guy Keltner joining us for our August Art Walk performance! Guy has recently moved back to Seattle from New York, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Standard Goods Art Walk! He is one member of the band Acid Tongue, and will be performing solo for us.
Stop by Thursday, August 9th for free music, art, and as always- beer!
Read on to learn more about Guy!
Tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from?
My family is all from Los Angeles, but my mom & dad moved us up to Seattle when I was a teenager. After high school, I stuck around, went to UW for Economics, spent most of my 20s here, and I just moved back after living in Brooklyn the past two years.
How and where did you become so musically talented?
I started really young. My folks had me on piano at five, and then I was given a guitar when I turned 10. I think the most important thing in my education was to write a lot of music, at a really young age. I started making my own songs at 11 or 12, so I'm almost two decades in and I still learn new things every day.
What is your favorite song to perform and why?
Right now I love closing with "Careless". We change it just enough every time we play it, so it's always a new experience. The crowd seems really into it every time, and I let my bandmates take it in whatever direction feels right on any given night.
Since you normally perform as part of your band, Acid Tongue, how will this performance be different for you?
I can play any song I want. I might do some old Fox and The Law songs (my band from a few years back), or I might play some covers. I might just goof off and do a medley of whatever feels good at the moment.
Who has been your biggest inspiration in the music world and why?
Probably like a lot of artists, I have no biggest inspiration. I take from different things. Musically, Acid Tongue is heavily inspired by Jonathan Richman, Lou Reed, T Rex, and more contemporary stuff like Timber Timbre, Built to Spill and Charles Bradley. But I'm also taking stuff conceptually from Kurt Vonnegut, copping some of Anthony Bourdain's signature attitude, blending in influences from the beat poets.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
More stable financially, still making music I enjoy.
What is your song creation process like?
Depends on the song. Sometimes it starts lyrically, maybe its a melody, or maybe just a good idea for a riff.
What has been your biggest accomplishment as a musician thus far?
Touring Europe and the UK. Coming home and playing in-studio at KEXP. Then headlining my own festival (the Freakout). Last fall was great.
How do you distinguish yourself from other artists out there today?
I don't worry about the other artists. I stay true to who I am.
If you could collaborate with any musician or band past or present, who would you chose and why?
Sly Stone, before all of the drugs rotted his brain.
Do you have any exciting upcoming gigs?
August 10th, opening up for Built to Spill at South Lake Union Block Party. We're also touring England in September, and going to Mexico City in October.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Please attend this year's Freakout Festival! We'll be performing, alongside a ton of amazing bands (this year we have some killer headliners!): https://www.the-freakout.com