Alex James Muscat - Singer - Songwriter

About - Bio - Contact - Lyrics - Music - New Relese - Press - Recordings - Tall Shadows

Over the last 18 years AJM has written and recorded over 100 original songs and has been involved (as a musician, engineer or producer ) with about half as many independent and commercially released recordings.

AJM was or is in the following list of bands Classic Formula, Merit, Entourage (SPOKANE), The Idea (BOSTON), Psychoacoustic Underground, Bobby Peru (BOSTON), Ten To Six (BOSTON), SHRUG, James Colley Band, Lee Mallory Band, Scotty RocknRoll Band, Fleeting Trance and Tall Shadows.

Born and rasied in San Francisco CA, AJM grew up taking piano lessons and went to high school in the Sunset district during the late 80's. Most of his youth involved starting up bands with friends, playing his Fender Jazz Bass and making analog recordings in his parents basement on the now long worn out Tascam porta two 4-track recorder. After graduating with a bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music in 1994, AJM started working towards producing and engineering professionally. San Francisco, Marin County and Hollywood were home to various recording set-ups and projects. Check out some of the archives of songs on the music page.

In his hometown of San Francisco, Alex began studying the piano at age 9 and developed his skills in reading music and playing musical compositions. In high school, he played electric bass in various groups, co-writing original songs and producing demo tapes in his parents' basement on his Tascam 4-track recorder. After moving to Spokane, Washington and a short-lived stay at Gonzaga University, Alex began writing complete songs and singing. At the time, quitting school to sing and play bass in a local bands, before applying to Berklee College of Music, where he studied with songwriting department head Jack Perricone, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1994.

While in Boston, Alex co-founded Ten To Six after answering an ad that a young Anthony Valli (aka: TROUBLE) had taped to a lamppost on Hemingway Street that read, 'guitarist/songwriter looking for singer/songwriter to form original rock band. Influences: R.E.M., Jane's Addiction...' Ten To Six was a perfect match for the talented guitarist and aspiring singer. Over time, Anthony has really put it all in perspective. "Anyone who has ever thought about placing an ad to start a band knows how hard it can be. It's like a hurdle you have to get over with your confidence. The greatest thing that came out of it (Ten to Six) is that we got enough confidence to carry us through all these years of paying our dues. We pulled off some impressive shit on our own.. It makes me think, what if I didn't put the ad up? Everything I did in the past adds up to where I am now." Anthony 'TROUBLE' Valli (we used to call him Tony) plays guitar for Crazy Town, who's debut record with Columbia Records 'The Gift Of Game' has sold over 2 Million copies World -Wide.

At the time, the groups bombastic sound and crafty songwriting, fit right in to the Hard Rock/Grunge scene made famous by such groups as Alice In Chains and Soundgarden. (a 13 song reissue CLOCKWORK is available through mp3.com) Alex was absolutely engaged by fronting the band, propelling the groups hyper-trance-like performances. Spending much of the early nineties in Boston, performing over 100+ shows in the greater Northeast, the group had found some real success before moving to California and renting a house at 32 Desmond Street in the San Francisco neighborhood of Visitation Valley. This change proved too much for drummer Andy Harris and the band began to split. Alex called on longtime friend, Psychoacoustic Underground drummer Tom Hargarten to step in but the new dynamic was a wash for Tony and the group eventually parted ways in 1996.

Launching into a new project SHRUG with bassist/vocalist Charlie Phillips and drummer Tom Hargarten, the trio made two demos totaling seven songs and began playing the club scene around San Francisco. Alex was now playing guitar for the group and had a whole new batch of songs many of which have gone unreleased and sit in the archives. Many of the songs made their way onto 1999's BLUEPRINT. SHRUG immediately had an identifiable pop/punk style but really never had the chance to develop. Alex abruptly split from the group in the middle of a stressful gig at the Boathouse on Lake Merced. "I just didn't want to do it anymore." Recalls Alex about playing shows, "So I spent the next few years working on dozen's of song demo's without the distraction of hauling gear around town and the day to day politics of being in an independent band."

After setting up a short lived studio in Marin County and the eventual release of BLUEPRINT in late 1999, Alex began talking with producers and independent A&R folks, who had expressed interest in shopping a demo to major labels, but after relocating to Los Angeles, the 'industries' thinking was, as Alex often tells it, "we'll take track #5 and Track #14, make a new demo and work the power-pop angle." Disappointment's aside, spending a year in Hollywood, working with former band mate, Crazy Town guitarist TROUBLE and local Ranchero act Los Primos, was time well spent. "The best thing for my music" says Alex "is to stay independent and make it the same way I always have. I just had to decide where."

BUY - Alex James Muscat - Sad Songs and Dedications at cdbaby.com &