Today we’d like to introduce you to James Moritz.
Hi James, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Sure! Thanks for having me! Well, I was born in Austin and started playing guitar when I was about 10. I think I wrote my first song when I was 14—but I’m not exactly sure. I wrote a lot of my early material while I was in film school at NYU and performing in the Brooklyn music scene.
After I graduated there was a brief stint in Nashville and an almost unmentionable few months couch-surfing in LA before I came back to my hometown. I guess I thought at the time Austin would be ideal because it offered both the music and film scenes. Since then, I’ve performed under my own name as a songwriter and joined the bands of Mayeux & Broussard, Kathryn Legendre, and Garrett T. Capps on bass and backing vocals while also freelancing on all sorts of film projects for local and studio productions.
In this life I’ve traveled and lived abroad; I’ve helped women find the right shoes; guided folks to the right keg for their event and then delivered it to them; swept the floors of medical clinics, bars, and offices; taxied drunk college kids from campus to “San Jack” and back; worked and attended major festivals; gone door to door for the Census Bureau; been a part of major studio productions, Oscar-winning documentaries, and the most independent of independent films; and served drinks to both amazing and terrible people.
I’ve performed in front of no one and packed houses.
Though it’s not all sunny days I’ve had a very good time so far. I have an amazing life with my partner Hannah and we just welcomed our son Arlo into the world. We have so much ahead of us and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I was born pretty privileged and had an affluent upbringing but I wouldn’t say it was a smooth road. Everyone has their problems. I experienced some childhood traumas that I’m still working through. I continue to learn and grow; and, I know it will make me both a better person and a better father. Like I said, I have the support of an amazing partner and I’ve surrounded myself with an amazing community of friends that I consider family. The Austin music community also embraced me with open arms so I’ll always be grateful for that. Therapy also helps. I highly recommend it.
You know, I think we all went through a pretty traumatic experience over the past couple years. Having a baby in the middle of the pandemic left us without access to our support system which was challenging to say the least. I’m constantly reminded of how much we rely on others and our community. Over the past few months, we’ve been able to introduce Arlo to more and more people which has been incredibly rewarding—more I’d ever imagined.
It’s heartbreaking to see that being stripped away again by selfish people refusing to do what’s right for everyone. We really want to create a loving, encouraging, and enriching environment for Arlo filled with all of those we love so the back and forth of that has been difficult.
Also, my only source of income over the past three years has been performing. When the country shut down, I lost the only means I had to make money as well as my creative outlet. We were lucky that we were able to survive with the help of family and savings; but, losing the ability to perform before an audience was devastating. I stuck it out with live streaming but it was nowhere near as fulfilling. I got part-time work cleaning a medical clinic which ended up making me eligible for an early vaccine dose so I was able to start performing again once I’d been vaccinated. I try to be optimistic and see the silver lining. I know people have it and have had it much worse than me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My background is in film so I’m particularly drawn to storytelling in my songwriting. I like to set a scene for the listener. The music is like the setting and scenery while the lyrics can be a dialogue, monologue, inner thoughts, narrator, etc.
Sometimes the story is complete and sometimes it’s a brief moment. Sometimes the lyrics are literal while sometimes they exist in the abstract. Some are autobiographical while others are definitely embellished. I prefer the listener to draw their own interpretations and hopefully place themselves in the narrator’s shoes. I’m hoping for the listener to empathize rather than sympathize.
I’m particularly proud of my latest release Something Pretty. It’s the first installment in a two-part series of digital releases under the Something Pretty title. Soon vinyl will be available for purchase with bonus material.
It’s been a while since I’ve picked up a camera but I’m hoping to make something again soon. Before joining the band, I directed a music video for the Mayeux & Broussard song “Stoned & Broke Down” which premiered at the first Austin Music Video Festival.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I grew up in Austin and I’ve watched it grow from a big town to a small city to one of the largest cities in the country. In that process I’ve seen a lot of the places I used to go to disappear or become completely different—the Covid-19 pandemic only accelerated that process.
I grew up wandering Vulcan and I Love Video and seeing movies at the Dobie or the original Alamo; going to shows at Emo’s on Red River. I used to enjoy going downtown but now I avoid it. I miss how the old skyline looked and how green everything was. When I moved back, I could afford to live in South Congress but now that would be impossible. The “Y at Oak Hill” might as well have been the gateway to the hill country and now it’s the gateway to the suburbs.
EDM on the greenbelts is just the worst.
I’m grateful for all the new, exciting things this place has but it’s a far cry from the “Keep Austin Weird” days. I’m glad places like Hole In The Wall and Sahara Lounge are still around. I wish Steve still ran Party Barn.
Now that I’m done being the “back in my day,” old man, I really do like all of the new stuff. I love that there are more venues and more genres of music being played at those venues. The museums have gotten better and I like that there are more Alamos with more opportunities to check out more films. I know everyone talks about the food here but the food here is great. I love that I can grab a taco, BBQ, and Ramen all in one day. Aside from the trendy spots the neighborhood I live in has Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek, Chinese, Southeast Asian, and African restaurants that are all really good.
I think having a kid also awakens that kid inside yourself. I’m excited to explore the new while showing Arlo what’s left of the old.
Pricing:
- 3000
- 1800
- 1200
- 800
- 500
Contact Info:
- Email: jamesmoritzmusic@gmail.com
- Website: www.jamesmoritzmusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jamesmoritzmusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jamesmoritzmusic
- Other: https://jamesmoritz.bandcamp.com/
Image Credits
Katrina Barbe
Catherine Davis
Hannah Rudolph
