2 Minutes With … WLSH: Musician, Producer and DJ
WLSH, or Where Love Stops Hate, is a saxophonist, producer, DJ and vocalist, offering a mix of jazz, pop, classical, house and techno. WLSH has recorded for both TV and film. For the past decade, WLSH has kept his passion for music alive while practicing law and serving as a thought leader in the legal cannabis and entertainment industries. His latest single is "Our Time."
We spent two minutes with WLSH to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he's admired.
WLSH, tell us …
Where you grew up, and where you live now.
I grew up in Malvern, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. These days, I live in Saugus, Calif., which is in northern Los Angeles County.
Your earliest musical memory.
Running around in my pajamas singing The Cars' "Good Times Roll" in the living room of my childhood home.
Your favorite bands/musicians today.
RÜFÜS DU SOL and Fred Again are my current electronic favorites, and I like Hans Zimmer for his insane melodic abilities. Kenny Garrett and Charlie Parker are my saxophone idols.
One of your favorite projects you've ever worked on.
My first meaningful effort in musical collaboration was released earlier this year. It was a remix of my first single, "How Can I?" I took the opportunity to reach out to several friends—some professional musicians, some not—who I knew from high school. The collaborations impacted my original vision for the remix in a beautiful and unique way. Much love to Jabz, Tom Beaupre, Drew Palmer and Nate Graham for their efforts.
A recent project you're proud of.
I went down the rabbit hole of melodic techno and found myself 100 hours into a song called "Our Time." I was utterly obsessed with mimicking the sound palette of the genre's biggest stars (Tale of Us, Solomun, ARTBAT, Adriatique). But it also has an ODESZA-esque drum-line intro, from which I was able to transition into the heart of the song. This was my first labor of love on the production side. I'm proud of how lush, full and professional the final product turned out. It's my moody melodic techno monster!
One thing about how the music world is evolving that you're excited about.
I'm excited about opportunities to monetize music careers in unique ways and to be closer than ever to our fanbase. While I believe the streaming model will eventually be corrected (user-centric streaming is hopefully in our future), our ability to interpret what our audience likes and doesn't like with real-time data provides us with all the tools we need to make a living.
Someone else's work, in music or beyond, that you admired lately.
I admire Alessio De Vecchi's work on the mixed media project Anyma. De Vecchi's work with producer Matteo has gone viral too many times to count, and for good reason. They are combining graphics and music for a new type of creative output.
A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.
Ari Herstand just released an updated edition of How to Make It in the New Music Business, and it really helped me to focus on my musical initiatives.
An artist you admire outside the world of music.
Your favorite fictional character.
Harvey Specter from Suits—I love the combination of wit, charm and intelligence. As an attorney, I will attest to how outlandish some of the legal scenarios in the show are, but nonetheless it's a classic. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Michael Scott from The Office is a very close No. 2.
Someone worth following on social media.
Eben Britton is an ex-NFL lineman turned yogi who has a podcast, The Eben Flow. He is constantly dropping gems regarding life's underlying truths and the the keys to unlocking your greatest self.
Your main strength as a marketer/creative.
My ability to analyze all sides of a situation and being decisive enough to take action. Being creative requires certain risks, but also persistence and continuity.
Your biggest weakness.
I have trouble saying no, and it often spreads me too thin.
What you'd be doing if you weren't in the music business.
Working as an attorney and developing real estate. I’m currently doing both in addition to my music career.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
