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January 11, 2005
San Diego Reader Article
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Of Note
Greg Laswell
By William Crain
Published January 6, 2005
I've never met Greg Laswell, so I don't know what he's like as a person. I just know he has moved on from the breakup of his band, Shillglen, into a promising career as a solo artist and producer. His self-released solo album Good Movie received a San
Diego Music Award. He's booked a lot of shows recently, including several nights at Lestat's and Java Joe's. Until recently, he ran an interesting record store at Fashion Valley. He's even taken up drumming (with Matt Curreri and the X-Friends). He's
talented, he's good-looking, he apparently has a lot of friends and admirers, and he makes a living playing and recording music. Sounds like a go-getter to me.
But listen to his songs and you hear loneliness and self-doubt. In a melancholy, piano-based number called "Through Toledo," he sings of driving to San Francisco because "She thinks that I've already gone." And, again, in the rockier "Bright Ideas," he sings, "You may say I'm not here."
Instead of these exercises in low self-esteem, Laswell could be boasting about his bright future. I don't presume to know why he doesn't. But music is one of the few areas in human endeavor where shyness, introversion, moodiness, and emotional immaturity can be thought of as professional strengths. That's
not to say that Laswell is showing his wounded side solely out of commercial considerations, to gain indie cred, or just to get laid. Everyone has feelings of vulnerability. We're lucky to have people
like Laswell, who have the talent and the self-confidence to sing about their self-doubt. |
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