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New York-based outfit The Waters Project is based around guitarist and singer/songwriter David Lee Waters. Here’s everything that you need to know about The Waters Project but were afraid to ask, courtesy of David himself.
What are the origins of The Waters Project, how long have you been playing together?
I’ve played with the drummer and 2nd guitarist in other projects since the mid-2000’s – The Waters Project has been performing since 2015. We were all taking a break from a project and I decided to finally start and front my own band. Our friendship and music bonds were very tight and it came together really easily. Our bass player came out of another group we all supported.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe The Waters Project?
I’d say we’re a pretty ‘no-frills – it’s about the music’ kinda band. Definitely not ‘shoe gazers’ but maybe a step above…lol. A little raw and rough around the edges. Loose where ya want the swagger of spontaneity and humor to breathe thru. We like to make sure the songs are tight…but inspiring enough to take creative liberty with when the ‘wheels’ start to go off the road. And we like it loud and hard…There have been bloodied guitars in the past.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
An amazing experience to finally feel the songs hitting a live audience and getting their immediate response back. There’s nothing like it. You also get a quick sense of what works on stage vs what you THINK or hope works when rehearsing. Kicking the set off, trusting each other, and knowing there’s no turning back or ‘do overs’. The band had a blast and our fans really made that night one to remember.
The new music scene is bursting at the seams at the minute with fresh talent, in what ways do you feel that a band has to stand out to build a name for themselves?
The bands that stand out to me all have a few things in common IMHO – great, catchy but creative/unique songs that emotionally and physically engage their audience…a sense of humor…even if they take themselves seriously, they’re well-rehearsed and take their craft seriously….and they know how to promote themselves and reach out to their fan base.
What are you working on at the minute that people can check out?
We’re dropping a cool new video for our latest single “It’s What You Do To Me” – it’s gonna be surfacing on our FB page (The Waters Project) as well as Soundcloud, Spotify. It’s in motion with our publicists. It’s a pretty intense and dark, sensuous song and video. A LOT of other songs in the pipeline as we can finish them off. I write from a personal internal dialogue based on life experience. I’ve never made up a ‘story’ or people to sing about if that makes sense? The pandemic has put an understandable kink in our ‘flow’ so I’m developing the new material in my project studio. Beats therapy I guess.
In terms of a similar audience, which band out there at the minute do you feel you would be best suited to open for?
We’d love to open for bands like The Pretenders, Smithereens, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Neil Young, Stone Temple Pilots, Petty….to name some faves.
Excluding yourself! which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
I’m embarrassingly lousy with new bands – as much as I love all styles of new music. I rarely listen to other music in the apartment. Been in my pandemic cave for too long. I love Mike Campbells (Petty) new-ish band The Dirty Knobs. Their single “Wreckless Abandon” is great.
What are your own first musical memories? And what was the lightbulb moment that made you go “I want to do that”?
First musical memory was of my dad playing guitar to me while laying in my bed at night when I was very very young. It was one of those plastic acoustics with push buttons at the top of the neck that you’d push down (like an Autoharp) – Then it was discovering the Beatles, taking up trumpet in 5th grade thanks to the local school music programs – so sadly pulled from many schools…. then the real A-HA moment was seeing the Allman Brothers on the live TV concerts called Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert (back in those days it was a precursor to MTV?). Dropped that trumpet that night…and never looked back. Wishing I’d discovered Miles Davis before I stopped trumpet.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Probably one of my friends’ bands in NYC – Always like supporting my pals. Most likely was The Planets (killer NYC band) at Arlenes’ Grocery…an iconic NYC club we did many double bills at. As for international artists…maybe Blondie and Elvis Costello at Forest Hills Stadium. Then the pandemic stopped everything. My last show in 2020 was a Mar. 14th solo acoustic. gig at The Bitter End. A very intense night for everyone willing to go out. Will honor it and never forget it.
What current social issue are you particularly passionate about?
Climate Change, Anti-Discrimination/Equal Rights, Voting Rights
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Most/all of my circle know that I listen to everything so I don’t think they’d be surprised by my collection. Maybe something out of my classical background like Charles Ives or my jazz background like Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Jaco, or Keith Jarrett
Although 2021 was another year to forget, there were some amazing new albums released, what would be your album of last year?
Again… my new music outreach is not what it should be. I’m so deep into my shuttered world of writing and recording my own music I don’t listen to new material as much as I should. Also – I’m old school…don’t stream…prefer CDs that I’ll buy direct from the band’s sites so they get the most money – hate Amazon. One of my fave relatively recent CDs is The Pretenders “Hate For Sale”
What does 2022 hold for you?
Right now my musical plans are to keep recording a backlog of songs the band never got into the studio on….all while developing many many new songs of all styles I get inspired by…write, record, create videos as able and stay sane. The band is not performing live at the moment so it’s all about developing and progressing with songwriting and promotion of new materials. When the live shows pop back on I’ll be calling everyone back in….and off we go. Off ‘standby’ and blasting live the stage again.
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
The time I have for social media is spent on our The Waters Project FB, Youtube, and Instagram efforts. We also have a Soundcloud and Spotify presence. Also, our email is ThewatersprojectNYC@gmail.com for those that reach out thru that channel…
