Updates. Q and A With The Human

Things are getting worked out with Apple music and Spotify regarding the confusion with another Human Project from England.  The bad news is this could take up to a month to resolve.   (Some of their music is on my page confusing potential fans and people thinking about buying it.)

Question 1
Why do you call yourself The Human Project?
I got the nickname the Human in my 20's. Not sure how, except I loved music. Had it always playing. I knew all the lyrics to songs. If were around me, there was music and probably cold beer.  When I decided to start writing and recording,  the best name for this would be The Human Project. 

Question 2
When did you start listening to music?
I would say by 6 or 7 years of age, I was starting to listen.  I listened to Elvis and Buddy Holly a lot.  Dug the rockabilly sound.  I had a record player that played 45's.  Also my dad's side was very musical. They all played something. Fiddle, mandolin, guitars. I was around that at a young age.

Question 3
Who were your influences?
Early Elvis. Buddy Holly. Then The Beatles kinda knocked my socks off. The Stones. I liked the Young Rascals with that Hammond Organ sound.  The Animals.  Really..too many to list.  But you hear all my influences come out in my music.

Question 4
When did you start playing?
I started at about 15 years old. By 16, I was playing in a full blown rock band and actually going out and doing gigs.  I played in bands all 4 years of high school.  We were one of the better bands in the Central Valley of California, especially for our age.  When I graduated from High School, that was it for me for performing with a band live and playing.

Flash forward about 40 years and I got me a Fender Stratocaster and bought me a Boss BR 1600 digital recorder.  I started writing and recording the tracks. I found it came pretty easy.  I met some other musicians.  In 2006, we went into the studio and recorded "The Real Stuff."  It was well received, so in 2008, I did Human Project II, Humanized.   As sales continued to be pretty good, I have keep going with it.

Question 5
Do you play live?
I played a few live gigs right after The Real Stuff. Stanford University Homecoming gig was the big one.
But I never could catch on with the music scene here that is more geared to cover bands playing in bars type thing, so I finally gave up trying to play live.  It is really this area's loss because of the kind of band I could put together. Absolutely killer players. What you hear on my CD's are the same guys that I would have taken out live.  Now, I am not young anymore and I am content to just write and record. I also enjoy doing my Podcast, Human's Show on Podomatic. It has an international audience and helps me promote my music as well.

Question 6
Final Thoughts?
I am grateful to all the fans that have discovered my music and support it.  I am grateful for my family supporting me as well.  I hope to continue to write and record as long as I can.  

Loyd Vandergriff, aka The Human of The Human Project
October 2019